Dilemmas please step to the front!

Okay, first, some progress.  I've now got all the bases I need primed for the vast majority of my French and Indian War figures, the rebasing really.  Only thing still not 'ready' are the bases for the wagons and carts and such where standard sizing isn't so easy.  So, those will get bases at a slower rate, probably as the pieces get assembled and painted.  Otherwise, I'm ready to go.  That means the twenty European battalions and the now eight native 'tribal' groupings can be rebased (based when painted for those not yet done).  That is north of 1200 figures when you add in the artillerymen and the pioneers and engineers.

Now that I've let the above move out front, back to the dilemma.

As I've alluded to before, I really need to make some decisions about my collection of figures.  The giant pirate game I organized that got presented last year was, besides the game itself and the fun and camaraderie it provided, was also a test.  The goal from that perspective was to see just what it takes to get such a large mass of figures painted and ready for a game.  In both time and money, the effort was really excessive.  Doesn't mean it wasn't fun and I certainly greatly appreciate all the people who kicked in and helped out.  But it also rang the "reality check bell" really, really loudly.

For a quarter of a century I've suffered from the CEASE virus.  That is Collect 'Em And Store 'Em.  Sure, there has been lots of playing with them over the years.  But way too much collecting.  That activity, the deciding what to get into, do the research, find out who makes the figures, decide what to buy, and then buy and organize the metal, is a hobby in and of itself.  Not, however, the goal.

What I really want is to have a nice collection of painted figures I can game with when I have the time, and whether I have an opponent, or several, or not.  My collection can accommodate that easily - for maybe a dozen people.

But I'm only one People! (oh, shush, I am so - though I wonder if that is really something to be proud of sometimes.)

So, what I have to decide is whether I reduce the collection by eliminating periods or keep all of the periods I have (and, aghast!, maybe add one or two more) but drastically reduce the number of figures in each collection.  Enacting either option will result in a collection much more likely to get painted and thus used.  It also opens up the possibility of needing a lot less storage space which would be appreciated on the domestic avenue of advance.

While I really need to "cease and desist" the excessive acquisition, I will still allow those special purchases that do enhance gaming possibilities and sometimes just because I want it.  Absolutely no more massive periods.

In the process of typing all of this I've started to formulate the idea, not new, even to me, that I can have as much fun downsizing the collection as I did in upsizing it.

Most likely action will be to decide on a couple of collections to keep large and then reduce the rest of the oversized ones.  And then, in time, I will release some collections/periods entirely.  The reason might be as simple as after playing a few games deciding the period wasn't what I was hoping for or might be that I catch a valuable case of common sense!

And I'll probably revisit this theme here again, perhaps several times.  It helps to convince me.