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 - 18^th 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