However, I do intend to have a game with this collection (as it stands so far) early in the New Year, and am building up some bits 'n' bobs whilst the main infantry units are being prepared by Mark and James.
Tomorrow I get to pick up the second Pils Holstein infantry battalion, currently being dressed for action by Mark.
In the meantime, I want to share with you some of my own painting creations, as I am tinkering around the fringes of the collection:
First, some Pils Holstein light guns...
Figures are from the Perry AWI range.
Next, a unit of fictional cavalry...
...The Transvladak Uhlanen (from Transvladachia, a region of mountains and forests in the SE of Europe... these rascals are fierce mercenaries, and the Pils Holstein purse has attracted them to defend against the French border incursions.
You may remember one of their officers (Major Ligue) mentioned as Tessa Pepisa's ADC in an earlier post.
Figures are John Ray unique originals.
This is a single squadron unit.
Whilst infantry are standardised at 30 figures (with the exception of combined Grenadier battalions which will be 24s), I am allowing some latitude in the sizes of cavalry units.
Sad News and Perspectives...
on Friday 8 November as I was about to begin a seminar, I received some bad news. The previous evening, Lee Maxwell had passed away.
Lee had been diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease around a year ago. Graham (see Scotia Albion blog http://scotiaalbion.blogspot.co.uk/ ) had kept me appraised of the deterioration in Lee's condition, but I wasn't prepared for the Lee I met at Partizan, for the last time, in September.
I prefer to remember the jolly giant of a character, the rugby loving, humorous, wonderful gentleman wargamer. The guy I roomed with when we did a refight of Blenheim for the 300th anniversary in 2004, and who sat up most of the night discussing plans for large battalions of Staddens (this was pre- "old school" days). The guy who was the life and soul of many weekend games, such as those held at faraway places such as Dumfries and darkest Lancashire.
Many readers may remember Lee as one of the Teeside Triumvirate (as Duncan MacFarlane referred to them) or Redcar Rebels, putting on games at shows (with his compatriots, Graham Cummings and Gordon MacLean) - some of the finest games on the circuit. They were featured in the hobby press often, most notably for their Killiecrankie game which was in Wargames World issue 3 (the yellow magazine that Duncan produced as a Wargames Illustrated supplement many moons ago).
Lee was always a real "wag", a hoot to wargame with... always quick-witted, and self-deprecating when the dice were not going for him. On one occasion as a whole cavalry brigade was wiped out in a large multiplayer game, he simply called out "Shovel!" and made to motion as if sweeping the detritus from the table!
My one regret is not getting one more game in with him when Graham and I had hoped we would.
I feel so sad for Lee's family and friends, and particularly for Graham who has lost his closest wargaming pal.
Lee Maxwell loved the 18th century period. I know that up there, somewhere, he's got those cavalry back and they are launching another charge. He will be missed.
