Not reliable casting weather to cast a few more scouts to complete the Duchy of Tradgardland’s patrol
https://tradgardland.blogspot.com/2019/05/scouts-for-wide-games.html
but a chance to get some more Scout painting done in between scribbling down more character card and Wide Games rules ideas. I have found a treasure trove of vintage scout manuals free here http://www.thedump.scoutscan.com/games.html

Alan as Chief Scout of the Duchy of Tradgardland Scouts has kindly sent my Boy Scouts the gift of a spare bicycle that he had in his Scout Troop stores.


I was hoping there was also a fun Pound Store Plastic alternative to buying or casting metal scout figures and the Wargaming Pastor had a good suggestion.

The Wargaming Pastor on Death Zap suggested that my floppy bush hatted Boer type figure conversions from Pound store tubs might convert well enough: “I’m tempted to collect a few scouts now, I’m wondering how easy it would be to modify some Airfix WW1 Americans or some of those Poundland chaps? Your Boer conversions would go a long way, then all I have to do is chop off the gun.”
I have quickly paint-bashed these two 32mm examples up to see how this might go. The Wargaming Pastor’s clever suggestion does work!

From pound store figures to more expensive pewter figures.
Looking for a Scout Trek or Treck Cart, before I started converting home cast gun carriages for their wheels, I came across the Phoenix 43 series by S&D / Phoenix which featured a trek cart, two separate scouts pushing and a Scoutmaster and Patrol Leader.
https://www.sanddmodels.co.uk/products_43_figures.htm
Designed for model railways, I bought a sample of each, not quite sure of size at the time. They are not cheap at around £3 each figure but they are beautifully and crisply cast. They also have very speedy delivery.
Fortunately they do match with my Little Britons 42mm boys and will form a few character pieces such as a Patrol Leader and a Scoutmaster. The Treck Cart should form an interesting scenario focus for Wide Games.

So there we are … my Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts now have wheels in the form of bicycles and a trek cart.
The 20 scouts are closer to completed painting, mainly just touch ups and faces before a gloss varnish to match the toy soldier style.
I have also spent £3 on a single metal scout and made one from a penny plastic figure.
Blogposted by Mark Man of TIN (1970s Cub Scout, Bronze Arrow, retired) on 19 May 2019.
Glad to see the Poundland figures paid off! I’ve done some too and am looking forward to more of your rules ideas!
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Sometimes the simplest solution is right in front of you … although painting the metal scouts has been good fun.
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An interesting post with potential reading material and a good update. The scouts look great en masse. I look forward to seeing them finished and wide gaming. The pound store scouts have worked really well, you have a flair for getting the very best from these figures. I will be interested to see the S&D cart and figures assembled. The company might provide use non player characters such as an irate gamekeeper, helpful stationmaster , animals etc. I seem to recall Mr Yateman ran the Sea Scouts in Dads Army so a verger with duster might be a fun figure.
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S and D Phoenix 43 do some great (country) characters, designed for railways. 1/43 (7mm:1ft) – At 43mm they match the original Shiny Toy Soldiers Little Britons range in size well. Irregular 42mm might work as well.
I had forgotten about Dads Army and the Sea Scouts episode – I have the Dad’s Army DVD box set. Great fun. I have yet to work out how to convert some figures to sea scouts. Girl Guides had their Sea Rangers too.
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