My yearly order with DORSET SOLDIERS has arrived!

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I will replace those pics with new one’s “out of the boxes” when coming back from holidays… summer is hot even in Andorra!… done partially!

So for the moment just enjoy like this… fresh from the parcel!

I even did not take pics of a drummer and some dogs!

In a hurry it was… mind!

2025 order has been placed already (French Chasseurs of the Line aka light Infantry; another unit of French line Infantry and a special “musique de la Legion”)

Have added new pics…

The “missing drummer” completes the unit! Thanks Antony!
She wore a Yellow Ribbon (Joanne Dru).
The whole outfit.
Mules an ADC…
British Artillery (late XIXth)
British Artillery deployed for action.

French Artillery with Infantry support.
French Line Infantry (187o amd later)
Properly “unboxed”…
French Marines (marsouins)
Same with the Marsouins!
French line artillery…
French Line Artillery deployed.
British Colonial Machine Gun Servers…
Deployed.
Guides NWF Vickers servers…
Deployed too!… I searched for this fellows since I saw eons ago Lives of a Bengal Lancer and Gary Cooper blowing his whistle deploying the machine guns… fantastic job by Dorset Soldiers!
French 75mm guns, British 13 pounders and machine gun with carriage.

Some Cavalry Officer’s Minis in 54MM bought already painted.

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It is a pleasure to collect in 54MM… because it remains the Toy Soldier scale par excellence.

Sometimes I do order them by Post, sometimes I buy in Ebay (less frequently).

In any case the results have been quite satisfactory so far.

REPLICA and DORSET/IMPERIAL SOLDIERS are just two of the best manufacturers around.

Enjoy!

Bought on Ebay (expensive way of collecting).
General Wolseley painted by Andrew Stevenson (REPLICA) one of my first ever buys from REPLICA.
French ADC post 1870 painted by Antony Spencer (DORSET SOLDIERS or IMPERIAL MINIATURES)

Some Cavalry Officer’s Minis in 54MM painted by me.

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I have always been fascinated by horses (lead toy horses I am afraid), films with horses in them I am a fan… but my experiences with real horses are almost nil, once I rided a horse in a tourist promenade (about 1 hour) and only can recall the vast amount of flies they carried with them.

Lead toy horses are “cleaner”… and they behave… lol

As Oscar Wilde said they are dangerous at both ends and uncomfortable in the middle… probably an exaggeration to make a laugh…

Enjoy!

RCMP Inspector (my avatar) REPLICA painted by me…
Captain Brittles (She Wore a Yellow Ribbon)… REPLICA painted by me…
HRH King Charles III (REPLICA painted by me)
Winston Churchill as a subaltern in the 4th Hussars… (REPLICA painted by me)
French Officer (DORSET SOLDIERS) painted by me… I already had the horse bought painted and asked for a suitable cast from Antony Spencer.
Churchill at Omdurman… converted and painted by me…using DORSET SOLDIERS castings. (In fact I already had the painted horse)

HRH King Charles III

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Finally decided to change the command figure of my Trooping the Colour display.

It took me almost two years to decide.

HRH the late Queen Elizabeth II has been moved to another shelve. She is still on display, but certainly not on a central role.

Time moves on.

The new figure (a REPLICA cast) painted by me.
The new King on Parade.

ZULU DAWN in 6mm (Zulu War II)

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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)
View from the Zulu “Chest”
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.

Somehow we all have projects on standby…

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Early nineties collectors club Britains metal figures in 54mm… and REPLICA casts converted (a bit) and painted by myself…

I honestly do not know if to complete the US Cavalry set from She Wore a Yellow Ribbon or not…

On the contrary once Antony Spencer from Dorset sends my order end of June I will get the missing drummer… and much needed French Foes (in real life it was the years of “Entente Cordiale”) because they are naturally the best of enemies…

So, Dorking (it won’t even be called Dorking at all you know) would involve a fictional second half of the XIXth Century engagement between French and British forces… still not decided if it would be a Calais invasion by the Brits… or a Dover one by the French… musing on it!

Enjoy!

They have nothing in common… but my fancy!

The Zulu War in 6MM (I)

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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) abut 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 theater… then there was no VHS no DVD no BluRay… LOL… spectacular…

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).

And the last change of facings done (ebay.co.uk) (V and last)

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This post ends the series of repairs and refections (including change of facings on two units) of my compulsive sentimental buys in ebay.co.uk… authentic Britains (from the early nineties… time really flashes by)… very good state of conservation (minor chipping of paint etc).

I am through but varnishing which I will do end of March.

Enjoy!

Unit with white facings lacking a drummer
Detail