Military Modelling November 1972
Read more about the birth of 15mm and Peter Laing figures here:
Blog cross-posted by Mark Man Of TIN blog, 1 November 2022
Tag: 15mm figures
The benefits of 15mm scale explained to the ’little woman’ in your life? Some early Peter Laing adverts in Wargamers Newsletter 1970s
I have spent a blustery wet day today inside in the dry and warm, reading through the superb website of scanned Donald Featherstone’s Wargamers Newsletters.
I have been searching for Peter Laing adverts and reviews from the early 70s, looking at how the new scale and ranges of 15mm figures by the “industrious” Peter Laing rapidly emerged.
https://collectingpeterlaing15mmfigures.wordpress.com/some-peter-laing-adverts/
One of the oddest Peter Laing adverts so far was December 1973 typed advert (above) about the benefits of 15mm and the first six figure series or ranges totalling 100s of items that Peter Laing produced in his first year!
“If she * (the little woman – Mum – the Wife – the Girl Friend – or the better half!) complains that your army or collection is taking up too much room (or you are spending too much money) then Peter Laing’s figures could be the answer …”
Peter Laing 15mm Colonial figures (including bagpiper) – the unusual route to marital bliss?
I wonder what Mrs Laing – Wife – Better Half – etc thought of the advert?
These “Little Women” in Peter Laing’s life didn’t emerge for a few more years in the Late Victorian Parade Range (and probably ACW and Indian Mutiny Series).
By Christmas 1973, interest was growing in the new smaller scales of 15mm and 5 or 6mm. Minifigs has also by then launched a 15mm and 5mm Range.
In December 1973 I was still literally cutting my teeth at “Floor Games” level on larger plastic Airfix figures. Ten years later c. 1982/83 I would be buying my first Peter Laing ECW figures with my pocket money and paper round earnings.
This cataloguing and celebrating my Peter Laing figures (all now sadly out of production) is one of my ongoing 2022 projects and New Gaming Year’s Irresolutions, counting down towards the 50th anniversary of the first figures in October / November 2022.
Why do this? Pertly it’s because Peter Laing never produced an illustrated catalogue before the range vanished in the late 80s / early 90s when he retired. Now the moulds have sadly vanished.
Fellow Peter Laing collectors from the MeWe Peter Laing collectors circle have already started to contribute photos of figures or ranges I don’t have and sometimes figures I have never seen.
https://collectingpeterlaing15mmfigures.wordpress.com
The first advert October / November 1972 Military Modelling (Ian Dury collection)
Blog posted by Mark Man of TIN blog, 8th January 2022
The 15 Mill free online magazine and gamette from Peter Pig
How did I miss this?
Have I been under a stone for the last couple of the years in the Wargames Garden?
The 15 Mill – A free online magazine from Peter Pig devoted to 15 millimetre figures and gaming.
https://www.peterpig.co.uk/the15MILL.html
I look forward to reading these as the autumn nights draw in!
Each edition (until Covid) has a free gamette scenario for small games.
https://www.peterpig.co.uk/the15MILL.html
Cleverly, you can buy a 15mm Peter Pig figure package suitable for each gamette.
A clever and fun way to promote your company and your scale!
Fifteen turns Fifty
The pendulum has swung some way from 15mm (and ‘Flames of War’) being the most popular scale some years ago to 28mm, which is apparently “where it’s at” for many gamers today.
15mm is fifty years old next year, if you count the appearance of Peter Laing figures in October \ November 1972.
Peter Laing is long retired. Sadly these figures are out of production and the moulds vanished but small lots sometimes appear for sale online.
Issue 4 of The 15 Mill in October 2019 appropriately featured a fine display of Peter Laing WW1 figures from the ABC gamers blog.
A good time to start sorting through my old original Peter Laing figures, painting and basing as required to celebrate a half century.
A small and friendly collectors circle of Peter Laing enthusiasts exists on the MeWe forum, set up by Ian Dury. https://mewe.com/join/peterlaingfigures
Blog posted by Mark Man of TIN 23 October 2021
Mystery 15mm-ish Figures?
****** Mystery figures identified – or not? See below ******
I bought a cheap and strange little job lot on eBay for £5 of these indeterminate sized figures alongside some curious miniature guardsmen, probably from a Dolls House supplier.
I couldn’t judge size too well but I was curious to see if either would be an interesting match for my Peter Laing 15mm figures.
They are most curious and a little stiff and crude. I’m not sure what they are designed to be. They have limited bright colours, a little pigtail at the back and mostly swords.
Are they pirates?
Are they Chinese or Boxer Rebellion type warriors?
Are they home casts?
In terms of size or scale, you can see an unpainted 15mm Peter Laing WW2 German infantryman for comparison.
Whatever they are – they should prove useful sailors or pirates or native troops in ImagiNations games, fiercely waving their swords and a few their strange spears.
