Scheither's Freikorps

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.

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.

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)

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)

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.........

The (Wargaming) Good Life.

I think it was Jerome K Jerome that said 'to be truly idle a man needs lots not to do ' or something like that . Whilst my good neighbours have been hard at work in the surrounding gardens or washing their cars , I have been casting up some gun crew and potential Jaegers ( a good name for a regiment of Light Infantry - His Majesties Potential Jeager Korp) cleaning them up , assembling and basing them . Whilst taking a modest repaste and well earned rest from my labours I fell to thinking about how home casting figures is as near to wargaming self-sufficiency as you can get - recycling old unwanted figures (and peraphs some newer ill advised buys) and turning them into shiny new toys . The only down side of this is that it does not involve Felicity Kendal (winsome cutie of the BBCs 'Good Life' sit-com), peraphs just as well really - doubt my better half would understand her presence - 'she's only here to paint up these Prussian Grenadiers dear'. Would like to be able to say that the above scones and strawberry jam were homemade the theme being self-sufficiency - but unfortunately not !

And not forgeting -

Well I could not mention her and not include a photo could I ......

Leaders of Tin Men.

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

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 !?