January 2021 – My Toy Soldiers & Me

GETTYSBURG layout 6mm

Finally there!

Today I build up the scenario for the first day of Gettysburg (1st July).

No troops in it yet.

Hope you like it. Troops from both sides are converging on it!

Enjoy!

Aerial view of a quiet little town in Pennsylvania 30th June 1863.

6MM Unorthodox basing of minis in 60x30mm stands. Baccus Army of Northern Virginia

Made some pics today showing variants or different ways to base minis in a standard 60x30mm stand.

All minis are 6mm Baccus and the buildings are all Leven.

After building a collection of brigades in an orthodox way (meaning two lines of 12 minis and 4 skirmishers forward… as recommended on the most popular rules). I started to think that what really mattered was the Brigade stand per se. So it existed leeway to the way you could glue or organize the minis on the stand to add aesthetic effects and variety.

Here is some of the results. I used the Army of Northern Virginia for the pics but the Army of the Potomac has the same treatment in my collection.

Hope you enjoy.

4 Brigades (Second line does not have skirmishers forward, 3 small Regiments on the front Brigades; second line flanks refused.

Other variants: Front left VMI (a la HORSE SOLDIERS), front right 2 different size regiments, the one on the extreme right is different.Second line: Brigade of 3 regiments on the left, Brigade charging on the right (Can also be used for routed troops)

6 MM ZULU DAWN (Zulu War II)

Well, I took some pics this afternoon.

It has the influence of Ian Knight brilliant output, Mike Snook’s (Lt. Col.) HOW CAN MAN DIE BETTER and the ZULU DAWN film.

The minis are mainly Baccus 6MM range (Colonial) with some conversions and minis from the spare box (heavily converted as Rapier Confederates prove)… and the standardbearers mounted do not exist too in the range…

An enjoyable afternoon.

Hope you like!

Mr. Vereker Sikali ptrol reveals or discover the main Zulu Impi.

Some skirmishing shots to warn the camp!

Col. Durnford rides with the Cavalry (read mounted infantry) to the right flank of the British Camp.

Colonel Pulleine deploys his Co`s too far from the Ammunition Wagons (IMHO)

Col. Durnford retires by Units under pressure from the Zulu Impi left horn.

This retrograde movement by the book will eventually uncover the right flank of the Imperial Infantry Line.

When the low ammunition makes the firing line slack in firepower the chest of the Impi goes forward and some rallying Company Squares are tried… to no avail.

Captain Younghusband last charge! (Extreme left flank of the British Line)

Melville and Coghill ride to save the Colour!

Last moments at the camp… some dismounted Natal Mounted Police & Carbineers, with Durnford, and the remains of the Imperial Infantry. Fade to Black.

6MM The Zulu War (I)

A six months “War” full of pathos because Isandlwana… a British Empire act of rascality (well that’s what Empires do anyway…) got a bloody nose and was “put right” even before a “new” commander in chief could arrive (read Wolseley). Have some pics.

Well, maybe the summing up is too brief and harsh… after all there are so many books (good) about it… and splendid movies… ZULU DAWN and ZULU (The second was released ages before the first… but it is better to watch in the proper order)… and than you have Eshowe and other actions… have always been a fan since I saw ZULU at the movie theater… then there was no VHS no DVD no BluRay… LOL… spectacular…

Normally I use painting services Robert “GREG” Jackson) for my 6MM (mainly BACCUS), but here I indulged myself a bit and did some brush detail… the models are LEVEN painted by REVEILLE.

Enjoy!

Rorke’s Drift (Leven model painted by Daniel Hodgson) Baccus figures painted by Robert Jackson.

Ulundi “square” lateral view. (I did the 17th lancers myself and the mounted standard-bearers…)

Ulundi seen from the Zulu side…(Zulu capital).

6MM BACCUS proxies

After some gluing up, I finally organized the Zulu War Cavalry… even some mounted Infantry to be redcoated yet.

I started with the 17th lancers from my spares box… and followed with some NNC Cavalry (also from the SB)… but the Natal Mounted Police and Carbineers come from GREG… after organizing and basing (pending flock) I did a surplus contingent of mounted Infantry.

Curiously enough, I can be heterodox in the basing because small colonial affairs permit it (IMHO)… but I am quite ortodox in basing with big conflicts like the ACW (but for Artillery Commanders and other markers I use (deviating from the more popular Rulesets!)… all is a matter of personal satisfaction I guess.

That ends another Project in 6MM.

Probably my last!

Enjoy!

Both mounted and dismounted Cavalry (auxilliary but the 17th lancers).