**********************
If asked “If anyone recognises them as rough copies of commercial figures or as home casts, I would be interested to know?”
One of my ‘anonymous’ readers suggested an identity as Cellmate Miniatures Boxer Rebellion 15-20mm figures – Thanks!
“Your unknown Boxer miniatures were produced by Cellmate Miniatures.” produced by Tod P. Zechiel (see Blog Post Script below).
However Tod P. Zechiel himself contacted me today by email from the USAto say that they are not his figures – so the mystery continues.
Tod is now retired and so has time to be back in small production of Cellmate Miniatures Boxer Rebellion figures, selling painted and unpainted castings on eBay. His Tuan Boxer Rebellion rules are also still available as a free download.
So the “Mystery of the Chinese Pirates” – Where are the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew when you need them?
Whoever they are made by, I like them and I will probably finish their Warbases MDF 1p bases in a similar Earth Brown colour.
B.P.S – Blog Post Script
You can find out more about Tod P Zechiel’s Cellmate Miniatures on TMP here:
http://theminiaturespage.com/showcase/143590/
http://theminiaturespage.com/showcase/29765/
“”While trying not to sound apologetic,” Tod P Zechiel explains, “allow me to inform you of the nature of the miniatures. I am an amateur sculpturer, and the figures are gravity cast as opposed to centrifically cast. The figures are therefore of moderate quality. They tend to be thick and simple, with less detail than other manufacturer’s figures. They tend to have a more pronounced parting line or seam, and larger sprues. You need, as a minimum, a sharp exacto knife to remove the excess metal. A tapered, flat, needle file is even better. To reduce cost, the figures contain lead.” (TMP Info source above)
I can see where the suggested identification of these figures came from .
They were also accompanied by a spirited little metal horse or pony, along with the tiny red guardsmen which I will feature in another post.
Blog posted by Mark Man of TIN, 28 August 2021 / Updated 17 September 2021
Peter Laing’s “growing range of 15mm metal figures of World War Two infantry” endorsement in Featherstone’s Wargaming Airborne Operations
I was surprised, whilst painting Airfix Paratroops and re-reading Donald Featherstone’s Wargaming Airborne Operations (1977) to find a rare mention of Peter Laing’s “growing range of 15mm metal figures of World War Two infantry“.
This Peter Laing WW2 range never grew very big, not much bigger than that listed above.
This is a bit of a surprise as these mid 1970s figures must have been some of the first 15mm WW2 figures. 25 to 30 years later, 15mm WW2 Flames of War figure and vehicles were all the rage.
Part of this “growing range” was probably the dual-use steel helmeted infantry, guns, wagons and others items from Peter’s extensive British, French and German WW1 range.
I use these figures interchangeably for WW1/WW2, as with Peter Laing’s deliberate under-detailing, the figures are easily converted by paint or file to other periods.
https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2016/07/22/peter-laing-ww2-figures
This 2016 blog post also mentions the excellent Tim’s Tanks blog posts about Peter Laing’s WW1 and WW2 range. This features some US Infantry converted to British Paras (see screenshot picture below)
I can testify that, as the Laing catalogue describes, these figures could give “at platoon level … a most satisfactory infantry action game” in a small space –
https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2016/10/02/peter-laing-15mm-ww2-skirmish/
https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2016/10/02/ww2-platoon-level-close-little-world-wars-rules/
Some further Peter Laing WW2 German Infantry figures to be used as Paratroops and British Infantry / Home Guard have been stuck on my painting table for months, ready for a ‘Sealion’ type skirmish. Airfix figures keep just jumping that queue and getting in the way!
Who knows I might even have painted them all in time for the Peter Laing 50th anniversary 2022 next year.
Next autumn 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the first 15 mm figures and the first Laing ranges being advertised for the first time in October / November 1972 Military Modelling magazine (starting with his Marlburian range).
Some of my original samples of 15mm Peter Laing WW2 ranges, bought and half painted c. 1983 (British, left and Germans, right)
I wish I had bought more Laing WW2 figures at the time but with limited pocket money funds and a good selection of Airfix WW2 figures, vehicles and scenery at the time, I focused my Laing purchases on periods and figures not covered by Airfix that Laing did such as the ECW.
The same “Airfix or Laing?” debate continues in my gaming and collecting to this day.
Pictures of Peter Laing WW2 figures on Tim’s Tanks blogpost
This simple WW2 range for platoon level action is highly praised for its balance on the Tim’s Tanks blogspot, which gave me my glimpse of the Americans for the first time (albeit doubled up as British Paratroops) :
http://timstanks.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/peter-laing-15mm-miniatures.html
Screenshot courtesy of Tims Tanks website WW2 Peter Laing blogpostAny shortfalls in Tim’s Tanks WW2 Peter Laing collection were patched, as with my own Peter Laing WW2 troops, from Peter’s WW1 range.
http://timstanks.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/peter-laing-15mm-miniatures.html
Tim’s Tanks: “This range was ahead of its time and the figures surprisingly well thought through.”
