Publications, Figures, and Other Products of Interest

1. Military Modelcraft , Vol. 8 #11, Sept. 2004. Great issue, it’s full of WWI figures, uniforms and vehicles. The issue had nine articles with 8 in WWI, fairly detailed info on making and painting models. This is the first time I’ve seen this Mag. And it is pretty good. I’ll have to keep my eyes out for further issues of interest as it’s $7.49 per issue.

There was a page titled web watcher with two sites of interest; one for WWI www.1914-1918.net
and www.militaryheritage.com/7yrswar
This takes you to an SYW section, but there are loads more.

2. Soldiers of the Queen #119, Dec. 2004. There is a nice variety of articles, nothing for gaming, but interesting to read.

3. Dollar General Stores, If you can find some DG carries a four-masted steam-powered sailing ship that works with 20mm figures, will go well with 15mm. The USS Valiant (in a big blue box and it’s assembled) can also work with 28mm if you clear the decks of everything but the masts. I saw the idea, by Larry Brom, on the Colonialwars group at Yahoo.

I removed all the guns and stuff on deck except for the wheel and it’s a little bit of a stretch for 28s. The more I took off the better I liked it. I filled in the holes, sanded and painted one like a British Man-o-war and the other all black – for pirates. I added some 12pdrs and smaller naval guns on the deck. I cut off the stand and made the ship as flat as I could so I could mount it for the game table. For variety I furled the topsails on one ship.

I looked in a lot of DG stores to find these two ships, at the last one I was lucky and the store still has four (just south of Greenville, SC on US 25 and I-185 or 85 I forget which. I may go back and get a couple more.

4. Osprey, Battle Orders, US Army In the Plains Indian Wars 1865-91. Wow, This is a must for anyone gaming this period. This includes maps; photos; charts; illustrations; army organization, dept. organization, forts, units and numbers for 1867, 1875, 1876, 1884, 1885, and 1891 authorized strength and actual strength of Inf., Cav., and Art.

5. National Geographic, Jan. 2005 “Among the Berbers, a journey through Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains” is an interesting article with some nice, but not the usually great NG photos. On the other hand, there is a great photo (pages 82-82) of a Berber village with a mosque. Great for modeling.

6. Butabu: Adobe Architecture of West Africa, by James Morris and a 31 page well researched historical essay by SP Blier. Princeton Architecture Press, NY. 216 pages, color and B/W photos, $50. If you are taking your FFL and other French colonial troops into the Sahel and you are going to build villages and mosques to assault/defend you gotta have this book. The photos are outstanding (well over 200).

7. I received from Askari Miniatures, 17810 Woodhaven Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80908, a sample pack of their French Colonial figures; I was so impressed that I placed an order for three TSATF units. See the review.

Since I wrote the review they have, by the time you read this, added several more packs: 2 donkeys with separate loads - $4.50; 4 mules with separate loads $9.00; French Command 1 mtd, 1 Chasseur Sgt. Major, 4 assorted foot officers - $15.00; 12 dismounted Chasseur d’Afrique - $21.00; and 6 mounted Chasseur d’Afrique - $21.00. From the photos all are very nice. Also on their web site they have six illustraqtions/photographs of Zouaves, and both Tirailleurs – Algerian and Senegalese.

8. Perry Miniatures has announced that they are starting to sculpt for the Sudan 1884/85. The first greens on view are for the Mahdi, Osman Digna, Generals Stewart, Graham and Wolseley. WOW!!!!!

9. Minifigs, www.minifigs.com has updated their molds for 15mm Sudan range, packed in an assortment of poses of 12 foot or 4 mounted for $4.25. Loads of variety of tribes, they are looking to do the NWF next.

10. Irregular Figures has expanded its 20mm line of mutiny figs with Highlanders, Gurkhas, and cav.

11. The Virtual Armchair General is now producing 15mm cast resin bamboo fort walls, pilings, river booms, and gun emplacements. All this to go along with their 15mm canoes paper buildings and ships for The Kris and The Flame rules set. See the review of new 15mm structures and a review of updated structures from last issue.

