While I was sorting out the boxes of early to mid 19th Century figures and reviewing uniforms etc., I was reminded how much I disliked many of the War of 1812 uniforms, and that despite presenting a good variety of small actions, they were still fairly restricted from a wargame scenario POV.
I also noted that once I had rehomed my big chunky Old Glory figures, about a decade ago, in order to focus on the smaller Scruby figures as well as my various homecast figures, including a number of my original sculpts, (not masterpieces but my own progeny) my 1812 "armies" now have as many 1830/40's figures as 1812 ones.
When I started assessing how much work it would be to swap heads and repaint my later figures to turn them back into 1812 figures, I called a halt until a Council of Wargamers could be held to discuss the matter.
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| A desperate charge by Col. Flowerdew at Faraway's surprise attack on Oberhilse's camp at Stony Creek. See https://gameofmonth.blogspot.com/2012/02/stony-creek-surprise.html |
At the moment, it seems almost inevitable that the three Councillors (me, myself, and I) will vote unanimously to Officially reactivate my old 1830/40 Atlantica collection to play out scenarios, some based on historical 1812 battles, and other, fictional, scenarios with steamboats, trains, observation balloons, cavalry and all the rest.
Stay tuned....
Don't forget Price Valiant and Prince Michael!
ReplyDeleteNot forgotten, but I have some painting to do ....
DeleteNor the wonderful “Gathering of Hosts” guys…
ReplyDeleteAlan Tradgardland
I look at them periodically but the Muse has not presented a scenario that doesn't feel old and tired. They're not going away though, and eventually, something will catch my imagination and they will take to the table.
DeleteRoss Mac,
ReplyDeleteInterestingly I was looking at a book about the armies of the Italian Risorgimento and remembered that in the period after the Napoleonic Wars and up to and including the Crimean War, armies tended to wear very similar uniforms (In a variety of different colours) that gradually evolved from those worn in 1815. Hence, my Napoleonic collection can - without looking too closely at the figures - be useable up until the mid nineteenth century.
This train of thought was further reinforced by looking at some RISK figures that I bought recently. These are 15mm tall and wear a sort of generic Napoleonic uniform that can easily be modified and painted to represent almost any soldier from 1815 to 1875 ... and possibly up to 1914.
Reading what you have written indicates to me that you are also looking at reorganising your collection so that it is slightly more generic in makeup and therefore more flexible in the ways you can use it, and I look forward to following your progress as you do and comparing it with my own.
All the best,
Bob
Actually Bob, I've merely decided to refurbish a 15 old non-historical collection that has seen only scarce use for nearly a decade, let it absorb a smaller, incomplete, historical collection that is even less used, and play more games with what I already have!
DeleteIt is good to know you plan to reactivate your 1830/40 Atlantica collection Ross, it's my favorite.
ReplyDeleteMine too. I couldn't bring myself to let it go.
DeleteI was thinking, Ross, before I lit upon your final sentence, that were it me, I would leave things as they are: the 1812s as 1812s and the 1830s as 1830s; and use them for whatever wars, battles and conflicts that crop up during the 1810-1840 period - historical or otherwise. I've done - or at least contemplated - equally heretical things, such as using Napoleonic Imaginations for my version of Latin American wars of independence. A close look at my Wars of the Roses Armies will reveal them as having a distinctly 100YW appearance... My Napoleonic French have no Allies, yet I am 'planning' a 'War of the Nations' set in 1813; My Peninsular War British Army's units are those of Waterloo (for the availability of flags - no other reason).
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Ion
OK, War of 1812 was good, Atlantica is even better. Probably my favourite of your collections and I love the background. The assembled crowds wildly cheer the wise decision of the Wargame Collective!
ReplyDelete