Quick Reference Sheets for our variant of 'Fast Play Grande Armee'

Its been a busy couple of weeks but I thought I'd quickly freshen up the blog by posting a gaming aid/variant we've been using for 'Fast Play Grande Armee' (FPGA) over the past few years. In the 'Rules Tweaks' section you will find our quick reference sheets (QRS) for FPGA which also incorporates our modifications to the existing rules.

28mm ECW Covenanters & Highlanders

Here are a few more photos of some of my older ECW figures. First up are a group of dour Scottish Covenanters manfully manning a frame gun (probably a fire-sale Swedish import from the German Wars). As opposed to the typical Covenanters (you know, the ones 'who don't like sex as it may lead to dancing') - I like to think that my Covenanters represent that small partying faction that we don't often hear about. Anyway, here are some blue-bonneted blokes ready to bang away with a frame gun which was probably more a threat to them as it was to the enemy. Old skool 25mm Foundry castings which are pretty small by today's standards (actually, they sorta look like Hobbits, don't they). 

Next are some charging Highlanders from Redoubt Miniatures. I find the animation on this series of castings is great. Again, pretty large models here - probably close to 35mm in size. I have more of these lads in storage but this gives you a impression of how they look massed up in an irregular formation. 

Many in this series are multi-part models, often with separate heads and torsos so they can provide some variation in their poses. 

28mm ECW Sir Allen Apsley's Regiment of Foote

Breaking away from Napoleonics for a bit. We recently moved and so the past few months have been spent slowly unpacking stuff that has been put away in boxes for years. Anyway, here's something dredged up from the lead archive. A regiment of ECW foot composed of Redoubt castings which I painted at least ten years ago. I dusted them off, touched them up a bit and thought I'd post a few shots for those who might find them interesting.

This is Allen Apsley's Regiment of Foote. I believe it was composed of Royalists from Devon, Dorset, Somerset and Cornwall. These castings are listed as 28mm but are probably closer to 33-35mm. They're kinda quirky in style but I quite like them. I've always enjoyed the look of a 'hedge' of pikes, intermixed with loads of company banners (these are from Brian at Vaubanner Graphics), along with the flanking sleeves of shot. Years ago I acquired a bunch of Redoubt stuff in an ebay auction and it has remained on the sidelines as one of those distant 'retirement projects'. Seeing this stuff again makes me want to get a few more units done... I'll put up a few more shots of other ECW stuff in the coming days (as I get it better sorted and rearranged in the display case).

28mm Flags by 'The Flag Dude'

I just got a new shipment of these in the mail. They're 28mm flags from Rick 'The Flag Dude' out of the States. I've mentioned these flags in previous posts but I thought I'd give them their proper due. These things are simply brilliant. They come already mounted on a steel wire, which you can cut down to your preference. Just trim to size, glue into your standard bearers hands, paint the pole (if you wish) and that's it! His website catalog offers banners, flags and sails from the Ancient period to modern day, on silk or paper and all in a variety of scales.

A set of Portuguese Line Infantry flags with streamers.

The flags themselves are highly animated, looking like they are snapping wildly in the breeze. I find this effect to be quite exaggerated, but it seems to work in relation to the miniatures. All the flags come with their appropriate finials (or eagles if Napoleonic French) and also feature nice touches such as hanging braid and streamers if requested.

The 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalion flags of the 37th Ligne.

One of the few criticisms I have of these flags is that the print and line-art can be somewhat 'jaggy'. This is really of no great consequence as the flags are typically seen at an arms length (and fluttering), but it does place a caveat on what would otherwise be a perfect product.

Flags for an Austrian Line regiment

Each 28mm flag sells for $6.00 USD which in my book is a bargain as the flags do such a great job in providing that finishing touch to a unit. I know I could do these myself (and god knows I have) but good flags require a level of fiddliness which I am more than happy to pay to avoid.

A set of three banners for my Marquis of Argyle Regiment of Foote.

1806 Regulation White-Uniformed French Infantry

As promised, in the Napoleonic Gallery you will find a few shots of a newly-based French unit in an odd-ball uniform.