Starlux metal figures

During the arms race which preceded 2015's Waterloo game I was trying to address my shortage of French cavalry when I noticed some of these figures on eBay.  Now Starlux is more familiar as a maker of plastic figures so I was surprised to find that this lot are metal and came fully painted. As you can see from the photos - taken while I was adding mdf bases for extra stability - I acquired quite a few.  But then for £3-4 each for mounted figures (and rather less for foot figures) it would have been rude not to. I really ought to take some better photos of them. 

Horsing around 3

This is the final batch of the figures Neil P kindly sent me for the recent Waterloo game.  These elderly Timpo chaps are - I decided  - Prussian hussars and have been re-horsed on Supreme nags.  That aside, work was confined to some repairs and touching in of paint.

Horsing around 2

You'll perhaps recall me mentioning the box of figures donated by Neil P* shortly before September's Waterloo game.  Getting some of the figures sorted out meant a 'quick win' during my frantic preparations for the game.  As the figures lacked horses I raided my stocks of Supreme (Italeri rip-offs) horses for suitable mounts.  The lances are sharpened steel, originally sold as pikes for 28mm figures.

The figures were indeed used in the game - thanks again Neil!

The original post is at: http://megablitzandmore.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/horsing-around.html

Waterloo 200 game - part 5 (the last - phew!)

The game had been laid out in such a way that the players at Mont St. Jean had no idea what was happening over at Wavre.  So the first clue came when....

The Prussians hove into view.

On the Allied right a huge cavalry encounter was in the offing

The defenders of LHS and the sandpit prepare to repel boarders

Hougoumont  - with more French cavalry having a look

A closeup of the Guinness-swilling Irishmen.  No stereotyping here then.

The mighty rocket troop in action.

Here come the Prussians!

Any similarity to my Russian 1914 reservists is entirely coincidental.  After all, the figures are actually Landwehr!

French cavalry attach British squares...

...in a rather cinematic fashion!

It's a bloody business

The big cavalry battle nears.  Basically a big line of Allied cavalry versus two big lines of Frenchies, the latter including lancers,

Dragoons, Cuirassiers

and Chasseurs

13 Legre had a bit of a pasting as they approached LHS

Blucher does some world-class pipe pointing

What a sight!

More flawless pointing as my lancers get stuck in.  Literally in some cases - the lances are very sharp!

Just as LHS looked threatened a load of hairy Highlanders appeared.

Guess who.  The flag is a clue...

While LHS held out...

...the sandpit was under threat...

... and soon fell to a horde of French cavalry.

LHS shrouded in smoke.  How did we achieve such special effects?

Twas none other than our very own Conrad Kinch!

After the battle it was off for tea and cake.  It was agreed that the battle was a draw.  With the arrival of the Prussians the French couldn't win, but on the other hand the French Army was still rampaging round Belgium!

All in all a thoroughly splendid day.  Lots of toys, a great group of players fine victuals and even decent weather!

So now to plan the next such extravaganza.....