Collectors – My Toy Soldiers & Me

And in the End… edited September 2026 (summing up a bit)

The games you play are equal to the games you make…

(or are involved in some way… nobody will propose “wargames” to you if you do not do “something” to be there…)

I could not resist it, saying farewell… knowing when to quit is very difficult (same in a game of poker).

I once painted a “new old toy soldier”… a 54mm (Replica Metal Soldiers Andrew Stevenson) a mounted Inspector General of the NWMP in a dark blue patrol jacket – I enjoyed so much the painting of it that this evolved in a new collecting frenzy! I am currently pestering Andrew to pay for my “last order” (it really is mind) – and all just because a childhood memory.

I was very young when I got a box of mounties (I already had a lot of them) but in that one proudly in front of the lot there he was… a mountie with a dark blue tunic -and yellow gauntlets!- of course it was the commander of the unit!… I always had a crush for that figure (and of course never found one alike)… so in the end I decided to make my own and quite satisfied even if I am going full circle. Of course the original one was lost forever, but I have still 3 “mounties” over 65 years old.

Slightly smaller than DUCAL but exactly as BRITAINS or DORSET SOLDIERS.

They were like that… not mine but I had the same…

Those are the boxes I had at X’mas (well the 6th of January back then because gifts were brought by the three wise men -aka “The Kings” in Spain) or whenever… never got those Life Guards though… Note the difference in size of the two rear ranks! Those were the days!

I am going to update this post with pics and slowly edit the rest, meaning that I think there is always room for improvement.

There he is on its proper place before saluting the flag of the parading mounties.

It was a pleasure comparting posts here… and sure I will post more pics!… and edit existing posts but that’s all. To elaborate would be just a copy/ paste of what I said in my book “My Toy Soldiers and Me” so just peruse sometimes to see editions to come (of the posts of the blog not my book!).

Editing this blog would be much more interesting that writing a lot of new entries…

Renaming and ordering the Posts of the Blog by subjects and categories nowadays. There is a Post explainig that…

Original pic of my DUCAL mounties in the garden (Pal in ANDORRA) not Canada at all I am afraid.

Summing up, my interests on “toy soldiers” were and are wide and large. I do not restrict my activities to a single field or even scale, neither period. No original at all, as you can imagine there is nothing more conservative than the Household Division to collect in 54mm,

Mainly DUCAL (or Fort Ducal), with some Tradition of London, a REPLICA cast painted by me, even some Marlborough and Dorset… and one lonely old Britains for nostalgia sake.

and the rest of my glossy 54’s are in themes: French Foreign Legion (with some Chasseurs d’Afrique and Spahis);

French Foreign Legio “square”… have a bit more of them but you get the idea…

As a result of renewing relation with DORSET/IMPERIAL MINIATURES to “square” my FFL I finally got (again) out of hand and finally got hold of a nice French Army! -mainly 99% Dorset-Imperial but with a REPLICA general too!- LOL…;

There are also 4 Paul Watson’s figures there…

Have added some more Cavalry (Centenial Britains) but nearly all are there…

Tel el Kebir/Rorke’s Drift aka Brits colonials with red tunics and white sun helmets! before khaki;

Mainly Tradition of London with DUCAL Cavalry and a few Dorset (Giles Brown)

My discovery of REPLICA toy soldiers finally led to a Khaki clad British&Allies little Army… complemented with BRITAINS centenial sets as Bengal Lancers etc and even a Rolls Royce armoured car!…

NWF, Maiwand, Kandahar, The Sudan (Omdurman) etc. Mainly REPLICA, some Dorset, and 4 figures by Paul Watson… Britains Centenial sets of Bengal Cavalry in the rear ranks.

that I also indulged in getting a SIMKIN times red clad British “home army” about half and half REPLICA -well a bit more of REPLICA- and BRITAINS also centennial sets…

Finally completed with the Naval Brigade.

And the Cavalry (half REPLICA half Centenial sets by Britains)

and last but not least NWMP/RCMP; She Wore a Yellow Ribbon Captain Brittles last patrol; USA early sets (before WWI); Tradition of London Raj Lancers + conversions of BRITAINS Centenial sets… I even falled (again) for ttwo sets of Scot’s Greys LOL…

Tradition of London Royal West Kent with some conversions (minor) and some DUCAL (the Band and Mounted Officer’s)

The “She wore a yellow ribbon” set… Mainly REPLICA and the ladies by Dorset.

Never did a pic with the 4 units together…

My current last “rabbit hole” USA Marines USMC and Soldiers at the turn of the Century.

As you can see in Collecting Toy Soldiers I Post the minis collected in 54mm have been subject to buy/sell, Scot Grey’s cometh and goeth, same with US Cavalry in gala uniform, Denmark Royal Guard, and some mat finish Spanish miniatures I had because a compulsory swap was made. That is Collecting for me, something alive but with periods of lethargy. Not Original at all I am afraid but a rewarding pastime.

I dedicated a chapter of my book to Collecting (my own experience mind) but the books you need is the one by James Opie: Collecting Toy Soldiers, and THE COLLECTOR’S GUIDE TO NEW TOY SOLDIERS by Stuart Asquith. The former has written many excellent books about Britain’s but THIS ONE is the best of all his production IMHO.

By now it should be named The Collector’s Guide to “OLD” New Toy Soldiers. How time flies by…

Nowadays restricted to skirmishing with Playmobils on 75mm because orders come in a matter of DAYS!… not months as per 54mm glossies. That’s getting old for you!… have commented elsewhere that this is very funny indeed!

Those are much more elaborated… not available commercially I guess! … moderate customs in 75mm

Some NWMP/RCMP (updated the pic)

Wonderful stickers!

So long, pleased to have entertained you a bit!

Cheers.

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Toy Soldiers Britain’s smaller scale

I have always collected 54mm traditional Toy Soldiers… but you can not denie those smaller figures are charming too!

Those are from Graham Hilditch.

Some sailors marching. (Pic seen in Facebook)

Graham Hilditch Toy Soldiers: Smaller than 54mm but great!

Graham Hilditch own “B” series… as seen in Facebook.

They are NOT 54mm there is even a pic that shows the difference in scale somewhere in Facebook… but I liked this one… around 42mm and painted Dilley’s way but not from his collection (Graham Hilditch’s own). Awesome!

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)

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: 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!

PLAYMOBIL: ACW skirmish games build up (I)

After a long interval I decided to play some skirmishing with small units, got plenty of yankees but no Rebs remaining in my collection, so a bit from here and there (grey kepis still in transit), and here we are, nearly ready to play!

Dusty Fog rides again!… but also the Michigan Brigade & G.A.Custer… I also am going to modify the guidon of the Rebs to enhance a bit.

They are perfect for small scale wargames.

Enjoy

Two versions of G.A. Custer (if I have to choose I prefer been a Custerophile)

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!