“For each nationality (British, U.S. or German) there was a sidearm equipped officer figure, a SMG armed NCO, an infantryman advancing with rifle at high port, an LMG and No.2 and a Light Mortar and No.2.”
Lovely figures, perfect for the task”. (Tim’s Tanks Peter Laing WW2 themed blogpost)
*************
Sadly, Peter Laing figures are no longer commercially made, whilst the moulds appear to have vanished after Peter Laing retired and sold the moulds to the late John Mitchell.
Your best chance of finding any Peter Laing figures is on eBay where – warning – not all ‘Peter Laing figures’ are Peter Laing, often they are early Minifigs. The strange Laing horses are often a clue Some ranges of these second-hand figures now command good prices!
There is a small and friendly Peter Laing collectors group set up by Ian Dury on the MeWe platform, a good place to flag up any Laing’s figures on sale, get figure IDs etc.
https://mewe.com/join/peterlaingfigures
Heroics and Ros, Airfix, Atlantic, Hinchliffe … and Peter Laing! A page from my 1977 copy of Donald Featherstone, Wargaming Airborne Operations (battered ex library copy from my childhood).Blog posted by Mark Man of TIN, 1 August 2021
Some Found Terrain and a few more 15mm Peter Laing figures
What do you see when you look at this polystyrene packaging?
Some may look at this as unrecyclable junk.
I look at it and see …
a doorway,
high walls,
an adobe fort or compound, especially for tiny troops like my 15mm Peter Laing figures.
What do you see or would you make out of it?
Obviously some kind of walkway needs to be improvised inside around the high walls as a firing platform or raised walkway. This could easily be done with lolly sticks or coffee stirrers laid onto matchsticks or cocktail sticks projecting out of the walls, much in the style of the Airfix Foreign Legion Fort.
Similarly doors and repairs to the wall dips and ‘damage’ can be improvised with coffee stirrers and card.
A rough coat of acrylic off-white for the walls and a sandy base colour should not harm the polystyrene (some glues, sprays and paints can melt it).
One project for a rainy day when hands need to be kept busy.
Some 15mm Peter Laing figures for scale…
Around the time this arrived in the house (the family are now well trained to show me interesting packaging before it reaches the bin or recycling), I also bought a handful of Peter Laing 15mm figures from an online dealer. I spotted these Laings amongst several more lots of “Wild West Infantry” figures and cavalry that were confusingly labelled as (but definitely not) by Laing. Nice enough figures but not Laing ones.
For a few pounds I bought ten settlers or backwoodsmen and rarer still, what I take to be a pair of Peter Laing female settlers. They were all curiously mounted individually on metal squares. Even if they are not Laing females, they are a good enough match.
These are in Peter Laing catalogue terms,
probably F3006 Female Settler
And from the Peter Laing American War of Independence Range:
F321 Rifleman hunting shirt standing
F322 Rifleman hunting shirt firing
https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2016/09/05/peter-laing-marlburian-figures/
Sadly now Peter Laing figures (the original or first 15mm figures, launched almost fifty years ago in autumn 1972) are long out of production and the moulds vanished, so second hand or recasting is the only way to acquire them.
I have been collecting Peter Laing figures since about 1982 as a teenager when I began my first proper (i.e. metal) wargames army, spending pocket money and paper round earnings on his English Civil War range. He was a efficient and friendly chap to deal with, even with my tiny schoolboy orders. I still have and use these figures today.
Peter Laing figures have a small and loyal following, with a dedicated MeWe online group run by Ian Dury which has replaced the former Google+ community pages. Here we post pictures of our Laing figures and games, as well as highlighting any second hand Laing figures for sale online that we come across. All welcome!
https://mewe.com/join/peterlaingfigures
Established 2019 the Peter Laing MeWe page
Blog posted by Mark Man of TIN 29/30 April 2021
What I’ve done in April for Ann’s Immaterium “Paint All The Stuff You Own” Challenge
This April of Lockdown and Furlough has been one of finishing what figures and projects that you have to hand, encouraged by Ann’s Immaterium Challenge to “Paint all the Crap You Own”. Ann’s challenge completes on May 3rd 2020.
https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/05/anns-immaterium-painting-challenge-april-2020/
What have I managed to paint or complete in this time from stuff that I owned before April 1st 2020?
First, I had a good look through my old gaming bits and bobs Blue Box from the 80s. I found lots of figures to finish over the next few weeks or months of Lockdown.
See what I rediscovered at: https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/11/unboxing-my-blue-box-of-1980s-gaming-figures-time-capsule-part-three
From this Blue Box, I have added some old ‘new’ units for skirmishes including a unit of Peter Laing 15mm English Civil War Pikemen to complete a ‘White Company’ with a flag, an officer and the pike half of the unit for the first time.
