The die is cast for FLW Centenary Comp 2013...

Just popped my application in for ...

Application for the 2013 `Little War' Centenary Gathering and Competition

Players Name: Alan Gruber / Duke of Tradgardland

Army Name: Army Red/White

Contact Email: Alpen Horn/pigeon post please...

Army List type number points comments

HQ Div Staff & Inf Brig Staff 15pts

Infantry  - Mountain inf  batts 20pts

Cavalry Light Cav Regt 18pts

Cyclists 20pts

Artillery

Light Mountain Howitzer 20pts

Medium

Heavy

Mg Machine Gun Company and Machine Gun Squadron 20pts

Aviation

Fieldworks 8inches worth 12pts

TOTAL 125

Help sought...

Evening chaps!
I am looking for a historical precedent (if such a thing is appropriate or even desirable in our games) for having units of Army Black and Army White fighting side by side in a FLW army.Of course it is a case of wanting my cake and eating it ( how appropriate for the Austro -Hungarians of Army White)  and wanting to field both splendid troops in one force .Can you help?
many thanks
Alan

Re Leibster Award

I am delighted that Joppy has nominated me for this blog and said such kind things about my efforts.
I fear I have neglected it too much of late but hope to get my eye back in as we have the run up to April 2013 and FLW Centenary bash...
Without more ado my nominations are-
Firstly  By Toutatis- 54mm gaming in the world of Asterix-terrific fun and great modelling skills on display-
http://romansgohome.blogspot.co.uk/

Secondly FLW Garden Campaign Borduria Calling- Great garden gaming by Paul- enuff said ,you all know and love it like me-
http://funnylittlewars-gardencampaigns.blogspot.co.uk/

Thirdly Mercurius Atticus- 54mm  English Civil War,gardening and much ,much more-don't miss it!
http://mercuriusatticus.blogspot.co.uk/

Fourthly The Grand Duchy of Humperstein- great background story,super figures and inspiring modelling ideas.
http://thegrandduchyofhumperstein.blogspot.co.uk/

And last but not least- The Nothelm Project - a splendid and inspiring foray into the dark ages...
http://saxons-and-vikings.blogspot.co.uk/

That's it then folks.Have a great Saturday and well done to those blogs mentioned you deserved it!

A potential Signals unit?

Army Red/White have been experimenting with a top secret signals unit adapted for the mountainous terrain.

Who needs flags,mirrors or that new fangled wireless anyway?

A meeting...

"And so my friend which army will the Duke of Tradgradland field in the Grand Manouvers of May 2013?Will it be Army Red/White or Army White?"
"We shall see what develops in the winter quarters over the coming months.. anyone for some coffee and another slice of sachertorte?"

Ye Olde Merrieweewarres

The holidays arrived yesterday at lunchtime-huzzah!
Fear not gentle reader,the post title does not mean I intend to do some diy around the house and add faux oak beams made of polystrene not tudorise the exterior.It does mean I am getting down at last to my mid 17th century project which I have christened Merrieweewarres - with apologies to the Padre.Weather and time permitting I will get time to move this forward well this weekend. I have the reference material to hand ( see accompanying photo) flags printed and hope to pick up some Humbrel Hodden Grey paint at the shops today. May the sunne shine on you wherever you are...

Jubilee

This is my hat decorated for school tomorrow by my eldest daughter.Terrific work Zoe. Watched the Thames pageant this afternoon today -fantastic! Have a great  extended weekend one and all..

A purchase

This utterly splendid book arrived yesterday in the Duchy.It is filled with superb pictures and fascinating info .I am indebted to the splendid fellow who recomended it.

In many ways it will more than meet the needs of myself as I continue to raise Army White. Coupled with the John Biggins novel I am currently enjoying there is a distinct theme going on here...

On the border...not the Al Stewart song

Army Red/White scouts have reported that troops have crossed the frontier into the garden.Yesterday cavalry were seen in the long(ish) grass on the smallest lawn.Now here is photographic evidence that Army White is in the area...

