Pound Store Skirmish Part 2

It’s been a week or two since I started this skirmish game and today I had the chance to conclude the final moves.

The story or scenario so far of my 1:1 skirmish game using pound store plastic warriors converted into colonial infantry and natives – photos and blogpost 1

https://poundstoreplasticwarriors.wordpress.com/2018/02/03/pound-store-colonial-skirmish-part-1/

The native spearmen attacking from the ridge on the right had done serious damage to the numbers of Redcoats relieving the Gatehouse patrol.

It was fairly obvious that the Redcoats would be unable to hold out at the Gatehouse to the Pass for long against the massed native rifles on the ridge.

Turn 4

Once most of the native spearmen had been dealt with, the cleverest solution for the Redcoats was to run for cover beneath the ridge that the native riflemen were on or remain across the other side of the valley beyond rifle range.

Turn 6

By Turn 6, many of the Redcoat troops had perished in the melee fighting against the Native Spearmen, leaving mostly the militia rifles to attempt to reinforce or rescue the Highlander patrol at the ruined Gatehouse.

Turn 7

Turning the gaming board round to get my painting seat back in action, this time we are looking from the native rifle positions on the left ridge down the valley.

Turn 7 to 11 saw the Militia and remaining Redcoats reach the Gatehouse. Several Native Riflemen left the ridge to attempt to cut off the retreat of the Militia but were fought off in melee.

Redcoat orders: What to do on this confused situation with so few men?

A d6 dice roll sorted this out. 1-3 retreat, 4 occupy Gatehouse or 5-6 attack the native ridge.

The Redcoats and Militia rolled to retreat, aiming to return with reinforcements. They remained below the ridge or out of rifle range. Their flag or colours were safe.

The Redcoats and Militia retreat out of rifle range.

The surviving Redcoats, rescued Highlanders from the Gatepost and the Militia halt out of rifle range. The heliograph operator flashes back a request for reinforcements.

Likewise the natives rolled for their next action and also retreated, melting away from the ridge to watch from the hills.

A most satisfactory game, albeit a game that soon proved unwinnable for the Redcoats after the heavy losses against the native spearmen. It proved interesting enough despite being shelved twice, played over three short occasions, all part of the convenience of a portable game board and of solo gaming.

It was a joy to finally be handling figures that I had been converting and painting for many previous weeks. It was the good looking game I had been working towards and envisaged. I liked the Old School / Featherstone / Wells look of the game and of the rugged desert Heroscape Hex terrain.

Blogposted by Mark Man of TIN on Pound Store Plastic Warriors, 25 February 2018.

Pound Store Colonial Skirmish part 1

Late last weekend my Colonial pound store plastic desert warrior conversions went into action against my Redcoats.

I have been working on these figures for many weeks and finally it was a chance to use them on my 192 Hexes of Joy game board, complete with extra added pink deserty Hexes.

Somewhere in the foothills of Generica, a patrol is overdue.

The initial dispositions are shown below, a Redcoat column marching up the valley to rescue the missing Patrol of the 3rd (Foot and Mouth) Highlanders, who were camped at the old gatehouse in the Pass.

Either side on the high ground of the valley are amassed Generican desert Warriors with rifles (bottom left) or long spears and shields (top right).

A heliograph operator flashes back information, summoning reinforcements. The Redcoats look to be outnumbered!

Generican desert riflemen with their long jezails or muskets line the rocky valley walls.

Will any reinforcements arrive in time? A slouch hatted company of local Militia are in Reserve nearby.

Will Private Widdle and the other 3rd Foot and Mouth Highlanders be rescued and the Pass held?

https://poundstoreplasticwarriors.wordpress.com/2018/01/28/pound-store-plastic-carry-on-up-the-khyber-colonial-highlanders/

Opening Moves

Being bunched up by the terrain, the first few volleys from the Redcoats were ineffectual before the Generican spearmen charged down the right hand Valley slopes into melee. With no savings throws, the initial casualties were high for both sides. Fixed bayonets met sword and shield. The Redcoat officer, leading from the front sword in hand, was soon downed.

Luckily, the d6 was rolled for when the Redcoat reinforcements of rifle militia would arrive in game turns. They rolled a two, so soon more rifles and boots on the ground will be stomping up the valley.