12. Curtey’s Miniatures, 3 The Parkway, Snaith, East Yorkshire, DN14 9JN UK Curtey’s has two new packs that should be of interest to those who game in the Back of Beyond. MO11 Mongolian Pack Camels - two camels and handler. MO11a Mongolian Pack Horses – two pack horses and one handler. MO12 Camp Followers includes seven figures men, women and children. I have seen a photo, on their site, of MO12 and the figures are quite nice. The Horses and Camels are yet to be photographed.

13. Reviresco, 435 Chenault St. Hoquiam, WA 98550. With all the new French Colonial figures available I thought I would add Reviresco’s Senegalese Spahis to my forces. See the review.

14. Tiger Miniatures, PO Box 10975, Bromsgrove, Wors. B61 7JF, UK Following the figure review last issue I ordered and promptly received enough figures for full TSATF units of US Marines, US 9/10 Cav dismounted, Spanish Infantry in Slouch Hats, Cuban Rebels, Spanish Civil Guard, Spanish Infantry in sun helmets, Sp. Mountain Gun, and Pack Mules for everyone. It was like Christmas all over again opening that package. I am not going to re-review all the figures, suffice to say that I am really pleased with these miniatures as well as their service.

I plan to use these figures in a variety of global problem spots for the US and Spanish in the late 19th early 20th Centuries. I can’t wait until the Moros are ready. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!!!!! Peter has sent three packs of Moros, which I’ll review next issue. (WOW!!!! Are they great!!!!).

15. Lone Warrior, issue 149. As is usual a great read but nothing colonial this issue.

16. MWAN, issue 132. There is one article by Don Featherstone concerning the Victorian period.

I think the charm has gone, except for Hal’s column. Of the 192 pages 80 concerns ancients, 34 pages of ads, leaving 78 pages for other stuff, editorial takes up about 10 pages. Maybe, I am over analyzing this but where has the charm gone, one ancients rules set takes up 45 pages including the interspersed ads. I’m still up in the air about where MWAN is going.

I left my thoughts above and add the latest from Legio X Inc. Apparently, they have also bought/acquired The Courier. The Miniatures Page reports that the new mag will be called Historical Miniature Gamer Magazine. And “will combine the strengths of both” with full color. MWAN ends with 133 and The Courier with 91, remaining issues on subscriptions will be credited with HMG issues.

17. Siege of Augusta (GA). Ben and I had a dealer booth selling cd terrain, books and fantasy figures. I didn’t buy anything, but Ben bought historic not fantasy (there is a future for historic gaming) even though they were for the Crusades OG15s, they’re historic. There were four colonial games, two put on by the Jacksonville Garrison, using TSIA, with some very nice scenery piece. Congrats to reader Jim Birdseye for a great Con. The next we hope to go to will be Cowpens at Clemson hosted by reader Chris Pagano. Way to go guys!!!!

18. Old Glory/Westwind, the Chaos in Cairo range now has two packs of useful Arab civilians: CIC 9 $12, five figures four standing and one seated; CIC 10 $15 five figures, one cart, four men/children one woman. The poses for all figures are different. Old Glory has lowered their bag prices from $33 to $29 as of 1-25-05.

19. Wargames Illustrated, 208 January 2005. “Soldier Societies: Gaming with Plains Indians” by Tim Greene is a guide to fighting styles of soldier societies for Arapaho, Arikara, Blackfoot, Ute, Comanche and Shoshone. Very useful for gaming.

Copplestone Castings has an ad this issue for their latest offerings. Gangsters, I hope this does not mean the end of Mark’s Darkest Africa figures but, since he has not brought out any new figures for several years I guess that’s it. There certainly are several native states that could be completed; I hope Mark’s not finished.

One ad for Wild West figures from HLBS Co./Paper Street Soap Company is now manufacturing 1/48 scale or 36-40mm gunmen.

209 February 2005
A couple of articles for the period: “A Comedy of Errors” by Mark Jones Franco-Prussian War report; “Noon Stage to Paddock City” by Dave Bickley wild west scenario with great photos; and “Tomb of the Pharaohs” by Howard Whitehouse, Howard builds an Egyptian tomb. Some great ideas here, and the article is generally well worth reading.