As yet numbers are unknown but Army Red/White has begun to mobilize troops in the area.

Army White

I have just received the start of  my Army White ( aka The Imperium  in my other 18th century blog) from Paul.Here they are deployed outside  today after being  without internet/email access for a week. The figures arrived safely and look great!

Fframes

I have been doing little on the hobby front due to the unexpected hectic nature of the holiday. I have however started these fframe guns ( 17th century Scots for the use of..) out of scrap wood . Last night I glued some tiny beads on the breaches to add detail. Today I will add paper strips to represent iron banding. 

Original fframe guns can be seen in,amongst other places,the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.

Non firing models I'm afraid but fun on the field of Mars I hope...

Greetings

A Happy Easter from all here at Army Red/White when Easter begins at sunset on Easter Eve.

And now some FLW inspiration for the more outre amongst you-

Now that would be an Army for next year's FLW jamboree- only joking chaps!

On patrol

The better weather sees Army Red/White sending patrols into the mountains. The top picture depicts the patrol in the foothills of the alps,the middle one a mountain infantry man equipped for all weathers (March/April in the U.K perhaps? ) and the botttom one shows the same scout at the edge of a precipice. FLW al fresco has begun...

Re the Family

Pop over to-
http://tradgardland.blogspot.com/
for some toy soldier plans etc

Big Wars

http://tradgardland.blogspot.com/ for a brief report and photo of my current Big Wars game umpired by Brian and featuring Ian as my splendid opponent...

Memories of times past...

Hello I'm back-back to work and on the road to feeling better. Since I've been away I've had a conceit to try and do some 1930s civilian militias in 54mm for a very British Civil War circa 1938. My memories of my Wm Britians catalogue 1964 or so gave me hope- farmers with shot guns,mounted figures in hunting pink and suitable carts.

However looking at their current range on the web I see I am well out of touch! No farmer with shotgun ,no fox hunters etc! I fear I should have realised time has indeed moved on...

So any ideas for 1938 in 54mm eagerly sought- thanks in anticipation

More Amy Black

Still not 100% after my recent sojourn in hospital I have been cheered by further stirring photos of Army Black.Photos taken and figures painted by Alfront once again- enjoy!

Wintery weather

Having been inspired by the Padre's splendid wintery scene on his blog I ventured forth this morning complete with camera,figure and in my pjs...

I managed to get a wee pic of this splendid Army black scout before the thaw finally came. I await better snow for that authentic alpine vibe!

Army Black...

Alfront, a good friend of this blog, sent me this super photo of his burgeoning Army Black. These splendid fellows look ready for business and are painted by him. Can't wait to see more...

If you go down to the woods today...

I decided to have a go at cheap and cheerful trees today. They still need another coat or two of paint before they are finished. I cut tree shapes from the card stuck them together in what would look like a Y from above (if you know what I mean) and painted them.I feel I need loads more but it gives an impression of what is to come.Let me know what you think...

Army Red/White- field of operations 1

I have posted some photos of the area around which my forthcoming gaming will take place.The setting will be in the country surrounding Interlaken and the two lakes,between which it lies! I have as background the idea of a rematch of the Sonderbundskreig coupled with certain cantons aligning themselves towards Germany. The local Army Red/White brigade is centered upon Thun ( pictured in the upper postcard and located on the lower postcard map) and has mobilised in the light of forthcoming hostilities. Hopefully over the next few weeks I will have enough figures ready for a small try out on the tabletop...
Finally thanks to all who voted in my flag poll - watch for some new designs soon.
p.s now Paul has published his plans for 2013 o the Yahoo Group I must fix my army list  and work towards it by purchasing then painting- time has a habit of flying by.I still cannot believe I was 21 years married Thursday past and my first born will be 18 next week...

Watch out there's an Army Black scout about...

