Duke of Cumberland Personality Figure

Crann Tara Miniatures has some pictures of the latest masterpieces from the workbench of Richard Ansell. The Duke of Cumberland , shown above, and General Hawley and Lord Albemarle ( looking backwards). Of course, Cumberland can also be used as the commander of the Hanoverian army at Hastenback in the SYW and as commander of the Allies at Fontenoy, Rocaux and Laufeld during the WAS.

The figures are part of a new batch of 16 figures that Richard has sculpted including some dismounted British dragoons as well as some French and British firing line poses that have some great animation. 

I will post an update when I hear more about a production date for the new figures.

Lord Albemarle:

General Hawley:

Crann Tara is the new UK Distributor for Fife & Drum Miniatures

Fife & Drum Miniatures are now available in the UK and Euroland from our new distributor, Crann Tara Miniatures.

http://www.cranntaraminiatures.co.uk/

Crann Tara will carry the complete Fife & Drum AWI range as well as select parts of the Minden range (all civilians, the SYW Highlanders, the Volontaires de Saxe and some of the equipment range that applies to the AWI plus the French artillery pieces).

Furthermore, Crann Tara will focus on figures for the War of the Austrian Succession in its future figure releases while Minden will retain its focus on the SYW. From time to time, Minden will create figures that are applicable to the WAS and therefore will be distributed by Crann Tara. The Maurice de Saxe vignette, shown below, and the Volontaires de Saxe are an example of this arrangement as both will be distributed by Crann Tara.

Minden Cuirassiers du Roi Have Arrived

The new Minden French Cuirassiers du Rou and the Volontaires de Saxe figures are in transit from Griffin Moulds and they are scheduled to arrive in the USA next Monday September 22nd, so I am confident enough to post the new product codes and announce that they are ready for sale.

If you want to place an order now, in anticipation of it shipping next week, then contact me at the address below. You will not be invoiced until I actually have the castings in the shipping room and ready to go .

send e-mail orders to:

fife_drum_minis@yahoo.com

Paypal Accepted

Personal checks drawn on US-based banks accepted

The new product codes are (figures per pack) and price:

MFC-007 Cuirassiers du Roi Command                      (3) $18.00 USD

MFC-008 Cuirassiers du Roi Troopers                        (3) $18.00 USD

MFC-009 Volontaires de Saxe Command                   (2) $12.00 USD

MFC-010 Volontaires de Saxe Lancer – African           (3) $18.00 USD

MFC-011 Volontaires de Saxe Lancer – European       (3) $18.00 USD

We have also added a new French marshall to the range (PER-009 @ $7.00 USDincluding horse) with two head and arm variants (see figure on the left. the RH figure is a Hanoverian officer painted in Hesse Seewald  livery):

Minden Russian Musketeers Are Based

Minden Russian Musketeers (click to enlarge)

I just finished the basing on my "Faux Russian" musketeer regiment, the Courland Regiment and thought that everyone would like to see how they look all based up and ready to go.

The flag is a GMB Designs Russian 1797-1806 flag for the Riazan Regiment, but since the battalion is a semi-imaginary unit, it doesn't really matter which flag I use. Eventually when I add the real Russian infantry to the Minden range, I will use the correct GMB flags for the SYW (it's just that I didn't have any on hand to finish the regiment).

Kickstarter Update - Austrians are a go, but Russians too?

The $3,000 goal to get the Austrian artillery into production has been met and now we are seeking to reach the $8,000 pledge level so that the Russian artillery equipment can get unlocked. Now a lot of you Minden fans have been asking me when we are going to add Russians to the range. My answer is "NOW!" However, in order to gauge interest and start the Russian project, I think that it is necessary to hit the first stretch goal. If we can do that, then I will feel like there really is enough interest in the Russians to put them (infantry, cavalry and artillery) into production.

Click on the following link to visit the Fife & Drum Kickstarter page and make a pledge to get the Russians into production:

Minden Russian Kickstarter Page

There are seven pledge levels of $50 or less and go as low as $15, so I've tried to make it easy for anyone to pledge a minimal amount in support of this project. Of course, if you are really gung ho for Russians, there are a number of higher pledge levels too. 

Swap privileges that allow you to trade your Austrian or Russian artillery in for any other Minden or Fife & Drum figures is available for anyone pledging more than $100. Pledge $100 or more and receive the same retail value in other figures such as Prussians, British, French or even AWI figures. Think about it, if you were planning on placing a Minden order anyway, consider pledging at the $100 level and you not only get the figures that you want, but you also help unlock the start of the Russian range.

