Hagen Miniatures

Recently, I was taking a break from converting the basement into my "Wargaming Man Cave", surfing...well...dog paddling on the internet, when I came across Hagen Miniatures. They're out of Germany and they have some great 1/72nd scale stuff! What really got my attention was their 18th Century Range - 1/72nd scale Coaches (for your commanding General or Ruler to arrive on, or leave, the battlefield in style!) Civilians, male, female, and children in both Upper Class and Working Class. I also like their "Personality Figures". The casting of the soldier marching along while smoking his pipe, has a very solid, calming presence. Very reassuring to young recruits! Check out Hagen Miniatures and see if they have something that tickles your fancy.

One if by land; two if by sea...but what if there's three?

Hello! The rumors of my demise are just rumors. Raubenstadt is still sputtering along when circumstances allow, and I hope to post more often. Anyway...GREAT NEWS! The three sets of HaT's 1/72nd Scale Seven Year's War Prussian Infantry (Command, Marching, and In Action) are available in the U.S.! Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah! I received mine from the Michigan Toy Soldier Company, out of Detroit today. These are some great looking miniatures and I can't wait to see how they look on the tabletop. They won't drain the ol' warchest either! Now all those "Grant Style" regiments and brigades that I lusted for in my youth, but could not afford, are about to happen. The Command Box has four sprues. Each has a Mounted Officer, two subalterns on foot, a Standard Bearer, a Drummer, and a Flute player. The Marching and In Action Boxes have Forty privates each. If you're looking to recruit some stout hearted lads, check out the offerings from HaT! Cue the creepy organ music! Martin P.S. The title of the post refers to the journey that these little fellows have taken to get to me...land, sea, and air!

It Has Arrived!

My daily walk to the local Post Office was rewarded today! For in my grubby mitts, fresh from On Military Matters in New Jersey, was my very own copy of "The War Game Rules" by Charles Grant. Life is good! If you have any interest at all in "The War Game", then I highly recommend that you add this volume to your collection. The lavish pictures and diagrams are outstanding. Having all the changes, amendments, and additions to the basic set of (Can it really be forty years?) rules available in one place, instead of scattered among four or more volumes is very nice. I also appreciated the two sets of separate condensed rules and charts that were included. It's not too late to hint for this for Father's Day. If all else fails...Christmas!

Four Months and Two Hour Wargames

I can't believe it has been so long since I last posted anything! No excuses...but I felt there was nothing really worthy of being written up. I have been puttering away at painting figures (Still monitoring when HaT Industries will release their excellent looking 1/72nd Scale SYW Prussian Infantry. Soon now. Very soon! Their American Revolution series of sets look very good as well, but their [eventual] release is further off.); trying to keep up with Brigadier Grant's publications...I STILL NEED vols. IV and V of the Wargaming In History Series, all of the Wargamer's Annuals, the latest Mini-Campaign, and NOW the latest revisions to "The Wargame"! Sigh. Mr. Grant and company regularly blow great gaping holes in my wargaming budget.

Work on the basement continues as well. Water has been the bane of my existence. The lift pump decided it would be a good day to die and will need to be replaced. But when it rains it pours; the water heater croaked as well. (I suppose in solidarity with the lift pump.) Grumble, rumble, rumble.

Recently I came across a company called "Two Hour Wargames" out of Texas. They have a number of interesting game rules. I latched on to their set of one to one skirmish rules for the French And Indian War called, "Long Rifle". It's not overly complicated, but it has enough detail to give you a good feel for the period. As the name of the company implies a session can be completed in two hours or less. Check them out at www.twohourswargames.com Good stuff!

Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad

Things are starting to look up here in Raubenstadt! The new, faster, faster, better, more powerful sump pump has been installed and the basement is now no longer under water. (I wish I could say the same about the mortgage, but that's another story!)
So... the destruction and eventual construction of "The Man Cave" will continue. Huzzah!

I was relieved to discover that "Battlegames" will not go the way of the Dodo, and will (hopefully) be with us for many a long year to come. Congratulations to Mr. Hyde for finding a way forward. Huzzah! Huzzah!

Now if I could only get Hat Industrie to have their 1/72nd Scale Seven Years War Prussians jump to the front of the production line, just in time for the Holidays, my joy would be complete. Sigh

Three Strikes!

Some days it just doesn't pay to get up. I went downstairs this morning and the basement was flooded (again). It seems the recent rains we had were just too much for the sump pump to handle, and the durned motor burned out. This is the third time this year for Raubenstadt to be inundated. Maybe I should change it's name to Bangladesh! So Monday a new and more powerful submersible pump will be installed, and the drying out process can start (again). Sigh.

I was saddened to learn that Battlegames Magazine is apparently going under and issue #26 was the last one. It was the best since The Mid-West Wargamer's Association Newsletter, edited by the sainted Hal Thinglum (forever blessed be his name) closed up shop. I will miss it. Double sigh.

Well there I was...all set to order a whole bunch of Hat Industrie's SYW Prussians from the Michigan Toy Soldier Company, when I noticed that they were in 1/32nd scale and not 1/72nd! Arrrrgh! I understand that the 1/72nd will be released in their E22 batch, but that's probably sometime in the Spring of next year. Triple Sigh.

Mom always said, "Good things come to those who wait." So I am determined that by the time Hat releases the 1/72nd SYW Prussians...I will have a DRY basement...and Mr. Hyde may determine that Battlegames might continue as a Quarterly or in some form on the Internet!

What Up With Minifigs GFI?

It has come to the Markgraaf's attention that the Minifigs GFI site has been down for "maintenance" for quite some time now. Does anybody know what's going on with them? Are they ever going to come back on line? Or do I need to open a line of communication with Minifigs in the U.K.?