Napoleonic, WSS & ECW wargaming, with a load of old Hooptedoodle on this & that


Sunday, 8 December 2019

Something Old, Something New

I've been experimenting with base sizes and unit organisation - here's the first glimpse of a new project for me. This is the Bavarian Regiment D'Octfort, circa 1703. I have rebased them, and applied fresh (shiny) varnish and a replacement flag, but as far as possible the paintwork is the original from the 1970s. The figures are ex Eric Knowles, and my plan is to have enough fightable units to get some games going, quickly, and with as little work as possible. I have some Austrians on the bench now.

The figures are Les Higgins, vintage 1971 - small 20mm (about 1/76, I reckon). Old John can supply extra figures from this range, and I have some promising samples from Irregular and Lancer Miniatures - these other makes of figures will match best if I standardise on Higgins horses throughout. Anyway, early days yet - the first battalion is a prototype in a number of ways - so far so good, I think.

The 3-base organisation allows me to use Beneath the Lily Banners rules, but my first effort will be to develop my own rules which - you may be surprised to learn - are hex-gridded. The base sizes will allow a battalion to form a line 150mm wide, or a march column 150mm long - all of this should work well with my 180mm hexes.


Note that the command base has room for a dice frame

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25 comments:

  1. Stryker8 December 2019 at 19:10

    Those look very nice and the flock looks fine - you were right not to try to remove it.

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    1. MSFoy9 December 2019 at 13:20

      Thanks Ian - yes, the bases worked out OK. I'll carry on with this style. The old-style painting with outlines is a bit of a culture shock, but I'm definitely going for classic toy soldier look with these!

      Delete
  2. John Ray8 December 2019 at 19:44

    Lovely figures which are anatomically spot on.

    I will follow the progress of this project.

    Regards
    John

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    1. MSFoy9 December 2019 at 13:20

      Thanks John - I am a big fan of Les Higgins work.

      Delete
  3. nundanket8 December 2019 at 20:42

    Now they are soldiers. And you’ve got me thinking. There’s a great big gap between the ECW and SYW.......hmmmmm! Damn you sir! :-)

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    1. MSFoy9 December 2019 at 13:22

      Apart from the availability of the figures, a big appeal for me is that, as the basis for a wargame. the WSS is a bit like the SYW with the tricky bits taken out!

      Delete
  4. Gonsalvo8 December 2019 at 22:07

    They look very smart!

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    1. MSFoy9 December 2019 at 13:23

      Thanks Peter - hope things good with you.

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  5. Duc de Gobin9 December 2019 at 00:25

    Superb.
    Would really like to see your hex rules for this period.
    A definite winner.

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    1. MSFoy9 December 2019 at 13:24

      Thank you sir - I'll pass you a copy of the draft rules when I've done a bit more work on them - I'm trying to cut down on the Death by Morale Tests aspects.

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  6. Jonathan Freitag9 December 2019 at 00:46

    These look great, Tony! I am very interested in following your progress on this new project..

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    1. MSFoy9 December 2019 at 13:25

      Thank you Jon - don't hold your breath, but I'm hoping that the fact that most of the soldiers are already painted should make this quite a quick development!

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    2. Jonathan Freitag10 December 2019 at 19:23

      I have been toying with the notion of beginning a 10mm WSS project. Still in the "toying" phase but your project may push me over the edge. A C&C type WSS project in 10mm sounds good, doesn't it?

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    3. nundanket13 December 2019 at 15:31

      Me too. The Pendraken range looks particularly good. Though the LoA is also equally tempting.

      Delete
  7. Michal DwarfCrypt9 December 2019 at 03:57

    Looking really great!

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  8. David Crook9 December 2019 at 08:33

    Hello old chap,

    They look beautiful! I will be very interested to see how the armies develop and also what your thoughts on the rules are.

    All the best,

    DC

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  9. Ross Mac rmacfa@gmail.com9 December 2019 at 11:04

    Verrry nice indeed! (and a handy little size, just right really ).

    180mm hexes....I'd almost forgotten where I got the idea of 6" squares from...

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    1. MSFoy9 December 2019 at 13:30

      Thanks Ross. Don't worry - after Brexit, we'll be changing back to Fahrenheit, rods, poles and perches and twelve inches to the pound, 16 groats to the acre.

      You know it maks sense. We want to make Britain grate again.

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  10. 'Lee.10 December 2019 at 10:19

    Those Higgins figures are so good, I painted a fair number of them for John C and even considered doing a project with them myself as I liked them so much. I just had a peer back at some pics on my blog from 2012 (!) and something about them is still really appealing.Look forward to seeing where you go with them, I take it you have acquired a fair number? Flock in the Foy household though?

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    1. MSFoy11 December 2019 at 14:04

      Hi Lee - all flock will be painted over, so it will be sealed in! I got a fair number, yes.

      Thanks for the links to the photos - very nice

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  11. 'Lee.10 December 2019 at 10:26

    Tony, a few pics of what I am sure are the same figures I did for John C.2012.

    http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Cwx4kEZnj0U/UQ0McLWb3SI/AAAAAAAACrg/aQw28ApLm-c/s1600/005.JPG

    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1u86zOIrs1s/UPgGD_3x1mI/AAAAAAAACj0/TzmGxTj7Vok/s1600/017.JPG

    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bfizGRxUVY8/UPgGHCP6nwI/AAAAAAAACj8/XOttl4udoI4/s1600/019.JPG

    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8X-rELydWi0/UPgGJkHsSII/AAAAAAAACkE/B6WWx0r3fG0/s1600/021.JPG

    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vmdDuNLB1vI/Ubh_MvI6hpI/AAAAAAAADbk/ZILNeUjw86U/s1600/011.JPG

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  12. Aly Morrison11 December 2019 at 08:26

    An excellent choice of period Tony...

    “my plan is to have enough fightable units to get some games going, quickly, and with as little work as possible. “

    Hmmm!... I remember saying that.... about two and a half years ago.... :-)
    I am looking forward to see what you do with this....

    All the best. Aly

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    1. MSFoy11 December 2019 at 14:06

      I just have to plug away at this - I'm very keen not to change my approach - every time I decide that I shall just strip and repaint a unit, or paint another 15 battalions for some other nation, I shall give myself a slap with a large haddock. At least until I've finished this first phase (there will be some odd command figures to paint in teh short term, I know this, so will be excused slapping.

      Delete

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