Progress at the Militärgrenze!

Nasty Grenz ragamuffin.

Pandours or Grenzers!  What a subject.  Big moustaches and bigger knives. Drunkenness, rape and pillage - unsavoury fellows indeed. Now how to model them without resorting to the purchase of boring old KuK types...

A somewhat fey Pandour.

I have poured over catalogues for years and have come close to buying OG Ottomans, TAG Poles and even Foundry Pandours. However all these seemed "wrong" looking too uniform and civilised.  Then I stumbled upon Essex Miniatures' new site and found Cossacks, Poles and Tartars that seemed interesting.  They were offering 15% off the (now) rather high asking price so I jumped in - and I must say the package contains some splendid figures!

I bought a regiment of foot and one of horse.  The foot chaps are shown below.  All wearing kaftans and wielding some nasty looking arquebuses.

Cossack with arquebus.

Polish peasant with arquebus.

Within each code are variations in pose and head so the unit has a suitably messy demeanour.  The cavalry are likewise varied and sport lances, bows and shields - the last of which is being sent to the bits box.

As usual, I passed on the Essex nags as they are not too good.  A visit to my well equipped horse trays will provide some suitable mounts I am sure.  This is made easier by the fact saddles are cast onto the riders.

I plan a detailed review in the near future but in the meantime I recommend these figures wholeheartedly.

Pissing into the wind!

"Oops a daisy!"

Recently, life at Schloss Krautheim has been exceedingly stressful.  Poor quality building requiring remedial work and the usual misery of rearing a brood of unruly children takes a great toll.

That said, I have been countering stress insomnia with thoughts of this project and the direction I wish it to take.

The latest and (in my opinion) most entertaining solution is to construct a "Kreisheer" comprising regiments from the five States.  This should provide variety and a more colourful spectacle.

Budgetary constraints have forced me to construct a back-engineered prototype figure to be used as a Saßenland or Dirlewitz musketeer.  All being well I will reveal him in the next few days. As I will need no more than 48 of these, I feel the task should be practical to achieve once a production line is set up.

Hopefully, I will soon manage to devote the time I wish to this project and stop feeling as if it is one step forward and two back!

Not slacking - honest!

If only my life was such fun!

Things have been pretty hectic here at Schloss Krautheim.  Having recently moved home we are engaged in combat on multiple fronts to get people to fulfil their various legal obligations.  Sometimes it makes one wish to jump in front of a carriage!

That being said, the 1720/40 project rolls on, albeit retarded by the domestic situation.  The armies are massing ready for conversion, basing and PAINT!  The map is progressing nicely.  Plus the "Grenzwachtturm" design nears fruition.

Finally, a redisign of some elements of the blog will be required as more than one Nation will soon be included.  Next up is the "Prince Archbishopric of Dirlewitz", a small but influential neighbour ruled over by a somewhat jaded member of the clergy.

More to follow.

Online - at last!

"If one was to insert an engraving in yon instrument would it's semblance appear in the frame?"

To my joy, finally I located all the cables and paraphernalia associated with modern computing and can now scan and edit jpegs once more!

Following in the next weeks the expanded (and subtly altered) scope of my imaginary region.

This will comprise four or five states in the "Beimbacher Reichskreis" located in modern day Slovenia/Bosnia/Croatia.  The emphasis will remain on the war with the dastardly Turk.  However the new structure enables me to field a wider range of units and thus not get bored with the assembly and painting of the little men.

I think I will stick with the 1720-40 period for starters although the new Perry American Revolution plastics I received today scream out for attention!  They are certainly going to form the core of the mid C18 armies.

I hope the work proves enjoyable for anyone still watching...

"It's alive!" - well almost...

After an horrendous pause, I am pleased to say the Chronicles are once again going to become active.  I have moved home and have more space (hopefully soon to be matched with more time) to devote to my ImagiNation.

"Egad! It lives!"

The map is in the the process of being redrawn.  The background has been expanded with three new Allied States.  The figures are almost ready for painting.

So hopefully all should be "go" in the near future!

Stay tuned...

Dabbling with the 1840s

Poor quality photo courtesy of HTC mobile.

