The 2025 Plan: 3rd Quarter Update

 

Each year I make a plan for my (primarily) miniature painting activities. The year 2023 was the year of "The Big Move" and my plan for 2024, well, fizzled. Not that I'm complaining. Hey, when 4 grandchildren arrive in less than 2 years it's time to celebrate! I'll pause on my hobby activities to spend time with those bundles of joy. I now consider myself a professional grandfather. 

It's been another interesting, but satisfying year. Well . . . I had foot surgery that I knew was eventually coming from my distinguished (HAH!) career as an Infantry officer. Who knew that during a recovery that I would watch a moving about a bunch of singers in one family that would launch me on a project that is almost exclusively dominating my hobby activities! I haven't been this excited since I did my Pashtun project for the North West Frontier - and like all great projects it will never be complete.

Speaking of projects . . . 

"Growth", February 13, 2025.

I took up Watercolors 3 1/2 years ago (good retired foogie stuff) and for the second year in a row I took 1st Place in Watercolors at the regional Veterans Creative Arts Competition. The added bonus was also receiving "Best in Show" this year. Now I'm just waiting to see if I'll be moving on to Nationals later this year - I just missed the cut last year. Okay let's get back to my favorite subject: Toy Soldiers.

With the abbreviated plan (foot surgery) I am quite pleased with the results so far:

1. Take some pictures of my newly painted 28mm Ghurkas for the Northwest Frontier from Perry Miniatures and post them. I love the rules The Men Who Would be Kings as I am definitely a Hollywood kind of gamer when it comes to Colonial Gaming. DONE! 

The 1st Battalion, 3rd Ghurka Rifles are ready to leave the depot. Figures by Perry Miniatures.

In addition, I need to take some pictures of "Team Chase" (okay, it's Jonny Quest) from Pulp Miniatures by Bob Murch (contact Bob Murch by email if you are in the states for updated pricing information with the new tariffs) for an exciting, adventure filled post! DONE! Note: I'm thinking of some new figures for next year to send this crew of intrepid heroes on a fun filled pulp adventure.

2. Finish painting the Ogre miniatures for Honorable Son #4 (The Flying Engineer). DONE!

The Ogre Mark III.

Heavy Artillery.

Infantry in powered armor.

3. Paint a Sikh unit and British mountain gun for the Northwest Frontier. If I have more time also a British Infantry unit and another group of Pashtun tribesmen. The Sikh unit from Perry Miniatures is complete with a bonus that it can also deploy for my new project. Not only will it see duty on the Northwest Frontier but will do double duty as the 1st Sikh Infantry, Punjab Frontier Force in China (See Paragraph 6). The British mountain gun is on the back burner for now but when I get to it, it won't take long to do.

If there's a piper, I'll paint it. The unit is also from Perry Miniatures for the game The Men Who Would be Kings.

4. Finish my "German" Division for the French Army for the Peninsular War. I'm currently not on planning any artillery. Not yet but still coming. I currently now have all of the figures/units I want courtesy of WoFun Miniatures. All units have been put together and based - I just need to finish the bases. You can see below how the units will look and how I am doing the bases with the picture of the Rhine Battalion Number 3 (Frankfurt). Net up will be the contingent from the Duchy of Baden with future posts with a little history attached. Another project on the backburner. I did start the bases for the Baden battalions and just need to add some static grass. I really want to do a big battle Napoleonic battle in the Peninsular by the end of the year.

Confederation of the Rhine Battalion Number 3 (Frankfurt), converted Dutch Infantry from WoFun Miniatures.

5. "The Search for Charlie". Okay, it's time to get this campaign started and find out what really happened to Charlie - and Sam is pissed. Coming soon! This has slid a bit to the back burner - though I did purchase some recent, secret terrain for the adventure! This has really slid - but SHHHHHHH! Sam made have found a clue and the next chapter could happen before the end of the year.

Sam has the Nazi goons right were he wants them.