I started painting this unit in the mid 1980s. They are now finally based and equipped with pikes.
Finally based about 35 years after being painted …
The Blue Box was one source of unfinished figures. Another source of figures was a box where I stored random figures from job lots bought over the years, whilst searching for Peter Laing figures.
Some of these job lots were figures that were sold as painted scrap which I have turned into units from some ImagiNations ‘Forgotten Minor States‘ in Europe of the 18th and 19th century.
Many of these Forgotten Minor States (FMS) ‘existed’ as small Principalities and Dukedoms along the Alpen fringes such as Pompomerania, Higher Plumea, Reissenshein, Verdigris, Weissenstein, Gelbania, Hesseansachs, Thyer Brigadia and then some were larger countries such as Bleudelys, Uwessae, Great Butlinnia and Hibernia.
One of my favourite small FMS units, some of the Volunteer Militia of Thyer Brigadia
Stray figures can be allotted to these units as they appear, allotted by colour and head gear. You can see these scratch 15mm national units here:
I made up a border watchtower and some barricades:
32mm Pound Store figures man a barricade made of tile spacers and long matchsticks
Amongst the remaining 15mm Napoleonic scrap figures were a handful of painted and unpainted scrap American Civil War type figures from various makers in mixed uniforms. I based and painted these in grey as Confederates, generic rebels or Revolutionary forces. They have improvised themselves a dramatic Revolutionary flag.
Broken figures made a scratch rebel gun crew, using a cannon from the Napoleonic Risk board game.
Another ‘unaligned nation’ that can provide a threat or an enemy for any of these FMS Forgotten Minor States forces are a small number of 15mm painted colourful pirates of mixed makers found amongst job lots of 15mm figures.
Some guerrilla or sailor looking types in white shirts with muskets or rifles are generically useful.
Hopefully who ever painted these pirates, game worn as they now are, would be pleased to know that they are based and back in use.
Amongst the pirates were lots of unpainted Tricorne figures with short muskets or carbines that could make a scratch unit of Redcoats or Preventive or Excise Men, the Riding Men or Dragoons. Not sure who made these 15mm figures.
These could double up for Close Wars type French Indian Wars skirmishes against natives in the forests of America.
No messing around with painting turnbacks, cuff or tricorne lace at 15mm scale. These are practical Redcoats roughing it in the forest wilds or along the cliffs and coast searching for Natives or Wreckers.
These have just come off the painting table, leaving some Jacklex ACW 20mm command figures from Christmas waiting their turn at the moment.
This portable Port, pirates and Redcoats was partly inspired by finding a Murray King postcard of Cornish Wreckers bought on a seaside trip a year or two ago. Redcoats! Smugglers! Wreckers!
Pirates and Preventive Men of the Customs and Excise need a port and this gave me a chance to use some wooden block scraps and wooden buildings from Christmas adapted into warehouses.
Ports need protection and sailors need proper lighthouses to avoid the false lights of the wreckers, so a craft shop lighthouse was added in wartime grey.
Coastal protection requires a Martello Tower for which the scraps and recycling box provided the materials. See how I made this in more detail at
https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/28/making-a-martello-tower-from-scrap-fort-crumble/
Add to this in April I put Man of TIN onto Twitter @ManoftinMark and joined new Facebook groups about ImagiNations, Homecasting and Prince August castings.
Busy old Lockdown month – lots of stuff in storage finally painted and based.
Blog posted by Mark, Man of TIN 30 April / 2 May 2020.
Making a Martello Tower from Scrap – Fort Crumble
To match a bunch of 15mm pirate and Redcoat preventive men from another random job lot of figures, I have added a coastal defence fort.
This is not the familiar Airfix WW2 one of my childhood but an original Napoleonic one – the Martello Tower.
I remember seeing these curious flowerpot coastal castles on childhood holidays to the south coast. I have a feeling I might have been inside one as well. We visited the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch area of Kent, the curious home of light railways, Dr. Syn, smuggling museums and marshes. All equally fascinating to a small child.
Martello Towers are the ultimate bucket and spade seaside sandcastle with a flag and a cannon on top.
If you are not familiar with them, there are several websites about them. Wikipedia has a wide range of information and a useful photo gallery from round the world on Martello Towers. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martello_tower
There is an entire dedicated website to Martello Towers, including ones that have been undermined by the sea revealing parts of their construction.
https://martellotowers.co.uk/armedforces covers the garrison of 24 men (cramped), Napoleonic era gun crews, Artillery Volunteers, Militia and “sea fencibles” (or ‘reformed’ smugglers).
