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

A is for Awfully Angry Armed Americans Aggressively Attacking Aitch'urrtherr

So to my favourites after the 'Modern Infantry' and along with the AWI; the largest set as far as poses go, although not that many they did at least touch all the bases, with the inclusion of artillerymen. Also doing the listings, just now, I realised they need a re-numbering table like the connoisseur range?

They were never split (in the catalogues) into Union and Confederate, and while there was the whole 'old school' kepi vs. slouch-hat rule going on, it was only in the mind of the painter/wargame if he wanted it to be!

These are the kepi infantry poses; three figures in the standard walking forward stance of so much of Eriksson's output, and you can see they came in various colours over the years, the unpainted five being Norfolk production, the painted ones being older, a couple even coming back from Italy via Darius - a Blog reader.

The Sloch-hat infantry, as far as I know there were only the two - similar - poses (pack or blanket-roll) and I would be interested to know if there was a third plastic pose? Below them is a slouch-hat cavalryman, there is a kepi version listed in the metal range still available, but he's never been listed as having been available in the plastic range?

This chap is himself a late addition, the 'staff officer' being the only cavalryman in the ACW range for 15/20-odd years; and he seems to have been converted from the Napoleonic lancer by Ron Spencer Smith or Peter Johnson rather than Ericsson?

Speaking of 'staff', these are the command and control elements with a slouched-hat officer, kepied junior/field officer or SNCO and a bugler, the 1860's equivalent of the platoon radioman!

Which - closing the 'staff' circle - brings us back to the chap mentioned above. Originally the ACW cavalryman, he is now known as the staff officer and only available in metal, he is a much nicer sculpt than the replacement who is too skinny, almost semi-flat.

What the Napoleonics are missing - gunners! I love the beard on the moving-wheel guy; he wouldn't look out of place in a Hoxton coffee bar, this weekend, having all-day 'brunch' and plotting Remain, or a dot-com start-up!! While the flash on the tip of the swab-guy makes it look like he's weaponised his ramrod - with a pen-knife.

Listing

Mid 1970’s Production (approximately 1974)

Standard Range

American Civil War

- Bag of 24 Cavalry (walking pose suitable also as staff officer)

- Bag of 80 Infantry (12 officers, 6 buglers plus enlisted men)

- Bag of 30 Artillerymen (officers, buglers and gunners)

Early 1980’s Production (approximately 1981?)

Standard Range (1980’s)

American Civil War

- Bag of 8 Cavalry (walking pose suitable also as staff officer)

- Bag of 30 Infantry (officers, buglers plus enlisted men)

- Bag of 30 Artillerymen (officers, buglers and gunners)

- Bag of 2 Cannon (field)

- Bag of 2 Cannon (howitzer)

Move to Norfolk

Plastic Range

American Civil War

P1 - 30 Infantry in Kepi (charging, Running, Advancing)

P2 - 30 Infantry in Slouch-hat (advancing, walking at the ready) Hard Plastic

P3 - 20 Officers and 10 Buglers

P4 - 8 Mounted Staff Officers (original cavalryman sculpt, switched to metal mid-run)

P5 - 8 Cavalrymen Sabres Drawn - Hard Plastic (later; soft plastic, converted from Napoleonic lancer)

P6 - 24 Artillerymen

P7 - 2 Guns (1 each of 2 designs? Can be used as Napoleonic Howitzers and Field-guns)

P8 - 30 Indians

P9 - 30 Frontiersmen

P10 - 4 limber wheels (all one size, smaller than all gun wheels)

Plastic Sample Packs (contents differ)
SP3 - Standard - American Civil War (11 foot, 1 mounted, 1 gun)

Metal Range

Metal Sample Packs (6 foot, 1 mounted)

SM3 - Standard - American Civil War

American Civil War

C1 Infantry in Kepi Advancing

C2 Infantry in Kepi Charging

C3 Infantry in Kepi Running

C4 Infantry in Kepi Standing Firing

C5 Infantry in Kepi Marching

C6 Infantry in Slouch-hat Advancing (became C7a)

C7 Infantry in Slouch-hat with Blanket-roll

C8 Zouave Advancing

C9 Officers (pack of 2)

C10 Bugler

C11 Drummer

C12 Flag Bearer

CC1 Mounted Staff Officer

CC2 Mounted Cavalryman with Sabre Dawn

CC3 Dismounted Cavalryman (ex-AWI backwoodsman)

CR1 Artilleryman (pack of 3)

CR2 Cannon (duplicates as Napoleonic British 9-lbr.)

