GETTYSBURG 1st July (morning). The game moves steadily forward. 6MM

Views: 236

Battle is about to start.

I am going to take my time with that one.

I enjoy the step by step approach following the books you all have…

Enjoy!

Buford’s Cavalry is in position.
Overall view of my ex-office with the 10 Corps involved deployed (3 Rebs and 7 Yankees)
A Confederate Corps of 3 Divisions.
A Union Corps also of 3 Divisions.
General Lee HQ’s + foreign observers + Reserve Artillery

GETTYSBURG 1st July Early Morning (Gettysburg 6MM).

Views: 185

On of the advantages of a permanent table and wargaming solo (sometimes I call it reenacment) is the use of TIME!

Some people like my layout some don’t.

No matter what it is really functional.

Enjoy!

Buford’s Brigade arrives.
McPherson’s Ridge and the unfinished railroad cut.
Ist and XIth Corps UNION still out of the table…

Unorthodox basing of 6mm minis in 60x30mm stands. Baccus Army of Northern Virginia.

Views: 246

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.
More heterodox basing of minis.
Two brigades with 2 Regiments each.
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)

Finally there with those proxies in 6MM. (Baccus)

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After some gluing up, I finally organized the Zulu War Cavalry… even some mounted Infantry to be redcoated yet.

I started with the 17th lancers from my spares box… and followed with some NNC Cavalry (also from the SB)… but the Natal Mounted Police and Carbineers come from GREG… after organizing and basing (pending flock) I did a surplus contingent of mounted Infantry.

Curiously enough, I can be heterodox in the basing because small colonial affairs permit it (IMHO)… but I am quite ortodox in basing with big conflicts like the ACW (but for Artillery Commanders and other markers I use (deviating from the more popular Rulesets!)… all is a matter of personal satisfaction I guess.

That ends another Project in 6MM.

Probably my last!

Enjoy!

Both mounted and dismounted Cavalry (auxilliary but the 17th lancers).

Toy Soldier buying experiences on ebay.co.uk (II)

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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 busy at the beginning of the 90’s and did not notice at all when William Britains 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.

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).

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

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

Guards should be on the right of the line but I was in a hurry!
Yes those are the Guards but I finally added the white frontal stripe.
Those are the ebay.co.uk buys… read the text for more detail.
The “oversized drummer will go out” to another cabinet… a miss…
In the process of exchanging “colours”…no way I am going to field two Union Jacks…
Third and last unit (have to paint new facings) at least the drummer is the right proportion.
See the difference?… even the base is too “tall” on the big drummer… part of a Band set I guess….
The changing of the arm was easy and swift the second time… the first one still shows the stress of the first conversion.

A new painting job! British Guards in Bearskin (SIMKIN times…). (I)

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After a bit of relax (that included searching for the right paint from Vallejo for the rifles!) I am now painting two units for AGW (12 man units); the first one is only 4 charging figures to complete an existing REPLICA set. Will concentrate on those 4 for starts… but also working on the mounted officers and young Churchill (4th Hussars).

It is easier to paint Infantry soldiers if you are not in a hurry. But you need to have a hold on them somehow… so just a job of adding colours patiently. In the case of the guards the bearskin helps a lot!

Since I was a child and had only marching and at the present figures I have wanted to have them in fighting positions… so in the end… DIY is the best way (not the only one of course!).

I have ordered from Dorset Soldiers and Replica some boxes for 2024… if all goes well I will retire from the painting job myself and keep the pots of paint to do maintenance exclusively.

Now, if Andrew Stevenson send to me the 5 casts of the 2nd US Cavalry to do the mounted colour party for the SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON set… that will be all!

Enjoy.

Primed and rifles painted…

54MM British Colonial Collection of Toy Soldiers circa 1880. (My own). (Maiwand/Kandahar etc)

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The “square” formation is only to show the Toy Soldiers in a single pic. Cavalry had not use at all “inside”. But even more important the “square” as such was not used at all intensively at that time… so you will forgive the artistic license!

In fact the purpose of this “parade” was to count them all, stop adding more troops without sense of perspective… and find where to put the two machine guns newly commisioned!

Vast majority of them are REPLICA METAL MODEL SOLDIERS (Andrew Stevenson), complemented by DORSET SOLDIERS (Antony Spencer) and even 4 Gordon Highlanders done by my friend Paul Watson in a moment of yours truly deep anguish!…

Enjoy!

You must read Major C.E. Callwell (Royal Artillery) opus SMALL WARS (Their Principles & Practice).

Quite aerial view.
Maybe a better shot!
Another perspective.
Indian Mountain Battery.
Corps of Guides
Gurkhas
British Guards
66th Berkshires
Bobbie (the dog) is purposefully misplaced! (it should be with the 66th!
Gordon Highlanders
Commander + British Artillery.
Just to say farewell…

Those are in the offing…
The Maxim with wheels too!

42MM (Britain’s “B” Scale) by Andrew Stevenson (REPLICA METAL MODEL SOLDIERS).

Views: 130

It was a gift! (It came with an order of 54MM casts you have seen ad nauseam…)

I did paint it between colours on other projects in 54MM… quite pleased with the result… not as pricey as 54MM… and they look smart for the size!

Queen’s Bays (more or less…) for a while I was tempted enough… some would love that scale! (see Graham Hilditch)… It was like the old days when I painted a lot of 25/28MM wargames figures.

I rather keep me in the 54MM lot though (details are easier at my age)… but though to show it here nevertheless.

Enjoy!

One side
The other side