The following blogpost  part 2 shows  the conclusion of the skirmish:

https://poundstoreplasticwarriors.wordpress.com/2018/02/25/pound-store-skirmish-part-2/

———————-

Rules are my hexed up Close Little Wars, some of the simplest Donald Featherstone rules designed for natives and troops in cluttered terrain, originally in North American forests but here used in rocky desert. The cluttered terrain is made up of Heroscape hex tiles, now many percent extra deserty with the help of some painted Hexes!

Previous posts illustrate the conversions of cheap Pound Store 32-36mm plastic modern infantry into colonial figures.

Blogposted by Mark, Man of TIN on Pound Store Plastic Warriors, 3 February 2018

Little Green Men Pound Store Plastic Space Warriors

I wanted to create a race of opponents for the Space Marines that I had previously made. I also wanted to capture that highly colourful 1950s Space look of Dan Dare or the 1930s Flash Gordon serials that survived into the 1980 Flash Gordon movie. To make these figures different from my blue and silver Space Marines I have painted them orange and gold, the joy of gloss Revell acrylics.

I also added a golden mantle or shoulder armour section using simple card label or hole reinforcers glued on and held in place with clothes pegs whilst they dried. When these ran out, I cut out the patterns in stiff drawing paper.

You can see their opponents the blue Space Marines here

https://poundstoreplasticwarriors.wordpress.com/2017/11/05/poundland-space-marines-platoon-on-parade/

This is an attractive original figure, one of the ones that first attracted me to these penny figures in their £1 Poundland tubs.

The Space Commander figure is one of the most badly moulded and distorted of all the 12 pound store plastic warriors in the Poundland tubs. They make a possible space officer figure with a machine or Space pistol, along with a possible Desert Warrior with robes, shield and sword scabbard.

I look forward to getting these into action soon, using scaled down hex gameboard versions of my Close Little Star Wars rules.

https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2016/09/25/close-little-space-wars/

Blogposted by Mark, Man of TIN on his Pound Store Plastic Warriors blog, 28/29 January 2018.

Pound Store Plastic Warrior Conversions and Comparisons

In this post I am going to compare different figure conversions from the same few Poundland 36mm pound store plastic figures, available for £1 for 100 (now 80).

Above are 19th Century / Victorian style Colonial infantry variations converted from a modern infantryman.

These Boer / Confederate type figure conversions are made from some of the odder Poundland figures.

A heliographer figure is made from a modern machine gunner.

This marching figure has many possible uses from desert warriors, to Colonials and Boers or Confederates.

These figures have been shown on a previous blogpost during conversion, including the bush or slouch hat using a label reinforcer.

https://poundstoreplasticwarriors.wordpress.com/2017/11/26/pound-store-plastic-colonial-infantry-on-the-painting-table/

Next to come – little green men!

Blogposted by Mark Man of TIN on Pound Store Plastic Warriors, 28 January 2018.

Pound Store Plastic Carry on Up the Khyber Colonial Highlanders

The original pound store plastic 36mm figures are shown alongside the conversions. These kilted colonial figures have been made and painted from modern figures using kilts from PVA glue and tissue paper.

These are inspired by rewatching Carry on Up The Khyber and represent the 3rd (Foot and Mouth) Highland Infantry, those ‘Devils in Skirts’. This isolated guard patrol of three Highlanders form part of the focus or rescue part of my latest Colonial skirmish game.

You can see more of these pound store conversions and of Carry on Up The Khyber film stills that inspired the painting scheme:

https://poundstoreplasticwarriors.wordpress.com/2017/11/26/pound-store-plastic-colonial-infantry-on-the-painting-table/

More 36mm pound store figure conversions on the next blog.

Blogposted by Mark, Man of TIN, on 28 January 2018.

Pound Store Desert Warrior Spearmen Conversions # 2

A new set of Desert or Ancient Warriors to add to the Desert Warrior Riflemen previously shown here on the blog:

https://poundstoreplasticwarriors.wordpress.com/2017/11/06/pound-store-desert-warrior-unit-completed/

The “penny dreadful” Pound Store figures £1 for 100 (now 80) plastic 36mm figures from Poundland offer great conversion potential.

These spearman are converted from a Rambo-esque machine gunner. Desert robes are added with PVA, tissue paper and paint.

The patterned shields are upholstery pins ordered online from China.

