About Me

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No Fixed Abode, Home Counties, United Kingdom
I’m a 60-year-old Aspergic gardening CAD-Monkey. Sardonic, cynical and with the political leanings of a social reformer, I’m also a toy and model figure collector, particularly interested in the history of plastics and plastic toys. Other interests are history, current affairs, modern art, and architecture, gardening and natural history. I love plain chocolate, fireworks and trees, but I don’t hug them, I do hug kittens. I hate ignorance, when it can be avoided, so I hate the 'educational' establishment and pity the millions they’ve failed with teaching-to-test and rote 'learning' and I hate the short-sighted stupidity of the entire ruling/industrial elite, with their planet destroying fascism and added “buy-one-get-one-free”. Likewise, I also have no time for fools and little time for the false crap we're all supposed to pretend we haven't noticed, or the games we're supposed to play. I will 'bite the hand that feeds', to remind it why it feeds.

Saturday, July 15, 2017

M is for Martial Military Men of Merit from Marlborough to the Mohicans

"Horse & Musket" cried the war gaming rule books of the 1970's I avidly got out of the library and read without really understanding! And; never that clear to me as a period, as wasn't the late medieval period - horse and musket, wasn't a Rumanian infantry company on the Russian front as good as? A few Zundapp's if they were lucky! But these - here today - are clearly the main men as far as it goes . . . what I mean is they're in the middle . . . no . . . I'm just talking bollocks for an opening paragraph; aren't I?

Let's have a look at 'em:

'The Brits' - Grenadiers in Mitres and Bearskins and some recruits from the Bay City Rollers fan club march stalwartly toward the loss of the 13 colonies! These are late plastic production and you can see the tiredness of the moulds which apparently, ultimately led to the switch to all metal production.

'The Enemy' - Bicorns, Tricorns and something fetching for Ascot from Coco Channel's milliner wander around the Canadian boarder wondering if 14 colonies is likely to prove one too many! I have a shed-load of these spare (tricornes only) if you are 'umming and 'arring over the Napoleonic Highlander swap I'm looking for or the Connoisseur German espontoon bloke; 2-for-1?

The Support came in the form of three gunners and two 'command' types; an officer and drummer.

While with all these posts I've tried to show all the plastic colour variations I have, I'm sure there are at least a few more, they were available in plastic from 1965 until maybe 2005'ish (when the remainder seems to have been wholesaled-off), and apart from the Khaki Infantry (and a few red/blue AWI-Napoleonics and blue/grey ACW), there's very little ruling to what colours are used, with lots of neutral grey and brown, and even the translucent [neutral granule] colours in the Connoisseur range.

The cavalry; because I tend to store mine according to the later, fuller numbering I have the Hussars (P15) with the AWI, but they were originally listed (unnumbered) as Napoleonics and don't really fit the AWI?

Dragoons above and below with the Staff Officer to the top right and a few OBE's which show how the simplicity of all these figures allows them to be painted-up as all sorts. I'm assuming (I'm a great assumer!) that the staff officer is from the armed terrorist insurgency, the white dragoon is French and the red-coat is err . . . a Red Coat!

The last of the Mohicans! They've lasted quite well as it happens! They were seen putting in a quick appearance during the American Civil War, as we saw in the lists yesterday. Is it just me or does the walking guy look as if he's got rabbits ears!

The AWI was the largest range from Spencer Smith, whether or not you include the Connoisseur Range figures, and again one of these put in a brief appearance as a dismounted Cavalryman 90-years later. OBE's at the top, early plastics in the middle ('Khaki Infantry' range's colours) and later Norfolk production at the bottom.

Always look better en mass, not AWI per se, but all toy soldiers!

I haven't done a table for these chaps, I will one day, but this is the last of these posts and the figures are away back into the loft, the articles to the dongles and the driving need to finish 'paperwork' already fading. It would look like the ACW one but slightly longer in the last column, yet easier on the eye!

