Monday, August 5, 2024

The Grand Old Duke of Belmont

He had a thousand toy soldiers,
He stuck them on multi-figure bases,
Then he pulled them off again.

And when they were on they were easy,
But when they were off they were fun,
And when they got hit, they fell down
And helped to tell the story.


18 comments:

  1. Lovely figures, really like the charging musketeers.

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    1. They were a late addition to my collection, but an older mould. I really like them, the pose is very,VERY, like a old Britain's charging pose.(Not used on steady English troops, only on excitable ones like Zouaves, Highlanders, etc

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  2. Replies
    1. Part of me likes each collection to use similar basing, painting style, etc etc and part of me wants them to all be different. At least I get to fiddle with the figures with a minimum of additions.

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  3. “ To base or not to base, that is the question . Whether tis nobler in the find to face the slings and arrows of figures multitudinous or take arms against a sea of singletons…”
    Alan Tradgardland

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    1. Just so, I'll have to go roust the trumpeters and cannon now.

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  4. I recognise the products of Prince August molds amongst them !

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  5. Is this where sabot bases make a dramatic appearance and revolutionise warfare?! I use some with my Darkest Africa forces which were based as single figures but wanted them also based in multiples though I wanted to have them still available as singles. I believe it's referred to as 'I'll have another slice of that fine cake please' :-)

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    1. Odd you should mention that, a few years ago a friend made himself a big stack of sabots holding 4 figures, decided not to go ahead with it, and gifted them to me.

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    2. Mine are mounted on UK 2p pieces which are 1" diameter. That's quite a common basing system and Warbases (an ace company) do sabots spefically to take them. And they are very helpful about making specials so I could have exactly what I wanted. And 2p pieces have long been copper plated steel so those who like magnetic bases are happy as well.

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    3. I used to use copper pennies ($0.01) for my plastic (1/72) Colonial skirmish games but since they were more expensive to make than their face value, they were were withdraw a decade or two ago. In theory, we still have coinage, and paper money but its pretty rare in this electronic age.

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  6. Couple of laugh emojis and a crazy face!

    H

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    1. Ah well, I get attached to what I paint, esp if I sculpted or at least converted them, so fiddling with them is better than selling or burying them in a cupboard.

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  7. Someone I know in Canada said they recently went to a bank and were able to get a roll of pennies. I didn't know that was possible; it may depend on the bank.

    Anyway, I was amused by the poem.

    As for basing, I have dithered over it for several decades now. :P
    I have glued some singly based figures (on plastic slotted bases) to 4 figure stands, for use in battles, and kept other figures singly based for use in skirmishes, RPGs, and such. Seems like the best option for me at this point. Individual mileage may vary. And I may change my mind some day.

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    1. For me, it's not so much the actual base details, but the style and organization of the games

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  8. Hey Ross, I will be heading east in October. I can bring 5 rolls of pennies if you can use them. Hopefully no one will plan a great train robbery to stop me from delivery

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