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, I should think cuirassiers would be one of the most obvious complementary sets to make if they decide to enter the period (with Prussian infantry, esp. fusiliers, a close second). In any case, it may be worthwhile holding on to your war chest!
- Charge! gaming, coincidentally, is something a friend and I have picked as our project for this Winter. After reading through the elementary version several times however, I can find no mention of officers' role in the game's mechanics (nor in the advanced version, for that matter). - Yet the Brigadier explicitly mentions officers in his orders of battle and unit rosters. Have we overlooked something, or how do you and your opponent intend to handle this matter?
Your occasional thoughts on these and any related items would be much appreciated as we develop our imagi-national armies. Thank you again for a most inspirational article, and best wishes from Brussels,
- Stefan Schulz -
Wow! The possibility of 1/72 SYW plastics from HaT! Now, wouldn't that be something? Time for all you other plastics enthusiasts out there to begin politely badgering the HaT offices and encourging them to move ahead with this particular project. Dank je wel/Merci beaucoups Stefan!
Comments
Speaking of plastics, the Zeveda Swedish Cavalry of Charles XII are available from the Michigan Toy Soldier & Figure Company. They are excellent looking figures. I'm glad that HAT has the SYW on their radar. It will be nice to have some variety of choices when it comes to plastic.
Yours,
Martin
Now that is good news especially if they will do some of the 'missing' areas such as grenzs, fusiliers, frei korps etc. Your Belgium correspondent says the hussars can be found. Where?! I've been searching endlessly!