The hands are drilled to take a garden wire pin or shield and ridiculously long spears seemed to work best.

As well as white desert robes, I tried a black robed warrior as well. The modern water bottle becomes a mysterious bottle or dagger and sword hilt

Officer type figures with swords were made from different figures.

More conversions rolling off the painting table on the gaming hex boards in blogposts this week.

Desert spearmen on the heights – A glimpse of my current colonial game on my portable 192 hex game board.

Blogposted by Mark, Man of TIN, 28 January 2018.

20% less Pound Store Plastic Warriors for your Pound

Now only 80 figures per £1 tub where once there were 100 …

https://sidetracked2017blog.wordpress.com/2018/01/26/20-less-pound-store-plastic-warriors-for-your-pound/

Blogposted by Mark, Man of TIN on my occasional Sidetracked blog on the themes of my Pound Store Plastic Warriors blog, 26 January 2018

More pound store plastic warrior packaging

Combat Mission 100 soldiers, 36mm height, bought online for a couple of  pounds. The header art gives some idea that modern troops, possibly British or American are inside. Close to green and tan, Two Colour armies in one bag.

Some very familiar poses amongst these 36mm figures. Combat Mission.

Some very familiar poses here, having been converting my Poundland sourced versions of these twelve poses of 36mm figures over the last few weeks.

One difference in this Combat Mission 100 Soldiers bag is the mixture of green and pale red figures, which are almost tan brown colour compared to the Poundland deeper red version. This gives effectively two small armies or units in one bag, the familiar modern “toy army men” green and tan colours, rather than one colour army / soldiers per tub in Poundland.

https://poundstoreplasticwarriors.wordpress.com/2017/10/31/pound-store-plastic-warriors-poundland-artwork/

The Combat Mission packaging is a little different from the Poundland tubs and certainly different from the stylish mixed colour figure box of Retro Toys “WW2 soldiers”, attractive packaging but not so many figures for more money!   https://poundstoreplasticwarriors.wordpress.com/2017/10/26/retro-packaging/

The Combat Mission header is something fairly standard, found on previous lucky seaside hauls of 54mm figures.

https://poundstoreplasticwarriors.wordpress.com/2017/06/13/more-combat-mission-80-pound-store-plastic-soldiers-part-2/

https://poundstoreplasticwarriors.wordpress.com/2017/05/30/more-seaside-pound-store-plastic-warriors/

Fun Toys! Quite bright but simple packaging from JaRu c. 2006 for these 54mm modern TimMee style Troops. Painted in toy soldier fashion, these modern weapons give this a Steampunk VSF look.j

Meanwhile, back at the painting bench, more 36mm pound store conversions underway …

Blogposted by Mark, Man of TIN for Pound Store Plastic Warriors, 5 December 2017.

A good size match for my 36mm Poundland Warriors?

1920s gilt cavalry, once from the Sanderson family collection – a bit playworn but worth reviving 

Poundland 36mm infantry alongside coronation gilt repainted and 30mm Spencer Smith cavalry (right) 

Two different styles of 30mm-ish coronation cavalry (I do not know the maker) alongside 36mm Poundland plastic infantry. 

Looking through my spares box for some possible cavalry to match my Poundland’s finest “penny dreadful” plastic warriors, I found a variety of figures that are close  to their slightly odd inbetween 36mm size.

The lack of support arms, cavalry and artillery to match my 36mm Poundland infantry has appeared a problem to some of my blog readers in their  comments.

In my spares box I found a coronation type cavalry figure which appears about the right size. For comparison, a painted plastic 30mm and metal 30mm Spencer Smith Miniature  are included.

A different sort of support arms … these fine young women across the ages are a good match in height to our Poundland plastic warrior.

Support Arms

In the absence of any female figure conversions so far, I was lucky to find these fabulous female figures in metal in my spares box. They complement my bulk plastic Penny Dreadful Poundland figure I don’t recall buying these, so probably came in a job lot. Many are still manufactured by Willie figures in 30mm and still available via the Tradition of London online shop. https://www.traditionoflondonshop.com/en/30mm_War_game_Willie/Civilian_Figures_Late_1800

My favourite is the Edwardian or Victorian lady (or Mary Poppins) who could easily be a Governor General’s daughter or a feisty Victorian female explorer? The other figures are much less prim, ranging from proud Brueghel peasant girls through to Eigteenth Century women. Each figure costs more than half to a whole £1 tub of 100 Poundland plastic warriors. Willie figure to  interesting Wild West civilians.