There are in their 1990 English Heritage Martello Tower no. 24 booklet online here some wildly imaginative LacePunk / Steampunk original Napoleonic era prints of how the French might invade by raft, balloon and airship etc. – “typical shabby Nazi, sorry, Napoleonic tricks” as the 1805 version of Captain Mainwaring would say.
https://theromneymarsh.net/martello24guidebook
Cinque Ports Volunteers reenactors https://theromneymarsh.net/martello24#insideSome smart Militia Volunteers, perfect for my scratch 15mm Napoleonic era garrisons of Forgotten Minor States.
Lots more at: https://theromneymarsh.net/martello24#inside
Several manufacturers make resin or even Paper ones on the unusual Paper Shipwright website (which has free downloads of some things).
Some useful Martello Tower words for instant expertise: The roof gunnery platform floor is called a terreplein. The irony – a French word for a seaside castle cannon platform against Napoleon. Impressed?
Building your Crumble Pot Martello Towers
So where to start?
What first gave me the idea was a bit of scrap recycling from a recent sweet treat gift, some mini crumble puddings.
“First eat your puddings …”
Add in the plastic top to some lovely lunchtime Itsu noodles, the only unrecyclable bit but which also comes in handy for flocking trays.
So in Blue Peter style you need in suitable size or scale for your figures, in this case 15mm:
- Two plastic containers or flowerpot shapes, one cut down to sit inside the other to give the roof space.
- A base or lid upturned to give extra height if needed
- A spare cannon such as this one from the Risk boardgame,
- Some lolly sticks for the gun pivot
- A drawing pin for the pivot
- Acrylic model paint to coat the plastic
- Scalpel or sharp scissors to cut out the roof hole and cut down the inner pot.
Cut a neater hole in the base than I did (wrong sort of jaggy plastic, didn’t want to try the candle / knife method to smoothly melt the edges). This gives you your roof opening.
Place this cut open base over the other pot and work out how much you need to cut off to give you the gunnery space and shelter for the Gun Teams. Pop a figure and the gun inside to get an idea of size.
Cut in stages or strips away at the bottom part of the inner pot until your figures and gun sit right inside. Like Lockdown haircuts, you can’t add it back once you’ve cut it off.
The swivel: The gun is on a raised up platform to give that 360 degree swivel. Measure the lolly stick from middle of the pot top / base. Insert drawing pin as pivot. Put through plastic top. Secure pin bit underneath with a piece of thick card or balsa.
Paint the outside of the tower with an undercoat of white or light grey. Don’t forget to paint the inside (pot base) of the tower roof gunnery platform before you start sticking these together.
Stick your gun onto a short piece(s) of lollystick to step it up step by step on the swivel piece until it can freely move around the rim of the tower.
Dry Run – Once you have tried all the finished bits and bobs together, then glue the cutdown pot onto the noodle lid, and add the top pot.
The stepped cannon is the last fiddly bit to add, the barrel poking above the battlements and freely pivoting.
Avoiding cutting out recessed windows and doors into jaggy plastic, I used thin card to make the door and window frames.
These doors and windows were on the landward side to protect them from ship attack. The seaward walls were slightly thicker brick walls to cope with attack from the sea.
An external ladder from the Airfix Commando set was added but could be made from card. The doorway platform and ladder were designed to be easily taken inside or demolished by the tower gun crew.
Cleverly the towers had a rainwater collection from the roof to basement water tank or internal well to survive sieges. Tucked away are musket racks inside, gunnery stores, shot lockers, ration stores. Officers quarters were small but separate from the men’s. It is part castle, part stone naval ship.
Martello Towers were built all around the world so I can feature them in some ImagiNations and Colonial games like the Forgotten Minor States.
What next for gaming scenarios with the Martello tower?
Add some sandy coloured felt and blue felt,
- a lighthouse, quay, warehouses and scattering of wooden houses,
- my random job lot 15mm pirates and tricorne men
- a cheap plastic boat / ship (what is the difference anyway?) from a seaside toy shop pirates set stocked away for rainy days,
All this is surely a scratch recipe for a coastal / pirate / naval game of Close Little Pirate Wars! Pistols, cutlasses, cannons, blunderbusses, muskets …
This lovely Murray King postcard of Cornish Wreckers vs the Excise or Preventative Men gave me some uniform colour ideas. I have some random tricorne figures to paint up as Customs redcoats.
I mocked up a quick harbour scene with the Martello Tower in place, using a Tamiya stone paving baseplate.
I blame Gridbased wargaming for his St. Nazaire raid game last year https://gridbasedwargaming.blogspot.com/2020/01/st-nazaire-raid-game-report.html
I think you can see the influence of this St Nazaire harbour game in my simple dockyard buildings and warehouses using some crafty Christmas decoration presents:
These ‘make your own Christmas decoration houses’ were easy to transform into flexible 15mm warehouses. Other blocks of wood were used to add storehouses.
