New Figures for my O.S. FPW Project.

I have been busy adding a few bits and pieces to my Old School Franco-Prussian War project . Firstly a 21cm Krupp Mortar - this is really for sieges and I think will only be an objective marker in games .

Next the first batch of my Franc-Tireurs , these are Foundry figures, as Spencer Smith don't do them at present . They are a similar size but a bit chunkier , but as they will be in a separate unit this will not matter.

A size comparison. - the Spencer Smith Officer (right) is slightly taller and thinner, whilst the Foundry is chunkier. I plan to 'import' my O.S. FPW bloggings from my now defunked  blog to this one in the future - when I get around to it .

Wargaming Cannibalism

(Originally posted on 05/08/12)

Found a big bag of 20mm SCW figures, mainly Irregular but several other manufacturers as well and melted them all down - now I suspect that there are people out there crying shame ! , but lets face it I was never going to use them . I could have sold them on EBay but could not be bothered and I'm not sure how much they would make , if  I was going to do the SCW in the future I would use some of the newer 28mm figures. So they have been reused into -

These will be the mounted element of Scheither's Frei Korp ,they took quite a bit of casting , cavalry molds need extra vents cutting into the molds, but I'm pleased with the results .

I especially like the trumpeter , have got a couple of Hussar molds as well but being newer more rounded types they are proving harder to get perfect castings from them .

Scheither's Freikorps

(Originally posted on 30/07/12)

One of the problems with buying job lots of molds off EBay is that you sometime end up with molds you would not have chosen to buy yourself. I'm not a great fan of figures firing , I much prefer advancing or marching figures as these look better in most situations . So when I  got a mold with a kneeling and standing firing figure  I wondered what to do with them .

Whist perusing Osprey's 'Frederick the Greats Allies' I came across Scheither's Freikorps which had mounted Carabiniers , Grenadiers, Jaegers and Artillery - a sort of mini army . I decided to use the firing figures as the Jaeger company .

I am planning to add a gun and crew and maybe the Carabiniers but at the moment the camping gas cylinder has run out so further casting is being held up till a new one can be purchased.

Turning Heads.

(Originally posted on 27/07/12)

One of the problems in home casting is the limited variety of  figures , not so bad in portraying the rank and file but things like General Officers are more of a problem. With a purchase of molds off EBay I also received a number of ready cast mounted officers , I decided to try and convert one to add variety.

I cut off the right arm and the head as above , turned the head/throat around and glued it in place , added 'green stuff' filler and sculpted another coat front . I then added another arm from 'green stuff' and a piece of wire as a baton.

Before and after , luckly the Prince August figure is a little 'primative' shall we say so the arm was not to hard to sculpt (would not want to try it on a Perry miniature).

Sorry for the rather blurred photos of the finished item .I also added a waist sash and longer wig to the figure.

Not to bad for a first attempt. May try swapping heads with infantry officers next to add even more variety

Home Cast Artillery.

( Originally posted on 23/07/12)

Got some new molds off EBay and so am now able to do a complete gun and crew.

The wheels are complete swines to cast , took about five attempts to get two cast up perfectly, sorry for the shine on these figures but we had a brief glimpse of the sun just as I was photographing them.

The uniforms are not 100% correct - they should have turn backs - thinking my SYW  is going to be Quasi-SYW . The Officer is very useful and castings of him could be appearing in other guises and the gunners as Engineers.

First Contact in 40mm (Part2)

Originally posted on 16/07/12

The French leading company moves up the road and receives a volley from the British grenadiers.

They return fire - far more effectively as well !

The situation at the end of the fifth move .

The rear French company lets off a devastating volley which crushes the British companies morale.

They decide discretion is the better part of valour !  and head for the woods !.

On the other flank the British grenadiers morale begins to crack as well ! (The British forces in this game showed a sad inability to hit anything - Lt Grant was heard to blame damp powder).

Lt. Col. Barker has to rally the retreating grenadiers !.

But another French volley lays him low !. and the British leave the table carrying their wounded leader with them .

The end of the game , the British forces scattered and the French move their captured livestock off the table in triumph . A sad day for the British army !.

