It’s been nearly two weeks of the official Covid-19 lock down here in New Zealand. Though he is working from home surely von Peter himself has managed to bestir himself and use some of that time to progress things of a wargaming hobby nature. “Hell yeah” is the answer to that particular question though not in ways expected.
Dealing to Slingshot
The stack of unread Slingshot magazines – the Journal of the Society of Ancients – has been whittled down to one almost completely read issue. When the time came to sign up for another year of society membership a little humming and ha’ing was undertaken but ultimately the money was spent for the year’s membership. Like all magazines the articles in Slingshot may not always be of direct interest but they are usually satisfying reading and having paid for them von Peter himself makes sure to read every word! To be honest much of the whittling down of unread issues occurred pre lock down but not all so diminishing the pile of unread goes into the lock down hobby achievement pile.
Magnets
von Peter himself has long been a proponent of magnetising his figure bases. It makes transporting figures so much simpler. Unconscionably the practice of actually magnetising the 28mm Napoleonic collection had slipped somewhat due to a shortage of magnetic material that remained un-remedied for a period of time. Outrageous. Magnetic material was duly acquired only to be placed mostly unused in the bag with the plywood base supply. Cue more righteous outrage.
Finally a move was made to magnetise a unit. Then another. Then a casualty base. And then more units, casualties and command stands were called up for the “treatment”. From the lowliest casualty to the highest ranked local Austrian – FZM Graf H. Colloredo and his staff – many have been dealt too. To date 68 bases have been dealt to. Phew. But the unglamorous work is never done and there’s more to do. Mostly the bigger bases – at least one artillery battery and a few command stands – which require more substantial magnetic substrate.
18mm delights from the past
When Nigel Fun-New returned the latest tranch of his 28mm Napoleonic pigmentation efforts on behalf of von Peter himself– the 1/4th Polish Infantry Regiment and a few Austrian command types – he included three battalions of 18mm AB Figures. These were somewhat of a surprise.
Way back in time a few Wellington based gamers dreamt up a scheme to play Napoleonic games in 10mm. But those far sighted gamers were ahead of their time. Several 10mm manufacturers were discovered. Some of them were contacted but to no avail. Pendraken Miniatures and their like did not then exist … or at least we didn’t find them. While searching for a suitable 10mm manufacturer the wonderful 18mm AB Figures hove into view and suddenly we were starting an 18mm project.
Unfortunately the project quickly ended up being of the stillborn variety. von Peter himself had purchased some figures and distributed a portion of them to the aforementioned Nigel F. for pigmentation. And numerous figures had been returned very nicely painted. When The family went to the UK for a year more figures were sent to Nigel. There was never pressure to get them back as there was always a 28mm unit that was required. Finally Nigel got fed up being a holding pen for 18mm figures and he painted those three battalions of 18mm AB Figures that arrived like a long lost memory …
Above: the three battalions of long lost soldiery. Two battalions of Saxon Light Infantry and some spares plus a battalion of Bavarian Light Infantry
The idea of the smaller scale – 10mm then 18mm figures – was to play a higher level game with a base representing a battalion of infantry, a cavalry regiment or half for those double sized cavalry regiments, or a battery. The figures could be mounted however one wanted on the base. It was foreseen that the level of rules would not be too concerned with individual unit formation.
Having received those three battalions and being incarcerated under the lock down von Peter himself came over all curious and dug out (all?) of the previously pigmented 18mm soldiery. The two boxes of them discovered are on display below. The figures are all either Saxons or French. They are all blue tacked to temporary bases and the bases stuck to the box for the move to Neu Schloss von Peter. As can be seen only one base has been completed – a yellow faced regiment of French dragoons.
Above: a closer up look at the yellow faced French dragoons preparing to move out from a Russian village having thoroughly “searched” it. The photo dates from November 2006. Yikes!
Besides the 18mm figures von Peter himself procured a “bunch” of 18mm real estate both Western/Central European and Russian. Even better Craig W. pigmented them with his usual aplomb …
It is not beyond the realms of possibility that von Peter himself may complete the basing of these even littler soldiers. Or at least start the completion of the basing. Nigel F. still has some unpigmented 18mm figures and there are certainly more unpigmented ones here at Neu Schloss von Peter. Hmmm. I wondered what the future holds.
The next locally pigmented unit
There are several outstanding pigmentation projects on the painting desk of von Peter himself. But they are all small bananas. What is needed is the next unit that needs bringing to life. There were many temptations. A battalion of the newly released Saxon Light Infantry? Or perhaps a battalion of Saxon Grenadiers? But the Saxons have been spoilt lately. What about the Prussians. They have lingered unloved for too long. The second battalion of musketeers or a regiment of cavalry? In the end the second battalion of the 4th Reserve Infantry in their British supplied Portuguese styled uniform got the pick. With all that damned lace and piping they will no doubt wrench a curse or two from von Peter himself as they get pigmented. But all that lace and piping won’t go away and the unit is needed for the hard pressed men of the 3rd Prussian Brigade of 1813.
It is to be hoped that the appropriate blue can be identified. You know – the same one as on the first battalion. Gulp.
Above: The 1/4th Reserve Infantry Regiment behind what is hoped will transform into the 2/4th Reserve Infantry Regiment. The muskets – and accompanying hands! – are for the six Trail Arms figures in the second battalion
What needs to move off the painting desk?
So what is currently residing on the painting desk? Errr …ummm, please excuse the dust!
Back row left to right …
- a fantasy mounted knight. His chances of further pigmentation the near future are tending towards zero but there he sits forlornly waiting
- the next four horses are bound for a Prussian limber
- next up are two Prussian mounted Feldjager and their horses (to eventually make them mounted … please keep up! 😃). The figure lying on the ground in front of them is another mounted Feldjager with the plan being to paint the three at once. These figures are for use as individual ADCs or on command stands.
Middle row left to right …
- two horses for the two senior Saxons officers to their immediate front
- a Napoleonic civilian of the female persuasion
- a Prussian casualty
- a Saxon casualty.
Front row left to right …
- a horse for the Austrian mounted officer (coming along shortly)
- a horse for a future Austrian general. The cunning plan was to paint it at the same time and in the same colours as the prior horse. Cunning or what?
- the figure lying in a bed of paper tissue is the mounted Austrian officer for the first horse on the row.
- a Saxon colonel and adjoint who along with a previously painted ADC will comprise a Brigade command stand
- Four Frenchmen to complete a French battalion.
Nothing too intimidating. So why are they all still there?! Most of them have been idling on the desk for quite a while having suffered the indignity of watching other figures – even whole units! – come and go. They’ll all have to get a move on. The 2/4th Reserve Infantry Regiment will be wanting that real estate on the painting desk.
And of course there is always the internet
Ah yes. It must be admitted that by using time as a measure the internet has consumed most of von Peter’s hobby time. By quite a margin. So has it been for many moons now and most likely will for many moons to come. Both a blessing and a curse.
All the photos are clickable for a larger and clearer view.
Take the greatest care out there.
Enough.
Until we meet again …
Salute
von Peter himself
