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Post by Brian Cameron on Mar 13, 2022 11:41:30 GMT
Hi,
Some years back a friend and I dabbled in Little Wars (with matchstick cannons) but I'm become interested in 54mm again. I could do a Little Wars setting as I still have the kit from that time but effectively I've done that in 42mm. Inspired by the Woking games day I'd like to do something in 54mm. A project I have in mind is the Fenian raids on Canada in 1866. The actions were mainly infantry with little in the way of artillery or cavalry so that makes things a bit easier. The infantry involved were of variable quality which suggests some ideas for the game rules.
The Fenians could be represented by ACW confedrates with hats and without backpacks and possibly Boers. The Canadians are a bit more of a problem as there seems to be a lack of Crimean War figures apart from cavalry for the charge of the Light Brigade. One possibility would be to use ACW infantry, probably union, in sack coats which would be about the right length. Most wore the pork pie style forage cap so I could remove kepis (or possibly just the peak) and make the relatively simple shape of the cap from green epoxy / milliput. Another possibility might be to use Napoleonic light infantry, cut down the shako and build up the bottom of the coat but i think the ACW route would be easier.
Now, listings tend to lack illustrations so I'd appreciate some advice on suitable figures - there must be some out there judging by Eric's superb set up for 'Garabaldi' which I think are mainly converted from ACW figures. And does anyone know if a suitable source of heads instead of converting?
I'm thinking of units of 4 bases of 3 figures though I might use some temporary bases of 2 figures to help get going. It would probably need about 5 units for a good game but I'm not sure. I'll dig out the old 54mm figures to experiement for the present.
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Brian
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Post by spiritofethandune on Mar 13, 2022 12:16:59 GMT
Brian,
If you went with the 'official' British headgear of the period, i.e. the Albert Shako, you could get metal heads from Irregular Miniatures and and use them on plastic British Napoleonics.
Cheers Anthony
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Post by Mike Blake on Mar 13, 2022 12:18:27 GMT
Great idea - self-contained ie doable and different. Can't help much with figure sources except to say if you go the ACW rout, let me know if you need any figures, as I have a lot I have to get rid of! - FOC just p&p.
What about WB Guardsmen for regulars? Boers are done by AIP and ExFo (the latter call them something else in their Zulu War series - great figures). Might some of the Texicans from the Alamo sets work as Fenians? I have a few spares of these if so.
There are a couple of plates in the MUIA series covering the conflict IIRC, which again I should have, if they might be of use for inspiration?
Keep the group posted on progress please.
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Post by Brian Cameron on Mar 13, 2022 13:32:51 GMT
Anthony - I think the 1860s pattern shako, an 'upright style kepi' was in use at this time but some may still have had the Albert shako. Thanks for the link to Irregular's multipart figures, looks like you've solved the problem of sourcing heads.
Mike - thanks also. Apologies for the ignorance but I don't recognise 'MUIA'. There's a fair amount of finfo about considering it's a pretty obscure subject but any info would be welcome. Some of the AIP and Expedtionary Force figures seem to be in short supply at present but I'll have a scout around. I've found this morning that there are more importers than I expected. But I hope this will be the sort of figures ill fine at the Lonon Toy on 26th. A chance to peruse before buying would be great. If the ACW figures are surplus to your needs I'd be very happy to give them a new home. I'll PM you.
Brian
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Post by Mike Lewis on Mar 14, 2022 18:22:22 GMT
Dorset model soldiers has over 220 different heads available so you could find something there - I made a number of Napoleonic figure head changes to Waterloo period using the Dorset heads. I supplied Anthony with a load of wolsey helmets that I think he using on britains deetail so they fit a wide range plastic figures.
I am pretty sure it was zuludon on this forum who was using British Napoleonic with Dorset Crimean heads for his Crimean British...
Drop the new owner a line and I am sure he can help.
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Post by epturner on Mar 14, 2022 18:32:11 GMT
Dear Brian; A man after my own heart...
So what sold me on 54mm a few years ago, was doing the Battle of Ridgeway, between the Fenians and Canadian Militia. That being said, you are correct, figures for the Canadian side are a bit of a problem, but not overly so.
You have hit on one solution, using ACW figures in kepi and just cutting off the brim.
You are correct about the headgear, it's not the Albert shako, but a shorter version. If you can find an illustration of the Fort Henry Guard, there in Kingston, Ontario, they use that same one. In fact, if you can find a separate head for the FHG, then Bob's your uncle. I have not been so fortunate. I'm looking at possibly using Miliput to build up a kepi.
Another method, suggested to me by Ken Cliffe from All The King's Men, is to use AIP Egyptians. You have to do a little modification to the sword of the officer.
On the fez, you need to carefully trim off the tasse. Also, you can create a visor for the cap by punching out a circle of 110 weight paper (this was suggested to me) and a very sharp Exacto knife to make a cut to insert and glue in the paper, and then trim it up.
Alternately, you can carefully slice off the top third or so of the fez to make a pillbox cap, and add a ball headed pin on top for the pompom as well.
For Peacock or any other senior mounted Militia officer, I was just going to use a British Napoleonic general officer or staff officer with a plain bicorne.
