Friday 29 March 2019

PALAMEDESZ., Palamedes Dutch painter (b. 1607, London, d. 1638, Delft)


Pikes and Plunder event

Here's a date for your diary. On Sunday 5th and Monday 6th May, the fantastic Pikes and Plunder Civil War Festival is back for the 5th year running! Expect stunning battle re-enactments, fascinating living history displays, live musket fire and more, throughout the town! Keep an eye on www.nationalcivilwarcentre.com/events for more details.

Battle of Cheriton 1644

Parliamentarian victory today in 1644. Wiki

Sunday 24 March 2019

French Arms Drill of the 18th Century: Historical Arms Series, No. 19 Houlding, J.A


This booklet is worth tracking down if you are interested in the subject. Showing the developments from the 17thc up to the end of the Seven Years War. It's only a booklet but worth having.

Saturday 23 March 2019

Planned French invasion of Britain (1708)

Today James Francis Edward Stuart lsnded at the Firth of Forth part of
The Planned French Invasion of Britain, 1708, also known as the 'Entreprise d’Écosse,' took place during the War of the Spanish Succession. The French planned to land 5,000-6,000 soldiers in North-East Scotland to support a rising by local Jacobites that would restore James Francis Edward Stuart to the throne of Great Britain. Leaving Dunkirk in March 1708, the fleet reached Scotland but was unable to disembark the troops and returned home, narrowly escaping a pursuing British naval force.
NB (5,000 - 6,000 troops, from the French regiments of Bernay, Auxerre, Agen, Luxembourg, Beauferme, and Boulogne plus elements of the Irish Brigade were ready to embark)

Thursday 21 March 2019

Prince August 40mm Seven Years War

French infantry

This has to be considered as an option if you want to cast your own  The range is pretty comprehensive though no British! Here for more

Tuesday 19 March 2019

MINIATURE FIGURINES IN THE OLD DAYS

A short film showing how wargames figures designing used to be done, followed by a "How to Wargame" section with Ian Dickie Interesing showing the sculpting technique which seems strange these days. 

Charge!: Or, How to play war games by Brigadier Peter Young Colonel J. P. Lawford

So what rules to use with 1/32 Seven Years War? My thoughts are to use the old Charge! rules. My copy is a black and white reprint but I used to get this from the local library back in the day.  The rules are so simple but workable. You can buy a reprint from Ken Trotman.

  Obviously I am going to have to get creative with regards artillery and cavalry but we will see. Shame that most of the Prince August moulds are 40mm. They do some cavalry in 54mm



Grenadiers, Infantry Regiment "Browne" and an unidentified Infantry Regiment c. 1748 David Morier

I must admit I am looking forward to when HaT industrie release the 1/32 Austrian SYW. Check them out here. 
The Austrians are one of my go-to armies - I have painted them in 15mm (Freikorps 15 and Minifigs) 6mm (Heroics and Ros) and 1/72 (Revell) . Looking forward to doing them in 1/32. See Castles of Tin's painted Prussians
Also see some Prussians painted as Saxons
Austrian Grenadiers in bivouac.
Austrian infantry 1748. Engraving J. Haidt 

Monday 18 March 2019

1/32 Preobrazhensky Regiment (GNW)

I collect 1/32 plastic figures in a restrained way. When I saw these (there are 5) Technolog 1/32 GNW Russians that are cheap I had to buy them. The company mostly does fantasy and there is a fantasy element to the figures. Find on ebay. Photo by Joe. They also do Pirates

Sunday 17 March 2019

Happy St Patrick's Day

here's Lally
planche 113 du manuscrit "Troupes du Roi, Infanterie française et étrangère, année 1757, tome I"
Lally at Kronoskaf

Thursday 14 March 2019

March 14, 1757 - The Execution Of Admiral Byng

"It is considered useful now and again to shoot an admiral, to encourage the others" - Voltaire, "Candide"
WIKI

Wednesday 13 March 2019

Sicily 1719

The War of the Quadruple Alliance is being celebrated this year. Much of it took place in Sicily. Wiki

Tuesday 12 March 2019

Satisfaction 1720 - Trailer (2016)

Set in the year 1720, the story is about what happens to 29-year-old Tordenskiold when the Great Northern War ends and he doesn't know what to do with the rest of his life. His trusted valet persuades him to go on a European ‘road trip’ to search for a bride.
iMDB 

