This latest Update from the Operations Room includes a candid hobby update after a November/December in which real life thoroughly ambushed gaming time. Illness, injury, and work commitments conspired to keep the dice in their bags, but that pause provides a useful reminder that the hobby ebbs and flows — and that stepping away doesn’t diminish enthusiasm when you return.
On the workbench, I share the completion of a unit that has been a long time coming: 28mm Russian Tartar Uhlans from Perry Miniatures, painted for the 1812 Retreat from Moscow. Drawing on the regiment’s role during the Berezina campaign, I talk through the historical inspiration, sculpting details, and painting choices that balance uniform colour with campaign wear. This unit now anchors another small piece of the wider 1812 project on my tabletop.
There’s also a look ahead to the Analogue Hobbies Winter Painting Challenge, a long-running tradition that turns the darkest months of the year into a shared burst of creativity. This year’s plans include a Winter War project using 28mm figures, with basing choices designed to support both Bolt Action and Chain of Command.
Finally, the episode features a book review of Roman Cavalry Equipment by Ian Stephenson and Karen Dixon, assessing its value as a visual and practical reference for painters and historical wargamers interested in Late Roman armies.