Further Gaming Scenarios
After 1815, Martello Towers around the world were reoccupied as needed by troops, coastguard and preventive men throughout troubled times in the 19th and 20th century. Some were adapted as signal stations.
Others were reused in WW2 for coastwatch, observer Corps and effectively as pillboxes against German invasion.
So Captain Mainwaring lives on, he can again guard the coast of the Novelty Rock Emporium to the Pier at Warmington on Sea against seaborne and airborne German troops – disguised as nuns? – another “typical shabby Nazi trick”. Mainwaring really ought to have a Martello Tower to defend as well.
Blogposted by Mark Man of TIN 29 April 2020
Scrap Napoleonics Ready to Scrap! Forgotten Minor States
Back in 2017 on one of my “recconaissance flights over the digital front lines” or whatever it was Henry Hyde used to call his web, blog and podcast reviews in Miniature Wargames with Battle Games, I spotted this 1.3 kilos of 15mm lead scrap. In this fuzzy eBay picture I spotted some Peter Laing figures – his horses are very distinctive – and “took a punt” on buying for about a tenner with postage.
Digital Dawn Patrol 54mm scramble https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2018/08/12/tsaf-new-flying-banshee-biplane/Now the Laing figure moulds are vanished and probably no more. From time to time I and others of the plucky and ever vigilant members of the Peter Laing Collectors Circle suit up, put on the flying goggles, get the engines running and chocks away, fly high and keep a watching brief on the Web and EBay to see what Laing figures come up for sale, glimpsed amongst the mass of figures far below online.
On returning from our Digital Dawn Patrol, “we few, we plucky few” then pass the word round on the Peter Laing MeWe web community pages set up by Ian Dury. https://mewe.com/join/peterlaingfigures
Although “time spent in Reconnaissance is seldom wasted” (family WW2 saying but who first said that?), this haul was a bit of a Peter Laing dud. Not much a ‘show’! Here is the debrief and the photographic reconnaissance:
What to do with over a kilo of scrap figures?
The remaining 1.3 kilos of of white metal and lead scrap was 99% 15mm, mostly painted and unbroken, although minus the usual musket ends, bayonets and flags. Mixed manufacturers but 90% Napoleonic, no guns, few cavalry. A few stray Ancients and some ACW figures who might become guerrilla forces.
I don’t now know the origin of the various figures but it seemed a bit of crime to melt them down for homecasting. Some gamers somewhere had spent a lot of time painting these figures. It was not their tiny fault they had become detached from their units and so ended up unwanted as odds and ends with no RLS martial pride
Some figures as you can see in the original lead kilo photograph were on unit stands, most needed rebasing and flocking. This would add some unity to the varying heights, build, paintwork and stances of this mixed group.
Dividing the groups up was done mostly by uniform colour and style of head gear. This makes it easy to incorporate further random job lot figures in future.
Before repainting or re-uniforming, I photographed one or two features such as flags
I have temporarily misplaced most of the battered broken and unbased cavalry – no matter.
ImagiNations Inspiration for the Forgotten Minor States
For what follows, if you are outraged in a realist historical button counting way by the misidentification and mishmash of Napoleonic units, I will blame the following:
A) The Balkan Ruritanian natures of the proposed Woking 2021 54mm games day group build up of forces https://littlewarsrevisited.boards.net/thread/483/woking-2021-group-build-game?page=4
B) Antony Hope for writing the Prisoner of Zenda, here ably illustrated by Charles Dana Gibson in 1898 
C) everyone else’s fictional ImagiNations, maps and campaigns at the moment from the Brontes through Hyboria onwards to Tradgardland and Ascaria.
D) the Brontes
E) Gilbert and Sullivan – not only their many Ruritanian states but also because it was the first time I got wear a “redcoat” (albeit from a theatrical costumiers).
The Forgotten Minor States and Principalities of MittelMittel Europe.
Along the Alpen fringes of MittelMittelEurope in the late 18th and 19th century were plenty of now Forgotten Minor States, now subsumed by unification, inattention, cartographical errors, inbreeding, insurrection, migration, invasion or royal marriage into other larger countries.
Few today now remember the triumphs and traditions, victories and defeats, failed colonies, romances and intrigues, scandals and petty squabbles of their plentiful heirs and claimants, Dukes and Duchesses, Princes and Princesses, Emperors and Electors, Statesmen and Generals, Chancellors and Presidents, Rebels, Republicans and Exiles.
Here are some of the fine forces of the FMS – Forgotten Minor States.
Verdigris
Guns for the artillery figures came as game pieces from the Napoleonic version of the Risk boardgame.
Light Artillery of the Verdigris Volunteer Militia – a suitably grey misty day for their grey green uniforms.
In this game world, these early to mid Nineteenth century troops have very light artillery pieces which can be horse drawn or dragged and manhandled on the battlefield by ropes by their four men crews and the rest of the “fire lock” or “fyreloque” company of troops. In mountainous regions the guns are disassembled and carried by Man or Mule.
