The Grand Duchy of Stollen

Just a quick posting before some evening work on student papers -- Save for the touch-ups tomorrow (not very many), painting on the first squadron is now finished. Yes! Spent about two hours this evening, applying yellow and gold lace detail to the officers and troopers respectively along with finishing the sashes and white markings on the horses' muzzles and ankles. It was a most satisfying painting session! Unfortunately, the Grand Duchess has the digital camera this evening at a university event, so you'll have to wait for a photo update or two until the touch-ups and clear protective coating are all done. But patience is a virtue. . . or so I'm told. ;-)

Well, here is another photo-progress report of where we stand with these Revell hussars, or as they are known here in Stollen Central -- the 11th (Prinz Albrecht's) Hussars . They are based on the real-life 11th Hussars of Balaklava fame, although I've had to use some artistic license here because the real regiment had not yet been converted to hussars in the mid-18th century. Adrian, please feel free to jump in here and correct me on any of these details by leaving a comment. Although I feel I've done better painting in the past, these won't look too terrible en masse once the entire regiment is finished. Above, you'll see an ok shot of the entire squadron assembled for inspection. Looking at my notes, I see that the only things remaining are the sashes, cuff lace, and some white markings on the horses, plus the inevitable touch-ups. Then it's a coat or two of Futer/Klear floor finish. And then on to the second squadron! The second picture above is a clo...

The Plastic Soldier Review people have their latest review up. . . and it's on this new release by Zvezda. Find the link at right and have a look yourself. In general, these look and sound like excellent figures, so I might just have to order three boxes to form a large regiment of dragoons, who fight for on of the lesser principalities surrounding the Grand Duchy of Stollen and the Electorate of Zichenau. Have been exchanging e-mails with Richard from the Dayton Painting Consortium about some suitable cuirassiers (with swords cast as part of each figure rather than separately, as in the case of the RSM Prussians) . Looks like the Austrian troopers and officer fit the bill. Richard suggested that I use the English heavy cavalry trumpeter. Since I want to include a standard bearer in the unit, I 'll have to ask about that. I think I might need to use one of those open- handed Prussians here with a flagpole and a home-made paper standard, which I always prefer to commercia...

I had this e-mail waiting in my in-box this morning from a visitor in Belgium (of all places)! Thought it might be interesting for your Stollen regulars to contemplate. . . especially you fans of 1/72 plastics: Dear Stokes Schwartz, After reading your Battlegames article with avid interest, the latest entries on your Stollen blog prompts me to write in. - Cavalry , to begin with: Your article prompted me to seriously consider 20mm plastics again, rather than 15/18mm metal figures, for historical gaming. In that line, I wrote to HäT abut some of their 1806 sets due for release, and also mentioned a possible matrket for Seven Years War figures. Here's what they replied: "The 7YW is indeed one of the periods we are contemplating for the future, and once we clear some of our current sets we will definitely look into it!" Perhaps some encouragement from you and like-minded friends might help tip the scales? With Revell hussars and dragoons still widely available,...

A 30mm Spencer Smith cuirassier for the War of Austrian Succession. Of course, the figure would serve well for a variety of other mid-18th century ventures too. Just a very quick update before I return to the translation, which is now slightly past the halfway point (muted cheers). And my due date is at the end of November. On a wargaming related note, I received payment today for my article in Battlegames #13 last summer, and it is a rather handsome sum if I do say so myself. Henry Hyde pays his contributors well -- very well indeed. And that cheeky devil even suggested that I spend it wisely in his accompanying e-mail! Hmmm. . . Now, what could I do with this wonderful infusion into the Stollenian and Zichenauer war budgets ? What might you Stollenian faithful suggest? Oh, decisions, decisions! Addendum. . . Hello there Jeff and Greg, Well, all of these ranges have their charms and advantages. But I haven't really decided what to purchase yet. So, it's probably bett...

Just a sneak peek at a few of the highlights coming up here at the Grand Duchy of Stollen blog in the next several days. First, there's an update on the latest happenings in Krankenstadt palace as Iriwin-Amadeus II wonders out loud about life, the universe, the coming defensive campaign against the Electorate of Zichenau, and what he'll do with his day as his loyal English valet, Hives, scans the morning edition of Die Krankenstadt Tageblat . Next, there will be an informal review of those lovely Huzzah miniatures I received from Jim "Alte Fritz" Purky and Ian Marsh early last summer. I'll also be formalizing my thoughts on Charge! Or How to Play War Games for a short review that I promised Greg Horne some weeks ago. Finally, there will be an update on the plans Jonathan Broadus and I are developing for our play-by-e-mail game -- a refight of Charles Grant's Table Top Teaser from Battlegames #14 -- which will take place in the coming weeks. Oh, and of...

Here's a fantastic view of the Minneapolis skyline from the old Stone Arch Bridge, which used to take passenger trains across the mighty Mississippi River, to and from the Great Northern Railway Station. My old apartment was about half a mile to the right of this photo. I used to walk, ride my bike, and sometimes ski across this bridge several times each week. Well, Blogger still is not accepting/publishing my pasted in Word text. Hell and damnation! But anyway, where in the world did September go? It seems like I just turned around, and all of the sudden it's Fall! No matter, Autumn is my favorite time of the year with its crisp, chilly temperatures, and lovely colors. And speaking of colors, please continue to watch this space over the next several days for further developments with the current crop of figures. Then, of course, there will be a few new developments in the continuing misadventures of the Grand Duke Irwin-Amadeus II and his English manservant Hives along ...