After a long hiatus and a good deal of personal problems, I suddenly got the urge to do something mid C19!

I bought some of Ebor Miniatures' Crimean Russians as they looked different and were very cheap.   The figures arrived (along with some of their lovely early C18 offerings) and unfortunately I got quite a few breakages.  The proprietor was a real gentleman and sent out replacements telling me to keep the "deaders".

Last weekend, during a rare moment of mental composure, I decided to cobble together a model to represent His Majesty König Ferdinand II in all his martial glory.

I had a dig about in the boxes of lead and decided on an Essex body (Russian Nap. Officer) with an Ebor head.  This figure will be mounted upon an heavily butchered Foundry (British) horse and given a Perry pelisse as "icing".  In true mid-C19 form I added an outlandish caterpillar crest (in three stages) and bulked up his face-fungus.

I think he looks suitably "OTT" and he will be improved when the pelisse is fitted, collar properly finished  and furry horse furniture is sculpted.  I intend to finish him soon and perhaps even paint him too!  Ferdy and nag will be mounted upon a 40mm steel washer with sculpted groundwork and his hound running alongside.

I would be interested to hear what people make of him and indeed if there are any other mid-1800s ImagiNation projects out there.

You know what they say...

Does this look too crazy?

Men with over-large plumes must be compensating for a deficiency elsewhere!  Anyhow, I really like the "bottle brush" style of the mid-Napoleonic Russian Grenadiers.  Preposterous but good fun and creating an ImagiNation should be FUN!.

The obvious choice for this would be the forthcoming Warlord Games' "Russian Infantry 1809" plastic set (32 figures £18.00)  However, the cheapskate in me is drawn toward Victrix's various Austrian sets each containing enough figures for two 24  man regiments (plus spares) and all for a measly £22.00.

Now of course these sets do not contain any "bottle brush" plumes but I could certainly make a simple push-mould to fabricate these for the Grenadier compliment.  With this in mind I created a couple of crude mock-ups showing the figures with such plumes but I am stumped as to which looks better.

Shakos with bottle brush - more plausible?

The shako wearers are certainly less "outre" but the Landwehr guys are great fun.   Some opinions would be welcome.  Does the "corsehut" with bottle brush look too ridiculous?

Please remember the painting in these pictures is immaterial as these troops would be in the traditional B-S yellow.

As a footnote, the final plume may be a tad larger as these look a little insipid.

Resting

I would like to apologise to my readers for the lack of posts over the last week or so.  The reasons are three-fold:

Relaxing at the tavern.

• I have been preoccupied with vacation plans - Athens beckons in August and logistics are complicated.
• My new World War Two blog has taken up quite a bit of my spare time.  A case of robbing B-S to feed FK!
• Thanks to three small children, the house is a mess and I have little room to do what I want.

Anyway, I have the oasis structure ready for painting and my new uniform plates are near completion.  The Wargames Factory Marlburians are ready for assembly and the process will be documented.

In addition I chanced upon a long-forgotten (and very cheap) C18 miniature that may be of interest.

All of this to come in the very near future.

Thanks for your patience.

Review: Blaze Away Miniatures' "Marlborough's Wars" Infantry

Like many collectors, I want to obtain figures that look a little "different"  Additionally, as recruiting funds are limited, I like to find items that are good value.  When I chanced upon Blaze Away Miniatures & Models early C18 range, my interest was piqued.

MAL2,3 & 5 with venerable Foundry "Marlburian"

Marketed under the generic "Malborough's Wars" legend, on offer are 13 packs (7 Infantry, 5 Cavalry and 1 High Command) priced fairly competitively at AUD$10.00 / £6.40 - your money buys you 6 foot or 3 cavalry.  Additionally, they offer a sample service for a very low sum - details at the site.  All very well but are the little chaps any good?  My opinion is a solid "Yes" - they are well worth a look.

I obtained three Infantry samples.  All wear a tricorn and have hair hanging loose rather than the later "cue".  The three poses I sampled are MAL2 Marching, MAL3 March Attack & MAL5 Advancing.  These are shown, along with an old Foundry Marlburian, in the photo to the right  .

