Welcome to my blog, the story of my continuing journey into the World of Zombie Wargames.

Monday 8 November 2021

Forgotten Armies #13 - 7YW

 For the last two weeks, I haven't lifted a paintbrush or a craft knife and other than reading a few blogs, I've done nothing hobby-related at all.  Last week I was ill, had a routine clinic appointment and a funeral to attend and was in no mood or fit state to post about anything.
1st Btn on the right (with moustaches)
As I'd like to get to the tenth anniversary  of my blog (next February) before deciding whether or not to continue blogging I reckon I can post about my Seven Years' war collection over many posts.
This weeks post's subject is my 7YW Prussian infantry.
The photograph shows the 21st Regiment, battalions one and two.
 
These figures are amongst my oldest figures that I still have; they're Spencer Smith's 30mm plastic figures (as seen in Charles Grant's "Wargames" and Brigadier Young's Charge). I last used these figures around twenty years ago though they were painted almost entirely in the early 1970s and they're definetly my most used armies, representing my favourite historical period.  
21st regt. in front, backed by the 27th Regt.
Initially I bought some of these figures for the French-Indian wars but the small initial purchase soon ballooned into something much larger.
The 39th Regt. of fusiliers in front of the infantry brigade
IIRC, for the princely sum of £1.20, you got a bag of 40 musketeers, 20 grenadiers, 10 drummers and 10 officers on foot 
 
(they're all in metal now and far more expensive).
 
The number of grenadiers meant I always had an excess of these figures and a lot were 'converted' to fusiliers with just their grenadier caps cut vaguely to shape.-
- I have two regiments of fusiliers !
I'd also worked out that a bag of 24 mounted officers worked out cheaper than more infantry (and  yet more excess grenadiers), so a mounted officer was placed in the centre of each of the regiment's battalions - saving four infantry figures! The officers had a flagstaff placed though their hands and a drummer was also added to each battalion  (I also had a surplus of drummers).
 
Better photograph, showing the fusilier caps.

In those days, block painting with enamels ws the order of the day and black-lining was the in vogue painting technique (i only did the former). Basing was dark green 'grass' and little else as the aim was to play a game not to become a master painter. The latter doesn't show up well as the figures have accumulated dust over their years of inactivity.
In the Prussian army of the era the grenadiers from each regiment were removed and amalgamated with another reiment's greandier to form a grenadier battalion, so I needed only one battalion of grenadiers for every four battalions of musketeers.
Bonus rear view of the fusiliers (Padding -Ed.)
A battalion of grenadiers (obligatory blurry photograph)

Overall I have about 24 battalions of foot, plus four battalions of grenadiers, though in my re-fights each battalion was normally counted as a regiment. The battalion artillery, was represnted by a single arillery model.
All the infantry in its drawer.

For me,also  this was a great trip down memory lane, hopefully there was something here of interest to anyone else reading through this.
Your comments, of course are always welcomed and appreciated.

18 comments:

  1. Great blast from the past Joe, and these old collections well deserve being seen by many.
    Hope you are feeling better soon.

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  2. Thanks dave, I'm in top form, despite a recall to the clonic today - they're desperate to find something new wrong with me I reckon.
    This collection was put together in plastic, today I'd be doing it in 15mm or even 10mm, but that's never going to happen now.

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    1. Thanks you Michael, painting them doesn't them doesn;t improve with time!

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  4. Lovely figures, Joe, and I'm amazed you've had these for pushing 50 years... they're as old as me LOL! Hope you're feeling better, and keep blogging, I really enjoy your posts. I've been looking at your earlier posts and the zombie scenery you were doing is amazing stuff.

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    1. Thanks Matt, some of them (the British) are at least fifty years old!
      Strangly enough I jst looked at my ZOmbie rules over the last two weeks and did the final tweak to them that I've been thinking about for a couple of years !

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  5. Now you're talking, Charles Grant and Spenser Smith, that's what wargaming is all about.

    I see you used regiments or battalions of 18, mine are 12 but I bought an army from a mate and they were 24. 24 is what I aspired to.

    When I first came across Charles Grants book they fetched it up from the basement archives in the library, no one had had it out for years and so I stole it. I still read the chapter on campaigns, the one where the cavalry liberated a POW camp. It's probably the second most inspiring wargame thing I've ever read.
    Funnily enough the most inspiring thing was also set in the 7 years war and was a 2 page article by Steve Hezzelwood? and I'm putting it on this weekend down in Devon, The Boucharde Raid.
    Cheers

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    1. Thanks Vagabond for the enthusiastic sounding comment. My Austrians are in 24's as they had larger battalons than the Prussians. My suppossed scale is about 3 figures represents one hundred men, so you can see the link. One artillery model represents 4 guns, so afield battery is two models.
      I remember well the cavalry raid - very inspiring as was the battle of Blastof Bridge (sic) which Irecently seen replayed too.
      I'll be looking forward to your write-up of your game.

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  6. Wonderful display of 18th century old school eye candy. These are my favourite figures, they take a bit of TLC to get them on the table but they are iconic figures.
    Here is a link on the wargame web site of my latest game using Spencer Smiths.
    https://www.thewargameswebsite.com/forums/topic/play-testing-on-the-hoof-rules/

    Willz Harley.

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    1. Thanks TBG, these really are OLD, old school eh? I fell in love with them thanks the Charles Grant (of course) though I stopped painting them many years ago (I think I probably have enough) and still have a shoebox full of them !.
      I loved the pics you've put up on the site, you've taken a lot more care with your basing than I ever did !
      I'll be posting a lot more pics of the 7yw armies I have over the next few weeks.

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  7. Quite the trip down memory lane for you Joe! Hopefully they find the light of day & are now on display for you to look at & remember the good ol days.

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    1. Thanks Terru, as I've not done anything of note lately this is a good way to do some posts and as you say it does bring back a lot of good memories.
      Sadly I doubt if they'll ever be used again.

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  8. Great looking 7 years war troops! Nice to get a blast from the past every now and then!
    Best Iain

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    1. Thanks Iain, a good dusting and they'd be ready to go!
      Sorry to say, but 'blasts from the past' is all I've got atm.

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  9. Very nice soldiers and looking very inspirational.

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    1. Thank Ptr, they have provided many, many hours of enjoyment over the years.

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  10. That's one impressive looking army Joe, & I'd guess you could say you got a lot for a pound in those days 😊

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    1. Thanks Frank, it was impressive at the time (imho), but has seen many battles and campaigns since ita hayday. I couldn't afford metal figures in those days, being a pennyless student.

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