My time for wargaming and wargaming-related activities was rather limited this evening, and I decided to see what some of my 15mm Peter Laing Austro-Prussian figures would look like on the portable wargame board.
As you can see, as presently based, the figures do not quite fit into a grid square, but with a little re-basing, it would be quite easy for me to field an Austrian and a Prussian army for my portable wargame. This would make a change from the current Colonial armies that I have available to be used on the portable wargame board, and it started me thinking about the possibilities of other armies that I could 'create'.
The rules I am using – a slightly modified version of Joseph Morschauser's 'Frontier' wargames rules – could easily be adapted for fighting battles set during the mid to late nineteenth century, and the armies would be small enough to make it reasonably cheap to create several.
Methinks that there are possibilities here ...
As you can see, as presently based, the figures do not quite fit into a grid square, but with a little re-basing, it would be quite easy for me to field an Austrian and a Prussian army for my portable wargame. This would make a change from the current Colonial armies that I have available to be used on the portable wargame board, and it started me thinking about the possibilities of other armies that I could 'create'.The rules I am using – a slightly modified version of Joseph Morschauser's 'Frontier' wargames rules – could easily be adapted for fighting battles set during the mid to late nineteenth century, and the armies would be small enough to make it reasonably cheap to create several.
Methinks that there are possibilities here ...
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An excellent choice of period Sir with a plethora of moustaches to recommend it.
ReplyDeleteConrad Kinch,
ReplyDeleteThere is even room in the portable wargame's storage for a small moustache comb and wax, should the need arise!
All the best,
Bob
Good to see your idea grow and take shape. Really enjoyed seeing the PL figures in the flesh, so-to-speak.
ReplyDeleteRegards,
Don
Brigadier Dundas,
ReplyDeleteConsidering that this was an idea that developed from my desire to use a redundant, damaged chessboard and some other bits and pieces I had lying about unused in my wargames room, this project seems to be developing a life of its own!
The Peter Laing figures are actually idea for this concept, and I only wish that they were still in production.
All the best,
Bob
Could you possibly post some close p photos of the Peter Laing figures? I love the simplicity of them! I have tried to find the Victorian parade figures for a Little Wars themed wargame.
ReplyDeleteJhnptrqn,
ReplyDeleteI will see what I can do. I am not too clued in on how to take close-up photos using my digital camera, but I will try to give it a go sometime soon.
All the best,
Bob
Yeah, the possibilities presented by other periods, especially the more exotic ones, are alluring. I tend to go with plastic because of the expense. I was thinking that Strelets has just released figures from the Russo-Turkish War of 1877, for example. Other firms are coming out with Spanish-American War, Boxer Rebellion, Russo-Japanese War--yikes! Unfortunately, they are 20mm, which may be a bit too big for the squares.
ReplyDeleteChris,
ReplyDeleteIn some ways, my portable wargame is a 'proof of concept'. It works as it is ... but it would not be very difficult to make something similar that has a larger surface area (for example, the board I made for 'Solferino in Thirty Minutes') and that is suitable for 20mm or even 28mm-scale figures.
In some ways I am following in Joseph Morschauser’s footsteps. He advocated fighting ‘small’ wargames on a reasonably sized gridded tabletop/board, and to someone like me – who has restricted time and space – it is a very workable alternative to DBX/HOTT.
As you say, there are a large number of different figures available now for the wars of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. One feels that one is left with a choice; either go for one war in a big way and collect a couple of large armies or spread your bets (and money) by creating a lot a small armies. I am seriously looking at doing the latter as it will mean that projects are more likely to get finished and the cost per project is less.
All the best,
Bob