As can be seen the figures stand 28mm foot to eye, though the thick bases make them appear a little taller.  The level of detail is good and the anatomy is decent. Figures display heavy lacing on the coat front and cuffs.  The coat itself is of "full" cut.  They sport a small satchel on the right hip and carry muskets without bayonet.  Supplied as a loose part is the sabre, ready for the buyer to attach to the left side of the model.   I am aware some people will dislike this feature but I do not.  Clearly it has been decided that it is prudent to cast the figures in two parts and thus eliminate a common miscasting area.

Earlier C18 in gaiters? Great!

I am not particularly keen on "advancing" poses as I prefer my units to march for all eternity.  However MAL5 is a perfectly acceptable miniature.  I think he would be well suited to a skirmishing unit - perhaps in the Colonies?  The marching poses are particularly attractive and can (in my opinion) be used mixed within the same unit.  To my delight they are modeled in gaiters rather than the more usual stockings and breeches.  The mixture of earlier C18 coat and gaiters makes these fellows pretty unusual in 28mm and ideal for my 1740 project.

The sabres ready for attachment.

Criticism is limited, MAL2's right arm may be a little short and the heads a little large but the latter affliction is near universal in 28mm.  That said, overall the figures look good.  They have bland facial features and to me this is a plus (character figures look great once but in every Regiment? No thanks!)  Well painted they would present a splendid appearance.

It should be noted that at present BAM do not offer any Grenadiers or Artillerists and I have no idea if they plan to rectify this.  I imagine Dixons' gunners would work well in concert with these chaps.  The cavalry options are limited but Dragoons & Cuirassiers are certainly there.  As mentioned earlier, there is a pack of bewigged Generals that look interesting.

From the quality of the samples and shipping time (under 1 week from Australia - UK) I recommend anyone interested in these obtains some samples pronto.

Scores out of 10 - thoroughly personal ratings explained:

Sculpting - Quality of detail and accuracy

Casting - Mismoulds and flashing

Variety - How comprehensive is the range

Service - Was the seller easy to reach, polite and helpful

Delivery - How long did they take to get to me

Value - Are they a good deal overall

Delivery time based upon my experience - Australia to UK delivery.

Sculpting:                  7/10 

Casting:                    9/10 A few pinholes but excellent overall.

Variety of Subject:    5/10  No Artillery or Grenadiers.

Customer Service:    */10  Dealings automated, therefore no rating.

Delivery Time:          10/10 Less than a week from the other side of the World!

Value:                      8/10

"Budget" Regiments - what to do?

Suitable for 1740-50?

Regular readers will have gleaned that your author has a pretty substantial collection of C18 figures.  However, having sold my Austrians after the change of focus I am at a little bit of a loose end concerning replacements.

I have about six Regiments worth of Crusader French and need to add to these - but with what!  The Old Glory fellows are decent and I have some of their WSS offerings - also nice.  Elite is a distinct possibility as that marching fellow is spot-on.

Then it came to me - a revelation!

I re-examined the Wargames Factory WSS sprues (I have a good many) and decided that the figures, although dated, look pretty acceptable for a 1740-50 setting.  The only things I will avoid are the "curly wigs" as they were rarely sported at that juncture.  At present I have chosen some components and will do a little "how-to" assemble them slot at a future date.

As it stands, immediate plans are to get the Citadel finished and painted, build a small Eastern European village (also usable with my WW2 project) and to paint (yes PAINT!) a few figures.  The latter is somewhat daunting as I haven't painted properly since the early 90s!   I think I know what I am doing but failing eyes and premature senility may cause them to look like a dog's dinner - we will see.

Anyway - Happy Saint Patrick's day to all the Wild Geese out there.

Review: Old Glory Miniatures' FIW French Infantry

After changing my plans regarding the cut of infantry uniforms, I found myself in need of some cheap and cheerful French types.  Not surprisingly, Old Glory sprung to mind as a leading contender.  Following perusal of the US website (it has most codes illustrated) I decided to go for packs FIW006 and FIW008 (Command and Marching respectively)

These figures are taken from OG's venerable French and Indian War range.   Designed for use in the Americas they seem perfectly suited to other theatres.  I was originally worried that they might sport Indian style leggings but a quick call to Andy at OG UK clarified matters - they are in gaiters.

