Newsletter

Wargaming Figures and Accessories

by Jim Purky


20. Mr: Gajo Figure Service: George Johnson sent me the latest listing of 15mm and 25mm painted wargame armies and units that are available for sale. GAJO now paints their own inventory of ACW, Napoleonic and SYW figures in addition to selling used armies. ln otherwords, if they don't have it in stock, wait a short while and they will. I bought some F&I War militia in 25mm that l intend to use as American Revolution era militia, and I thought that the quality was very good. These were some of the contract painted inventory. This is a good way to build up those militia and Indian fores that we all dread to paint, and at reasonable prices. Write to Mr. Gajo at 930 Mellish Drive, Lapeer, Michigan 48446 or Phone (810) 664-565S. George Johnson is one of the great gentlemen of our hobby and as a pleasure to work with. You can't go wrong buying painted miniatures from Mr. GAJO.

21. Bataillenfeur Games 20mm Artillery: Hap Jordan sent me samples of his recently-released 20mm Austrian artillery: 31b., 61b. and 12lb. models. These babies are HUGE and have lots of details that ought to show up nicely when painted. For example, the 31b. gun is about the same size, though slightly chunkier than the RSM 31b gun that I use for regimental guns. The 12lb gun could probably be used as a 6lb gun in most 25mm umies, so whetha you game in 20mm (something to consider) or 25mm, this ordnance can be quite useful. The price is 2 guns for $6.00 plus postage. For more information, write to Bataillenfeur Games at 14 Parkview Avenue, Jamestown, New York 14701. Phone: (716) 488-1586.

22. Hovels Makes 25mm Farm Animals! Ed Philips of Wargames Inc. brought a number of bags of farm animals produced by Hovels With Campaign Ltd, 18 Glebe Road, Scartho, Grimsby, N.E. Lincolnshire DN33 2HL, United Kingdom. Among the packs that I purchased were C7 (pair of pigs), C8 (Sow with 4 piglets), C11 (Cow with calf), C5 (farmer with hayfor). There were other packs including C10 (two cows), C9 (Bull), C6 (Billygoat), C12 (Cockerell plus 4 chickens) and C 14 (blacksmith shoeing horse plus helper and anvil) and many more. Great looking stuff! In the US, order from Wargames, Box 278, 40 East, Triadelphia, WV 260590278. Phone: (304) 547-0000.

23. Dixon 25mm American Revolution Figures: Wargames is also carrying the new line of Americans and British for the AWI. lhe first 10 releases include 5 figures in regular dress and 5 "Valley Forge" types, really scruffy looking according to Ed Philips. Price is $1.49 per figure. Each figure is avai1able with a variety of heads so that you can buy (no assembly required) the same marching pose, for example, with tricorn, floppy hat, looking left, looking right, bareheaded or bandaged head; this results in a great deal of variety and produces a good campaign appearance for your unit. I bought a group of 20 figures that I plan to paint as green-coated loyalists in the King's army. [see previous item #22 for address].

24. New 15mm 18th Century fgures from Essex: Ed Philips of Wargames also gave me a list of a forthcoming release of lSmm cavalry suitable for all Western European armies covering the period 1695-1745. There is also a companion line of infantry, although the descriptions sound a lot like Marlbourough period infantry. I haven't seen these yet, so my opinion is meaningless. However, call Ed Philips at Wargames [304 547-0000] and he will help you find the figures that you need for your particular army. Perhaps there are figures suitable for SYW Swedes in this lot. I do know this, Essex produces some of the finest 1Smm figures on the market and I know that you will be pleased with anything that you by from them.

Ed also advises that cavalry packs BR041 (mounted French Grenadier), BR042 (mounted command standard bearer, drummer and officer), and BR043 French Mounted Musketeer are perfect for the French Househould Cavalry Horse Grenadiers and Musketeers. Another interesting looking pack is BR064 (mounted kettle drummers). This sounds like a terrific 1ine, especially for those of us painting 15mm War of Austrian Succession armies. Now I can complete my Dettingen/Fontenoy project with proper Maison du Roi cavalry!

25. Old Glory 15mm Hanoverians: Old Glory recently released five new bags of figures for the Hanoverian army of the SYW. Item numbers are SYH-1 (infantry and grenadiers), SYH-2 (dragoon and horse regiments), SYH-3 (Legion Britannique foot & cavalry), SYH4 (Luckner's Hussars, Freitag's Jagers & Mounted Grenadiers all in one bag), and SYH-5 (artillery and crew). also, TL-1 tricorn civilian crew and limbers. Alas, I don't have any samples to review so I can not comment on the quality or styling of the figures.

26. Guernsey Foundry 2Smm Prussian with Lapels: this is a company that knows how to market their figures. They send samp1es to publications such as ours for review, they send free samples to gamers on request, they publish colored ads in Wargames Illustrated (and the advertisement is structured as a painting guide), and best of all, they give responsive and quick service. They really make me feel like they want my business. Well lets see what's new from the Foundry this month.

First off is a vignette bag of 6 Prussian charactas for a camp scene that includes 2 officers who appear to be discussing the days events or opining on the best set of rules, a young lad holding hat (civilian clothing) who's about to enlist in Alte Fritz's army if he isn't careful, one invalid with crutch and peg leg, one soldier in waistcoat and pokalem style cap quoffing a tankard of ale, and one soldier in shirt carrying some junker's giant valise. A box and suitcase are thrown in as well. Great figures for background scenery.

Next we have a bag of Prussian Musketeers with lapels (earlier versions were without lapels) all wear gaiters and have side curls in hair: 6 head variants in march attack, 1 marching and waving his tricorn with nght hand, a fifer, drummer and ensign, a grenadier and musketeer NCO with spontoon, 1 officer lunging forward with shouldered spontoon in RH and LH resting behind his back (great pose for the march attack group!) and 1 officer planting spontoon into ground with RH and pointing sword with LH (very heroic pose). 3 casualties with 1 grenadier curled up dead, 1 soldier sprawled on his back, and 1 so1dier sitting on the ground holding his head wound.

Finally, we have a bag of Prussian Grenadiers; 6 variants of march attack including one without mitre; fifer and drummer - both exsquisite; 6 variants of grenadiers advancing with leveled muskets looking like they are ready to storm the Leuthen church yard - an excellent pose. All mitre caps are highly detailed and grenades are visible on cartridge boxes. I don't have the part number listings yet, but the SYW flgures are now sold in blister packs of 4 cavalry w/horses and I think 8 infantry or troopers. Call Ed Patrick for details. In the US, order from The Foundry Ltd. 1549 Marview Drive, Westlake, Ohio 4414S. Phone: (440) 871-4587. Fax: (440) 892- 5887. Note the new area code.

International and UK orders can be placed directly with The Foundry at La Guelle, Mont Arrive, St. Peter Port, Guernsey GYI 2AA, Channel Islands, UK. Phone: 01481 714241. Fax: 01481 714905.

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© Copyright 1998 by James E. Purky

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