New Goals:

6. In addition I have decided to paint a new unit of an army I have never done before. Time to pick one out.

Ta Dah. I did exactly that. While recovery from foot surgery (technically I still in the recovery phase - 3 weeks to go!) I watched a historical drama about the Von Trapp Family singers. Yep, the basis for the Sound of Music. I knew that Georg Von Trapp was a naval war hero in the Austro-Hungarian Navy during World War I, but that was the extent of my knowledge. So with a little research . . . GREAT SCOTT!!! HE FOUGHT IN THE BOXER REBELLION AS A NAVAL CADET IN THE AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN NAVY! New Period.

Cadet Second Class Georg Von Trapp. Figure is from Copplestone Castings Russian Naval Command from the Back of Beyond Range.

It's been a while since I have been so excited about a new project and especially with figures (Imperial Japanese and Imperial (Qing Dynasty) Chinese. What's great about doing the Boxer Rebellion is that I basically have all of the forces I need for the 8 Nations Alliance. By adding Austro-Hungarian Sailors and Japanese Infantry, I can give the 8 Nations Alliance the right look for a generic force using the rules The Men Who Would be Kings. Speaking of Japanese Infantry:

Japanese Infantry from Crusader Miniatures.

The Austrian-Hungarian Naval Ground Contingent.

Most of the British Forces of the Relief Expedition were Indian so the 1st Sikhs, Punjab Frontier Force will join and my already painted Bengal Lancers will be along for the ride. I already have Russian forces so for now the Relief Expedition is done (though I'm sure I'll add more forces for the Legation). Now the majority of the painting will shift to the Chinese forces, both Boxers and Imperial Chinese Army. My latest purchases are the new Kansu Braves from Crusader Miniatures and some Chinese banners.

The first infantry unit for the Tenacious Army of the Imperial Chinese Army. Figures from Wargames Foundry and banners from Crusader miniatures.

Captain General Nieh Shih-ch'eng of the Tenacious Army  Shih-ch'eng of the Tenacious Army. Figures by Wargames Foundry, banner from Crusader Miniatures and gong by Pulp Figures.

The first infantry unit for the Tenacious Army of the Imperial Chinese Army. Figures from Wargames Foundry and banners from Crusader miniatures.

Chinese Krupp mountain gun Model 1895. Figures from Wargames Foundry and gun from Askari Miniatures.

Next up and the unit I am currently working on will be the Kansu Braves from Crusader Miniatures.

7. I'm also going to work on my forces for Xenos Rampant. I have more figures - not sure when I'll get around to them. No longer a goal this year.

I did however painted a Strike Force Commander and another figure for my Mobile Infantry that looks remarkably like a Space Marine.

"As a Space Marine officer, I prefer not to wear my helmet into combat. Heads up displays, thermal imagery, communication nets, real time location and the status of my Marines - plus the protection it provides are for sissies. Plus I can see my chain sword better without it.

I painted this guy too: 

8. Why not; time to do some more armies for One Hour Wargames.

We also got a game in against Mr. Babbage on the Northwest Frontier!

Now that I can sit and paint again, the production line should start speeding up.

That's the big (abbreviated) painting/hobby plan and so far so good! There will be games, more Warhammer 40K Fire Team (yes they sucked me in), some French and Indian War action, Pulp fun and of course a return to the Northwest Frontier. 

The Boxer Rebellion Project, Part 16: Chinese Krupp Mountain Gun

I really hate painting gun carriages and wagon spoke type wheels. Whew. I'm glad I got that off my chest.

Imperial Chinese artillery manning a breechloader.

The Chinese Krupp mountain gun Model 1895 is a variant of the 75mm gun which was designed for portability in mountainous regions. It was used by the Chinese in various conflicts; from the First Sino-Japanese War all the way up to World War II. Both the Tenacious Army and the Kansu Braves had the Krupp model 1895.

The cannon is from Askari Miniatures which has many fine lines of artillery and other Colonial miniatures and accessories.

Since it's a breech loader, I am out of a job since I have a linstock used with muzzle loaders. Maybe I can hold a banner when my replacement shows up.

The replacement.

Crewman from Wargames Foundry.

