I still have a fair amount to do in order to complete the first phase of my 20mm WSS project, but I am pleased with progress to date. I've now smartened up my master list for the collection, including a full set of photos (as at this morning!).
Some of the earlier acquisitions were refurbs which I think I would sniff at now, but overall I'm very satisfied with what has been done thus far - the quality is definitely improving as the proportion of units painted from scratch increases, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank, once again, all those kind souls who have sourced figures, provided consultancy and uniform advice, painted and refurbed figures and generally kept me motivated - I am very grateful. And, of course, I'd like to pay tribute once again to the late Eric Knowles, whose vintage collection got the whole thing going for me, and got me off to a flying start.
I have stuck a back-up copy of my WSS catalogue on Google Drive - if you would like to have a squint at the photos, you should find them here - if the link doesn't work, please let me know. Just the thing for a slideshow!
I still have to work on general staff, especially for the British and French, the French have 4 infantry battalions, 4 cavalry units and 2 of dragoons to come, I have a few gaps to fill in the Austrian and Bavarian armies, and I haven't even started thinking about the [small, debated] Dutch force. But - importantly, a lot has been done. Enough to keep up my enthusiasm, and the project has helped to keep me at least a little sane during the pandemic!
The troops look pretty damn cool Sir!
ReplyDeleteThank you Ray - the photos also reminded me that there are a few figures waiting to be replaced or retouched, so useful exercise! At the outset, I was just trying to maximise number of troops ready for the table, but the old Creeping Elegance has now taken control!
DeleteAlways liked the WSS , more so than Napoleonics if the truth be told .
ReplyDeleteAppeal of the period for me is a bit obscure. I've always had a sort of feeling that "proper" wargames involved chaps in 3-cornered hats, probably as a result of reading Grant Sr and Young, then I had the chance to buy an existing collection of figures (well, the remains of it) and - lastly - the WSS seems an ideal basis for a game with toys: it's like the SYW without all the hard bits (!), and it's sufficiently different from Napoleonics to provide (I hope) a rewarding contrast.
DeleteThat's a great collection; very elegant, which really fits our idea of the period (minus the smells and disease etc., of course! ;-)).
ReplyDeleteCheers,
David.
Thanks David - elegance is a fine thing (they tell me!).
DeleteI keep imagining the pleasures of wearing a louse-infested wig on campaign - what joy. They must have carried wagon-loads of hair powder.
:-) I suppose they got used to it - must still have been devilishly itchy, though. The officers would no doubt have had their own large supplies of hair powder amidst all their voluminous baggage... It's astonishing to read how many wagons, pack animals etc., even junior officers tended to have!
DeleteA splendid looking collection Tony…
ReplyDeleteAll the best. Aly
Thanks Aly - they are my friends, you know.
Delete