I am waiting for the delivery of my final order from Irregular Miniatures before I can add a Russian-style nineteenth army to my Belle Époque project. In the interim, it was my intention to playtest the latest draft of my PORTABLE BELLE ÉPOQUE WARGAME rules with a Sahel Hadendowi vs. Oblele battle ... and then I read Tradgardmastare's THE DUCHY OF TRADGARDLAND blog.
The particular blog posts that engaged my attention were WONDERLAND OR THE JOY OF MODEL SHOPS, THE ARMY OF TRANSILVANIA, and OPPOSITION. These were about his recent purchase of a box of Strelets-R ROMANIAN INFANTRY figures ...
© Alan Gruber (AKA Tradgardmastare)
... and a box of their ITALIAN ARMY IN WINTER DRESS (STALINGRAD) figures.
© Alan Gruber (AKA Tradgardmastare)
He has painted up the former to be soldiers in the army of Transilvania – his early twentieth century imagi-nation – and the latter will be their opponents, the army of the Duchy of Volare Cantare.
Now, I have loads of painted 20mm World War II figures sitting in boxes in my toy/wargames room, I have a suitable set of simple rules already written, and I have enough Hexon II terrain to hand to fight a battle or two ... so why don't I use them?
It would be stupid not to ... wouldn't it?
I finished writing this blog post and had uploaded it for publication before I went looking for the figures I was going to use. It was at this point that I found a box of painted 15mm figures that Carl Luxford gave me back in October 2022.
Inside the box were a number of Askaris and European officers, native and Arab troops (including cavalry), and native bearers.
I got the figures out ... and immediately realised that I had to assimilate them into my Belle Époque collection tout suite!
As a result, I have put my plans to fight a battle with my 20mm figures on hold for the time being.
It would be stupid not to ... wouldn't it?
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BOB,
ReplyDeleteHow do you pronounce 'Belle Epoque' - is it 'Bell Epic' ? Regards. KEV.
Kev Robertson (Kev),
DeleteI use the French pronunciation, which sounds a lot like ‘belly pork’.
All the best,
Bob
A box full of beautifully painted Askari should be used in a game ASAP!
ReplyDeleteI have to agree about being inspired by Alan's recent posts Bob.
Maudlin Jack Tar,
DeleteI am concentrating on the native figures first and will work on the Askaris later.
As for my version of Alan’s project … we’ll, that’s very much on the back burner for the foreseeable future.
All the best,
Bob
Spoiled for choice for interesting projects! I'm looking forward to the battle reports. Perhaps a video?
ReplyDeleteMark Cordone,
DeleteThe problem is that I just don’t seem to have enough time these days to everything that I want to do … so a battle report and/or video might be some time a coming.
All the best,
Bob
So much fun rediscovering what we have forgotten. Embrace and enjoy the trill of all these possibilities.
ReplyDeleteWEK 3,
DeleteI have a whole load more stuff in our storage unit as yet to be rediscovered’ and enjoyed.
All the best,
Bob
Great to see you fired up, Bob. The Tradgardland blog was inspirational, indeed (I followed a link from Projects & Procrastination)…and WHAT a fortunate find! Lovely when the inspiration is rewarded by rediscovering more usable figures, ready painted 🙂👍🏼. La Belle Epoque will run and run…looking forward to more news, as and when.
ReplyDeleteMartin S.,
DeleteI’ve been following the Tradgardland blog for years and regularly talk to its creator - Alan G - as we are both members of a Zoom group that meets online once a week.
Every time I think that I’ve got a handle on my Belle Époque project, I discover another army to add to the collection. I do hope to get some maps drawn over the next couple of months … and it’s at that point that I hope to get some wargames fought.
All the best,
Bob
Bob,
ReplyDeleteHaving grown up in the last 60's with the Airfix figures, it is quite amazing and inspiring to see so many different sets now available in plastic 1/72 scale. Now if only there were Woolworths to sell them!
All the best
Steve
Steve,
DeleteI bought my first Airfix figures - the Guards Colour Zparty in pink plastic! - from the branch of Woolworths in Upminster. They then became my main source of wargame figures alongside the toy section ofthe local department store.
Nowadays, wargamers who use plastic figures are spoilt for choice … and can longer enjoy the ‘thrill’ of converting figures using a hot knife, pins, UHU glues, Plasticine, and banana oil!
All the best,
Bob