Has Waterloo 1815 met their Waterloo

What a great disappointment from the makers Waterloo 1815 for their “Prussian Officers and high Staff 1813-15” figures. It seems that they are not 20 mm but 28 mm in height. On the PSR site (Plastic Soldier Review) the pictures of the figures look really good and I think that there is a way around having two Blucher's in a box by taking his pipe arm away and putting a sword arm in its place. The company, Waterloo 1815 seem to made big mistakes with a few of their Napoleonic set lately, like the Box AP100 of “Dutch/Belgian Carabiniers 1815” in which there are just six troopers and horses all made in metal. I just wish that HaT had made these instead

News From The Front

At the beginning of last week, Waterloo 1815 have announced that they are going to produce a Prussian Officers and High Staff 1813-1815 box number AP058.  The box contains 12 mounted figures and horses and they are made in a tan colour plastic.

The disappointing thing about this set is that the mounted figures come in 6 different poses on two identical sprue frames, which means you get two Blucher’s etc. The horses come in a couple of different poses with one in a standing position. The figures look really great but for just under £11 UK Pounds per box, I think I will have to see these before I even think about buying them.

Skirmish 2018 (Vietnam Special)

After we had the “Beast From the East” a couple of weeks ago here in the UK, where we had a few days of snow and cold temperatures, we have had a mini “Beast From the East” again over the weekend. So I did have a think wherever or not to go to the show. But on a very cold and windy day I decided at the very last minute to make the trip to Sidcup.

Arriving at just after 10.30 am I was told at the entrance before I paid, that a few of the Traders and Wargaming clubs have not turned up. Now this is what I was feeling before I came to the show but that’s just how it goes.

In the main hall, there was just a few traders selling, books, figures and some terrain pieces but mostly there was an exhibition of Weapons, Equipment, and artifacts relevant to the Vietnam War on the main stage and around the hall floor.

In the gaming hall there was about seven games going on and yup, mostly all about Vietnam. With the Bring & Buy stall, when I arrived there was just a few things on sale but that seemed to of picked up when I left at 12. 30.

The best game for me was from the Maidstone Wargames Society where in their Vietnam wargame, a helicopter had crashed and the Americans had to go in and rescue the helicopters occupancy, but they soon came under fire from the VC. This is where I had spent most of my time talking the guys, Alan, Andy and Dave. 

The other game that caught my eye was from the Old Guard Wargame Club, where using the Sharp’s Practice rules, the English army with Spanish Guerrillas in support had to go and  rescue the Colonels wife and children. Both of today’s games were demonstration games.

Although the weather was bad this time the number of people attending the show was well down on the previous two shows that I have been too. Still it was nice to get out and catch up with the wargaming world.

Lets finish the Figures

We are nearly at the end of January already so I thought that it is about time to leave the house alone and give me some hobby time. Way back in November 2012, I started to paint the Italeri French Carabiniers, yup that long ago. I finished painting the horses in October 2013 and started to paint the first batch of troopers in the following month. 

Well here we are in 2018 and the first batch are still not finished completely with the second batch half done. So I am back in the painting chair to finish these as soon as I can. The good news is that I am already thinking about the next regiment to paint which will defiantly be Infantry. 

Now where are the paint brushes?

First Post of the Year

I know it’s a bit late but I had some really lovely presents from my family at Christmas and I did manage to get a few wargaming items. First I received some terrain pieces from Jarvis which are the Muddy Ditch and the Shallow Stream.  Also some summer 2mm Grass Tufts from Serious Play. You can also see that I was given a war DVD “Hacksaw Ridge” which is a true story about a  an American called Desmond Doss in WW11 who is a conscientious objector and becomes an army medic. I am really looking forward to see this.

I would like to congratulate wargamers who have finished painting mountain of figures, vehicles, Ships, planes and terrain pieces over the last year and for those who have already finished painting units in the first few weeks of the New Year.

If you follow my blog then you will know that I do not make lists or plans of things to do each year as it seems that my painting mojo has vanished over the last few years. This could be down to not having any new figures being produced by the world’s plastic companies, but there are a few in various pipelines being made right now which look good but how long do we have to wait? Still is this my first post of the New Year and hope that more will appear soon.