A little bit of interesting news. . .

Just a quick update today as there are a number of things waiting to be done, and I hope to get in some painting on the hussars before, you guessed it, ANOTHER dinner out this evening at a colleague's home.

First is the news that Tom Dye, of Games Figures Incorporated -- the North American producer of MiniFigs -- is thinking about the possibility of offering 25mm SYW miniatures in "old school" style packs. Many of you are probably aware of the discussion around this, which has been taking shape over at the Old School Wargaming Yahoo group for the last couple of days. The basic idea is that lovers of larger units would get everything they need in one package and at a slightly better price than if ordering everything individually.

Naturally, I'm intrigued by this possibility. While some of the MiniFigs in 25mm are a bit on the dumpy side, I have always liked their toy soldier "look". If Tom presses ahead with his idea, I might just have to add a big battalion of grenadiers in mitre caps along with the requisite mounted colonel and staff/color party. Keep your fingers crossed that we don't have to wait too terribly long for more specific news on this particular front.

I other areas, Jonathan Broadus -- the man behind Hesse-Engleburg -- and I are going to try a modern take on a play-by-mail battle. . . or, in this case, play-by-e-mail! We're going to have a stab at fighting Charles Grant's "Table Top Teaser" as featured in the current issue of Battlegames (#14).

Of course, Jonathan and I still have to work out all of the details that such an undertaking will involve. And it will probably happen over a week or so in late October or sometime in November. However, I can tell you that there will be plenty of photographs of the battlefield as well as Stollenian and Zichenauer soldiers right here at the Grand Duchy of Stollen blog, and perhaps also at one of Jonathan's blogs. Keep your eyes open for additional developments as our plans take more definite shape.

Gosh, if I could just get some of real life off my desk and out of my briefcase, I might possibly be able to finish another squadron of hussars to serve on the table in time for this! Sigh.

Keepin' an Eye on the World Going By My Window . .

'The Nap at the Palace' by Jose Triado Mayol N ot much in the way of hobby-related activity happening here in the Grand Duchy lately. Sigh. And no surprise there really since there are only so many hours in the day, only so much mental and physical energy to spare, and you sometimes simply just have to give in and know when to say, um, "When!" A glass of wine and/or evening yoga by the hearth with the Grand Duchess (who has practiced for over 20 years), and then off into la-la land. Zzzzzzzzz. More immediately, I'm recovering, mentally speaking, from a grueling Friday in which I was involved with three (online) conference sessions, one right after the other, followed by a 90-minute meeting at the end of the day. Also virtual. My brain has been mush ever since, so an easy, completely unproductive Saturday watching intermittent snow fall outside (no accumulation however) and drinking coffee while the visiting handymen completed some repair work down h...

Presenting the Anspach-Bayreuth Kuirassiere!!!

Here they are, with the rearmost nine figures still drying, three squadrons of the Anspach-Bayreuth Kuirassiere, now in the service of the Grand Duchy of Stollen. And now, it's onto that artillery!

And It's the End of September!!!

Saxony's Ploetz Cuirassiers, an illustration lifted from the Kronoskaf website, which has thus far guided my spectacularly glacial painting of 30 28mm Eureka Saxon cuirassiers purchased all the way back in October 2016. A gray, cool Saturday here in Mid-Michigan with rain in the forecast. The Grand Duchess is away at a conference, so it's just "The Boys" here at home. The Young Master (almost 15) has retreated to his room for something or other following breakfast while I have stolen back down here to Zum Stollenkeller (masquerading as my office) with a second mug of coffee and both cats comfortably ensconced nearby. Enjoying the late morning and still in my pajamas! Not much planned for today beyond designing a couple of promotional flyers for workshops my department is presenting (small parties we will throw?) in October and November. With maybe a bit of on the next podcast script. More important, I am toying with the idea of returning for an hour or...

The Grand Duchy of Stollen

Search This Blog