Alejo Dorca – Page 12 – My Toy Soldiers & Me

Napoleonic Playmobil Customized (75mm)

I never indulged in that (well, only two figures) because I did found the task herculean and complicated… but diorama makers do it to perfection and you must be aware of rhe cost of it too!

I think they represent a Swiss Regiment (Asociacion Napoleonica Española) seen in Facebook!

PLAYMOBIL TOY SOLDIERS in 75mm

When I got my 25/28mm crisis (a deep one) that produced the effect of selling my whole collection on that scale (but for 3 or 4 sentimental minis) I was distraught… I was still reading History and Historical Fiction but wargaming in 25/28mm had lost its appeal… I thought my wargame days were over… I toyed with Playmobils as a distraction mainly having my grandchildren in mind (not that I had much success with that) but the original idea was there. For nearly a decade I collected, converted, added stickers, bought special headgear and weapons and what not… to get the Playmobils the trade mark NEVER PRODUCED!… LOL… in fact I was recreating, in the end, my old 25mm collection in 75mm… but it was FUN!… and there were “things” not possible to do with metal minis as mounting a horse or dismounting at will, getting weapons in hand or not, magnificent sailing ships, skirmishing games were possible and periods like the Lace Wars (Tricorne era… a la Charles Grant) which I never indulged on in 25/28mm were a joy to toy with (that part of my Playmobil collection is in the respective hands of my grandchildren). Of course at the same time I rediscovered 6mm (1/300 in the old days) and went wargaming again. Not that I stopped ever collecting 54mm Toy Soldiers mind…

Today’s pic (extracted from Facebook) is an example of what I mean… probably german readers will love their toys… if really interested see posts about Playmobil and Playmopics in this web page.

Customized Ancient Warriors (Facebbok source)… see what I meant?

Playmobil “variations”

The Royal North Surrey of THE FOUR FEATHERS fame (1939 movie). Quite difficult to get the parts!. Legs from one standard figure, torso with stickers -as the arms- resin helmets with stickers… and what not! Sold them too.

To understand the process of customization, this is the basic figure that permitted building the Royal North Surrey, the color of the arms and torso matched the legs of the Spanish Conquistador, use the correct stickers (I asked that color RAL) and the rest is mechanical.

Stored in the Cabinet to play another day…

Queen Elizabeth the Second… and personalities…

I could not resist doing some Highlanders too.

I am afraid the Goldberg are much better! specially those by Gould. But joking aside I did dedicate a whole chapter of my book to those plastic german chaps. They can be customized quite easily once you learn how.

And that is entertaining, specially if you are affected by the syndrome “I’ve been there, done that, got the T-shirt”. There used to be the middle age crisis -I do not know what middle age is nowadays- at 39 I bought a New Model LOTUS ELAN two seater (front traction) if you know what I mean… Happy marriage does not need a divorce! As I said before let’s put joking aside.

Basically a Click as they are known is a plastic chasis with a head plug that holds all the other parts together. Quite simple concept. But a small engineering feat. They were originally very crude and toys for kids. They evolved. From what I call the third generation onwards they began to interest me. I started buying them for my grandchildren -who already got them never fear- and stocked a few because they were too young by far. Then one thing lead to another IT WAS FUN!… anything that fits the formula TOY SOLDIER + FUN = ENTERTAINMENT in my life. So, there I was, first I learned to disassemble them -YouTube is full of tutorials -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Y8KYaO-83o-, and Wikipedia will tell you the full story of Playmobil- and the “creation” of new soldiers, or to be fair, NON existing ranges was extremely funny.

Age of Reason clash!… Fictional Armies now in the hands of my grandchildren. The “tricorne” period is where the availability of parts is better in the markets.

After an intermittent span of ten years since I bought the first one and finally lost interest and got back to wargaming -6mm- and collecting -54mm toy soldiers- I went through many periods, I customized a lot, gifts to grandchildren were made, and complicated conversions were even sold! I have the tendency to sell the parts that does not interest me anymore to raise funds for new ventures, that way I have a real budget -more or less- I always spend more than I cash back but it helps!