If you game Ridgeway, you don't need any artillery, BUT, what fun is that? I'm using gunners in kepi with the brim cut off. And the gun is straight out of the box (er, maybe it was a bag...) and I'm really not sure I'm even going to paint it...
For Fenians, Confederates are probably the better choice. So floppy hats are the way to go, but a few kepis wouldn't hurt. Once again, right out of the box or bag. Again, no cavalry or artillery are needed, but I'm giving my Fenians a gun...because the bags of figures I have, have a bunch of them...
The accounts say they wore civilian clothes mixed in with their old uniforms. So, some grey/drab and Union blue and whatever else you like, since they were Fenian units from the South and the North.
Good luck with your project. Since I have the attention span of a squirrel, I have started this project only about a dozen times...but I keep coming back.
Cheers; Eric
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Post by tradgardmastre on Mar 14, 2022 20:05:30 GMT
Would the Britains Fort Henry Guard be of use? Dorset Model Soldiers do a recast for around £5.
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Post by epturner on Mar 14, 2022 22:33:31 GMT
Alan; Yes, they would be! Dorset you say? I'm going for a look!
Thanks! Eric
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Post by Mike Lewis on Mar 14, 2022 22:34:15 GMT
Dorset do a fort Henry head
J205 is a Fort Henry Shako J227 is a Fort Henry head with plume
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Post by Brian Cameron on Mar 15, 2022 12:18:17 GMT
My thanks for all the comments and useful advice.
Eric - I became interested in the subject as a by way of an interest in the War of 1812 and several articles in Wargames Illustrated: issues, 120, 127, 214 and 215. 127 covers Pidgeon Hill as well as Ridgeway while 214-5 covers Ridgeway in more depth. I was pleased to find that Troubled Times in Canada by MacDonald is available as a free download on the Project Guttenburg site. Some of the incidents at other times offer possible scenarios. I'll be going down the ACW conversions route. While there are metal figures around, the cost would be too high for a project like this. Plus doing the conversions will be fun despite my arthritic fingers.
Another thought for a variation of the period is the 'Pig War'. The Canadians would do but there'd be an opportunity to convert some more ACW figures for pre-war US militia etc. If set post-war then any ACW Union figures would do with the opportunity to use eg my Britain's (Herald?) Guards.
Alan & Mike - Fort Henry Guard - of course! I knew there was an image in the back of my mind. And I notie that Dorset do a mountie hat so a small unit can make a guest appearance. Lead by my Britain's mounted Mountie!
I've started jotting down some notes on rules (I usually do my own, one of the most interesting aspects of wargaming)) and impatiently waiting for figures to arrive.
Brian
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Post by rossmac on Mar 15, 2022 12:49:08 GMT
Re our guys, shako's were close to hen's teeth for rarity. Most militia battalions were lucky to be able to parade a detachment in shako for special occasions. The pork pie forage cap was nearly universal with officers in the officers peaked forage (unlike the other ranks, they bought their own uniforms).
From the photos I've seen, there was generally a loose fit look to the clothing and just the minimum of equipment, again except for special occasions when a ceremonial detachment would have the full equipment, carefully stored in the armouries in between.
Trousers were worn loose, no gaiters. In metal, I've used Britain's guardsmen in trousers with a head swap for the gurkha's cap. Fort Henry guard with shako or with head swapped for a forage cap but.... not a very active pose. ACW figures with head swap or at least peaks removed are probably the easiest/closest figures but any of the Britain's infantry in combat poses and no gaiters will do with a head swap. If you can get your hands on some of the BMC sets, they make cheap and cheerful Candians and Fenians. (I'm sure slouch hats were often worn but kepis seem to have been popular, doubtless amongst the many ACW veterans esp) War surplus light blue trousers also seem to have been popular. You can also do some Fenians in Green shells and kepis with or without yellow trim since some of these were not only photographed but at least one taken off a dead Fenian is still in a museum. -Ross
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Post by rossmac on Mar 15, 2022 13:00:26 GMT
Oh yes, most Canadian militia units were officially "Rifles" so dark green units were as common as the red ones who had managed to evade to order by already being grenadiers, fusiliers, light infantry or some other special name. Units from the maritime provinces hadn't been classified that way so when they joined confederation they were mostly redcoated with different colours of facing inc light blue, yellow etc until forced to adopt the nearly universal dark blue (probably in hopes of increasing recruitment, most Canadian regiments were Royal Something or other!!)
-Ross
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Post by zuludon on Mar 15, 2022 17:22:57 GMT
I ran a Fenian Raid game last year. I went the lazy, but costly, route for the Canadians by using Britains Fort Henry Guard figures. The Fenians are all "Ragged Rebs" from AIP with printed flags. I used The Sword and the Flame rules, as most casualties are wounded, not killed, which I figured better modeled the low casualties of the historic actions.
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Post by epturner on Mar 15, 2022 18:46:59 GMT
Now that's just magnificent.... Thanks for sharing that!
Eric
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Post by spiritofethandune on Mar 15, 2022 19:05:49 GMT
Magnificent it certainly is!
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