First Contact in 40mm (Part 1)

Originally posted on 15/07/12

Think I have cast up and painted enough 40mm SYW  figures for a small skirmish. Farmer Jules complains that the French have sent out a foraging party and they are plundering his farm for livestock . The British commander Lt.Col. Philip Barker alerts his two company commanders Lt. Featherstone and Lt. Grant to prepare to intercept them .

The French move onto the table one company leading then a group of Hussars herding the stolen animals and a rearguard of another company.

The British move onto the board - their entry positions were randomly diced for -  they were lucky.

I am using Grant's rules from the 'The Wargame' with solo adaptions . The French leading company moves briskly up the road but the rear company is held up by the Hussars having trouble herding the cattle - diced each move for the movement of the herd .

The Hussars have problems moving the animals - holding up the rearguard.

Lt. Featherstone's grenadiers deploy into line - blocking the road , things are looking black for the French.

In desperation the rear company cross a field wall to try and get at the attacking British . To be continued

Leaders of Tin Men.

Originally posted on 04/07/12

Having got a number of ready cast mounted officers off EBay I decided to paint up a couple to command my regiments. I added longer wigs using 'green stuff' filler . I may attempt more drastic conversions on the next ones - changing the head and arm positions maybe .

40mm Grenadiers

Originally posted on 21/06/12

Having got back to full health I have finished off the SYW British grenadiers and in a break in the rain showers got them photographed.

I'm pleased with the way they have come out and the command conversions. My wargaming colleague 'A' called by to drop off a bag of metal offcuts he has been saving for me for my 'Old School weirdness' as he puts it ( our small group can be a bit conservative at times !) and wondered what rules I going to use them with. If I can get a few more French figures done I will be able to set up and play a small scenario, which may take place on the patio - but it has not been the summer so far for garden gaming in the H.G.Wells mode - maybe the summers were better then !?

H.G. Wells ant the Temple of Doome (part3)

The action continues with casualties mounting on both sides .

The Ferraro Rochain infantry press home their attack on the Treborian Dragoons holding the 'Olde Chapel'.

They charge home cheered on by the evil Captain Velkro and defeat the badly outnumbered Dragoons .

On the other flank the the Treborians charge the Ferraro Roccain dismounted Gendarmes, Captain Ritzla fires his pistol at the Treborian staff officer!.

And hits his target !

But to no avail ! - the Gendarmes are destroyed and Ritzla wounded. 

On the hill the victorious Velkro prepares to enter the Chapel to search for clues .

As he opens the door he is blinded by an unearthly light and is forced back outside (loose 1 move ).

On the left flank things are not going well for the Ferraro Roccains. The Artillery runs out of ammo and has to retire and the Duke of Slovenia's regiment flee due to heavy casualties.

A rumour of a Martian invasion  of Ferraro Rocha sweeps the field !

Velkro enters the Chapel and starts to search ( but fails to reach the required dice throw !).

The left flank is now clear and the Treborian infantry close in on the Ferraro Rochain infantry.

Unable to find any clues ( he continually failed the dice throws )Velkro is forced to flee the Chapel as the enemy close in .

The Ferraro Rochains fight their way out of the surrounding enemy and Velkro escapes with them ! - but he has failed his mission as he was unable to find any clues in the 'Olde Chapel' . H.G. Wells and his party finally arrived after the battle (they kept failing their arrival dice - maybe their Steam Coach broke down ?!) Too be continued .......

Wargaming Sacrilege ?.

Originally posted on the 17/06/12

Been casting up some more 40mm SYW  using Prince August molds and whilst rummaging around my wargaming storage area (that sounds rather grand - actually a bunch of old cardboard boxes ) I came across 3 bags of Old Glory 15mm Napoleonics . I must have had these about 10 years and I think my original plan was to replace my then 15mm army with Old Glory - but as I have sold my 15mm armies I have no use for them, so I thought should I melt them down ?. My wargaming colleague 'A' was somewhat alarmed at this deliberate vandalism of perfectly good figures and I must admit it was a bit strange tipping them into the melting pot , but I rationalised this with the idea that they are finally being used - if in a rather different form . Having broken this taboo I have started scouring my lead mountain for other figures that can be cannibalised . Below some of the fruits of my labours.