It’s in the trees, it’s coming...

 This was delivered last night quite late and I have just opened it this morning. I have only had a brief look so far and it looks great on first impressions. More later in the week as I read it and maybe try a game or two.

Incidentally the post’s title refers to the delivery man trying to get down my drive, past the hedge  and laburnum tree in the pitch dark.

Monday morning painting

 I thought some regular readers of this blog might enjoy this painting filled with great uniform information.

More inspiration for the 1870s Army Star Spangled project. Have a good day wherever you are!

A virtual derive in Massachusetts

 Yesterday morning I had a wander through Massachusetts archives. It was most enjoyable and provided inspiration for the current figures I am working on. Time just gets devoured in such a venture and I realised I had spent over ninety minutes over coffee.  I wander about and find inspiration from my wanderings , often an image is worth a hundred words. 

My favourite was this painting of The Boston Lancers-

A couple of these splendid gentlemen are currently on the painting table. I liked the inclusion of the civilians in the painting too. Maybe I ought to invest in a couple of such figures...

Below are another couple of units currently being converted.

 

Sprucing up the painting corner and a mystery purchase.

 Some photos of my painting corner with added pictures, an enjoyable podcast being listened to as I paint and two photos of a toy soldier mystery I bought in a job lot recently. It has wires connecting the horsemen and lugs to keep them together. I have never seen such a thing before, can anyone identify it?

Little battle with Big Wars 2 - the game played

 An enjoyable game was has had yesterday afternoon. I will let the pictures tell the story- apologies for the photos being out of order, blogger up to its tricks again.

Little battle with Big Wars

 On the table set up to play today or tomorrow...

Ace of base?

 I am not a fan of basing old toy soldiers personally. Others do and what they achieve are terrific results. Each to their own. I will probably change my mind by next week! Anyway I am currently basing-

My hand was rather forced by the fact the Army Star Spangled figures have narrow bases and have a tendency to fall over especially on the felt gridded cloths I use. I persevered for a bit but the domino effect as they fell made what is a hobby too unrelaxing for me. So for this 1930 collection I have gone for basing. Most infantry are on 2.5cm square individual bases, dismounted cavalry on round in pairs and machine guns on circular ones too. Some Maple Leaf Country militia are in threes on circles just for something different as well as command stands. All in all I am getting to like the look better. I do have some early ww2 figures ( again issues of stability) on multiple bases but I think that I may rebase as single figures on Mdf ones. The jury is currently out. All this did make me think that we are utterly spoilt as gamers with the  sheer multitude of basing available commercially. Terrific cottage industries needing our support. I am glad that my days of wonky cut card are over.

 

Back burner 28s

 These 28mm Pict/ pre feudal Scots are for my Friday Zoom gaming which is currently dark age skirmish based. We have started this as a change from the French Indian Wars. Currently using my opponents Saxons and Normans we will be introducing Vikings later . The rules are De Bellis Velitum by Phil Barker. Available free here

http://www.wrg.me.uk/PHIL/DBV%202003.htm

So far so good they are similar to DBM which we have gamed Ancients with for more years than I care to mention. To the figures themselves-

Some archers, some spearmen, some javelin armed skirmishers and some High Status chaps with swords , mail and the odd helmet. Can’t recall the make but they are bonny figures exuding the dark ages for me. 

A great ( not to mention fun) Late Roman Read

 Having admired the artist’s work for some time I got round to reading his book once it was translated into English from the original Spanish-

I would recommend it as an interesting guide to the period that is fun and accessible too. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Late-Roman-Cartoon-Army-ebook/dp/B08MFSM1TZ/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=late+roman+cartoon+army&qid=1606135971&s=books&sr=1-3

Just the thing to flesh out wargaming or even a Rosemary Sutcliff novel.

A great post on Rosemary Sutcliff

https://poundstoreplasticwarriors.wordpress.com/2020/11/21/rosemary-sutcliff-centenary-14-december-2020/  Pop over to Mark’s blog for an excellent post on Rosemary  Sutcliff and her forthcoming Centenary.

Some of her books from the Ducal library.

On the road again or an unexpected gift*

 Asterix and his tribe are on the road again. They have left the country of Tidders and are bound for Tradgardia. They have heard stories of this new land but are off to see for themselves. Travellers spoke of outlandish things , soon they will see for themselves...

*All the figures( and more) were a unexpected and generous gift Tidders which arrived out of the blue this week. I am looking forward to seeing what  adventures these characters  get up to next. A great big thanks goes out to Allan T!

Lives in a house ( cereal packet) a very big house in the country...

 My eldest offered to make this addition to my Little Wars esque cardboard scenery collection.Coco pops Packaging  transformed into a very nice place in the country.

.

Chicago Black Horse Troop, 1929- 1940

 I have been working on these conversions over the last couple of  days. They depict an additional troop of the  106th Cavalry Regiment of the Illinois National Guard raised soon after 1927. I could not resist making such a splendid unit. They will be part of Army Spangled Banner. Here are background photos, work in progress and finished product. Conversions as ever with matchsticks and masking tape.

Making progress

 I have been making some progress with irregulars troops to serve Army Star Spangled or Maple Leaf Country. The battered toy soldiers were mended with matchsticks, masking tape and glue ( sounds like something the mice in Bagpuss would use) and are currently undergoing painting-

Here they were as they arrived with the conversions begun  , in a sorry state but filled with potential for gaming. Arms have been added to the standing cowboys and the matchsticks and taping begun.

Heads up help

 These arrived yesterday from a recent eBay purchase. I couldn’t resist the conversion possibilities-

Whilst I recognise some I am at a loss to identify many of them. By identify I don’t mean who made them but rather what headgear they represent. Many thanks in anticipation.

Albion Cyclist Volunteer Rifle Corps

 Been working on these over the weekend...

J

Recent Recruits

 I have been fortunate to win some eBay bids recently. Here are a few figures I managed to get-

I bought these (along with some useful but not too exciting interwar infantry for Albion and Maple Leaf Country which I haven’t photographed) firstly because I really wanted a Royal Company of Archers figure to be a bodyguard for the Albion Monarch. I had bid unsuccessfully on some quite a few times. Secondly because the figures with axes ( sappers) intrigued me and  would work well in the woods of Maple Leaf Country too. Thirdly the Omdurman period (?) infantryman looked like a well animated and painted toy soldier. I have photographed the bases as I wonder what make they are. Any ideas?

Finally a challenge! These very battered figures will need loads of work before they can fight again. I wondered when I first saw them if they were just too badly damaged. Anyway I will see what I can do over the coming weeks...

 

French Indian scenario

 Yesterday we played a zoom FIW game. I took the role of the Provincial officer charged with guiding civilians to safety off the table edge . The civilians started in the village with some provincials and rangers. More troops were on the table age to rendezvous with them and to protect them. My opponent was a War Chief and his men who were to try and stop this happening.

A most exciting game ensued with fighting in woods, corn and buildings adding to the drama. In the end my forces were overwhelmed. Muskets and Tomahawks provided an excellent game which had each side winning and then losing and swinging between the two. It was in the balance until the very last turn. What more could you ask of a game? Here are a few random photos-