Mexican Revolution from White Tower Miniatures.

 I went along to the London Toy Soldier Show at the weekend to see Matt Thair, who was showcasing a mass of his new castings for the latest range of White Tower Miniatures Mexican Revolution figures, here's what they look like:

A much overlooked period for collectors and wargamers, Mexico had a turbulent and continuous history of  revolution through the late 18th and early 19th Centuries, as it struggled to transform from an Imperial Adventure to Dictatorship and finally a Federal Republican Government.  Involving shifting factions and sometimes spilling over the borders, it was rather a haphazard irregular affair offering endless scenarios for gamers, something like a "Back of Beyond" in Central America.

There are some new artillery with their attendant crews, like this heavy cannon (looks like a Parrot gun to me) and a French 75mm, very useful for several armies as it was widely exported.

An unusual touch, but very welcome, are several train riders, peasants and accessories designed to go on Timpo trains, they also fit nicely inside 54mm vehicles.

More of the train riders and a mounted Mexican General, the Federales are on their way!

The ladies haven't been forgotten either, there are plenty of Soldaderas armed to the teeth to support their menfolk.  The new 75mm gun can be seen with it's crew in the right background above.

The figures are available painted in a matt finish or as unpainted castings and mix well with western figures from all plastic manufacturers.  Matt also brought along new castings of replacement weapons for Britains Deetail etc, you can see them and the full range of Mexican Revolution  figures on their website here: White Tower Miniatures

Woking Wargames Day 2023

  Yesterday I managed to get along to the Woking Wargames Day, once more an annual event since the passing of the Covid pandemic lockdown (that seems a long time ago now!).  Organised by Mike Lewis for members of the Little Wars Revisited Forum it seeks to promote wargaming with 54mm toy soldiers.  I could only stay for the morning session but 5 games were in play and this is what they looked like:

I took part in this North West Frontier game using "The Men Who Would Be Kings" ruleset, and jolly good fun it was too, a bit dice heavy for my tastes but the system is easy to pick up and quick to play once you get the hang of it.

The Armies in Plastic figures have appeared here before but the Armoured Train is a new addition and is very impressive, the scenario has the train ambushed and immobilised by the tribesmen who must hold off a flying column of British infantry and cavalry that are riding to the rescue.

The game opened with both sides sniping at each other from cover while their artillery kept up a desultory but largely ineffective covering fire.

Afghan tribesmen and irregular infantry made good use of cover to move in on the train from both flanks but took casualties which resulted in four units running from the field, despite this they eventually overran the train to narrowly win the game but at great cost.

Anthony brought along his Expeditionary Force, Dark Ages collection for a game using a grid terrain and the "Age of Penda" rule system designed by Daniel Mersey.

It was great to finally meet Mark, who brought along his Snowball Fight game, ably assisted by the Tradgardmastre.  I didn't get to watch the game in play but you can see more about it here on Mark's Man of Tin blog

Pat brought along his collection of Anglo-Normans for another Daniel Mersey designed game, this time Lion Rampant.

And finally the other Brian C brought along his skirmish game of Smugglers and Revenue Men which uses his own rules, the figures above are Charbens and Replicants.

More of Brian C's beautifully painted figures, these are Marx and Historex.

London Toy Soldier Show March 2022

I went along to the London Toy Soldier Show back in March, but I'm only getting around to putting up the pictures now, It's been that sort of a year! I have to say the event was rather sparse compared to pre-pandemic times but I suppose that's only to be expected as people begin to re-emerge and things slowly get back to the old normal.  Nonetheless I managed pick up a fairly eclectic haul, but first stop was at the game being run by members of the Little Wars Revisited Forum.

Several spectators took part in this demonstration game which saw Fort Pippin take centre stage.

The stylised terrain is really quite charming.....

......as is this rather neat little armoured train!

I bought these from Harry Kemp who just returned with a junk box of plastics from the Nanterre Show in Paris. Top left is a copy of an Elastolin Turk made by Cane of Italy, next two are by JEM of France and the bottom row are by Bonux of France. The four small size figures of WW2 Russian and Japanese infantry were made in Spain by Transplastic of Madrid, the came as premiums in packets of bubble gum available across the EU in the late 1960's under various names such as Dargaud y Tito and Dunkin.

Odds and Ends!  A rather fine Swedish hussar from the Tennfigurer range made by Holger Eriksson, I'll get around to painting him one day (hopefully) the mounted figure in the centre is made of a composition material in post-war Communist Hungary and finally a Britains hollowcast Togoland Warrior in need of some TLC.

I've no idea what these are or who made them, solid white metal and quite chunky, I have them in mind for a Wars of Religion project which has been simmering on the back burner for several decades, the riders will be going on nice sturdy Deetail mounts.