Westair WW1 and WW2 pewter figures bought from a castle heritage gift shop alongside my Poundland figure (central). The end WW1 figure is a bit tall.

Air support from Westair

Some spare Westair figures from heritage gift shops are close enough in height and stature to my Poundland infantryman (centre) to provide character figures such as pilot, commando or marine officer and WW1/2 WREN female figure. Westair figures can be found cheaply unboxed secondhand online or more expensively from their online shop http://www.westair.co.uk

 

Spencer Smith Miniature 30mm artillery and crew alongside 36mm  Poundland figures with artillery conversion potential.

Artillery

Spencer Smith Miniatures at 30mm can appear quite slight alongside their slightly larger 36mm Poundland figures. Spencer Smith also stock 30mm Willie Figures designed by Edward Suren.

Spencer Smith 30mm  (left) versus Poundland 36mm.

Another heritage gift shop or job lot find, I’m not sure that this small Westair cannon is really suitable for these wily hill tribesman or natives, converted from Poundland 36mm figures.

Poundland native artillery  alongside a Spencer Smith or Prince August cannon.

So some fantastic character figures to add some leadership or support  to my penny dreadful Poundland warriors. Many people and companies back up their plastic figures with metal character figures, officers and the like.

Westair metal and Poundland plastic figures … great combination!

A few more figure ideas that will complement the cheap plastic bulk figures from Poundland.

In my next blogpost, I will be exploring the whole thorny issue of scale and size, as I am curious about whether these Poundland 36mm figures are close to 1:48 scale, a source of plains, trains and automobiles.

Blogposted by Mark Man of TIN on my Pound Store Plastic Warriors blog, 15 November 2017

 

 

Pound Store Desert Warrior unit completed

 

Poundland conversion desert warriors on some converted desert Hexes from Heroscape.

Having completed a unit of Space Marines, I have been building up the numbers of my native warriors as another Poundland penny plastic toy soldier figure conversion (or “penny dreadful” original figures as some of you have suggested).

Each plastic 36mm figure costs a penny (tub of 100 for a £1 in Poundland) and is now based on a penny for a bit more weight and stability.

My first trial batch of half a dozen figures worked well enough, so I have now quickly converted another dozen riflemen towards  a small skirmish force of native warriors or hill tribesmen. Another dozen or so more figures to add and we should be almost there.

Any roughness in painting or conversion is almost hidden en masse.

A very light wash of pale blue was used, hopefully to bring out the whiteness of their robes.

Another kneeling desert warrior aiming from behind a low wall of rock.

You can read more about how these were all converted or made from Poundland’s finest “penny dreadful” figures using tissue paper and PVA to add robes at: https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2017/10/22/poundland-desert-warriors-finished

https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2017/10/16/desert-warrior-pound-store-plastic-warrior-conversions-inspired-by-featherstone/

I am thinking about future native artillery unit conversions so dug out of the spares box an old 30mm artillery piece, probably by Spencer Smith Miniatures or Prince August. The lack of 36mm cavalry is one thing I am working on, with some interesting odd possibilities in my spares box.

These figures are not specific to any country or historical period. Instead they are  intended to be a wily native opposition to the usual Redcoat or colonial / imperialist troops invading or defending one of my Imagi-Nations countries.

Redcoats in Waiting

My next conversion is to paint up a unit of some “Redcoats” using some more of the Poundland figures.  A batch of 20 riflemen are already undercoated, based on pennies and waiting their turn on the painting table. A very rough conversion of a Poundland’s modern machine gunner to a Redcoat heliograph signaller is partly done (below). Twenty odd tiny  Fimo backpacks will also be required!

My alternative desert infantry conversion is a simpler paint conversion, a little more ‘modern’ (or at least 20th century) and khaki than the toy soldier style Army Red / Redcoat figures.  I want to create a small skirmish force of these desert khaki infantry as well from the Poundland figures.

Work in progress on a desert infantry figure using the Poundland penny figures. 

All good fun, it makes a cheap and pleasant change from tracking down vintage Peter Laing 15mm metal figures.

Blogposted   by Mark, Man of TIN blog and Pound Store Plastic Warriors blog, November 2017.