Listings
Camberley Years
Mid 1970’s Production (approximately 1974)
Standard Range
American War of Independence (suitable for conversion to 7 Years War)
- Bag of 24 Field Officers Mounted
- Bag of 24 Dragoons (4 officers, 20 troopers)
- Bag of 80 Infantry (3 mounted officers, 6 foot officers, 6 drummers, grenadiers and battalion company privates)
- Bag of 30 Artillerymen and 4 Cannon (2 field & 2 howitzers)
- Bag of 4 Cannon (2 field & 2 howitzer)
- Bag of 80 Frontiersmen and Indians (3 types of each)

Early 1980’s Production (approximately 1981?)
Standard Range (1980’s)
American War of Independence (suitable for conversion to 7 Years War)
- Bag of 8 Field Officers Mounted
- Bag of 8 Dragoons (4 officers, 20 troopers)
- Bag of 30 Infantry (3 mounted officers, 6 foot officers, 6 drummers, grenadiers and battalion company privates)
- Bag of 30 Artillerymen and 4 Cannon (2 field & 2 howitzers)
- Bag of 2 Cannon (field)
- Bag of 2 Cannon (howitzer)
- Bag of 30 Frontiersmen and Indians (3 types of each)

Norfolk Years
Plastic Range
American War of Independence
P12 - 30 Infantry Marching (20 Battalion Company privates, 10 Grenadiers)
P13 - 20 Officers and 10 Drummers
P14 - 8 Cavalry Charging/Dragoon Troopers
P15 - 8 Cavalry Charging/Hussars (also suitable as Napoleonic cavalry)
P16 - 8 Mounted Officers (4 Dragoon Officers, 4 Staff Officers)
P17 - 21 Artillerymen
P18 - 2 guns (1 Howitzer, 1 Field-gun)
P19 - 30 Infantry Advancing (10 Grenadiers, 10 Hessians and 10 highlanders)
P20 - 30 Infantry (10 privates advancing, 10 privates marching, 10 Light Infantry)
Plastic Sample Packs (contents differ)
SP1 - Standard - 18th Century (15 foot, 2 mounted, 1 gun)
SP4 - 28mm - American War of Independence (6 foot, Barry Minot designs...metal?)
Other Items
P26 - Naval Cannons (2)
P29 - Horse and Musket Rules 1750-1870 (including ACW demonstration game)

Metal Range
American War of Independence/Severn Years War
A1 - Private Marching
A2 - Private Advancing (7YW)
A3 - Private Advancing (AWI)
A4 - Private Walking at the Ready
A5 - Grenadier Marching
A6 - Grenadier Advancing
A7 - Grenadier Standing Firing
A8 - Light Infantry Advancing
A9 - Hessian Advancing
A10 - Minuteman Advancing
A11 - Highlander Advancing
A12 - Officers Walking (pack of 2)
A13 - Officer with Sword Drawn
A14 - Drummer
A15 - Flag Bearer
A16 - Frontiersman/Militiaman Standing at the Ready
A17 - Frontiersman/Militiaman Kneeling Firing
A18 - Frontiersman/Militiaman Standing Firing
A19 - Frontiersman/Militiaman Advancing
A20 - Indians (pack of 3)
A21 - Militiaman Marching
AA1 - Dragoon Trooper
AA2 - Light Dragoon Trooper
AA3 - Hussar
AA4 - Staff Officer
AA5 - Staff Officer Charging
AR1 - Artillerymen (pack of 3)
AR2 - Howitzer
AR3 - Field-gun
Metal Sample Packs (6 foot, 1 mounted)
SM1 - Standard - 18th Century
SM2 - American War of Independence