6MM Baccus: indulgence with the “spares box” or a bit of proxies

I am waiting for a small parcel from “Greg” (yet again), it would contain some carts with bullocks and some Natal Mounted Police & Carbineers + Durnford and Vereker (If they are spelled like that which I doubt)… too many visualizations of ZULU DAWN I guess… has little mistakes but a much better film that the recent Ridley-Scott NAPOLEON extravaganza… (I would have written a much better script myself & other thousands of armchair generals/History buffs).

So, getting to the point… I perused in the “spares box in 6MM” (never throw away anything is the correct approach in any scale) and rescued some ACW Rapier cavalry that I painted as NNC Cavalry (both mounted and dismounted); but as it is I found a lot of surplus of Prussian Dragoons Standard-bearers and with very little customization are now converted into the 17th lancers (of ULUNDI policing the Empire fame).

And what’s more!… found a half painted Romans Command figures that I complemented with an Arab Lancer posing as a Numidian Prince… and what not!…

I even went as far as converting with a paint job only of the figure three 21st lancers to make up the numbers of the 17th (from kakhi to dark blue)… they are the first case of doing a “transfer of men between Regiments” (LOL).

Have some pics!… BTW it is really easy to paint 6MM… believe me… just a matter of practicing a bit… and they are so cheap!

Enjoy!

My 21st lancers (the three figures in the rear rank-middle are now converted)

Here they are (A pic too big maybe but this way you see the “painting job”

They will be based differently… maybe like this (The 17th I mean)

New Roman stands before “finishing” the flocking.

6MM Union Cavalry (and other units on the pics)

On the Baccus Forum we had a lively discussion or debate about the basing of ACW Cavalry.

After reading books about Brandy Station, Trevilian Station and others… I concluded that I needed more variety than the standard 60x30MM base (one brigade) of many stablished popular rules.

Here are the results.

Of course I will do my own thing as usual!

Enjoy!

6 MM Some crew added to Gunboat

On the last parcel there were the much needed guns and sailors for the Gunboat.

The company of Highlanders on board come as an afterthought!

Enjoy!

Omdurman has now all the troops in 6MM needed to do the wargame my way.

The Charges of the Heavy Brigade and the Light Brigade (Crimea 1854) 6mm Baccus Proxies

I have been very lazy and tardly to show those 6MM Baccus proxies… they have been in the cabinet for months (or weeks)… and they deserved a Post. Probably the less mentioned action of Balaklava!

My collection of 6MM is slowly growing (under control I like to think… lol).

This action has always been a favourite of mine.

The Russians are in fact german cavalry from the Franco-Prussian war… used just to give a sense of perspective!

Enjoy!

General Scarlett in front of the Scots Greys

Frontal view from the Russian positions…

Those were the first Baccus 6mm I ever painted myself!

I only have the British Army… well not true as my French Zouaves, Turcos and FFL from North Africa are also usable… is a long history… but to make it short: I first bought proxies for THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE (Peter from Baccus helped me to find the adequate proxies that come from a variety of Napoleonic nationalities in the Baccus range)… I painted those myself… the first ever Baccus 6mm I ever painted… I loved the result… and since then I slowly built the rest…first was first and BALAKLAVA was completed adding the 93rd Highlanders, some turks (in fact egyptians from my colonial range) and some British Horse Artillery… Then I confronted the problem of the British Guards Brigade -with bearskin- had to do that myself… converting Napoleonic Imperial Guard Grenadiers (somewhat a heressy!)- I did paint them too. In paralel I bought (painted mind) the heavy cavalry brigade (Scot Greys as per Napoleonic range) the other regiments using Prussian dragoons from the Franco-Prussian war Baccus range. Only remained to add the rest of the Infantry (Line+Rifles+Highlanders) and line Artillery. And the big guns Raglan used at Inkerman. The last one has always been a favourite of mine…”The Soldier´s battle”. If you peruse the posts in the Baccus Forum there are plenty of pics of what I say. Also in some posts on my website www.mytoysoldiersandme I guess that’s all. Cheers

Trying my hand at 6mm proxies by Baccus slightly modified

It was somewhat an ordeal, maybe because I am 71, but the delays due to Postal Services mishaps did not help at all.

I first tried pestering Peter Berry about them (to no use), meaning why not a proper Baccus Crimean range?… wishful thinking of course!

Then I finally (and stubborn in a way) followed the Proxies Way!… that meant eliminating with a cutter the “French” parts of the minis (obvious even in 6MM).

Painting them was fast and true… the minor step of the way… you maybe do not believe how fast it is to paint 6MM!

Gluing them into bases was easy.

Then something I have not done for years… sculpting the bases or stands… an awful mess I did of it. To the credit of the Baccus basing system the old pots where still quite useful (except the wash who had evaporated more than 5 years later).

And finally the sets of colours (Napoleonic in fact).

This is my last effort of DIY in 6MM… my daughter has forbidden me to paint less than 54MM (LOL).

Enjoy!