Ads include one for Dixon showing their 25mm Wild West Mexican Bandidos; Pulp Figures shows several of their new “Pulp Era” figures; and Redoubt Enterprises ad shows their latest figures-British Marines-for the Boxer Rebellion and flags for the Boxer Rebellion (I must say that BF-9 the US Marine Corps Flags looks great, I may get a pack of 2 (for £2.50 in the UK).

20. Reader Darryl Smith is the moderator for www.yahoo.com/group/ostafrica One email stated that there were some new files uploaded, so I checked it out. There is now and old S&S article by Paul Beck in the files section “The Colonial Wars of Imperial Germany” which includes uniform line drawings, maps and several photos. Also there were articles on the Herero War, WWI, Battle of Tanga, East African German casualties and the Wahehe War. Very Nice. The Battle of Tanga is a Masters thesis written for the US Army Staff College.

I kept looking around and found three figure manufacturers catalogs (IT, B&B and C&Q). There is also a section on rules variants for the Germans; a file on Netherlands/Dutch colonial uniform plates (WOW). There are several photos with European officers, and companies, which also includes locals in full uniforms. See the article by Darryl.

21. www.falconminiatures.net This is the US Falcon Miniatures (25mm) and the site includes photos of most of their figures. The Colonial range includes Sudan and Boer War, Boxer Rebellion, German Southwest Africa, and the FFL. They come 10 inf; 4 cav; 8 command; and 3 art. to a bag for $8.95. There are discounts for large orders plus free shipping. Great deals, nice figures.

22. GUNGA DIN the movie is now available on DVD. This is one of seven movies that first started me on the road to colonial gaming. And, no, one of the others is not ZULU. The others include WEE WILLIE WINKIE, THE LIVES OF THE BENGAL LANCERS, THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE, THE FOUR FEATHERS, SOLDIERS THREE, and BEAU GESTE. Nothing in color, these are still my favorite movies. Don’t laugh about WEE WILLIE WINKIE, just because it’s a Shirley Temple movie, it takes place on the NWF with the Black Watch. There is another NWF movie that uses the same native fortress as WWW that was a great movie but I can’t remember the title, it would also be on my list. It might be SOLDIERS THREE or BENGAL LANCERS, guess I’ll just force myself to watch them again, darn.

23. A couple of books I found in the university library of some interest us: By William Clive/Ronald Bassett Dando on Delhi Ridge (obviously about the Mutiny) and Dando and the Summer Palace (the war with China 1860). Both books (novels) come with a bibliography and concern the actions of a Pvt. in the 60th Rifles. The Great War of 189--, a forecast by P Colomb, J F Maurice, F N Maude, A Forbes, C Lowe, D C Murray, and F Scudamore, first published in 1893,and reprinted by Arno Press in 1975. This novel begins with the assassination of Ferdinand and WWI is on twenty years ahead of time. Great reading, great ideas for scenarios.

24. For those in the UK, or going soon, take note that the National Army Museum, in London (great place, wonderful displays), is continuing their lunch lectures at 12:30 every Thursday. For those in London on 5 April at 6:30pm the doors open and the lecture starts at 7pm. Oh, yes for Flashman fans George MacDonald Faser will be speaking until 8:30 then have a book signing for his new Flashman on the March novel. I guess they expect quite a crowd as tickets are £15, call 020 7730 0717 ext. 2240. DO IT NOW!

25. Also for those in the UK on Tuesday 24 February BBC 4, at 2100, will be showing “King Leopold’s legacy of DR Congo Violence”. I think this is expected to be controversial.

26. I ordered some Senegalese Tirailleurs from Eureka I also ordered their catalog and some yet to be released KNIL troops.

27. From Scholar’s Bookshelf I got two books Amedeo: The True Story of an Italian’s War in Abyssinia by Sebastian O’Kelly, a WWII biography. Also Eyewitnesses to the Indians Wars, 1865-1890, Volume One: The Struggle for Apacheria by Peter Cozzens contemporary accounts and illustrations. More after I read them.