Project 2010: The Crimean War

When planning for this project I had a number of requirements. Big battles with an achievable painting schedule and a good old fashioned "20mm" wargames feel. I narrowed it down to the Sudan (Jacklex), Zulu War (Newline), Ancient Greece (Garrison) and the Crimea or English Civil War (Tumbling Dice).

I finally settled for the Crimea using the Tumbling Dice range...using a 1:20 figure ratio I will have average strength infantry battalions of 30+ figures, the battles were big, the fact that the figures are all wearing greatcoats will speed up painting time and finally the Crimean War was one of those wars I did "way back when" using plastic figures. The real work starts after Salute in April-this is just a taster of what to expect.

I had started to collect the 18mm Eureka Crimea figures a couple of years ago. A lovely range, they had one very frustrating drawback...the muskets,bayonets and swords were so delicate they snapped off at the earliest opportunity.

Tumbling Dice are nicely sculpted, solid figures and they run an efficient internet/mail order service (the longest I have had to wait is 5 days before they arrived). Figures from their ACW range will be drafted in to serve as French Zouaves and best of all they are compatible in size with the Scruby Crimean range. I have added the Tumbling Dice website address.

Next up are the Newlines I promised.

3rd Silesian Landwehr...Who Else?

When it comes to Prussian Landwehr, the first unit to be painted must be the 3rd Silesian Landwehr in homage to the Airfix HO/OO figures box artwork...or is it just me who thinks like that?

The Silesian units, if I recall correctly, were among the first Landwehr's raised and by the time of the 100 Days Campaign amongst Blucher's best, unlike the Westphalian Landwehr for example (who had been fighting for Napoleon a few years before).

24 Newline figures, flag courtesy of Warflag.com.

Next up, a sneak preview of "Project 2010" and then lots and lots more Newlines!

More French Artillery

First of all apologies for the delay in this latest posting-real life got in the way again.

Now, especially for Rafa here is a 12pdr Newline French gun and crew and below are comparison shots against the 8pdr & Kennington figures completed last month.

As you can see the guns are reasonably close in size (the Kennington piece is slightly taller and definitely wider) but the figures are significantly different.

I hope to pick up the pace again next week...I have some lovely Prussian Landwehr started and I am still tinkering away with my "new" Scruby figures.