Now as you know I'm a bit of a polymath- thats posh for "never stick to one project for long" If I was female it would be called multi-tasking and I would be told how good at it I was but I'm not I'm a chap so while women never finishing anything is called multi-tasking and if OK even laudable if you are a bloke its called never finishing anything and is simply part of life.
So the 40mm Greeks are one of those projects that stutter on and off. The plan is to do Pelopennesian War forces for battles between city states. However this was disrupted when I opened the box after a show last year and discovered they had been given a right "elvising" - ie "all shook up"- laugh,I thought I'd never start ! . So away they went out of sight out of mind sort of thing.However the recent extract from Hail Ceasar (que - Sid Jmaes!!) in Miniature Wargames caused me to dig 'em out and see how bad the damge was. Nothing a bit of superglue couldn't put right - and a drop of paint here and there so here they are . Now all I need is about another 200 or so plus some more peltasts anda few cavalry- all of which I have or can make but painting will slow the job down.
At the other end of the scale are these 15mm Moderns- painted for me by Paul Cotton . These are "Middle Eastern Regulars" from my 15mm Modern Range and are deliberately generic . They'd even do as Cubans at a pinch, its all in the paint job. Now my pattern maker has finished the new Warrior W.R.A.P. and its out on the site I'm on a bit of a moderns kick at the moment but as ever it won;'t last and other stuff will catch my eye.
Next game won't be 'till June as I have 3 shows in May. Falkirk on the 7th being the first the Tripleson 21st and 22nd then Newark on the 29th I think so a crowded month 30% of a years' shows in 1 month - "somone has blundered" methinks! Actually its the venue owners for Triples- they dumped on the organisers from a great height so it was take it or leave itas if basketball actually matters- at least on this side of the pond. However it takes all sorts so they tell me.
However said game will be at the Durham Wargames Group Open Day on the 11th June. Now this is a small local show as I've doubtless said beforeand The T.W.A.T.S and I have been doing a game the for the past 5 years or so. This year its a toss up between ECW and 18th century- and the probability is that it will be 18th century.. Especially as I'm told Robbie Roddiss and his crew can't make it this year.
In a roundabout way this has brought me to a decision. I'm getting shot of some of my 18th century collection. Only a few units - all Front rank because they are fat and I just don't like the look of them anymore. There are at least 3 French Cavalry units maybe 4 and some French Light infantry . Painting ranges from the Superb- by Steve Skinner- to the not half bad- by me to the They'll do . As more Jacdaw come out the FR will be replaced by them I've always had an ambivelent attitude to FR. Casting quality and detail is excellent -posing and anatomy ranges from the OK to Gwd 'elp us. Detail while excellent is often overdone. I can see why chaps like 'em but they are so static so now the Jacdaw De Saxe Dragoons are fairly imminent and then Gendarmerie these FR units can move on .
Hi Andy.
ReplyDeleteGlad to read you had a good day at Salute. Did I see the word 'Gendarmerie' in relation to forthcoming Jacdaws? I had been meaning to ask you whether there were any French guard cavalry in the offing as they hadn't been mentioned yet and are really needed for Fontenoy. I had even painted up sample Front Rank WSS Maison du Roi to see if they would do - with a bit of surgery. Actually they come out quite well as the uniforms hardly changed, but if David is doing them, then even better. Can you tell me what other French cavalry might be in the range as we haven't any line cavalry at the moment.
Cheers,
John
John David has now more or less finished his book on the French of the WAS so will be getting back to sculpting soon. Line cavalry are in the pipline but he's been mubling aboutr Gendarmerie for a while .Also a Guidon bearer will finish De Saxe Dragoons. Austrian Hussars will be on the cards as well.
ReplyDeleteAndy
Thanks, Andy. That all sounds like good news - and a book as well. Can't wait.
ReplyDeleteAnd your comments about FR figures. I have just come to the same conclusion with my thousand-odd SYW FR's of various nationalities. I had hoped to make them into new units to fit in with Jacdaw but it just won't work so it's the dustbin of history for them too and that's the fourth switch of manufacturer since I started with Spencer Smiths in the late 60's!
John I'm not normally "manufacturere sensitive" so to speak as my SYW collection has OG ,Willie Stadden Eagle and now jacdaw in it as well as FR However the "Front Rank Fatties" just don't look right somehow. Its not just the build but the faces, poses, stolidity and general lack of movement and variation that has finally sealed their fate. Its possibly significant that the units to go are almost all cavalry on those static horses- even the gallpoing ones are static in my view.
ReplyDeleteI think the first nail in their coffin was when I posted a size comparison on this blg last year. I was shock at how bad they looked next to Jacdaw and OG never mind Stadden and higgins.