Many many moons ago Chinese firm Hing Fat produced a set of Ninjas, quite nice little figures and all in original action poses with a variety of suitably Japanese weaponry. You used to see them everywhere, but nowadays not so much. Now my understanding is that Ninjas are some sort of super stealthy assassin, so not the sort that you want whole armies of, with that in mind I turned some of them into Warrior Monks:
When I have a little money, I buy Toy Soldiers; and if I have any left, I buy food and clothes. (with apologies to:) ERASMUS
Thursday, 21 September 2023
Japanese Warrior Monks
Friday, 15 September 2023
Irish Warband
Irish sea raiders were pillaging the coast of Saxon Britain long before the Vikings arrived, they later opposed the Viking incursions into Ireland and continued fighting alongside anyone who would pay them until well after the Normans appeared on the scene. So a useful addition to any Dark Ages collection, sadly nobody ever made 54mm toys soldiers depicting Kerns or Gallowglass, so I gave them my own twist:
Friday, 8 September 2023
Elastolin style trenches
Following on from the previous post, here is a command post I made many years back in the style of the old Elastolin modular trench sections:
Friday, 1 September 2023
Shell craters
Feeling the need for some crafting therapy I cast around the projects I've started over the years but left unfinished, there were plenty to choose from.
Already feeling better for having achieved something.
Saturday, 26 August 2023
Something to aim for?
The last post elicited some very helpful feedback about basing which I have taken on board. While going through this thought process it occurred to me that I already had some figures mounted on poker chips with a mix of flock and scatter so broke them out for a look.
Sunday, 20 August 2023
The perennial problem of basing. It's boring I know!
I collect old toy soldiers, I wargame with 54mm toy soldiers, and I have got too much stuff. Like everyone else I have too many collections, too many projects on the go and to be perfectly honest it's all become a bit of a mess.....actually it's a lot of a mess.
To impose some semblance of order on the wargame bit I plan to review what I've already got then for each period create initial core armies of 100 foot, 20 mounted and 2 guns. These numbers were suggested by H G Wells as sufficient for a game, and this seems eminently sensible to me, when I reach the required numbers I will stop and move on to something else. That's the plan, in so much as there is a plan. Anyway it's the only plan I've got so with this in mind I broke out my Celts:
Wednesday, 16 August 2023
Feast and Famine.
We're already heading towards the end of the car boot season, and this year the pickings have been very thin, but last weekend there was a bumper crop:
Saturday, 20 May 2023
Plastic Warrior 2023 - Conversions
Apart from collecting old toy soldiers and gaming I also like to convert and paint figures, sadly I don't get enough time for this part of the hobby but it gives me a great appreciation for the work of other people. Here are some I picked up at the show which will be gracing the games on my table at some point in the future.
Wednesday, 17 May 2023
Plastic Warrior 2023 - New stuff
Peter Cole of Replicants usually launches his new figures at the Plastic Warrior Show and here is this year's offering. Two sets (4 figures in each) of medieval peasants, and they are revolting, as they did!
Tuesday, 16 May 2023
Plastic Warrior Show 2023
The PW Show has been running annually since 1985 (2 years COVID lockdown excepted), and on Saturday someone said to me "It pretty much runs itself now doesn't it". Well, no it doesn't, there are always problems, there are so many things outside of our control, and the Gods love to have fun with mortals who make plans. This year they had a lot of fun and we had a lot of challenges but the support and camaraderie of the enthusiasts who overcame the travel problems and turned up carried the day. So if you were one of them, thank you, you're the ones who really make the show.
Wednesday, 19 April 2023
Recent additions.
A couple of hollowcast lead finds from last month's show in London, the bugler with articulated arm is marked Japan, the wounded man was made in England by Crescent.
Sunday, 26 March 2023
Battle Cry Vitoria 2
Here are the rest of the pictures I took of last year's game of Vitoria, which Anthony played using the Battle Cry rules system.