Sunday, 27 July 2025

Guards Update and more fun in the desert

I had hoped to be showing you the completed Coldstream Guard unit but other distractions on the painting desk have put paid to that for this week. I can report however that all the rank and file are finished and part of the command - just have the two standard bearers left to do.

These are all vintage figures - the two officers are amongst my favourite of Marcus Hinton's creations.

One very pleasant distraction during the week was a trip to Goya's new seaside residence where Mrs S and I were treated to a lovely lunch. Goya had cunningly planned it so that whilst Mrs S & G toured the grounds we retired to his study for a quick colonial game using the 'Men Who Would be Kings' rules.

I played the British in this encounter whilst Goya played a rabble of foreign types. The lancers have been beautifully painted, the infantry shown are all S-range Minifigs.
You can't have a game like this without camels.

Goya's new study easily accommodated a 5' x 4' table and he reckons a 10' x 4' is possible at a push.

If you have camels you must have palm trees too, it's a rule in colonial wargames.

It was a great looking table like something straight out of Featherstone or Morschauser!

The rules encourage you to name your leaders and these cavalry were under the command of one W. Churchill.

This was a tense moment when a band of tribesmen suddenly appeared on my flank - thank goodness for the stiff upper lip.

We didn;t quite finish play before the ladies returned but I think my force managed to live to fight another day.

If you've never played these rules I highly recommend it, you don't need many figures and things move along at quite a pace whilst not overstretching your brain which for me is a plus!

23 comments:

WSTKS-FM Worldwide said...

Great looking game, especially the evocative B&W shot! The Guards are coming along well too.

Kind Sunday Morning Regards,

Stokes

Stryker said...

Thanks Stokes, yes the game was a lot of fun.

Anonymous said...

Stryker forgot to say that he managed to drive through the Mahdist hordes and won the game! The cunning Mahdist-Nazi plot (conducted through a Time Machine) to eliminate Lieutenant W.S. Churchill nearly worked but he escaped to fight another day (fortunately). Mahdist reinforcements are on the painting table for a rematch.

Goya

Donnie McGibbon said...

Your guards are looking great, looking forward to seeing the completed regiment. Super looking game and the Minifigs "S" lancers are quite superb, a a real a treat to see them.

Stryker said...

Thanks Goya, can a have a gattling gun?

Stryker said...

Thanks Donnie, I hope the Guards will be ready for next weekend!

Rob said...

Your Foot Gards are coming on a treat, perhaps you might treat us to a talk-through of them defending Hougoumont from the French when ready?
Nice collection, I'd never have guessed Minifigs, but surely the cavary at least are Jacklex, and some of the foreign types look like plastic figures?

Stryker said...

I can’t remember what the cavalry are but they’re not Jacklex and yes there are quite a few very nice plastics on the table.

Anonymous said...

The British cavalry are Les Higgins lancers on Garrison horses (don’t ask why) with a Jacklex officer. Two of the infantry units are MF S range and the third is Rose.

The Mahdist cavalry are Jacklex, the camel unit Hat and the infantry mostly Esci with some Airfix Arabs and a drummer from the Tarzan set! The new units will mostly be Hat.

If anyone has a spare MF British officer, a spare Les Higgins British infantryman and any Les Higgins Highlanders, I am very interested.

Goya

Matt said...

Fantastic looking game...and the Guards look great!

Duke of Baylen said...

I enjoyed the pictures of the game. I'm glad Mr Churchill survived as I'm reading his volumes on Marlborough, highly recommended, which were written after the event portrayed here. I was pleased to see the Guard's drummer because I've been putting all that lace on two Royal Marine drummers for the 1830s.
Stephen

Stryker said...

Thanks Matt.

Stryker said...

Thanks Stephen, in the end it was just Winston and one trooper left, brave fellows!

the Archduke said...

Well, my bookshelves would be a lot lighter if you hadn't got him out alive....how do the rules determine whether the casualties are future world savers or just lower types? I'd like to say I love the Guards but they give me an uneasy feeling au cul .....

French Follower said...

I am dazzled by the quality of your painting, but but but...

Once again, I am amazed by the captions of your British figurines charged with defending the Hougoumont castle farm.

The Duke of Wellington entrusted the inner defense of Hougoumont to Lieutenant-Colonel Macdonnel (Coldstream Guards) and the defense of the orchard to Lieutenant-Colonel Salthoun (1st Foot Guard). Each had two light companies from Byng's and Maitland's brigades.

1/ The defenders of the castle farm are therefore guards and should all have white braid on their sleeve cuffs and the edge of their coats.

2/ The four light companies are distinguished from the other companies by a plume and a green shako cord, as well as the wings on their shoulders.

3/ The non-commissioned officers of the Guard regiments have gold buttonholes and braid, whereas the troops have white braid and buttonholes.

4/ The non-commissioned officers of the light companies are armed with a rifle or a carbine. The sergeants of the other companies are armed with a pike.

5/ To transmit orders, the musicians of the light companies are equipped with a bugle.

6/ The drummers and buglers of the Guard regiments wear a specific white braid with blue fleurs-de-lis, including on the sleeve chevrons.

7/ The drummers and buglers of the three Guard regiments wear a double braid along their sleeves.

There is also a particuliarity concerning the non-commissioned officers' sash, which is a different color for each of the three regiments. Choosing the emblems is a real headache because each battalion has three flags (the colonel's flag, the lieutenant colonel's flag, the major's flag, and a King's flag for each company). On campaign, each battalion carried only two flags and left the others in London.

For the uniforms, I solved the problem by opting for mt two foot-guard battalions wearing coats. It's less attractive, but much safer to avoid mistakes.

Sources:
https://www.ebay.fr/itm/126395386800

https://www.antikcostume.com/waterloo-1815-les-carnets-de-la-campagne-no-8-la-belle-a18098.htm

Illustrations:

https://centjours.mont-saint-jean.com/detail_uniformes_uniteBR.php?nom=II/1st%20Regiment%20of%20Foot%20Guards&rubrique=U&uniformes=37& nation=1

https://centjours.mont-saint-jean.com/detail_uniformes_uniteBR.php?nom=II/2nd%20Regiment%20of%20Foot%20Guards&rubrique=U&uniformes=38&nation=1

https://centjours.mont-saint-jean.com/detail_uniformes_uniteBR.php?nom=II/3rd%20Regiment%20of%20Foot%20Guards&rubrique=U&uniformes=39&nation=1

Busker said...

The Coldstreams are coming along great....and nice to see the two different officer poses together. (I've a soft spot for the Coldstreams as my Grandad served with them 1908-1910)

Stryker said...

Nigel, I’m sure you have nothing to worry about with the Guards, well not much…

Stryker said...

Thanks FF illuminating.

Stryker said...

Thanks Simon, just those pesky flags to paint now…

Wellington Man said...

Bravo all round, Ian. The Coldstreams will look stunning once they have their colours. The Mahdist game looked like a hoot. Goya did a really love job with those troops.

Stryker said...

Thanks WM, I agree Goya’s paint job on his colonials is top notch!

MSFoy said...

This all looks marvellous. Surely your French admirer must be a running joke? If he doesn't exist, we'll have to invent him.

Stryker said...

You're right there Tony!