So I did the ACW -and then sold the collection because it was too real brother against brother- I did Ancients (sold), I did British Colonials including Highlanders! (sold), I did the 7th at the LBH (still in my hands but for sale), I did the Household troops I already had in 54mm Traditional Toy Soldiers -quite a recurrent job- I did the Charge of the Light Brigade in the Crimea (sold). I did the Spanish and French Foreign Legion outfits (both sold). I bought Ships -customized them- now in the navies of my grandchildren. And I probably forget the Ivory Patrol and a lot of other minor subjects that were also sold. It was real FUN.

I explained it all quite in detail in my book but it is a lot easier to include pics in a blog.

Highlanders… that is not easy!… you need special kits…(for the kilts).

Somehow I collected a lot of Mounties in 75mm too…

Thought I add some more pics…

PLAYMOBIL-PICS

A collection of Playmobil pictures…

Napoleonic Customs… using stickers and resin headgear (Playmobil purists do not like at all… LOL)

Piano playing… and look through the window… what do you see?… the other side of the Guards Inspection…

As a summing up of the periods I was involved with in the decade or so I toyed with original Playmobils and customized a lot of them (to avoid enamels or painting a lot) with stickers, some felt pen additions and resin parts (mainly headgear), here you have a collection of pics quite self-explanation in themselves.

XVIII Century Tricorne period… very easy to get the parts…

Spanish or Austrian Army (choose the flags and that’s it)

Grenadiers and similar… quite complicated headgear to get right.

Now in the Collections of my Grandchildren.

Only two ever Napoleonics I got… too complicated I guess…

Crimean War: Charge of the Light Brigade.

Spanish 1920 tercio de extranjeros… aka Spanish Foreign Legion.

PLAYMOBILS as a fun skirmish alternative (mainly in my case)

Playmobils (75MM Hard Plastic) are teorically “children’s toys”, so were lead toy soldiers.

I explained on my free book how I started collecting them, not going to repeat myself.

Aficionados usually go for very big dioramas, mainly historical.

Me, I play skirmish games with them. Not forgetting the posibility of medium size wargames as “King’s Sport” (mainly “lace wars” or “tricorne period”).

I decided to dedicate the 2020 year to them, so all Posts related are grouped there starting the topic as usual on January.

Hope someone enjoys!

Steve Snark’s Own Old Way. 54MM Classic wargame.

It is a Boer war game. I put a stop on my own wargaming just before that. But it is impressive in a way.

Britain’s (it has been said before) never developed a proper ACW lot of figures, the majority were Boer Wars minis painted differently. Probably an exaggeration but with some truth in it…

I am sure Paul Watson appreciates!

Enjoy!

All wargames deserve due RESPECT! (Steve Snark’s Own as seen in facebook)

Do not tell me this Post is childish because it isn’t… wonderful Fortification or Castle (what you prefer), nice Toy Soldiers… and a PURPOSE!

Yes, the British are attacking the Russians!… it smacks of the Crimean war (War was War back then.. you know!)

How can you play (unashamedly) with Toy Sodiers…

Enjoy!

Sudanese Colonial Troops. British Bulldog Series by Roberto Lodoli 54mm

I have a passion for colonial affairs in my fantasy world (because In the real world I think Imperialism was wrong… mind probably inevitable in context and I mean historically… but definitely wrong on the whole approach of white man supremacy… LOL… I do not know why I have to include my private opinions in this Blog at all!)… pros and cons aside… there was colourful troops and little actions who deserve attention if you are a wargamer in 54MM or whatever scale.

Find this setting and troops delightful even if some need a bit of repair (that prone figure with broken rifle hurts my eyes).

Enjoy!

Dave Mitchel’s Diorama (ISANDLWANA)

It has been a while since I first saw this pics from an awesome diorama.

I have been delaying getting into it and making a Post because in a way it is so much Military Modeling and sculpting that the term Toy Soldier did not seem to apply to it.

After much reflection I decided to make a Post… it deserves it in spades.

There are no comments on the five pics… they are self explanatory I guess.

Enjoy!