Internet/Metal Years
Standard Range
A1 - Private marching (SYW)
A2 - Private advancing (SYW)
A3 - Grenadier in bearskin marching  
A3a - Grenadier in miter cap marching  
A4 - Minuteman advancing
A5 - Officer walking (pack of 2)
A6 - Officer with sword drawn
A7 - Drummer
A8 - Flag Bearer
A9 - Frontiersman/militiaman standing at the ready
A10 - Frontiersman/militiaman kneeling firing
A11 - Frontiersman/militiaman standing firing
A12 - Frontiersman/militiaman advancing
A13 - Native American Indians (pack of 3)
A14 - Militiaman marching
AA1 - Dragoon trooper
AA2 - Light Dragoon Trooper
AA3 - Hussar
AA4 - Staff officer
AA5 - Staff officer charging
AR1 - Artillerymen (pack of 3)
AR2 - Howitzer
AR3 - Field gun (12-16-lbr. barrel?)
AR3 - Field gun (6-lbr. barrel)
AR4 - Wagon wheels (4)

Eriksson/Tradition Range (sold by agreement with Tradition of Sweden)
Sweden
Swedish Cavalry 1700 – 1750 (Charles XII), charging
34A - Officer, sword forwards
34A1 - Officer, sword upwards
34B1 - Officer, Standard Bearer
34B2 - Officer, Guidon Bearer (pose 1)
34B3 - Officer, Guidon Bearer (pose 2)
34C1 - Trumpeter, trumpet forwards
34C2 - Trumpeter, trumpet backwards (?)
34E1 – Trooper (pose 1)
34E2 - Trooper (pose 2)
34E3 - Trooper (pose 3)
34E4 - Trooper (pose 4)
Swedish Cavalry 1700 – 1750 (Charles XII), marching
55A - Officer
55B1 - Officer, Standard Bearer
55 B2 - Officer, Guidon Bearer
55C - Trumpeter
55D - Kettledrummer
55D1 - Drummer, dragoon
55E1 – Trooper (pose 1)
55E2 – Trooper (pose 2)
55E3 – Trooper (pose 3)
55E4 – Trooper (pose 4)
Swedish Cavalry 1700 – 1750 (Charles XII), standing
31A1   Officer, mounted on lively horse
31A2 - Officer, mounted on slow horse
31B1 - Officer, Standard Bearer mounted on standing horse
31B2 - Officer, Guidon Bearer
31B3 - Officer, Standard Bearer mounted on lively horse
31C2 - Trumpeter, blowing
31C3 - Trumpeter, trumpet down
31D - Kettledrummer
31D1 - Drummer, dragoon
31E1 - Trooper, horse resting on one back leg
31E2 - Trooper, horse with horse down
31E3 - Trooper, horse grazing
31E4 - Trooper horse with all feet on ground
31E5 - Trooper, lively horse
Swedish Infantry 1700 – 1750 (Charles XII), charging
53A1 - Officer with sword
53A2 - Officer with espontoon
53A3 - Flag Bearer
53B - ?
53C - ?
53D - Drummer
53E1 - Musketeer, firing
53E2 - Musketeer, advancing
53E3 - Pikeman (high; against cavalry)
53E4 - Grenadier
53E5 - Grenadier, throwing grenade
53E6 - Musketeer, kneeling
53E7 - Pikeman (low; against infantry)
53U - NCO with halberd
Swedish Infantry 1700 – 1750 (Charles XII), standing
32A - Officer
32B1 - Flag Bearer
32B2 - Flag Bearer
32C - ?
32D - Drummer
32U - NCO
32E1 - Musketeer
32E2 - Musketeer
32E3 - Pikeman
32E4 - Grenadier
Swedish Artillery 1700 – 1750 (Charles XII)
41A - Officer
41B - ?
41C - ?
41D - ?
41E1 - Gunner with match
41E2 - Gunner with rammer
41E3 - Gunner with ball
41E4 - Gunner, aiming
41E5 - Gunner with lever
41E6 - Gunner with powder trowel
41K - Driver
41SHv - Artillery Horse, left
41SHh - Artillery Horse, right
TK1 - Light Artillery gun
TK2 - Heavy Artillery Gun
TK3 - ?
TK4 - Limber
TK5 - Traditional Charles XII gun
Swedish Personalities 1682 – 1718,
31P - Charles XII, mounted
31P1 - ?
31P2 - Charles XII, on foot

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