As usual with OG figures, these are cast and bagged (random selection) in the USA.  This keeps down the costs but does result in bent muskets and swords etc.  Thankfully, the alloy used is forgiving and the castings can be straightened without any apparent weakening.  That said, you should straighten them carefully as you don't want to break bits off!

OG FIW008 with Crusader Fusilier for comparison.

The first photo shows the marching figures from pack FIW008 (£24.00 for approx. 30 figures)  As can be seen these are perfectly workable miniatures.  There is nothing too breathtaking here but just how exciting can a marching Frenchman be?  Details are well done but not over-done.  Muskets are a little "fuzzy" in places but it is nothing a dry-brushed streak here and there will not rectify.  I got five different poses (no head variants) with the majority being the fellow with the near horizontal musket.  Murphy's Law dictated that this is the pose I like least!  There is also a wounded figure present - thankfully just one of the 31 in the packet!

The figures are shown with pack and canteen.  I have read that the pack may be Napoleonic and therefore anachronistic - I am not familiar enough with French kit to make a judgement.  As I am dealing with an ImagiNation I have some leeway however the historical purist may wish to check his references before buying.

OGFIW006 Command, again with Crusader reference (right)

Pack FIW006 (£12.00 for approx. 15 figures) contains a mixture of Command types.  As is often the case with OG, there are head variations in the pack.  I have not snapped all of the figures rather a representative sample.

There are drummers walking and playing and another with his instrument slung on his back - I really liked the latter he is full of character.  The standards are carried by Officers wielding swords.  These are a bit flamboyant for my taste but again are decent figures.  There are also Officers carrying some rather ornate spontoons - in my bag I had one marching and one standing pose - and waving sabres.  Finally, there is a chap posed running with pistol and a casualty figure.  Clearly the former is more suited to the skirmish line which makes sense considering the pack is designed primarily for the FIW.

It is obvious that this pack is somewhat "generic" being designed to work with any of the Infantry bags (Marching, Firing or Advancing)  Thus a few of the poses will look a bit odd with marching figures.  However, I am aware that I am rather "Old School" and favour very conservatively posed units!

In terms of size, these miniatures average 26mm ground to eye - not surprising given the fact that they have been around since the 90s.  This is at the small end of the spectrum these days but still workable in a mixed army.

To summarise, I recommend these as long as you do not mind accepting a random selection of castings.  They are decent figures at a great price and when painted should serve with distinction.

Scores out of 10 - thoroughly personal ratings explained:

Sculpting - Quality of detail and accuracy

Casting - Mismoulds and flashing

Variety - How comprehensive is the range

Service - Was the seller easy to reach, polite and helpful

Delivery - How long did they take to get to me

Value - Are they a good deal overall

Delivery time based upon my experience - UK to UK delivery.

Sculpting:                  6.5/10 

Casting:                    10/10 Again no miscasts - here OG excels!

Variety of Subject:    */10 Unfair to score them*

Customer Service:    10/10

Delivery Time:          10/10 Ordered on Thurs PM - arrived Saturday

Value:                      9/10

* They are intended for use in the FIW so many of the troop types Euro-theatre gamers would need are not present.

The Eagle has... crashed!

Chicanery makes me glum!

I am feeling more than a little guilty about the lack of posts in the last seven days.  By way of an apology, please let me explain.

This time last week I was awaiting the delivery of a few more sample figures to add to my popular "Product Reviews" section.  These included offerings from Wargames Foundry, Eagle Figures and Parkfield Miniatures.  Amazingly, all three manufacturers sent me miscast figures.   Both Parkfield and Foundry admitted their error and promptly put things right (or promised to do so).  Sadly, Eagle Figures was a different kettle of fish.

I spent a great deal of my free time (and blunted my enthusiasm) trying to cajole Eagle's proprietor into answering my communications and fulfilling my statutory rights!   "What did he do?"  I hear you cry!  "He treated me like a schmuck!" is the answer!  In short:

• When I enquired (after two weeks) I received some vague assurances about pending delivery in 3 days.
• After waiting an additional week I wrote again and received a rather curt and confrontational email.
• Package arrived after a Month (UK-UK)
• When delivered, the castings were of very low quality.
• Subsequently, my complaints about the figures were ignored.
• I had to open a Paypal dispute to recoup my funds!

