Tuesday 31 December 2013

Happy New Year!

Seems like I haven't blogged for a while so here's some edited highlights:

Just before xmas I purchased 2 boxes of Imex figures:
                                                  520 - Mexican Artillery at the Alamo
                                                  510 - Mexican Infantry
The artillery figures have plastrons but the infantry are very similar to various Napoleonics.  As I have plenty of old Airfix Naps transformations could take place (and I could have yet another painting project on my hands).

Yesterday's  DBM battle was a dower affair between War of the Roses (with Scots allies) versus Anglo-Irish.  A historical match-up that even after 3 hours looked no closer to reaching a conclusion.  Total casualties in single figures.  Mind you had one of our allied commands not sat still for the entire battle things might have been different.  Oh well!

Now, at the end of 2013, I can review my painting/modelling progress (which has been decidedly sporadic):

15mm  Hellenistics - save for the oddments I completed the refurbishment of my Greeks/Hellenistics tins including elephants, cavalry & infantry.  Additional figures were purchased and added where required.

DBA in the New World - 90 point armies of Maya, Tarascan, Colonial Spanish & Colonial Portuguese all painted and based.

Hopefully in 2014 I will be able to devote more time to wargaming.

Anyway to all my readers/viewers may I wish you A Happy New Year!

Wednesday 11 December 2013

Polish Paholki, Chariot Horses & Southern Chinese

(1) Polish Paholki:

Thanks to Kadrinazi I now know that these figures (except one) represent peasants & servants [see comment on previous post].  So not directly useable as Polish troops but no doubt will find themselves as 'back-rankers' in a number of armies.

(2) Chariot Horses:

Whilst scrambling through my (overcrowded) loft I found 10 Early Carthaginian chariots.  Unfortunately 10 horses seem to have vanished.  So I ordered replacements from those kind people at Essex.


All I have to do now is paint the darn things!  And - Oh Yes - the rest of the army.  Ho hum!

(3)  Southern Dynasties Chinese:

I added 24 x Chinese swordsmen to my Essex order:


An illustration in the book ("Imperial Chinese Armies: (1) 200 BC - 589 AD") - E2 - shows a shield in the same shape as these Essex figures.  It is of a North-Western rebel of the Three Kingdoms period.  

The costume is, however, the same as Southern Dynasties so a much better substitute than the warband that I normally press into service.

It's just a pity that nobody does figures like the illustration in MAA 284 (H2):

The text says "The curved shield is associated with swordsmen in art, in contrast to the rectangular or oval types which would have been more suitable for spearmen accustomed to fighting in close formation."

Seems like an odd shape to me - and how would you make it?








Tuesday 10 December 2013

Polish Paholki

After many grey days (with consequent low light levels) I managed to photograph the mysterious Polish troops:



4th/3rd figure - musket is rather short



 2nd figure - sword very close to the body.



1st figure - pistol is much too short
3rd figure - difficult to separate the spear from the sprue

Rather nice figures (if a bit cramped in places).  Anybody have any ideas about them? 


Friday 6 December 2013

Polish 30YW Foot

The postman brought 2 boxes of (Mars) Polish foot soldiers:

72073 - Polish Infantry [early] [Thirty Years War]
72074 - Polish Paholki (Thirty Years War)

PSR has already reviewed the first box: 
                                http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=2401
They point out that the set is largely a replacement for an earlier one (of which I purchased 2 boxes).
                               72033 - Polish Infantry Mercenaries (Haiduks) 
                               http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/review.aspx?id=1696

The second box is a puzzle as I can find out NOTHING about these soldiers from the Internet.  Looks like I will have to pay Barnsley central library a visit for some old-fashioned book research

I took some photos, in spite of having my house lights on at mid day.  The quality is pretty poor AND the blog is failing to load pictures at the moment.  Perhaps fate is playing a card or two!

So here's my 'verbal' report:

4 x 12 figures - none of them have the "Kontusz overcoat with decorative buttons down the front" that all the 72073 box figures have.  All have boots, two have low turbans and the others have fur hats.  Armament comprises of: swords (6), axes (3), spear (1), musket (1) and pistol (1).

Still waiting for a delivery from Essex - more on that later.

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Sunday 1 December 2013

Just Some Quick Notes

My music project has kept me away from painting soldiers - I just hadn't realised for how long.  Coming to the end of it so back to the figures soon - I hope!

Last Monday's fight was Marian Roman v Tamil Indian.  I managed to break one enemy command and my co-consul another.  It wasn't half the army though - so a 7:3 victory only.

A real 'Ancients' night - next to us was an Armati battle between Persians and a 'Triple Alliance' army (what!).  A victory for massed bow fire.

Also being tried out was Impetus in 10mm featuring a Japanese (Samurai) civil war.  Looked like more time was being spent on the rules than playing the game - inevitable I suppose.

At home I solo-ed a 'Conflict at World's End' game between Tupi and Mixtecs.  Even though I had deliberately avoided horses and guns the game was still slow. It got to the stage where the Tupi had no more reserves while the Mixtecs had a third line.  I called it a day.

The 'uncontrolled' moves were ok to start with but caused problems when space was tight:

(a)  falling of the edge of the world - what happens when troops meet the table edge?
(b)  blocked by other (friendly) troops - do they interpenetrate, bounce off or what?

Need to re-read the rules and try again.

With Mars bringing out two new 30 years' Wars Polish boxes perhaps I should get around to building yet another 1/72nd DBA-RRR army.  According to PSR the standard box is a re-working of an earlier set but what the 'Paholki' are I cannot work out.  Maybe I will contact the local Polish community in this area to see if they can throw any light on the subject!