Williamite War in Ireland

The Battle of the Boyne by Jan Wyck

The Williamite War in Ireland started today in 1689. Wiki

Monday 11 March 2019

300 years ago the Royal Invalids (41st) were formed

From Kronoskaf
This regiment of 10 companies of “Invalids” (in fact, pensioners whether disabled or not, from independent companies of invalids and from Chelsea out-pensioners) was raised for garrison duty on March 11 1719 by Colonel Edmund Fielding, a veteran of Marlborough's wars. The regiment was initially designated as “Colonel Edmund Fielding's Regiment of Invalids”. The 3 first companies were raised in a matter of 5 days and were assigned to garrison duties at Portsmouth, relieving the Foot Guards. Detachments were also stationed at Plymouth and on the Island of Jersey.
In 1741, the regiment was renamed the “Royal Invalids”.
On July 1 1751, when a Royal warrant reorganised the British infantry, the regiment was designated as the “41st Regiment of Foot, or Invalids”.
During the Seven Years's War, the regiment was commanded by:
  • since March 11 1719: Colonel Edmund Fielding
  • from 1743: Colonel Wardour
  • from 17??: Colonel John Parsons
In 1787, the regiment ceased to comprise invalids and became a conventional line regiment, dropping the title.

Sunday 10 March 2019

Scanian war book imminent

Helion books say 'Michael Fredholm von Essen's book on the Scanian War 'Charles XI's war' will be out at Salute in April 2019.
Sergey Shamenkov is the artist who is currently working on the art work for the book.'
I am looking forward to this.

By Fire and Sword - English Civil War

This is a teaser for the game system that has been very popular. Artwork by Marek Szyszko

Saturday 9 March 2019

Lace Wars L & F Funcken 1977

This pair of books was very influential and well used. In French originally also German editions. 

For Women's day - Mother Ross

Christian Davies (1667 – 7 July 1739), born Christian Cavanagh also known as Kit Cavanagh or Mother Ross was an Irishwoman who joined the British Army in 1693 disguised as a man. She fought with the infantry in Flanders during the Nine Years War until 1697, then with the 4th Dragoons, later the 2nd Royal North British Dragoons and finally with the Scots Greys in the War of the Spanish Succession from 1701 to 1706. The author Daniel Defoe met her in old age when she was a Chelsea Pensioner and turned her story into a book entitled The Life and Adventures of Mrs. Christian Davies
MORE DETAILS HERE
Kindle edition of Defoe's biography

Thursday 7 March 2019

David Morier Light Dragoon Drummer

Uniforms of the Seven Years War, 1756-1763, John Mollo Malcolm McGregor Blandford Press 1977


As it's World Book Day I thought I would post a book that I like. This one was responsible for an interest with me in the Seven Years War. It still seems relevant so many years later. I have collected some of the plates on a Pinterest page

Tuesday 5 March 2019

Avanpost 28mm 30 Years War cuirassier

While we are with Wallenstein how about this figure? Now available in the UK for £3.60 from Mezzer's minis

Sunday 3 March 2019

Coming soon from Helion

Apparently ready for Salute. Contains 12 colour plates for flags and 4 plates of figures. More info

Friday 1 March 2019

Wallenstein 1978

This is a TV movie, quite long, about Wallenstein. It's up in parts on YouTube without subtitles but you can buy a DVD. No big battle scenes by the look of it but some good bits here and there. IMDB
'The most expensive ZDF four-piece of 1978, to date, is based on the Wallenstein biography of Golo Mann and shows the rise and fall of the famous commander-in-chief of the Imperial Armed Forces and Generalissimus of the 30-year war. The presentation of Rolf Boysen as Wallenstein and the historical information is outstanding.'

William III's Italian Ally: Piedmont & the War of the League of Augsburg 1683-1697


Another great title from the Century of the Soldier series. Author is Italian military historian Ciro Paoletti and artist Bruno Mugnai. Books on the 9 Years War or the War of the League of Augsburg are rare and even more rare on the Italian theatre of the conflict especially in English. This is a comprehensive look at the army and the campaigns that it took part in. Well illustrated with engravings and colour plates of uniforms and flags by Italian artist Bruno Mugnai. All the diplomatic and political machinations are explained as all the principal sieges and battles. All the main leaders are introduced and analysed. This would be worth getting for the images alone but the fact that it has very readable text in English makes this a must-have book for the late 17th century enthusiast. If you are a wargamer of this period it will be a useful addition to your library.