French Colonial Units – My Toy Soldiers & Me

New organization of the display, my collection is now parted in ceremonial/marching units and those able to wargame (II)

The move is completed.

See the cabinets in Andorra la Vella: Three kinds of British Armies (Khaki-White FSH-SIMKIN times); Two (but complementary) kinds of French Armies (Basically North of Africa / Colonial and more Continental/Regular one). They are my “best enemies” always.

Some exotic units are also there Second US Cavalry (She Wore a Yellow Ribbon) and lots of Bengal Lancers.

Still waiting some reinforcements but nearly there. Probably this year I will top the needs… never the capricious sudden whims (I know).

Enjoy

The British Collection: REPLICA – BRITAINS (old/new) – Tradition of London – Steadfast/R.P Models – DUCAL – and some Dorset Soldiers too!

Mainly the French Collection with on the top US Cavalry, Bengal Lancers, Scot’s Greys and 21st Lancers at Omdurman. Mainly Dorset Soldiers – REPLICA – BRITAINS (New) – and a bit of Tradition of London.

New organization of the display, my collection is now parted in ceremonial/marching units and those able to wargame (I)

As a matter of fact, it was obvious enough… once the table and painting area has been moved and put together. The cabinets in Andorra la Vella now stock all the Toy Soldiers with wargaming potential (quite Old School). Will add more pics tomorrow.

Now Pal holds the marching figures and ceremonial units.

See pics.

Enjoy

As you can see mementos of cars I owned (or not) and modeling experiences with my sons, also “historical toys of my life”

The old set up (that you have seen many times)

The way to move them without casualties.

NEW SETTINGS FINISHED. Cabinet almost full

After a shuffle of space in my ex-office… all begins to fall in place.

Cabinet has been reorganized, and now the British are on the right of the picture and the French on the left (seems apropiate somehow…)

The Armies (both) would be completed this year 2025 I guess… and then all hell will break loose… Not exactly Imagine-nations, but certainly imagination will run free (NO ENTENTE CORDIALE AT ALL I FEAR), I only collect what I like so it does not matter to me to pitch them against each other from time to time. I do not collect Russians or Prussians or other more exotic Armies… I stick to what I know best and that’s that.

Enjoy.

French Foreign legion Units (and French Artillery).

The rest of the French Army (still expecting reinforcements).

British Army (SIMKIN TIMES). It lacks the Naval Brigade.

British Kakhi Army (Colonial NWF/SUDAN etc)

A GENTLEMAN’S WAR WHAT IF SCENARIO: FASHODA (gone the wrong way) (I)

Maybe in 2025 you will see “FASHODA GONE WRONG” an Old Toy Soldiers & Old Wargame entertainment (SOLO). 54MM AGW affair using British and French Colonials (NO entente cordiale… LOL)… in fact I am pretty sure that this one would be my next wargame (Old School).

You see I do not like to “kill” natives or indigenous people in my wargames… I do not collect them as “cannon fodder” (Not even in 6mm mind!)… One thing is collecting miniatures (read Toy Soldiers) and the other is not being aware of the more grim aspects of colonialism (as if Persian, Greeks and Romans… to name a few were not “colonialist” or “conquerors”)… BUT here is not the place for discussing seriously the inhuman race.

Get a sight of the troops that would be involved on the pics below. All the affair would be precipitated by the French Commander in place… General Armand d´Hubry et Nemesis desire to win the Legion d’Honneur…

Finally finished Army (The armoured car is a secret weapon proptotype only used in the NWF)… same as the Indian Army Units (Guides&Gurkhas)… Bengal Lancers not going to FASHODA either. This pic shows the full Kakhi British Army in its proper cabinet next to the wargames table).

French Troops (99% by Dorset Soldiers and a REPLICA General!)

British and Allies (meaning Indian Raj Troops) by REPLICA and Dorset Soldiers.

Of course, after that incident and its consequences either Calais or Dover would be involved in a messy action… follow that here website for more!

Britains Little Army (soon to be reinforced) is awaiting the second battle as a consequence…

Cheers!

DORSET SOLDIERS… my yearly order has arrived!

I will replace (finally not) 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; two units of French line Infantry, a mounted ADC… and a special “Mildred Natwick” as cast in SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON)

Have added new pics…

And an interesting experiment… with chatgpt.com (that was before changing a bit the order)… LOL

I will replace those pictures with new ones “out of the boxes” when I return from my holidays. Summer is hot even in Andorra! I’ve done it partially, so for the moment, just enjoy it like this—fresh from the parcel! I didn’t even take pictures of a drummer and some dogs; I was in a hurry, you know! I’ve already placed my 2025 order for the French Chasseurs of the Line (light infantry), another unit of French line infantry, and a special “musique de la Legion.” I’ve added new pictures as well. (Same text using chatgpt.com). LOL

The “missing drummer” completes the unit! Thanks Antony!

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.

54mm Cavalry Officer’s Minis painted by me

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)

French Foreign Legion “Square” in 54mm

All right, once the figures out of the Cabinet it is possible to do some kind of manoeuvres, so here it is the French Foreign Legion in Square. Of course it is easier to take pics because those figures are mine!

No much problem to do the pics once paraded.

Enjoy!

New additions to my Collection from Dorset Soldiers 54mm (also Imperial Miniatures nowadays)

It could have been titled “The Art of Waiting”… but to be fair the deadline of the 30th of June has closely been respected (more or less). Ask for Antony Spencer if you need something… quite helpful and to the point if you know what I mean… a worthy successor of the retired Giles Brown.

What’s Important… really important is the magnificent painting job done on those Toy Soldiers… sometimes they do not like Toy Soldiers at all… as the Duke once said : “By God they frighten me!”

Will post again when received and added to the rest of the Collection.

Enjoy!

The lot.

Diorama in a small base

Not my thing at all (personally) but I know quality when I see it. That bloody part of the late XIXth Century whem the European Powers (all of them) expanded “civilization” and “commerce”… all round the world… globalization at the point of the bayonet!

Masterful Military Modeling if you please!

In this case French troops.

Enjoy!

Some of my French Foreign Legion

A nearly forgotten pastime… (by yours truly)… painting your own figures… meaning buying the casts naked of paint… and DIY job… it was fun (again)… the toy Soldier style is much uncomplicated.

Thanks to Antony Spencer from DORSET SOLDIERS who understood perfectly what I needed and took the trouble to assemble the kits for me.

Curiously enough they mix very well with my old figures (they have decades in real time difference).

Thought you would like to see some of mine for a change!

Enjoy!