Well, after a brief (but to be continued) fling with the Crimean War with 10mm figures, the latter part of the summer has been taken up with my n-going fling with the Seven Years' War in North America, aka the French & Indian War (henceforth FIW).
Whilst the "Wyrley Retinue" were debating what to do for a game at shows next year, the original idea of something First World War-themed gave way to using the FIW forces I had built up for Muskets & Tomahawks/ Sharp Practice 2. However, not especially keen to do another skirmish with individually-based figures (see our Dark Ages Vikings in Ireland stuff), something else was required. This basically meant adding some formed line infantry and perhaps some artillery to represent something along the lines of Ticonderoga or Quebec.
Now, we have not so far depicted an actual battle in any of our demo games, preferring to use a scenario or three, mix them together and show a feel for the period in question as a sort of "what if", so do not expect Ticonderoga or Quebec to see the light of day, at least not from us. But, always keen on a strong basis of fact for our games, you will at least see regiments that actually made it to North America, two of which I give you here. The game should debut at the WMMS show in March next year.
The figures are all Eagle Figures, which I purchased from the ever-helpful Ian McCulloch of Eagle (I think he is "Eagle" actually) at the Barrage Show in Stafford back in July. The bulk packs have 24 figures for £28, which is good value IMO. The slight fly in my particular ointment is the provision of two ensigns per pack. As the French regiments did not have their colonel's battalions present in America, I only need one ensign per unit, but Eagle do sell individual figures too, so I simply need to purchase a few of those to make up the numbers vacated by the extra ensigns in each pack.
The flags are my usual (in 28mm anyway) painted calico affairs, oversized, which shows them off better but makes storage harder (!), and hung around a brass wire staff. I still need to add ribbons and cords to the flags when I can either:
a) find a good way to do it, or;
b) find a suitable product I like.
So, the first two French regiments are here, La Reine and Royal-Roussillon.
Eagle will be at the Derby Worlds show next weekend, where I intend to purchase more, but, if other commitments get in the way or whatever, they will also be at "Wargamer" in December in Birmingham, so I can also add extras there if required.
(As a side note, I also like the idea of some European SYW action after re-reading the first couple of volumes of the "Wargaming in History" series by Charles Grant. I'll add this notion to the Arthurians, Napoleonic skirmish, Operation Enduring Freedom, WW2, 10mm ACW, 10mm Crimean War, etc on the "To Do" list...)
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La REINE
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| La Reine. I originally decided to do 20-figure units for the French as they were historically smaller in actuality than their British opposition, who were to be 24-figures strong. I like the bigger unit size however, so will increase all units to 24 figures with the addition of a couple of two-figure wings. |
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| The reverse of the La Reine flag, just about showing some of the fleur-de-lys on the cross. Officionadoes of the SYW French will know that La Reine's official uniform was different to the one shown, but also that they wore this one in North America due to supply constraints. |
ROYAL-ROUSSILLON
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| Royal-Roussillon. Again, they will be increased in size to twenty-four figures. |
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| Even more fleur-de-lys than La Reine meant I thought this one would be tedious to do, but it was actually quite therapeutic! I know. I am strange! |
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