Conversions – 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.

adb@andorra.ad

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.

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)

REPLICA Season Greetings!… + the real thing!

Find hereby some delightful vignettes done by Andrew Stevenson from REPLICA METAL MODEL SOLDIERS.

There are several years specials (for X’mas) mixed up.

Quite peaceful if you ask me…

Enjoy!

And now some real toy soldiers after the sugary season… original subjects to say the least!

54MM Tradition of London set evolved to”MY” Royal West Kent Regiment

It sounds silly maybe, but I first bought a box of them in the old Tradition of London shop (no longer there I fear). And it expanded… and grow… and I even painted some casts myself… and asked for specials to Jack Duke (DUCAL) who obliged… and then he did the Colours… and the Band… and I did the Pioneers… and it took years to complete as it is now… and had lots of FUN doing it!

So here you have it (I did a Post showing a close up of the Band no long ago), A General’s Inspection of The Royal West Kent in 54mm (Three shelves in the small cabinet in Pal).

Enjoy!

Nowadays only two shelves because a bit of reoganization of the display! see below at the end (a new pic)

The full set (minus some “action” minis).

More compact maybe, but I need the space… and some figures have been posted to another place!

TRADITION OF LONDON: Royal Canadian Mounted Police: Regimental Sergeant Major 54mm small conversion

Curiously enough this cast (unpainted) was one of the first minis I ever painted myself (as it was mean to be… red tunic & all… and there it is still in my collection). One day I noticed I did not have thought of buying from DUCAL a RSM… so… I bought from Tradition of London the kit again and have painted in a new version with pace stick (a bit of steel paper clip).

There you have it hope you like it.

There… it only lacks the gloss finish… will add when dry!

Gloss varnished… project finished!

54MM Toy Soldier (a cast from REPLICA): HRH King Charles III

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.

54MM BRITAINS (modern) And the last change of facings done (V and last)

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 … now already done!

Enjoy!

Unit with white facings lacking a drummer

54MM Toy Soldier’s buying experiences on ebay.co.uk (II)

Sellers and postage etc went without a hitch… tip top all the way! (I clarify this because I forgot to mention). Kudos to them.

You see I was (very) busy at the beginning of the 90’s and did not notice at all when William Britains (the new owners I guess) did those soldiers in 54MM… Busy working on my real life and not much time for the hobby in that “fighting stances scale”… after a deep crisis with wargaming in 25/28MM (which caused the collection to be sold) I was going into 6MM wargaming (still are and satisfied of my decision) but indulging in Playmobils Hard Plastic 75MM… I still collected in 54MM but quite display and ceremonial sets (still have them no fear).

The acquisition of the book A GENTLEMAN’S WAR provoked an interest on wargaming in 54MM a la Wells (very old classic stuff) and I decided to reshuffle my collection. The French (mainly French Foreign Legion were transported to Andorra la Vella and left Pal forever… so did the Second Afghan War Replica Collection… and then I completed those sets (still at it mind) to play my FASHODA went wrong scenario… pitching one against the other… a part of playing them solo in colonial semi-historical more correctly. Later on even the white helmet British sets were transferred to Andorra la Vella and only ceremonial sets remain in PAL.

Then one day Andrew Stevenson published a pic of his units in full SIMKIN uniforms splendid array… and I was hooked… so I am now building a purely DORKING scenario British Army. BUT no Prussians at all… the French will do the trick again! (being the “enemy” I mean). Nearly there…

The tribulations of a loony collector should I have titled this post!

And of course 30 years later you need to search for them on ebay!