Across the snowfields near the border with the heimat of Army Red/White (well our sitting room rug actually) a lone Army Black jaeger is skiing.He is scouting out the location of enemy troops in the vicinity...

AIP figure with metal head and skis courtesy of coffee stirrers from Ikea.I had great fun making him and he has given me the desire to work further in plastic. One day I would love to put down the white sheets and fight a winter campaign over it.Anyone tried it?

A conversion experience of sorts...

I have been working on an AIP Army Black conversion today.I have had little experience of plastic figures having been scared off by paint adhesion.However it is proceeding well and today at the local model shop I succumbed to Airfix 1/32 ww2 German inf. I remember them vividly from my youth.They are now moulded in blue plastic!

Using my copy of Roy Dilley's book I hope to convery them to late war Army Black chaps or even Freikorps. Hope to post AIP conversion completed tomorrow . I have also been working on metal Army Red/White gun crew and cavalry.

Army Red/White French style...

Al Front kindly sent me these pictures of some Swiss figures by Starlux he bought in Edinburgh in the 1990s.They are super figures and a battalion of them would be just the thing in 1920s FLW onwards. Excellent looking chaps indeed!

A question of flags

Army Red/White are currently deciding upon flags for their infantry regiments. I have posted two designs.One features the name of the town the regiment comes from ,the other the heraldic device for the town. I am unsure which to go for  so I am asking you to vote in the poll at the side of the blog.Comments sought and alternative suggestions too...

How I got into Army Red/White

...I blame family holidays to Switzerland at an impressionable age and Elastolin for beginning my Swiss interests. 40mm landsknechts,60mm (?) trappers and Indians and modern day (early 70s that  is) composition figures all fuelled it. My parents bought me an Elastolin castle,now sadly gone, which my 40mm chaps fought over valiantly.
In the later seventies (I think) I picked up the above books - one surveys the Swiss Army throughout history and the other concentrates on ww2.I have posted pictures of just what inspiration they contain inside and out.Now if only I could find out more about Freyerabend and his paintings of late 18th century Swiss troops called up  to fight Bony and his hordes...but thats another story for another time- yes ok it was that Military Modelling article that has remained in my mind,I wish I had cut it out!

Army Red/White advances

In spite of my being in the doldrums last weekend with regard to the hobby (see my Tradgardland Blog for further details and the excellent advice I was given) I have bounced back and got down to business today. Army Red/White has featured heavily in my work as you can see. I am preparing the army for use next year in FLW forthcoming celebration.Along the way I want to try "Big Wars" rules too by Stuart Asquith and Jack Alexander.A copy of them was kindly sent by Joppy and I have read them with enthusiasm at night this week.The smaller units( 12 for infantry and 4/5 for cavalry) required fits in well with my current painting situation and space available.I am most indebted to Joppy for his kindness and the way this has "kick started" the 54mm modelling again for me-thanks!
The plan is to continue building Army Red/White for the foreseeable future and game (using Big Wars)with it small, interesting and  tactical all arms games on the dining room table or floor. Come the summer we shall move outdoors. In forth coming posts I will outline my current thinking on a background to this Army Red/White civil war. Notes have been scribbled,maps consulted and I am having fun- what more can one ask of the hobby?

New Year in 54mm

Well a new year has started here and little 54mm lead work done apart from thinking...

The sitting room has my daughters artwork to be submitted for Higher and Advanced Art respectively lying around in various states of completion. I am therefore doing no modelling lest I spill paint or glue on such wonderful creations. Not having a dedicated hobby room can be annoying at times...

I am coming to the conclusion  I ought to finish to Army Red/White units I have before branching out into Army Black.This seems sensible to me and a way forward rather than going off on another tangent. When I have the few units I possess painted I will get a pack of AIP chaps to oppose the Swiss. In the meantime I will have fun with some ideas for Duchy of Tradgardland troops and try my hand at conversions.

The first picture of 2012 is of Swedish troops and I hope you like it.Do tell me gentlemen of your own FLW plans too.