I've been doing some thinking about the Seven Years War in 15mm. Although my intention has been to follow a KONIG KREIG type of approach with three infantry stands per battalion (12 figures/battalion), I am deviating from that rules set as regards cavalry. They have cavalry units of varying sizes and I am setting up my cavalry regiments at 12 figures for all units. This is what I did with my 15mm ECW/TYW project and I like the look of it. You can still do everything with three stands that you can do with more. You can form a line, a column, or form square. You can show disorder, rout, etc. However, every once in awhile I am very tempted by the one stand equals one battalion of infantry and one regiment of cavalry; I call this the Volley & Bayonet approach. I think there are some real advantages to such a system and some disadvantages. The advantages, that I see, are that it would be a very fast game and perfect for solo games or convention games (as Frank Chadwick has shown with his V&B); a major disadvantage, for me, is that if you have a "unit" on a single stand, you can't deal easily with different formations it assumes.
I received quite a few letters (not fifty pages) since MWAN #123 came out; what I'd forgotten is the amount of lead time required between MWAN's. I have to get MWAN to the printer about six weeks or more before it shows up in your mailbox. Thus, there wasn't much time for you to respond with an e-mail letter; let's try for fifty pages of letters in MWAN #126!
Sometimes you guys scare me! I'm sitting with 110 pages of MWAN with another 82 to go and only a week or two before it should be at the printer. Then, all of a sudden, a flurry of articles shows up on my e-mail! Please consider supporting MWAN with an article and/or letter; reviews are always welcome. It takes a lot of material to fill up 192 pages.
Joe Burgess of Old North State (10mm ACW) reports that he has sold out to Old Dominion Games. He also states that there are some new figures to be released yet.
I just finished up my 20mm Franco-Prussian War project some three years after I started; got the last of the painted troops and the only item I now need is a French raised railroad track embankment which I am going to have Andrew Doyle of 3-D Contours construct for me. I think I have several thousand French and Germans organized for "They Died For Glory." This is the only project which I have used only one company's figures, except for several ACW Union Mounted Generals in kepis which are seeing service with the French. It would be really nice if someone made 1866 Austrians in the "chunky" 20mm B&B Miniatures style! I've thought of asking Eureka Miniatures in Australia if they would make me such a line through their special program where you sign up for a certain scale/period/figure and once enough other people sign up (300 15mm figures/100 25mm figures), they do the figure with some variations. However, I suspect there would be very few takers other than myself. This has been a very enjoyable project to put together and I will miss receiving B&B figures in the mail from Brookhurst Hobbies, who I might add, were extremely prompt and helpful during my many orders to them for figures. Thanks fellows! I've played one game with the FPW and enjoyed it greatly. The French terrain looks great with all of the accessories that I've put together for 20mm European gaming over the last three years.
I am also quite close to completing my 20mm ACW project organized via Fire n Fury with forces set up for the Gettysburg order of battle. I have about a dozen limber horses and riders left to paint that I've been trying and I need to fill up some holes in the Confederate mounted cavalry and some infantry. By the way, if you are looking for 20mm ACW buildings, don't look any further than Musket Miniatures; their line is very extensive and of high quality. Mine are out for painting and I'm very anxious to get them back on the tabletop!
In the "I am not sure why I am doing this" category, I have once again started stock-piling 25mm Seven Years War figures even though I have around 5,000 of them painted. Doesn't make any sense, does it! Of the collections I currently have left, this is the only period which I have painted most of the figures having done them back in the early 90's. Front Rank, Eagle, Sash and Saber, Elite, and Old Glory figures in the large battalions (37 foot figures with mounted officer; 24-36 light infantry; 24 horse; and two guns per battery). I don't think I'll ever have access to a table large enough to put them all! Prussia, Austria, Russia, England, French, Spain, and Hanover are represented. Anyway, I tell myself that once I retire, I will try painting 25mm as anything smaller is impossible, except for the simple 20mm ACW artillery stuff I've done. I've accumulated over 1200 SYW 25mm figures; mostly Prussian and Austrian, but have started adding some Russians and British. I must admit that I am looking forward to trying my hand at them! Just ordered some Front Rank horse; I started my collection with 1,000 or so Front Rank and I haven't seen them in years! Thanks for your support of MWAN! I appreciate it!
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© Copyright 2003 Hal Thinglum
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