It seems hard to be jolly this year given all the stories that populate the news. But perhaps it makes enjoying the company of friends pushing around toy soldiers and ruminating about history and the hobby all the more important. I hope that those of you who look at my blog have a happy Christmas and much joy in the new year.
All the best,
Chris
For a very long time I have wanted to do a SYW collection. While Napoleonic and Sudan/Colonial gaming was inspired by Peter Gilder, and WWII gaming by Colin Rumford and Richard Marsh (Rapid Fire), the SYW has had its inspiration drawn from John Ray. His vast and unique collection, all sculpted by him (except the horses and guns) presented on a lovely Gider-esque terrain layout and beautifully photographed defines the SYW as a toy soldier period worth doing. The book of his collection, The Military Gentleman, has been a source of torment for years and recently I decided to take the plunge by starting a SYW Prussian Army using Elite Miniatures. I love these figures and they populate a high proportion of my Napoleonic collection along with (yes, you already know) Connoisseur. The Prussian range is quite small and unfortunately incomplete; no artillery nor fusiliers. But the Musketeers and Grenadiers include a set of complimentary poses for a 'marching' unit. There are also march attack and advancing/charing poses, but the marching poses are just wonderful.
Now, my collection to date is a mere 2 battalions drawn from IR 1 and IR 5. I have 2 battalions of converged grenadiers prepped along with a regiment of cuirassiers. I'm taking it slow. I alternate painting these units with the usual suspects: a slowly amassing Swiss Italian Wars army, ancients, WWII, lots more colonials, vast numbers of Napoleonics, Great War, oh dear....
All lots of fun. There really is no finish line. Needless to say, while I am working on a BFE inspired ACW rule set, the Great War version, and tweaking BFE 3, I have written a grid set of rules for ancients-renaissance and a...SYW grid game. Retirement next year will be fun!
Here are a couple of poor quality shots of the two battalions. Hope you like them. Oh, forgot to mention that I am using the old Willie 30mm officers for some of my units.
