The Grand Duchy of Stollen

Der Alte Fritz and his soldiers. I t would be highly remiss of me not to mention the tenth anniversary of Jim Purky's Der Alte Fritz Journal .  Where my own renewed and reinvigorated wargaming activities of the last dozen years are concerned, Jim has been and remains highly influential in a litany of ways, and he ranks right up there with the Grants, Young and Lawford, Featherstone, Gilder, and Mason in my book.  Drop by his blog by clicking on the link above and take a gander at his retrospective plus where he sees his own hobby going in the next ten years. -- Stokes

T he hurried, unpainted, ragtag, 'teenage-style' basing of the various units comprising my armies is now a thing of the past, thank you very much.  The somewhat more mature (Really?) rebasing with commercially produced materials has now been completed.  And the long suggested GRAND REVIEW of the entire Grand Duchy of Stollen collection (atop a scenic table no less) is coming shortly.  Stay tuned! -- Stokes

A bunch of Revell plastic (Austrian) artillery crews man generic MiniFigs guns in front, with Garrison (Prussian) crews and manning two more guns by MiniFigs (yellow) and two by Holger Eriksson (blue).  In the far background is an RSM95 crew painted as Saxons and another Minden crew painted in the artillery uniorms worn by some minor German principality or other, both of whom service a pair of Minden Swedish 4-pounders painted red.  I'm rather pleased with the way everything more or less matches up size-wise although the RSM95 and Minden figures are certainly the tallest.  But the slender Revell figures don't look entirely out of place either. H ome a bit early today, and puttering around Zum Stollenkeller for a little while before I dive into a stack of student team-written essays.  I thought it was high time to share a photograph of the rebased artillery crews.  Only one more pair of Minden Russian guns (I've also got a pair of Austrian) and 13 related R...

Here's the two-squadron regiment of hussars on their new 40mm wide x 50mm deep bases. T he Litko bases arrived in record time with the mail today.  Late this afternoon, I set about painting them.  After dinner and the Young Master's bedtime (we are working our way through a wonderful National Geographic for Kids book on insects, spiders, and other assorted creepy crawlies) I returned to detach the Minden figures carefully from their old unpainted illustration board bases, touch up the edges, and finally cement each rider and horse in place on their new (and F-I-N-A-L) bases.   I am very pleased with the outcome and will add a couple of additional trumpeters, already in the leadpile, to the flanks of the two squadrons at some point in the not too distant future, eventually raising the regimental strength to 32 men and horses.  Tomorrow, I'll tackle basing the ten completed artillery crews.   And now I am off to play a game or two of Yahtzi with th...

A rather nice rendering of a Lauzun's Legion hussar, ca. 1781, from Uniformology. W ell, I sat down to stick my regiment of Minden Prussian hussars (painted as Lauzun's Legion hussars more or less) onto new 3mm ply bases the other night and made an unexpected and mildly frustrating discovery.  The galloping horses with legs outstretched actually need bases that are 50mm in depth rather than the 45mm deep bases I have on hand.  The metal figure bases are too long as are the outstretched legs of the horses.  Blast!   So, a short while later, I placed a small order online, admittedly somewhat unanticipated, with Litko for bases 40mm wide x 50mm deep plus some  60mm wide x 120mm deep for my deployed artillery crews.  Hopefully, I'll have these in two weeks or so, but in the meantime, it's hurry up and wait.  Don't you just hate it when that happens?  I know.  I know.  First World problem as they say. -- Stokes Later. . ....

Holger Erisksson dragoons painted, more or less, as Von Trumbach Dragoons, and RSM95 Austrian cuirassiers painted as, if memory serves, Austria's Anspach Cuirassiers. A lmost another two cavalry regiments (two squadrons each plus regimental staff) rebased this Saturday afternoon and this evening. . .  even with planning for two classes on Monday,  The Holger Eriksson dragoons still need some retouching on the edges of the figures' individual bases, and then I can tack 'em down at some point tomorrow (Sunday).  One figure each will be replaced with standard bearers carrying white colonel's standards hopefully before too much longer, but they don't look too bad in the meantime.  Next up, a regiment of Minden hussars! -- Stokes P.S. The Holger Eriksson dragoons were painted in 2010, or early 2011 using the last of an old tin of Humbrol 'British Rifle Green' that I purchased during a visit to one-time MiniFigs HQ on Graham Road in Southampton while v...

The 4th (Trakehnen) Dragoons, my first ever cavalry regiment made up of Revell Austrian dragoons painted way back in February and March of 2007, on brand-spanking new multiple 3mm ply, laser-cut bases from Litko. W ell, after a few nights off, I got right back into the rebasing fray and began with the existing cavalry arm.  First off, a unit of 1/72 plastics that I completed during the late winter of 2007.   The Litko 3mm ply bases measure 40mm wide x 45mm deep, in keeping with the dimensions suggested for close order cavalry in the rule set In the Grand Manner by the late Peter Gilder.  As I mentioned in a previous rebasing post, these have always looked right to me in the many photographs of his collections that I have scrutinized over the years in old issues of Military Modelling, Miniature Wargames and Wargames Illustrated .  What I have always aimed to do these last 11 years, though it is only just now coming together, is to combine the very best v...