Metal Additions to ACW Range

P4 - 8 Mounted Staff Officers (originals were plastic)

P11 - 4 Wagon Wheels (2 large, 2 small)

Other Items

P28 - ACW Beginners Pack (270 foot, inc. gunners, 66 mounted, 4 guns, rules, some metal)

Internet/Metal Years

Standard Range

Civil War Range

C1 - Infantry in kepi advancing

C2 - Infantry in kepi charging

C3 - Infantry in kepi running

C4 - Infantry in kepi standing firing

C5 - Infantry in kepi marching

C6 - Infantry in slouch hat marching

C7 - Infantry in slouch hat (with rolled blanket) advancing

C7a - Infantry in slouch hat advancing (with pack - previously C6)

C8 - Infantry in slouch hat standing firing (with pack)

C9 - Infantry in slouch hat standing firing (no pack)

C10 - Zouave advancing (previously C8)

C11 - Officer in kepi (previously 50% of C9)

C12 - Staff Officer standing, sword raised (previously 50% of C9)

C13 - Bugler (previously C10)

C14 - Flag bearer (previously C12)

C15 - Drummer (previously C11)

CC1 - Staff Officer on horse

CC2 - Cavalryman with saber drawn (on horse) Confederate

CC3 - Cavalryman with saber drawn (on horse) Union

CC4 - Dismounted cavalryman (ex-AWI backwoodsman, previously CC3)

CR1 - Artillerymen (pack of 3)

CR2 - Cannon (duplicates as Napoleonic British 9-lbr.)

 Knocked-up between editing and publishing!

I is for I couldn't think of a long alliterative title for these guys!

The nappies; or is it nappys? No matter, it's a silly moniker and if you check back to the magazines and books of the era these appeared in it was firmly and always Napoleonics or 'Waterloo', which negated the chance of the general public viewing you with pity for you juvenility!

These were a smaller 'set' than the AWI or ACW, I don't know why but can have a guess that maybe the period wasn't as popular before Airfix's figures were issued? Although I know there were metal wargames figures of the era, but smaller, maybe it hadn't taken-of in the larger 30mm? Do we blame Charles Grant and his books full of Marlbrough?

The British - There is a pose missing, an advancing Highlander (who is not listed in the modern metal range?), I got a load of these; all semi-painted or started, but no Highlanders, they obviously stayed to fight another day when the owner off-loaded these!*

The French - The first figure is a Grenadier advancing and while I've seen him described as a Highlander (when found in grey) he has the French bayonet of the other two and no pleated kilt/sporran as it's a greatcoat!

Everybody else! I think these are - from top to bottom - Russian, Prussian and Austrian (listed as Bavarians), but with these figures it was all about the paint, perhaps augmented with a blob or two of Plastacine and something called banana oil!

The Cavalry, all two of them; Lancers or Lifeguards! There were hussars but they got moved to the AWI in the early 1990's! It's how Dr. Who gets away with it; history and time-travel are one and the same thing!

While there were no gunners, we've already seen how the catalogues pointed out the uses of the other guns for Napoleonic forces - presumably AWI carriage for France and its allies, ACW for the Brits?

The AWI could also provide earlier French with bicornes/tricornes, while if you needed dismounted Cossacks there was always the backwoodsmen to paint-up; just cut-away the racoon-tails!

Catalogue Listings

Mid 1970’s Production (approximately 1974)

Standard Range

Napoleonic

- Bag of 24 British Lifeguards (trotting)

- Bag of 24 Lancers (galloping)

- Bag of 24 Hussars (charging)

- Bag of 80 Russians/Prussians/Bavarians Infantry (mixed)

- Bag of 80 French Infantry (3 types mixed)

- Bag of 4 Cannon (2 field & 2 howitzer)

Early 1980’s Production (approximately 1981?)

Standard Range (1980’s)

Napoleonic

- Bag of 8 British Lifeguards (trotting)

- Bag of 8 Lancers (galloping)

- Bag of 8 Hussars (charging)

- Bag of 30 Russians/Prussians/Bavarians Infantry (mixed)

- Bag of 30 French Infantry (3 types mixed)

- Bag of 2 Cannon (field)

- Bag of 2 Cannon (howitzer)

Peter Johnson Years

Plastic Range

Napoleonic War

P21 - 30 British Infantry (15 Battalion Company privates, 15 Highlanders advancing, 15 Highlanders firing)

P22 - 30 French Infantry Advancing (10 Grenadiers with greatcoats, 10 without, 10 Fusiliers)

P23 - 30 Mixed Armies Advancing (10 each; Bavarians, Prussians and Russians)

P24 - 8 Cavalry (4 lancers, 4 Lifeguards)

P25 - 2 Guns (6-lbr’s)

Plastic Sample Packs (contents differ)
SP2 - Standard - Napoleonic (8 foot, 2 mounted, 1 gun)
Other Items

P29 - Horse and Musket Rules 1750-1870 (including ACW demonstration game)

Metal Range

Metal Sample Packs (6 foot, 1 mounted)

SM4 - Napoleonic

Internet/Metal Years

Weren't listed for a while, now found here, sans Highlander advancing.

*If anyone would like to swap a handful of plastic Advancing Highlanders (if they existed?) for either of the other two poses, that would be brilliant - any colour received, you get red . . . with a bit of paint!