As of late, load of figures have found their way to my mailbox. Hope that I have the room to include all of the news regarding new releases and products.
1) Kevin Hendryx of Austin, Texas writes: "You and your friends may be interested in reading the Brigadier Gerard stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Gerard is Doyle's other great hero (the other being Sherlock Holmes) and he wrote 16 marvelously amusing adventures featuring him. Etienne Gerald is a French Hussar officer, brave, bold, dashing, and supremely confident in his own abilities. However, things always take an unexpected turn when Gerard takes a hand, and he lands in one predicament after another during a bubbling, yet distinguished career that spans Napoleon's campaigns from 1806 to 1815. There have been several hardbound editions of this sadly-neglected series, all out of print now, but possibly to be found at the library. These collections are usually incomplete and haphazardly arranged however. The best approach would be to find the two paperback volumes published by Jove in 1982, edited and put in proper chronological ore by Jack Tracy. These two paperbacks contain all of the Gerald stories; they, too, may be out of print for the Gerard books in the mystery section of a store. These Jove paperbacks are titled BRIGADIER GERARD and THE RETURN OF GERARD and are well worth searching out. Doyle writes with tremendous verve, excitement, and humor and he did a great deal of research on the Napoleonic period for the Gerard stories so their accuracy is usually top-notch. All Napoleonic-era buffs will enjoy the adventures of this 19th century military Clouseau.
2) Frontier, 629 Centennial, El Paso, TX, 79912, has released a number of boxed sets for the Alamo (1) and Buccaneers (3), and Conquistadores (5) and Aztecs (2). I have received a large number of these samples and they are just GREAT! The detail is top notch as is the anatomy and poses. The Alamo sets include two sets of defenders, artillery and crews, personalities, civilians (should be great for skirmish gamers), Santa Ana and staff, Mexican personalities, Mexican regulars, Mexican irregulars, and an assault team. I did not see the Buccaneers but they include a boarding party, broadsides (which includes deck guns, gunners, powder monkey and powder kegs), and pirate accessories, including chest, anchor, swivel guns, gunners, helm, flag, lanterns and shovels. Should be lots of stuff here that is worth purchasing for other periods! The conquistadores are beautifully dine; sets include infantry, cavalry, artillery, allies (natives) and priests (including a priest, monks, native converts, ox cart and oxen). All sets are $9.95. The Aztecs consist of Elite Aztecs and a second set is composed of warriors. Great stuff!!!!! They also released their 15mm ACW sailors, naval guns, artillerist sailors, landing party and LAUNCH which includes launch, steam engine, torpedo & spar, naval gun, swivel gun mount and landing party. They will soon be producing 15mm Mexican American War figures, 15mm Boxer Rebellion and 15mm American Revolution figures. As I have said before, this looks like the company of the 80's for wargamers! They are also producing boxed sets of figures for Fantasy Games Unlimited which will be of unlimited value to the skirmish gamer as they will contain many civilians. I don't know the content as of yet, but hope that Atley Turner will let me know.
3) Stone Mountain Miniatures, Box 594, Broomfield, CO, 80020 set me samples of their redone 25mm American Revolution line and they are fine figures indeed being more robust than their previous line was. They are also more animated and the detail has been increased. I find them most attractive! they are also releasing a new British Colonial line in 15mm and the lists look very attractive. Thus far they have British, Zulus, Dervishes, and Pathans. Also listed in their catalog is 15mm French Foreign Legion and Arabs, 15mm ACW, 22mm ACW as well as 15mm Tabletop Napoleonics, Medievals and Ancients. They also carry the fine line of Campaign 25mm SYW figures. I recently ordered more Prussian figures, which I like and could pass for 30mm, and also received three mounted SYW officer figures which are very good. Stone Mountain also has a fairly wide range of scenery kits including haystacks, bridges, fences, earthworks, hasty works, sandbags and mealybags, wheatstocks and cornstocks as well as trees and a cast metal French-Indian War period frontier fort. They also carry figure stands. A very wide range of fine products! They informed me that in January of 86 they hope to be carrying HOVELS which features 25mm and 15mm cast buildings and 16th Century 25mm Campaign figures. In February, they hope to have 15mm naval guns and crews; in March Ancients 25mm from Campaign.
4) I'm always on the lookout for terrain and ran across a Kibri kit offering Rock Hills for about $15.00. I sent away for them and was very disappointed as none of them fit cleanly/evenly on the table; they are meant for model railroaders to build homemade hills and to add the rock pieces to the hill. Don't waste your money!
5) Tradition Scandinavia AB, PO Box 21170, S-100 31 Stockholm, Sweden, recently purchased the fine Suren line of 30mm figures and now carries the 25mm and 30mm Tradition wargame figures as well as Suren's 30mm figures. Postage costs are very reasonable and the lines are quite extensive. I recently received an order of 25mm Tradition British Colonial infantry and generally pleased with them. With airmail postage, they cost .36 each for a foot figure. The only thing I did not like was that the kneeling firing figures are not on a base. However, the figures are nicely done and their casting techniques seem to be improving.
6) Bill Protz recently made a visit to England and was kind enough to send me a print of Isandhlwana done by C.E. Fripp which I plan on framing and placing in a place of honor as well as two booklets, THE 24TH REGIMENT AT ISANDHLWANA and THE ZULU WAR 1879, RORKE'S DRIFT. They were printed by Reliance Printing Works, Birmingham Street, Halesowen, West Midlands, England and reasonably priced. Lots of interesting reading! Thanks, Bill.
7) The December, 1985 (Vol. 168, No. 6) had an interesting article on Daniel Boone and great maps on the Ohio Valley which would be great help to campaigns for wargamers. The maps cover the periods 1000 BC to AD 1760, 1760-1815, 1815-1860, 1865-1930 and 1930-present. Might be help to someone planning a campaign.
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© Copyright 1986 Hal Thinglum
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