Home Cast Conversions

While still not working on any one project, I have been puttering around with several different ideas, hoping one will jumpstart a project. I bought some new toy soldier molds and started a casting session; however it not very successful and ended it sooner than planned. I did cast a few Prince August Brave Toy Soldier figures. I decided to try to convert them into 1800's militia figures, using "Green Stuff". Below are a few of the conversions.

Original figure with conversions next to it. Militiaman loosely based on the 7th NY,  officer for the militia, and militiaman with bearskin.

Bluebird Zero Hour

     Sometimes things pop up on Ebay that catch my interest. A couple of months ago I came across a Bluebird Zero Hour gunboat. When I looked at it, I remembered buying some Bluebird sailors when I started gaming 20 years ago. I never did anything with them, as half the figures were seated. Now I know why. Of course this led to a search on Zero Hour.   I managed to get a couple of good lots cheap.  While waiting for them, I started looking for rules to use with them. This is why I started working on the free flow movements; I wanted to use these figures unpainted and in a toy soldier way, with only the most basic rules.  I had some ideas on a narrative campaign using these figures. Perhaps something will come from it.

Navy gunboats land a a combined force of naval commandos and infantry to assault the enemy camp.

The enemy camp.

                                                                     The battle is joined.

New Toy Cannons

   One project I was working on was a simple war-game using my 30mm semi flats with firing toy cannon. Of course this meant looking for new cannons, of which I found a nice little lot of three for sale. Unfortunately, one of them had the mechanism glued. After a little work, the plunger was free, but it seemed to lack a spring to make it work! 

The three new cannon. The larger piece is the one missing the spring.

One of the smaller guns compared to 40mm Zinn Brigade figures.

My collection of firing cannon.

Guns of the similar make in the arsenal.

Edmund's Toy Soldiers

      As constantly mentioned, I have a great interest in 19th century American militias. One company that has great selection of American Civil War militia units is Edmund's Toy Soldiers.  They are lovely figures, painted toy soldier style. Unfortunately, they also are out of my price range. However, last week I managed to buy a set at a price I could afford. They are the Sussex Light Dragoons of the Confederate Army. There were two sets for sale: I bidded on both but lost the other set. Unfortunately the seller mixed up the boxes and My Dragoons are in the 83rd PA Volunteer Infantry box.  Still, I finally managed to get a set of Edmund's.