The Loose Association of Wargamers

....is this Sharp Practice 2 force currently being assembled and prepared for battle (I bet some of you thought I was making it all up, didn't you!). They represent the 71st Foot in the Southern campaigns of 1779-1782, supported by units of the 17th Light Dragoons and Royal Artillery. The figures used are either Perry or King's Mountain Miniatures.

Deployment point - the Scottish officer from the Perry interrogation pack (who is based on a real person, known to some of this group - Giles Allison) as is the artillery officer leaning on a stick (Dave Brown of the Loutish Stroke Force), and a couple of likely-looking lads from the Foundry packs as guides. Currently based on 2ps - haven't decided if I'll keep them like that and get someone to make me a four-slot sabot, or remove them and mount them straight onto an mdf base.

Currently, there are three mounted officers, who will be level 3 leaders if solo, or a level 3 and a level 2 if paired. Two are KMM and one is a Perry figure, whom I have converted to be Lt Col John Maitland, ex-Marines and former CO of the 2nd Light Infantry Battalion, until he was wounded in the New York campaign (he is missing his right arm, which he lost in the SYW - and no, I don't know if he's checked to see if it's down the back of the sofa).

Next we have the junior leaders - subalterns and sergeants; the front two pairs will command the linear groups, the chap waving his bonnet and the two converted former ensigns (arm twists and muskets from the plastic sets), all with belly-boxes added, lead the skirmishers.

Wounded leaders (five) and shock markers (one per group); I think it helps to have figures to remind you when a leader is reduced by a wound, or whatever. Plus I had the figures anyway, so it seemed a shame not to use them. The chap holding his head is a converted Perry, the others, including the lazy buggers lying down, are all KMM.

The linear groups (currently four, well four-and-a-half) will eventually grow to six when I get some more marching Scots from Alan Perry.

The four skirmishing groups (two firing/loading and two moving); I'll probably only use two of them with the four linear groups, but throw them all in once the six linear groups are completed. These are KMM figures and have some nice poses.

Currently one group of eight 17th Light Dragoons, with a level 1 leader (a sergeant); I have an officer and trumpeter in a box, so a second group is definitely on the cards. The shock marker, which still needs a little work, is a casualty from the Perry British plastics; he'll have a carbine amputated from the sergeant, and cut down to look like it's mainly lying under him, and greenstuff boot tops to go with his belly-box.

I thought an RA 3-pdr would give them a little more punch, but not so much that it dominates the battlefield - five crew plus a leader (corporal) and a driver, gun in limbered and unlimbered format (no wheels on the limber, as it's a light gun), together with a wounded leader figure and shock marker. Figures and gun are all Perry, the chap on the shock marker being plastic. You can see that most of the bases have been coated with sharp sand, but I tried some pumice gel from the local art shop on this guy - and it didn't work. The mdf absorbed all the liquid, leaving him looking like he had a rough night out in Brighton and wound up sparko on the beach!

FInally, some wheeled supports - an artillery ammo cart (with the ridged roof), an infantry ammo cart (with the three boxes), and a water cart (which I'm looking at crewing with some Perry gun team helpers with forage caps converted to kilmarnocks). All Perry, except for the water cart - not sure who makes that, might be Warlord?

Next instalment when something is actually painted.

Cheers, Andy!

Looking promising.

The post is definitely more interesting now you can see he photos. +1 to looking forward to seeing them painted.

Yes, sorry about that. Having never posted piccies on here before, I ended up with images that were too large and wouldn't transfer, and had to ask for the Count's assistance (whose name really is Igor, by the way!). This required me to post the text whilst leaving gaps for the pics which I emailed to him. Hopefully, it will run more smoothly next time......

That’s a nice looking force, look forward to the updates ! What about the bad guys ? Are you doing them as well ?

That seems very well organised.
Warbases will do sabot bases to any configuration you require and their service is excellent.

Only when they are open though...

Looking forward to see these with paint Brendan

Local gaming buddy is establishing an enemy force.

Sabot bases already secured from Charlie Foxtrot, including leaders/wounded leaders; will feature in next installment.

valleyboy wrote: ↑Thu Jun 11, 2020 9:06 am Looking forward to see these with paint Brendan

Paint? PAINT?!?!?! Jeez, there really is no pleasing you lot, is there?