Since last posting on Volley and Bayonet 54mm Napoleonics, I can now safely say that I have doubled the number of based units ...to 12.
At this rate, I will be able to fight the 1809 campaign, or indeed Quatre Bras, sometime around 2038. It is therefore necessary, I must regret to inform all readers, that 54mm painting production, is now on a war footing - with numbers having to at least treble (or under a Warsaw Pact style system at least increase by a rate which is impossible to achieve, but it's ok, we'll lie about it later).
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| 'Vive le Biggies!' |
The use of 'contrast paints' has (in similar vein to aforementioned WarPact systems) meant that a reduction in quality can still produce fine pieces - well, fine enough to hit the table and obey the 'one foot' rule.
Of course, back in the day (the 70s no less), Airfix produced 1/35 and 1/72 plastic (polyurethane) figures, known colloquially/locally as 'biggies' and 'midgies'. Midgies of course came from the term 'midget' , which we used to be allowed to say, but in this context referred to the smaller brethren.
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| Some Italeri and Timpo in there; not just Airfix. |
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| 'Ere mate! Don't forget us midgies..." |
I'm sure 54mm V&B will hit the table in this life-time --- honest...
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| Apparently it's still ok to call these 'midget gems' |
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| Not a midget. |
This post was certainly not an excuse to get a post in before month-end, because of a lack of actual gaming ...honest.
Great stuff!
ReplyDeleteIt's how FC played it, so it must be right!
Kudos on the use of Contrast paint as well - a boon for us speed challenged painters! ☺
Neil
Cheers Neil. Yep, I remember AWI 54mm on the internet back in the day, and of course on the cover of the original book. I think there are two brilliant sets for Horse & Musket rules - Field of Battle and Volley and Bayonet - I can do multiple periods, in very different ways. V & B however has a very different, almost traditional vibe to it, in terms of how the rules work, and yet, it is slick and elegant. I keep coming back to it, and it's a special set.
DeleteYes - contrast paints make it easy! I almost (almost!) enjoy painting now. :)
Nice figures and midget gems rock!
ReplyDeleteCheers Ray! At the opposite end of the scale spectrum - your 2mm Almanza stuff is superb.
DeleteI spy an Action Packs Napoleon….
ReplyDeleteJeffers! Are you back now?
DeleteThanks Jeffers - and are you back? :O I haven't even played those excellent modern rules you sent me years ago - and can I send them to Steve now too ;)
DeleteWhat are these modern rules you speak of??
DeleteMr J has done some interesting things with OHW style games - I will send them on to you - I am sure he would be agreeable to all interested parties :)
DeleteAm I back? Or the Frank Sinatra of wargaming doing a farewell tour…😁. I’ve no idea what the rules are, but all my stuff is ripped off from smarter people so go for it. FUBOAR, by any chance?
DeleteHA! Yep it is FUBOAR GBT+ I believe, in its latest version. TOO LATE, I sent them to Steve :O Glad you are back. There was far too much stuffy wargaming in the air ;) Between you me and Steve, I believe there may be a podcast brewing ...
DeleteYou really don’t want me on a podcast! I’ll look through the old files and see what other FUBAOR stuff I’ve got. I was working on different sheets per each nationality. I think I’ve some quick and dirty aerial campaign rules too.
DeleteBravo Darren, they look like the figs from the 1st edition Volley and Bayonet rulebook!
ReplyDeleteReally nice work sir !
Thanks Steve - They should look good when I get all the units on the table...secretly, I am moving toward doing Quatre Bras with them ;) ...hopefully before 2036
Delete2036 is a totally reasonable goal. I should have the rest of my napoleonic russians just about finished for Eylau by then🤣
DeleteHat are releasing their rather nice ACW figures in 1/32 too….
DeleteWhat scale buildings you intend to use with these giants ? :-)
ReplyDeleteWell building scale used to bother me, but now a scale 'down' for buildings seems the order of the day (10mm buildings for 15mm figs etc etc), and towns in V&B are 6x4 bases, so simple blocks to represent towns in any scale should work. Once the scale is mad enough to make 54mm figure de rigeur, towns become mainly symbolic anyway.
DeleteBuilding representation depends to type of game being played. A 1:1 scale WW2 suits/needs individual properly scaled buildings I feel but anything wherein a figure represents 50+ chaps and its builut up areas rather than single buildings then just whatever looks good. I mostly use mix of small footprint (that is often the key) 15mm and 10/12mm stuff with my 15s but stick with 6mm with my 6mm as again its all what fools the eye and level of abstraction.
DeleteYeah; well I reckon the idea of 4x 54mm blokes, representing a brigade, in high octane gloss varnish for that 'toy solider' look, necessitates an equally diverse and off the wall solution for the buildings; hence I intend to use those little wooden blocks you buy for kids, with the pitched red roofs. No, seriously.
DeleteWargaming with LSD effect ? :-)
DeleteVery grand! We play quite a few 54mm games, my pal Tim owns most of them. He paints them with household emulsion and a big brush! Gloss varnish, in proper toy soldier style.
ReplyDeleteYesss. I know Tim's stuff from his blog. The toy solider look that he achieves, and the grand scale of those games, is quite epic.
DeleteLes Grands are looking good! Do you have any opponents for them?
ReplyDeleteThanks Jack - good to hear from you. Yes, there is a strong and persistent rumour that British and Dutch-Belgians for Quatre Bras, and Austrians for the 1809 campaign, are in progress; just a rumor mind ;)
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