What is the appeal of the Russians for me? Well, several things: they were a tough opponent whom Frederick never really defeated; their green and red uniforms are very colorful and offer a nice change of pace from Austrian white; and finally, they  have really cool looking artillery equipment and hoards of Cossacks. When we get around to making Cossacks, we won't have just 4 to 6 Cossacks, we will start with 16 Cossacks and eventually build them up to 32 different figures - now that's variety!

Battalion gun is the Prussian 3-pounder with one of the Pioneer figures and one Prussian artillery crewman dressed as Russian artillerist.

The Russians Are Coming?

The Minden Kickstarter campaign hit the initial funding goal of $3,000 for the Austrian artillery on Day 2 of the campaign, so I am very pleased with the results so far.

Next up: we need to hit the $8,000 pledge level in order to get the Russian artillery equipment kick started. 

We have seven different pledge levels of $50 or less to make it easy to back the project with a small contribution as low as $15. There are ten pledge levels of $100 or less and  pledges over $150 come with swap privileges that allow you to trade in your Austrian or Russian pledge for anything in the full Fife & Drum and Minden figure ranges.

Minden Russian Infantry - conceptual unit using French infantry figures.

Now I don't have enough fingers and toes to count the number of people who, in the past, have asked "When are you going to add Russians to the Minden range?" The time is now, but we need to have you step forward and make a pledge to this Kickstarter campaign. If you want Russian infantry, cavalry and artillery, we need your support to get the Russian project rolling.

So click on the link below and visit our Kickstarter page to see how it works.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1937253848/fife-and-drum-syw-austrian-artillery

And if you would make a contribution of any size, I would be most grateful for your support.

New Minden Austrian & Russian Kickstart Campaign Begins

Minden Austrian Artillery Crew figures are shown with Berlin Zinnfiguren cannon and limbers and RSM limber horses.  Minden will be adding its own cannon, limber horses and riders to the range.

Minden Miniatures has just launched a new Kickstarter campaign to secure funding for SYW AUSTRIAN and RUSSIAN artillery equipment. We seek to raise funding of $3,000 to get the five Austrian models shown below into production by December 2014. If we hit the stretch goal of $8,000 then that will help fund the start of the SYW Russian artillery range. (and yes, we plan on adding lots of Russians in 2015).

The Russian cannon will tentatively include a Shuvulov Secret Howitzer, the 6-pd and 12-pd field guns, and a 12-pound Unicorn howitzer, and maybe a few other unusual Russian equipment pieces.

The Austrian cannon will include the Liechtenstein System 3-pdr, 6-pdr, 7-pd howitzer, 12-pounder and limber. Visit the link to our Kickstarter page and learn more about the funding campaign. The campaign ends in 30 days on October 12, 2014.

Minden Kickstarter Link

As you can see in the pictures below, we already have most of the Austrian equipment sculpting and design completed, so this campaign will get models to you very quickly. We will be starting on the Russian equipment and a couple of other surprises very soon.

Austrian 12- pounder "green" ready to go to Griffin Moulds for master and production moulds.

Austrian 7-pound howitzer :

Austrian 3-pounder:

Austrian 6-pounder:

Austrian 12-pounder shown in the travel position attached to the limber:

Hesse Seewald Army - Part II

The Leibgarde Regiment of the King of Hesse Seewald

IR1 - von Glasenap Regiment

Here are a couple more pictures of the growing Hesse Seewald Army for your review. At the top of the page is the red-coated Leibgarde Regiment of King Georg Ludwig of Hesse Seewald. The regiment's uniforms are modelled after those of the Saxon Garde of the mid 18th Century. As a rule, only Garde regiments of infantry and cavalry are allowed to wear red coats, the exception being the artillery battalion of the army.

The von Glasenap regiment is the senior regiment of the kingdom's army, having been established in 1669 to defend the kingdom from Swedish incursions through Hesse Seewald in the years following the Thirty Years War. A member of the von Glasenap family has served as inhaber of the regiment since its beginning and on through to the present.

The Leibgarde Regiment was created in 1691 when Duke Karl Albert proclaimed himself "King In Hesse Seewald", thereby skirting the need to be recognized and elevated to royalty by the Holy Roman Emperor.

The standard infantry organization of the army is that each regiment is a single battalion in strength with 600 officers and rank and file. The battalion is divided into four musketeer companies and one grenadier company. At times, the grenadier companies of several regiments will be converged to form a distinct and separate grenadier battalion.

Click on all pictures to enlarge the view.

Your comments and questions are most welcomed.