All in all a truly crummy record and I doubt I will ever deal with Stewart Black again.  For the record, I must state that his catalogue includes some unusual and attractive items (especially the "Napoleonic" Spanish in bicorne which were going to form the bulk of my later army!)  However the execution (on my samples) was terrible.  Missing hands, miscast bayonets, large sink-holes in delicate areas, heavy flash and so on.  It is a real shame when people expect a customer to accept such treatment and product.  When running a small business (indeed, any business) you are foolish if you think such antics will not earn you a poor reputation.

Anyway, it's a new week and the Fortress project is nearly completed.  Thus I have taken a deep breath and I am moving onward and upward.

Scores out of 10 - thoroughly personal ratings explained:

Sculpting - Quality of detail and accuracy

Casting - Mismoulds and flashing

Variety - How comprehensive is the range

Service - Was the seller easy to reach, polite and helpful

Delivery - How long did they take to get to me

Value - Are they a good deal overall

Delivery time based upon my experience - UK to UK delivery.

Sculpting:                  7.5/10 

Casting:                    2/10 Mould slippage & miscasts etc

Variety of Subject:    9/10 Comprehensive range of interesting subjects

Customer Service:    2/10

Delivery Time:          3/10 Over 1 MONTH(!) UK-UK

Value:                      1/10 So many miscasts*


*Unfortunate as the subjects are very interesting and the sculpting looks pretty good too.  Eagle needs to polish up the comms, remake the worn-out moulds, get some quality control in place and above all treat the operation as a business - albeit a part-time one.

Review: Outland Games' - Austrian Infantry 1790

Austrian Fusilier 1790. 

A while back I decided that my 1770 Army would be portrayed by (Counter) "Revolutionary" Austrians.  At this time the soldiers wore a kaskett (pill-box hat) rather than the neo-Classical crested number more often seen on the table-top.  The trouble with my choice was that there are precious few manufacturers that provide these earlier troops - especially at an affordable price!

As luck would have it I established contact with Chris von Fahnestock of Outland Games, a lesser-known range of figures that includes some rather interesting "Revolutionary" lines.  Chris, a military man on active duty, supplied me with some samples during a period of leave and I must say I am glad that he did.

So without further ado - let's get to the review!

Samples with Front Rank Jacobite (right) for comparison.

As can be seen in the group shot to the left, these are large figures.  I would certainly bracket them in the "heroic 28" category.  These miniatures are of a similar size to the Front Rank Jacobite and thus should work well with the great majority of other ranges.

The details of the uniform and kaskett are very well realised.  I especially like the gaiters and the ubiquitous sprig of oak leaves on the left side of the helmet. The low-slung pack, musket and hairstyle are nicely done also.

Fusilier and Drummer.

The style of sculpting is not over-done and the figures do not display too many folds and creases in their uniforms.  This is something I appreciate as an abundance of creases tends to make a 28mm figure look a little cluttered.  Poses are what one would expect and will rank-up nicely on a 20mm frontage.  It could be said that the drummer is a less animated than the others but I do not think this will cause any problems once the unit appropriately based.

The Officer is posed with raised sword - leading his men to another glorious defeat.  When viewed from the front he looks fine but from behind his arm position looks a tad unnatural.  This can be easily rectified, if desired, by a slight bend of the limb.

Officer and Standard-bearer.

There is a mounted Colonel available and he rides a large and handsome horse. Like his infantry counterpart his arm is raised, although this time the angle looks better.  The horse is an imposing beast and looks more than up to the task of carrying a senior field Officer.

Incidentally, I am probably not the best judge of raised sword arm poses as they are not a favourite of mine - figures thus depicted are nearly always converted for my armies!

My overall impression of this line is very positive.  The subject matter is unusual and the execution is good.  The pricing point of $13.99 for a dozen figures represents extremely good value.  The alloy used to cast these figures is of obviously good quality and the castings are crisp and fault-free. Therefore, I recommend them wholeheartedly.

Mounted Colonel and his trusty steed.

