Friday 12 April 2013

Black Tree Design - Part.1

Funny how it goes! We were talking about the Zulu War and what we would have to do to have a go at raising forces for the Natal, it was then I remembered that I have some of the old Harlequin range, raising Zulu’s would be expensive and I wanted to cover the 1st Boer War or Transvaal War, I thought about treading water with the Zulu conflict to see if the others would actually commit to the Zulu period.

Dug out the Harlequin figures and set about a search for additional items to add to what I have, Harlequins are now Black Tree Design (BTD), being some years ago that I originally purchased these I was somewhat cautious about worn moulds and poor figures.

So with the 32 British and 19 Boers sat ready on the painting table and armed with 35% discount offer I hit the Black Tree website and ordered up some of the aforementioned two nation’s.

The order came very promptly from BTD, as for the figures the years have been good to them as they matched in very well with the originals, yes there is a problem with the British and the service helmets but with a file and some head swaps this is pretty easy to resolve.

I like the BTD range and plan on adding to it, hence another order has just been sent for more British forces, these will be the last for a while from Black Tree.

Now I am at a fork in the road........... I want to vary and add to the period!

Redoubt Enterprises Zulu Wars range is extensive but posses are limited, their figures are somewhat larger than BTD.

Empress Miniatures range I believe are somewhat smaller than BTD’s.

Having searched on the web I see some mix all the above into the Zulu War cooking pot, I cannot make up my mind where to go on this, I think I might wait until Salute and take a look in the flesh.

Col.T

Tuesday 2 April 2013

Catch up, Part 2013/1

Anyone wondering where we have been? 2012 was a very busy year in the way of my work life I have no idea where the time has gone and here we are past the Easter holidays of 2013 where I am sat at home pondering the last 12 plus months, the trio of our little group have had very differing years (2012).

We have been floating about looking at various blogs and sites but never really aiming to do anything of merit, all projects were placed on the back boiler, since the last post I have accumulated a small mountain of lead from Trident and Front Rank, spending an amount of time in the U.S. working, so it only seemed right to get my Trident figures up together, these are the last orders that I intend to buy from Trident in such quantity as Front Rank will be producing what we require later this year, however if Doug does in fact do the Queens Rangers as a full range of various troop types within this Corps then I can see an order winging his way (Messrs Miles&Stevens of HBCo did Spencer's Ordinary in 25mm some years ago at the NAM), as a preference I would like to see Front Rank release a range of "Butlers Rangers", the Trident ones are really just their riflemen with different heads.

Messr Miles started to buy Hessian's to add to his pile of British and Americans, and like the two latter nations he has all are still sat in the boxes they came in, the Hessians are for the Trenton Garrison, his fascination in that battle is a wonder as he has them in 25mm and all painted, so far he has two regiments each of around 60 figures, I have some loose companies of various poses to add into the Hessian mix, the painting by Don T depicting the Hessian assault on Fort Washington to blame.

http://www.historicalartprints.com/viewgallist.php?id=173

A decision was reached to only stick with the war in the North up to 1777, my interest really lies around New York and Jersey prior to the campaigns of Howe's Philadelphia and Burgoyne's Saratoga expedition, mind you Saratoga holds quite a bit of interest for me.

Also we managed to buy our first mounted troops, Trident "16th/17th Light Dragoons" and a large unit of "Continental Dragoons".

Where Messr Miles has only managed to paint 6 Front Rank Grenadiers in the last 12 months one member of our little group Messr Stevens with much time on his hands has managed to paint "ALL" of his 40mm figures (photo's soon).

My last wargames show was quite some time ago, Derby in fact and before that Salute, here I am now looking at visiting Salute 2013 with very little progress on the painting front, I blame what a wargame buddy of ours calls the butterfly affect, flirting from one period to another!

Also have been lucky enough to visit some places that have seen my interest in the War of 1812 come to the fore and there is also an article/write-up that we have been working on relating to the 37th Foot of 1776, last year there was a visit to Arnhem by one who got the others interested enough to raise troops for a Parachute landing in NW Europe, we all have the new Bolt Action rules.

As for the butterfly affect am currently looking at the Transvaal War of 1881 but also looking for Salute to kick start me back into action............

Col.T