Some spare Peter Laing horses and holders, artillery and baggage train will have to step in for future games.
The misty mountain regions of Verdigris is allied with Upper or Higher Plumea (see below). Its principal industry is copper mining, copper working for a range of industrial and artistic craft purposes, allied to the use of green pigment by artists. This has slowly declined since more stable green pigments were discovered and became available. As in Bleudelys, its pigment rival, the women of Verdigris play an important role in the processing of the pigment.
The flag reflects the mountain grey mist and the copper green of the Verdigris pigment industry.
Pompomerania
Here we see a fine contingent and drums of the Pompomeranian Grenadiers on field exercises, tramping through a field for exercise, as ever poorly commanded by their General Abysmal Notuptodemark. On this occasion he is not with them, being back at his headquarters, having a major fashion crisis trying to decide what to wear.
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* Not to confused with the region of Pomerania mentioned by Prussian Otto von Bismarck who expressed a view that involvement in the turbulent Balkan wars was “not worth the bones of a single Pomeranian grenadier”.
Pompomerania as a minor state or region has two main industries – goat and sheep herding and turning the wool into the exotic dyed pom-poms supplied to the many military uniforms of many countries worldwide. Dyes are sourced through many local wildflowers and plants in the well grazed mountain meadows of Upper Pompomerania, along with a trading approach to purchase such dye stuffs from many sources worldwide.
The excessively large white PomPoms on their shakos both signify the importance of sheep and goat wool to the national culture and economy, as well as advertising the national wares at any military event and occasion at home and abroad from wars to military tattoos, coronations and state funerals. Approaches and requests can be made through the Pompomeranian Embassy and Trade Delegation in your country.
As result of its military exports, it aims to achieve armed neutrality in most conflicts, except where its trading sources are threatened. When nations are at war, demands for adornments to military headgear increase including for splendid volunteer and yeomanry uniforms. During the occasional “Long Peace”, uniforms become even more impractical and flamboyant. A rare “win win” situation in peace and war.
Additional Note: The small quick firing cannon used in many countries is based on the Pompomeranian quick firing light artillery whose rapid fire sound “pom-pom-pom-pom” is due both to excellently choreographed artillery units (drill days Tuesdays Thursdays and Saturdays) and to the similarity to the rhythmic sound of some of the wool processing machinery powered by water mills in this mountainous and snowmelt terrain of Upper Pompomerania. This rhythm is also reflected in the drums and military bands of Pompomerania and the tuneless near wordless “Pom Pom Pom”ing Chorus Section of the national anthem.
An information request to the Pompomeranian embassy can confirm that the breed of local mountain dogs used to carry the sledge or dog cart artillery is indeed the tough and very fluffy White Pompomeranian breed. These also make excellent sheep herding dogs.
The Duchy of Hesseansachs
An advanced unit of Hesseansachs Grenadiers and military cadets.
This minor region and Duchy of Hesseansachs thrives on the supplies of the jute trade, rivalled only by Dundee and the curiously revolving town of Glasgae in Hibernia.
Like the Pompomeranian economy, Hesseansachs thrives in times of war and peace. In wartime it is busy supplying jute sandbags for fortifications or Hessean Sacks as they are known. In times of peace it supplies shopping bags and in case of heavy rainfall both in peace and war, hessean sacks are supplied as sandbags for flood prevention. The military personnel are trained to assist in these times of deluge. War, peace, disaster or shopping, the Jute mills of Hesseansachs are busy by day and sometimes by night. The national motto roughly translates as “Your disaster is our national income”.
A small Hesseansachs Navy and Marines force exists to protect the shipping and supply lines to the sources of jute such as India and Southeast Asia.
Gelbania
(Above) The “greenery yellary Grosvenor Gallery” uniforms of Gelbania depict the verdant greenery and sunshine of this mountainous state, whose inhabitants frequently indulge in arias and light operettas. They are noted for their harmonic marching songs as they trek up and down the mountain passes. On Sundays, small military bands play a selection of light airs at bandstands in each of the few towns. Here in this small platoon are some cadets and members of the Light Operetta Company of Gelbanian Volunteer Militia – Chorus Section.
Upper or Higher Plumea
This small selection of troops from Upper Plumea shows in its uniform the alliance by Royal marriages of the Duchess Maria of the flaming red hair to the reigning family of the small state of Verdigris.
You can clearly see the similarity to the dark green uniforms of the Verdigris Volunteer Militia, the main difference being the copper buttons and band instruments of the Verdigris troops. The two regions share misty and humid microclimates unusual in the Alpen regions. Verdigris is supported by its copper mining and copper working industry.
Upper or Higher Plumea’s mountainous valley economy is mostly based on breeding birds for their feather plumes to supply the military and civilian millinery industry, much like Pompomerania.
