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| It was 2013 that I first attempted to make a mold of this 1860's Canadian militia private, a mold which I flubbed. Its hard to believe its taken this long to get back at him but I've been floundering around trying to decide just which period I'm doing anyway. It didn't really help when the Great War broke out on my tabletop. |
Anyway........after some tense moments when the fate of the battle lay in a handful of dice, the PBEM Battle of Rushville is over.
( see http://gameofmonth.blogspot.ca/p/battle-of-rushvi.html)
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| The view 1/2 way through the 2nd last turn when it became obvious that Blue no longer had enough time or men to take the objective. |
Running the game was a great deal of fun and I'm looking forward to the next one. I have to take a break for a week or two first though to get some prep work done as well as doing some work on my room itself now that the table is settled. So, more on that later.
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| 1st casting on the left, a qualified success. There is a bit of pitting, loss of detail, some flash and some ugly mold lines but I've done worse. Luckily, once cleaned up, they'll be painted in glossy toy style, not shaded with washes. |
Quite apart from the PBEM aspects, this last game put me in mind of a "traditional wargame" rather than a "cardtable game". I think some part of me had forgotten that I still like both. The scenario (was I too subtle in having Sam Elliot commanding the skirmish line with superior fire power which defended the ridge with the College (or Seminary?) also reminded me that the period from the Crimean War through the Mutiny and ACW, the era of transition from musket to rifle,from Napoleonic to modern, is my favorite to read about or to put on the table as well as having my favourite uniforms. Lastly the game reminded me why I've been trying for a few years now to elevate one single period (almost any period) to a Majority position so I can run some campaigns with some consistency leaving the rest as occasional diversions.
I wonder sometimes at the faulty logic which has several times aborted my focus on this period but..... try, try again. This will mean overlap with the 1/72 historical ACW and near overlap with the Riel Rebellion (the Canadians were still wearing the same uniforms and the SniderEnfield conversion), but, well, they're slightly different games and anyway they all already exist. So the plan is broadly the same but once again Atlantica in the 1850's and 60s will again be my focus and will include the Oerberg War and some Colonial style games. The WW1 collection will eventually have the British brought up to strength but that will be it and there will be no 40's inbetween the two. Nor will there be any earlier Atlantica armies. As per an earlier plan my coatee and shako lads will provide a small Victorian lithograph version of the War of 1812. Faraway's armies are in sad need of troops for my chosen era hence the mold as a start, but Oberhilse just needs a few figures here and there, some touch ups and a coherent basing system and they are ready to take the field with 12 battalions of infantry plus guns and cavalry.
I wonder sometimes at the faulty logic which has several times aborted my focus on this period but..... try, try again. This will mean overlap with the 1/72 historical ACW and near overlap with the Riel Rebellion (the Canadians were still wearing the same uniforms and the SniderEnfield conversion), but, well, they're slightly different games and anyway they all already exist. So the plan is broadly the same but once again Atlantica in the 1850's and 60s will again be my focus and will include the Oerberg War and some Colonial style games. The WW1 collection will eventually have the British brought up to strength but that will be it and there will be no 40's inbetween the two. Nor will there be any earlier Atlantica armies. As per an earlier plan my coatee and shako lads will provide a small Victorian lithograph version of the War of 1812. Faraway's armies are in sad need of troops for my chosen era hence the mold as a start, but Oberhilse just needs a few figures here and there, some touch ups and a coherent basing system and they are ready to take the field with 12 battalions of infantry plus guns and cavalry.
I think it is difficult to settle on a particular decade or so in the 19th century. Once one gets past 1815 there are so many interesting campaigns, technological changes and attractive uniforms, it is hard to stick to one bit, well I've found that anyway.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, from 1800 to 1900 I have had at least 1 book on a campaign/war and at least 1 wargame unit from each and every decade of the 19thC. That was the long peace right?
DeleteIndeed, from 1800 to 1900 I have had at least 1 book on a campaign/war and at least 1 wargame unit from each and every decade of the 19thC. That was the long peace right?
DeleteThat's a nice little figure. I've given up making the moulds, (news to come on blog), but following other avenues to get my figures. Toy soldier gloss is the best finish, by far, and the 19th century has such variety as the uniforms and weapons changed.
ReplyDeleteIf I were smarter than I am, when I discovered the various suppliers of old toy soldiers in the late 90's I should have focused my money and time there and never bothered with plastics or 40's. Of well.
DeleteAnd now they cost a mortgage to buy. I see some Arthurian knights (I can remember a set of kits similar, in the 90s) are £45 each! That's one reason why I paint up castings rather than buy sets.
DeleteIf I were smarter than I am, when I discovered the various suppliers of old toy soldiers in the late 90's I should have focused my money and time there and never bothered with plastics or 40's. Of well.
Delete