The Boxer Rebellion Project, Part 15: Second Imperial Chinese Infantry Unit of the Tenacious Army

Imperial Chinese defend a barricade at the Battle of Tientsin which inflicted the heaviest Allied casualties of the War.

The "Tenacious Army" under the command of Captain General Nieh Shih Ch'ing was an infantry force of 30 battalions of infantry with two "brigades" of artillery modelled on German standards and organization. During the Boxer Rebellion it was stationed near the key city of Tientsin with approximately 13,000 men. It was well armed with Mauser rifles, Maxim machine guns and artillery.

Most, but not all, Imperial infantry wore blue uniforms of various shades.

Infantry Unit number 2 for my Imperial Chinese Army Field Force for The Men Who Would be Kings are again figures from the The Taiping Rebellion range of figures from Wargames Foundry. They are from packs CH021 Ever Victorious Army Command and Characters,  CH023 Ever Victorious Army Infantry and CH021 Ever Victorious Army Command and Characters.

Anonymous Chinese woodblock. Bodies thrown into the sky as Dong Fuxiang's Muslim troops attack Western forces at Tianjin.

The larger Chinese banner is from Crusader Miniatures and the smaller one on top is hand made.

Soldiers of the Imperial army wore various styles of turbans and Manchu hats.

This figure is painted as wearing "Mongolian" boots.

 

The Boxer Rebellion Project, Part 14: Imperial Chinese Artillery Crew

Chinese artillery crewman (and one extra general) from Wargames Foundry.

I haven't had so much fun researching and putting together an army since the Perry Miniatures Plastic Afghan Tribesman pushed me to do a Pashtun Field Force to fight the British Raj on the Northwest Frontier. Whew. I'm glad I go that off my chest. On with the next unit in my Imperial Chinese Field Force to use with The Men Who Would be Kings (and of course other Colonial Rules).

As part of Phase 1 of my Chinese Imperial Army for the Boxer Rebellion (actually a Wargames Foundry Order) I really liked the artillery crewman from Foundry's Taiping Rebellion line. I purchased CH024 Ever Victorious Army Artillery Crew which can be used for any Chinese army from 1860 to the early 20th Century.

The Qing Dynasty (1644–1912), the last imperial dynasty of China, saw the introduction of new firearms and military technologies as the empire faced increasing challenges from foreign powers. Despite the Qing Dynasty’s reluctance to modernize, significant strides were made in the use of firearms and cannon artillery. By the late Qing period, China had seen the introduction of bolt-action rifles, repeating firearms, and machine guns, largely through foreign influence. However, the Qing military was slow to adopt these technologies on a large scale, which contributed to the empire’s vulnerability during the Opium Wars, the Taiping Rebellion, the First Sino-Japanese War and the Boxer Rebellion.

I added the bucket to this figure. The bucket is with the accessory sprue that comes with the figures pack. I had to do some filing on the hand to make it fit; though not a perfect, it does look great at gaming distance.

During the period I am gaming, the Chinese made attempts to modernize around the turn of the century and bought artillery from several nations. Between 1895 and 1900 the Chinese purchased from British companies 71 fortress guns and 123 field gun. By the time of the Boxer Rebellion, the Chinese had also received 8.7cm Krupp M1886 field guns as well as 12cm and 15cm breech loaders from Krupp. They also purchased field guns from Japan and France. 

He grew up listening to stories of glory from his grandfather and now proudly wears the ancient uniform. General Li Shimin from Wargames Foundry pack CH001 Chinese Command and drafted into the artillery.

In addition, the Chinese had 200 Krupp mountain guns and some of the 7cm L/14 model. Other mountain guns were purchased from Austria-Hungary and France. Supply and training issues with the wide variety of field pieces were common; and, unfortunately, many Chinese armies preferred to use the old muzzle loaders. Even thought there were challenges, some Western observers (and the Japanese) observed that during the Second Peking Relief expedition, the Chinese artillerymen in the Tenacious Army and the Kansu Braves had learned how to use their German bought Krupp artillery accurately (sometimes outperforming European gunners).

So much artillery. Now I need to find a gun.