W hew!  The existing regiments of line infantry are now ALL rebased.   I wrapped things up with a unit of Revell Austrians and Prussians, which are, according to the stipulations laid out in Charge!  Or How to Play War Games , battalion strength.  I'll call them a composite battalion of grenadiers, AND a light battalion of RSM95 Irish grenzers in the second photograph. . .  Technically, the grenzers are NOT line infantry, but I rediscovered them lurking in a plastic tub yesterday, and they also really needed refurbished bases, so. . .   Time to take a short break for a few days now, and then start rebasing existing cavalry regiments: cuirassiers, dragoons, dragoons, and hussars.  There might be another regiment or two lurking in my plastic storage tubs, but I'll need to look and see what's what later in the week. -- Stokes

The newly rebased Ermland Garde (actually Revell SYW plastic Austrians), first painted way back in the summer of 2007.  Individually based (or rather UN-based) to begin with, this is the regiment's second -- and most definitely final -- rebasing.  Other than a bit of touching up with GW 'Goblin Green' around the edges of the figure bases, this was fairly easy and fairly quick to do this evening after dinner while I enjoyed a large mug of strong black coffee and some online jazz in the background. F ull steam ahead!  Just one more unit of line infantry to rebase tomorrow, a small two-company unit of combined grenadiers.  Next up in the rebasing queue, a plastic regiment of Austrian dragoons painted way back during January-February of 2007.  At this rate, I'll have to replenish my supply of Litko 3mm ply bases before long! -- Stokes

The newly (re-) based provisional regiment, made up o RSM95 Austrian, French, and Prussian figures along with two or three Hanoverian officers and the not-yet-demoted MiniFIg standard bearer, who will eventually be replaced by two RSM95 of Minden flag bearers and carrying new standards.  He has not been cemented to the central command base in anticipation of the approaching demotion. J ust flying through the rebasing here, and only two existing line infantry regiments remain after this one, The Ermland Garde and another composite formation, both consisting this time of Revell SYW plastic Austrians and Prussians.  I might actually be able to get the line infantry all done before Sunday evening  Cross your fingers and toes. -- Stokes

Zichenau's Flicknhoffer Fusiliers freshly rebased, and with the former fourth company hived off to a newly raised composite regiment just beyond.  As usual, these two regiments await the issue of two new standards and two new standard bearers each (Minden or RSM95) , so the current ensigns have not been glued down but included merely for the sake of the photograph. T here is no denying that organization and a bit of drive help to get things done.  I'm just breezing through the "To Do" list today.  Rather unusual for a Friday, but you've got to strike while the iron is hot.  Someone remind me of this in about six weeks when it will already be Midterm, and I'll be mired in the figurative sludge of the semester. ++++++++++ To answer a couple of questions from Gerardus Magnus. . .  Yes, the current rebasing efforts are meant to impart a more consistent, finished look to everything that has been painted during the last 11 years.  Long-time visitors mig...

Another 60-figure regiment of RSM95 Prussian infantry, painted this time as Hanseatic troops from Bremen, Luebeck, and Hamburg (according to an old Knoetel plate and a few other illustrations equally antiquated) back in late 2011, I think, as part of a friendly painting challenge with some like-minded wargaming friends and acquaintances in the far flung corners of the earth.  New Minden standard bearers and flags are coming here too, so the old MiniFig standard bearer lurks at the rear of the command base, but he has not been cemented into place. W ell, things are cooking here at Stollen Central for the moment, and the existing four line infantry regiments in the Army of Stollen are all rebased.  Time to paint up another unit's worth of bases and get started on rectifying base-related issues for the Army of Zichenau.  A relatively consistent and 'finished' look is the intent.  At this rate, I might be finished with the infantry much sooner than anticipated and c...

30mm Huzzah! figures painted as, more or less, the Württemberg Garde zu Fuß in 2010 or '11.  They await the addition of their white Colonel's color, and I actually have a spare figure all base-coated and in progress. T hree existing regiments of line infantry are now -- for The Grand Duchy of Stollen that is -- all cemented to new laser cut bases with one more to go.  I'll tackle these this weekend although I might paint the base surfaces my usual bright green before then if time permits.  Then, I can turn my attention to the line regiments comprising the Army of Zichenau before turning my attention to (re-) basing the cavalry and deployed artillery crews. The figures used for the regiment shown above, and sold to me by Der Alte Fritz back in 2009, are from the limited Huzzah! range, which appeared in 2007 or '08 at the height of the "Old School Wargaming" craze.  Sadly, nothing more ever appeared, and the range petered out although the Prussian infantr...

At long last, they occupy precision cut bases.  Look closely, and you see drummers and sergeants in a third rank.  Two new Minden standard bearers and standards to follow, but for the sake of this photograph, the MiniFig standard bearer lurks at the rear of the line. M anaged to find enough time this sunny and cool Sunday afternoon to rebase a second infantry unit in the Grand Duchy of Stollen collection.  This time, it is the Leib (Grand Duchess Sonja's Own) Grenadiers, RSM95 Prussians given to me for Christmas 2006 by my wife and painted during the winter and spring of '07.   They are my take on Brigadier Peter Young's original Leib Grenadiers as seen in the pages of Charge! Or How to Play War Games (1967) and a later version of the same unit fielded by John Preece in the now legendary Sittangbad refight at Partizan in May of 2006.  Next up, another bunch of bases to paint and another unit of infantry to rebase.  I think my hobby mojo might...

Newly rebased Revell Prussian musketeers awaiting the addition of its two new Minden standard bearers.  The former MiniFig keeps watch for the time being from the rear.  This was the first unit I painted way back in July-September 2006. S adly, not much to report here at Stollen Central since my small game almost a month ago.  Although we just finished a three-month long summer vacation, real life kept getting in the way, rather more often than we would have preferred.  As I have written here often in recent years, bed and a book, or a movie/British TV program via Netflix or Acorn with the Grand Duchess, won out most evenings this summer.  I haven't really felt like doing much hobby-wise, truth be told, since my Baltic German town center in May and June and starting that squadron of horse grenadiers in bearskins in early July.  Sigh.  2017 was to have been the year that I beefed up my cavalry arm, but that looks increasingly unlikely the way thi...