Happy New Year- Good Riddance to 2011

I finished the month of December with the final two stands of AWI British Light Infantry, bringing the unit up to 48 figures (8 stands of 6 figures), or 480 men at a 1:10 ratio. Adding these to the 40 British Brigade of Guards, also for the AWI period, results in a total of 88 figures painted for the month. That is more or less up to my painting pace in the days of old (several years ago), although it was admittedly helped by having the last 11 days of the year off from work. So make hay while the sun still shines.

I'm trying to think of the wargaming highlights for the year, of which there are many, but few are remembered:

1. SYW - the British army finally defeated the French for the first time in about 5 years, at the Battle of Waldeck!

2. SYW - Golconda Miniatures for the wars in India are first released

3. AWI - Fife & Drum Miniatures go into production

4. Colonial games - played several fun and interesting games set in the 1890s in Bill Protz's General Pettygree campaign.

I'm sure that there are others, but these are the ones that stick in my mind the most.

On the bad side of the ledger, there were a lot of natural disasters going on around the world such as the tsunami in Japan, heavy floods and hurricanes all over the USA, earthquakes and more. May 2012 have fewer natural disasters.

Cheers

Fritz

Frederick the Great

I just had to post this picture on my blog. :)

However, it costs a cool $379.00 (yikes!). Follow the link if you want more information:

Frederick the Bear

Von Kleist Frei Korps

Foundry Prussian von Kleist Freikorps figures.

The von Kleist Frei Korps was one of my favorite wargaming units, but it has passed into the service of the Duke of Freiberg awhile back. I still get to see it on the table top from time to time since the Duke and I game together on a regular basis. Over the years I have become less and less enamored with Foundry figures, but I have to say that the von Kleist figures and the Prussian artillery crew (painted in von Kleist green) are pretty darn nice looking figures.

Random ACW Picture

Confederates from Brockenbrough's Brigade are "A Coming Thru The Rye", or in this case, a corn field made by Herb Gundt of H.G. Walls. Click to enlarge the photo.

Here is a picture taken in 2008 of an American Civil War wargame that I fought (solo), based on one of Charles S. Grant's Table Top Teasers in Battlegames magazine. My ACW collection has since been sold to one of my gaming colleagues who lives nearby. So I can still game with my former figures, but not have to actually own them.

Maybe one day I will start a new Fife & Drum ACW range of figures -- after the AWI range is completed in 2-3 years.

Gostelowe Flag No. 6 (created by Clarence Harrison)

I want to draw everyones attention to a wonderful link if you need flags for your AWI units. It is Clarence Harrison's "Quindia Studios" blog. (click on the live link at the left in this line).

Clarence has created his own flags that mainly cover various state militia, Continental, and those curious Gostelowe flags. He has also created some "generic" flags that are based on reasonable speculation that follow period conventions (such as using a 13 stripes motif). There are many good flag choices to use in your own AWI units, so I encourage you to visit Quindia Studios and look at what Clarence has to offer on his blog.

Holiday Greetings from Hesse Seewald

Der Alte Fritz, Mrs. Fritz and their staff wish you a happy holiday season.

The temperature is approaching 50 degrees Fahrenheit today, so it is as if we are having two Novembers this year and one less month of Winter. For that I am very grateful.

I just needed an excuse to post one of my favorite pictures from the vault, so there it is. It reminds me that I will need to get back to painting some new SYW units for our BAR games.

1 x 12 squadron of Black Hussars

5 x 12 Battalion of IR13 Itzenplitz (using Potsdam Figures)

1 x 15 Lieb Garde (using Stadden grenadiers)

And I might even treat myself to the purchase of 60 more Prussian Staddens marching to form a new battalion.

I am currently working on the last two 6-figure stands of AWI British light infantry and then I will train my guns on some more Continentals (Delaware and Maryland brigade)

More AWI British Light Infantry

Fife & Drum British Light Infantry battalion of 36 figures plus command stand.

I am up to six stands of six figures for my British Light Infantry battalion, or 36 figures, or 360 men at a 1:10 ratio. Eventually the battalion will have eight stands of six figures, or 48 in total. Since that creates a very wide frontage, I might divide the battalion into two "wings" of 24 figures (3 stands each).

Here is the battalion stretched out into one line: