French Army Sledge Train
My Russian army is nearly complete and I've been playing through the full set of Spanish Peninsula scenarios over the last few months. This means of course, that before too long it will be time to set out for the frozen wastes of Russia as the Napoleon's Grande Armee marches towards nemesis. There are a couple of scenarios from the retreat from Moscow in the Russian expansion. While I have acquired a snow mat and some fir trees with the firm intention of doing a snowy setup, I have no intention of adding another army of Frenchers wrapped in blankets to the figure collection.
However, I was ordering some Zulu War British from Harfields the other day and wasn't really able to justify spending almost £5 on postage for a £5 box of figures. Now with the economic sense that has made me the millionaire I am today, I realised that if I ordered more figures, the postage wouldn't go up and if it did it wouldn't be by much.
And that gentlemen, is how I talked myself into buying the two boxes above, reasoning that I don't need to buy a new army - I can just add a few figures here and there and the illusion is complete.
Right?
The boys in the plastic
What you get for your money is two plastic sleds and a collection of grim looking Bonapartists, several of whom are missing limbs. I was a bit dissappointed at first as the number of figures was quite low, but on mature reflection the only comparable offering is from Schilling and they are more expensive again.
My plan is to base these up as little dioramas, with each stand representing a single infantry stand and a stand on it's own being a casualty. This should give my 1812 Frenchers a more ragged look and for under a tenner.
You can get a more in depth look at the figures individually here, but I think if you like Strelets usual output you'll like these. Otherwise more expensive metal figures might be the way to go.
In other news, my new neighbours have been doing rather well with the new arrivals. Poppa Swan is rather protective of their lawn. I think he's thinking of putting some planters down.
A better view of the cygnets taking a well earned kip. They are getting so big.
Fine brood (?) of cygnets. Handsome. Swans took a bit of a dip in my hit parade recently when a friend took a film in the gardens at Gosford of a swan gobbling up a row of tiny goslings like so much popcorn - visiting kids screaming and everything. I've finally accepted that they probably don't break your arm, but they are certainly bad news for neighbouring geese.
ReplyDeleteDon't turn your back - that's all I'm saying.
I tend to view them from afar when possible. I'm not sure inner city Dublin has too many geese for them to worry.
DeleteSound Wargames economics there sir!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely. I'd be a fool not to!
DeleteThose sledge train thingies look like useful logistics elements...
ReplyDeleteYou know that sounds like just the sort of thing that I'd say and then never use them as such.
DeleteIs this for C&C?
ReplyDeleteFMB
It is. Funnily enough my Russian army is almost complete.
DeleteYour arguments make perfect sense to me.
ReplyDeleteThe youngsters look grand. No ugly ducklings there.
Love the swans. I wish we still had some in my town. Canadian geese now overrun the place and the swans are gone.
ReplyDeleteNasty buggers those geese. You would think the Canadians would be satisfied beating back the invasion in 1812. Now they're invading us with their geese!
I've used that rationale as well. I keep waiting for the wealth to set in.
ReplyDeleteI feel cold and shivery just looking at those box tops.
There are a bit grim alright aren't they?
DeleteYou cant trust geese
ReplyDeleteA lesson for the ages mon brave.
DeleteIs the train for transporting the swans of mass destruction?
ReplyDeleteThe magic 8 ball says yes.
Delete