Army Star Spangled or the American Army of 1870s and 80s coming together...

 This week a number of packages arrived which have moved this toy soldier conversion project forward. My eBay purchases of Britains plastics have come to provide the raw material for the conversions which are mainly head swaps . I think I have done quite well with what I paid and picked up figures for other projects not to mention the Albion / Maple Leaf Country armies. Secondly my Dorset heads have arrived and in a fit of enthusiasm yesterday were added to some figures so I could see what they were like. Lovely castings as ever. Finally a very reasonable second hand book purchase arrived with inspiration. I remember buying the awi volume in Foyles in London in the early 1980s. It is still a much thumbed and treasured item on the bookshelves. Anyway three photos that tell the story.

Using 1935 prints as a reference for imagineering uniforms

 I found some really interesting prints online of French troops in 1935. They provided ideas for uniforms for my French inspired opposition ( still settling on a name for them , all ideas welcome) to the Duchy of Volare Cantare ( my Interwar Italian inspired imagination) which will be used in some company level games using the “Company Fire “ rules by John Y. The prints are of infantry, Chasseurs a Pied and Sapeurs Pompiers , I just couldn’t resist the opportunity for silver helmets! Here are the AIP figures so far with their inspiration.

Strange Days...

Let me say at the outset that I know these are strange days and I also know that everyone is trying their best. However my Postal Service is very erratic. There is no rhyme or reason as to when in a day the mail is delivered.We can goes for days without any mail ( unheard of in my house in earlier times) and then it all appears. Some things arrive very efficiently others seem to go into a limbo then reappear. Is it me or have others noticed this? What is it like out with the UK? 

Inspiration for Modelling challenge.

 Found these and thought you might enjoy them. Possible modelling challenge for a rainy day perhaps...

Squaring up to changes.

 I have been  looking at the size of the squares on my potting bench/ wargames table. Recently I’ve  found the current 7.5 x 7.5 cm squares look too crowded with 54mm figures. I tried the figures on 10 x 10 cm squares for a comparison -

Moving to bigger squares means my grid would become 5 by 9 squares as opposed to the current 6 by 12 squares. Smaller battlefield so to speak but an enhanced visual appeal. A trade off but worth it.I think I will go with the latter option for 54mm games and the former with 25/28mm figures. I can draw the larger grid on the back of the current cloth. Any thoughts?

Taking something forward

 I got a mixed joblot of Guards etc off EBay and they arrived yesterday. In with them were four Britains/ Herald Lifeguards. They were headless and had missing arms. However it was interesting that someone had worked on them by cutting down the long boots and giving them a partial paint job. I wondered what to do with them. Then it came to me I would replace the arms but more importantly give them some Guards heads and they would work as  Royal Scots Grey dismounted cavalry. Here they are in process-

I will never know who started these but I am very happy to take their hard work forward.

On a different note some years ago I heard Dan Mersey speak at an event in Blackwells Edinburgh put on in conjunction with folk from the University of Edinburgh. He spoke well, was an interesting chap to talk  to and some games were played in the venue afterwards. I was due to go to another event about wargaming put on by the university a while back but it was cancelled due to Covid 19. I have been following with interest, on Facebook, the move towards the publication of a cooperative book between academics and gamers. It came out and My copy arrived yesterday.

Starting work on Army Star Spangled...

 Started on Army Star Spangled today. Head swops and use of metal replacement heads too. A couple of dismounted cavalry, Alabama National Guard and New York National Guard. I also ordered some heads from Dorset Toy Soldiers before breakfast. So far so good.