Thursday, August 18, 2016

Galvanized Yankees

I was too fatigued to do much today but I did manage to refurbish more toy soldiers!

Refurbished 53 year old Britain's Life Guard and 3 Herald Confederates along with a homecast Guards officer with a headswap and change of coat colour.
Reinforcements have arrived!  First off, three plastic Herald Confederates that I picked up at a flea market a decade or so back with a coat change (hence galvanized). I needed an extra figure so, enter: a homecast British Guards officer with headswap and a blue coat . Not quite the same as the original officer but then I never really like the way he was twisted around (not that I've ever owned one myself).

Then there is General Byrd. This gentleman first served many years ago as an officer in Britain's Life Guards. He was then forced to transfer into the 2nd Dragoon Guards before finally ending up in America. We will ignore various rumours about his reasons for leaving but it is well known that he bears  a  grudge against Her Majesty and those who serve her. Since he has seniority he has taken control of the force at the border. This doesn't bode well for a peaceful wait for an official resolution.

When I was 12 I got a copy of Henry Harris's book on Model Soldiers (a French version published in Belgium but I managed). Inspired by Harris and not yet in possession of any books that explained just how one played a real wargame, just tantalizing mention,  I proceeded to convert pretty well ALL of my old toy soldiers into Model Soldiers. Much less toy like. This Britain's Life Guard officer was transformed into a late 17thC  officer based  on an illustration in Barnes' History of the Regiments and Uniforms of the British Army. (Did I mention that I had great parents?) I had hoped to save the hat but it was a mixture of plastic, paper, putty and built up acrylic paste and crumbled. The arm was also old plastic so I replaced it rather than just the hand. The coat tails are also paper but I managed to keep them.

There is another home cast company on the painting table then time for an attack defence scenario with 8 US units being attacked by a larger Canadian force, hopefully on Sunday.


7 comments:

  1. Galvanized eh? Does that stop them rusting?

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  2. Will it be possible to give Lt Col Lannigan any figures that look like sappers or engineers? That would be a very nice addition when it comes to rebuilding a burned out bridge or creating field works. I just finished reading a book on the fall of Atlanta and the author quotes a CSA officer who attributes some of the Union victory to Union engineering prowess.
    Jerry

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    1. You are ahead of me. I have an empty handed gunner in shirt sleeves that I had earmarked for the job. Eventually. Once the basic fighting units are done and I do a search to see if I still have picks and shovels in my spares box or need to make them.

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  3. Good to see youve managed to bring those Confederates to back to the Union. That Byrd chap is a rather rakish looking chap, Lovely pose.

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  4. Looking forward to the larger Sunday's Battle. KEV.

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  5. I quite like the officer running with sword. Very gallant. They all like fine.

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