The only down-side is that Chris is presently overseas and thus the figures are not going to be available until September 2011.  

When that time rolls around I will be patronising Outland Games!

Review: Elite Miniatures' SYW French

At present, I am waiting for my construction project to dry as it has just received it's last coat of plaster - full details to follow.  In the meantime, perhaps this mini-review will be of use to someone.

Elite Miniatures has been around over 25 years and have something of a cult following.  I have read too many times than I care to remember that "you either love 'em or hate 'em" a generalisation with which I disagree!  The figures follow the general style of Peter Gilder's classic Connoisseur range.  Elite's proprietor, Peter Morbey, sculpted some of Connoisseur's later figures and thus the similarity is not accidental.

Elite (right in both) and Crusader French Fusiliers.

In general, Elite's offerings are pretty "animated" chaps.  By his own admission Mr Morbey likes "dramatic" units so there is a great sense of movement in many of the figures.  For those ignorant of Elite or Connoisseur, perhaps the closest parallel, in terms of style, would be the action-packed figures for which Old Glory has become famous.  Think of chaps looking over their shoulders, shouting and running with coat-tails unfurled and you will get the general picture!  That said - I am today dealing with the Seven Years War French - a small (and dare I say oft-overlooked) range that is, by Elite's standard, very restrained indeed!

I bought a representative sample, purposely avoiding the "advancing" poses as I wanted yet more troops in "March Attack".  Pack SYF9 contains four identical Fusiliers in this pose and is competitively priced at £3.80 (March 2011)  At first glance the figures appear slender in comparison to more recent 28mm offerings - in my eyes this is no bad thing!  Sitting on small, thick bases, they are well posed in a determined march and nicely proportioned.  In certain areas the detail is as good as anything out there and I am especially pleased to see the figures have realistically sized hands!

The somewhat old-fashioned nature of mid C18 French military attire is captured well - but the coat and cuffs are not overdone as is seen in some other ranges.  Bayonet and musket are nice and slender without feeling vulnerable to breakage.  The face is gaunt with a prominent mouth (in profile he looks like the young Schwarzenegger) this fella has been campaigning hard.

Elite's SYFC1 - "Mounted Officer"

Moving on to the mounted officer and horse in pack SYFC1 (£2.55) the same general observations apply.  He is a very haughty looking gentleman, posed looking down with extended hand, exhorting his men to advance.  The coat has no turn-backs and he is certainly usable for most other C18 armies.  The horse is a big beast and nicely done.  Another good figure.

Finally, we have SYFC2 "Trooper" (priced as before £3.80 for 4 troopers.  Horses must be ordered separately)  Depicted with sabre "at rest" on his shoulder and a carbine slung (muzzle down) on the right hand side of his saddle.  In my opinion this is the least appealing of the three figures but still a rather attractive casting.  Again he is slender and realistically proportioned.  Good detail throughout and generic enough to be used by an ImagiNation without people crying "Achtung Frenchie!".  I didn't order the horses designed for this figure but have posed him upon another Elite beastie - hopefully this gives the reader some idea of the mounted article.

SYFC2 "Cavalry Trooper"

To summarise, I am very happy with my Elite purchases.  the figures are well observed, display a good level of detail and are beautifully produced - minimal mould lines and not a single miscast!  If you need SYW French and fancy something a little "different" I recommend that you investigate this small range pronto!





Infantry note:  The Crusader figure has been raised slightly so that "ground" level matches.


Cavalry note:  Apart from removing the mounted figures from their packaging, I have made little attempt to "seat" them upon their steeds - so in the photos they ride a little high in the saddle. 

Scores out of 10 - thoroughly personal ratings explained:

Sculpting - Quality of detail and accuracy

Casting - Mismoulds and flashing

Variety - How comprehensive is the range

Service - Was the seller easy to reach, polite and helpful

Delivery - How long did they take to get to me

Value - Are they a good deal overall

Delivery time based upon my experience - UK to UK delivery.

Sculpting:                  7/10 

Casting:                    10/10 Not a single miscast 

Variety of Subject:    4/10 Very small range of SYW

Customer Service:    7/10

Delivery Time:          4/10 Almost 3 weeks UK-UK

Value:                      8/10

Review: Trent Miniatures' "Lombardy Legion Hussars"

Guidon bearer from Trent LL09

After a few months of indecision, I recently decided to take the plunge and buy a few sample packs of Trent Miniatures' late C18 figures.  Trent offers a strange selection of Revolutionary War types with none of the armies being completed.   For example they have Austrian Dragoons (nice figures) with no command.  For those of us creating fictitious formations this is not so much of a problem (I have spare command types around) but if you are depicting an historical unit - it is a real turn-off!

In addition Trent's different packs are of greatly varying quality.  Some have really iffy proportions (even for a 28) and others look pretty good.  The only constant in the 6 blisters I ordered was that each and every pack had at least one miscast figure!   These ranged from minor gripes such as parts that hadn't joined together properly (see trumpeter below) to some rather major problems such as an Austrian Infantryman missing a foot!  All in all this suggests some really sloppy casting and non-existent quality control.  

As I said I purchased a few packs - but I will deal with them separately as the findings are so varied!  Let's start with the Hussars.  I went for pack LL09 Lombardy Legion Hussars Command as they looked much better than the rank and file chaps.  

The Officer and his strange anatomy.

The figures are big and chunky - though not as enormous as I had been led to believe by some TMPers.  For example I see no reason why they could not be used with Front Rank troops.  As a general rule, I would say that both horses and riders are very nicely detailed.  Faces display a good deal of character and the sculptor certainly made some effort depicting the braiding on the dolman/pelisse and getting the "Hungarian knots" shown on the breeches.

The nags are cast with furniture in situ and look rather good.  It was disappointing that there was just one pose in my pack but that one pose is attractive.



Note:  One of the horses was missing most of an ear - another miscast.

When it comes to authenticity I must admit ignorance of the Lombardy Legion's particulars.  These fellows look like fairly generic mid/late C18 Hussars.  The trumpeter in early bicorne is about the only thing that may work against people wanting to use these in a later "Lace Wars" context.

Guidon bearer - character packed face!

Sadly I must now make a couple of less than positive observations.  Whilst nicely detailed these figures have a very odd - almost dwarfish - look to them.  Strangely this is far more marked when you have them in your hand!  The Guidon bearer and especially the Officer both look plain wrong!  They appear barrel-chested and without necks.  In addition, either the distance between the shoulders and backside or the length of the legs is insufficient - I am not really sure which it is.  Peculiarly, the trumpeter seems to be free of this distortion - but the rank and file Hussars (Code LL11) are afflicted to an even greater degree.  This is a real shame as these could have been a great alternative for those seeking Hussars.

Further to the sculpting problems*, I must comment upon the very high number of miscasts.  Regular readers will be aware that poor quality castings are a real bugbear of mine (see here) and these figures really annoyed me.  I purposely obtained them from a third party vendor (Ebay seller) rather than ordering directly as I wished to avoid any delays.   The gentleman was efficient and polite and they were at my door less than 36 hours after I pressed "buy it now" - so I have nothing but praise for Steve Wood's operation.  However, it really galls that Trent would supply a vendor and therefore a customer with such substandard product.

Musician with miscast trumpet.

To summarise, the level of detail is good, the subjects are interesting and the horses perfectly acceptable.  However in my opinion the figures are compromised by some bad anatomy and sloppy casting.  For my Hussars I will be going elsewhere.

Incidentally, apologies for the worn "photo booth" - I will be fabricating a replacement in the near future.


*I have passed over the freakishly large hands as the great majority of miniatures are thus afflicted.

Sloppy service - a rant!

"A three month wait for miscasts madam?"

Your author has been buying wargames items for over a quarter century and I am sad to say that I feel the general level of service is deteriorating.  I am tired of poor service from manufacturers and wonder if others are also.  

With your average 28mm figure now priced well above the psychological £1.00 barrier, we are paying more than ever before to get our hands upon little lead men.  When paying such a premium I for one expect a good standard of service and also a product that is quality checked before dispatch.

Actually, I believe whatever price you pay the item should be in fit condition and supplied as advertised.

Yes of course delays will occur and miscasts will slip through - everyone makes a mistake now and then.  However I cannot help but feel that a great many vendors are just sloppy or simply hope their mistakes won't be noticed by the buyer.  Alternatively, perhaps they bank upon customers' reticence to complain - this is something from which I do not suffer!

It is not my intention to "name and shame" anyone in particular but in the last six months I have been fed a great many cock-a-mamey excuses, including:

• "I am a one-man-band.  That is why I billed your credit card three weeks ago and have not even got around to filling your order" - very popular.
• "Sid/Jim/Bob (delete as applicable) went on holiday the week after we got your order and we have to wait for him to come back."
• "Miscasts?  Well yeah, there are a few but most customers never complain."
• "Our moulds are old and the metal doesn't flow too well."
• "Yes he is missing his nose/hand/cockade but you could rebuild it with putty/it wouldn't be noticeable in a unit."
• "Why are you complaining about miscasts?  Our figures are cheaper than so and so's."

Some of these have come from companies I had once rated as having excellent customer service.  I find this very disappointing.

I am aware that wargamers are a tolerant bunch but such statements gall.  There is no reason why the consumer should accept such shoddiness when buying any product.  The fact that these are little toy soldiers does not alter things!  If you think about it, would you be so tolerant if a sandwich seller said:

"You got a pubic hair in your chicken salad? Well, I am a one-man-band and my other customers never complain.  Pull it out of the mayo, it won't change the taste of the sandwich."

In short, a vendor should excersize a little elementary customer service:

• If there are unexpected delays, drop the customer an email.  Most people will understand that real life can intrude.
• Going on holiday and anticipate a delay when the order is accepted?  Then he/she should alert the buyer to the situation and check that you are happy to proceed.  
• When a defective item slips through, there should be an apology with an immediate offer to exchange the item and refund the return postage (if required).
• Moulds getting worn?  Then remake them!  Don't rely on people not noticing or being scared to complain!  

Such simple steps would go a long way to pacify even the most bellicose of customers.

Now perhaps the postman will today deliver those two orders for which I am still waiting after 3 weeks...

Uniform rethink

Imagine these chaps in yellow and we are close.

Sometimes delays that (at the time) seem disastrous prove - in fact - to be fortuitous.  Happily some suppliers' inefficiency has had exactly this outcome for Beimbach-Schönau!

In late 2010 I decided to document the uniforms of the 1740 army.  In part this was tailored to the figures I was awaiting from Northstar.  I had decided that their Austrians were just the ticket for my military due to the State's close proximity to Wien.

Whilst waiting and waiting (plus some waiting and a bit more waiting) for the delivery, I designed my colour combinations and worked on a whole host of elaborate schematics.  During what turned out to be an epic struggle to get my goods, I came to the conclusion that the uniforms didn't "feel" right.  This was due, in part, to my preference for the somewhat simpler "cuts" of uniform.  Additionally the different styles (Hungarian, German and Grenz) seemed to over-power a relatively small military comprising only 13 Regiments of foot.  Finally, it seemed an uninspired and predictable choice.  I want a distinctive force not an Austro-clone!

As this is an ImagiNation and my painting progress had been stymied by late deliveries, I found myself in a serendipitous position - with lots of unpainted Austrians that could be quickly resold.  So I took the plunge and decided to go with a Russian/French look.  Thus the uniform plates will be redone -  laborious but necessary.  The regimental histories, standards and facings are going to remain largely unchanged.

Simple yet attractive!

The general rule for the mid-C18 is that "German and Foreign" Line Regiments wear a French style coat (either open or closed) with the Senior Regiments wearing a Russian coat.  There will be a couple of anomalies in the "Freiwillige" Regiments and these will be noted where applicable.  The "Grenzer" Regiments will be far more "wild and wooly" as I think this appearance better differentiates them from their more "civilised" brothers-in-arms.  Grenadier Regiments will also rear their mitres (or fur caps!) and will constitute the elite "Leibgarde zu Fuß"

Happily, I have plenty of mid-C18 French figures and these will now be worked on to create the first painted units.  In fact dedicated readers will recall IR.10 von Klingenbach (WIP) was already exhibiting a Gallic flavour and is close to pre-painting completion!

However, this will not commence immediately as today I will be working on getting the first fort building completed...