The Upper Plumean troops have a tall plume with red upper part and the lower green section reflecting the alliance with the Verdigris.
No one now remembers what happened to Lower or Middle Plumea, whose troops must have had more restrained and unimpressive hats.
Weissenstein
Another mountainous minor state, its troops wear white uniforms and its few Marines of its tiny lake and river navy have attractive top hats.
Reissenshein
We are awaiting uniform information on this calisthenic nation of early risers.
Thyer-Brigadia
The proudest part of the Thyer Brigadian uniforms is the brass cavalry style plumed dragoon helmets which are often copied by Fire Brigades worldwide. Interestingly these Volunteer Militia troops are also the Volunteer Fire Brigade in their various towns and villages (hence the variations in uniforms), making sure that their native Alpine wooden houses and mountain forests do not catch fire. A fireman’s axe is carried on fire duty and state occasions. The wooden fire towers are also part of Militia watch posts in each valley.
Cacadorias
These excellent Rifleman are from the western edges of Southern Europe. Their brown uniforms provide good cover and camouflage.
Bleudelys (Republique de)
Bleudelys Republican forces (below) wear light blue plumes on their darker blue uniforms. These are a selection of the Bleudelys Grenadiers (the ‘Grognards’) or the Old Guard. The uniform is based on that of the Royal Guard of the former Royaume de Bleudelys.
Bleudelys forces include the Blue plumed Line Infantry, Artillery and Bicorne clad Marines.
This Bleudelys Republic is currently run by one Revolutionary turned Emperor, the short and far from boney and skeletal Mediterranean-born former artillery officer Napoli de Leon (Napoli the Lion).
And finally the Marine Corps and boatmen with their distinctive bicorne hats
Great Butlinnia and Hibernia
The redcoats of Great Butlinnia, a large island off the coast of MittelMittelEurope with its cheery Redcoat Army, its Navy, Marine, are allied with its North, the kilted Celtic redcoated troops of Hibernia.
Ruled by King William or ‘King Billy’, Great Butlinnia does not maintain a large standing Army except for the oppression of democracy and reform. In times of peace its Redcoats double up as family entertainers and variety artistes, its wartime barracks serving also as holiday camps for its many citizens and tourists.
As a result of its dual Redcoat nature, each regiment and branch of the armed forces is in great rivalry with its ornate uniforms, showy parade movements, music and marches on state occasions.
The Republic of the Uwessae
Uwessae, the phonetically spelt former colony of Great Butlinnia in the Neu Welt or New World of Northern Generica has kept the military shako of its former masters but changed its coat colours throughout revolution and independence to a Republican inspired Bleudelys dark blue to avoid confusion with the Redcoats.
A troubled border exists to the north of the Uwessae where a mountainous forested country was once occupied by Bleudelys as a trading colony, alliances with warring tribes of the native Generican inhabitants and simmering friction with the existing dominant power of Great Butlinnia – the colony of Butlinnian North Generic or BNG.
For much of the rest of the early 19th Century world in this Napoli-de-Leonic Era of world war and Minor States, look no further than the Bronte ImagiNations of Gondal, Glasstown and Angria.
These are well summarised in Isabel Greenberg’s new graphic novel Glass Town https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2020/03/23/glass-town-by-isabel-greenberg-bronte-imaginations-in-graphic-novel-form/
Blog posted by Mark, ‘Man of TIN’ 17/18 April 2020
Peter Laing Eye Candy thanks to Stuart Asquith
Sorting through boxes on Lockdown Day #whateveritis, I came across this 1987 Military Modelling A5 supplement on wargaming written by the late and sadly missed Stuart Asquith.
The colour front cover shows an enviable set up of a wargames room with shelves full of figures, a fine games table and some impressive pointing out of stuff by Stuart to the “younger generation”, youngsters who need such a free supplement explaining wargames. One day hopefully I will achieve this adult stage.
Being on furlough, I don’t have my usual office access to scanners so some rough photos will have to surfice for now.
One reason this booklet survived in my collection through my non-gaming busy years is the Peter Laing “Eye Candy” photographs.
These are presumably of Stuart’s collection of Laing, as it features the Boadicca figure that Peter made or converted especially for Stuart. This figure is mentioned in Stuart’s excellent Comfortable Wargaming article.
More Marlburians, the unusual period figures with which Peter Laing launched his 15mm range in the early 1970s.
The booklet photo caption mentions this fine resin building from Gallia with Laing figures.Some lovely Esci and Jacklex colonial figure mixes – Jacklex being easily available again through Mark Lodge’s relaunch. https://www.jacklexminiatures.com
Jacklex figures and gun conversions, including traction engine models and river launches built by Stuart Asquith.
Gramodels are still operating https://www.gramodels.co.uk. I wonder if these “Jacklex EFSI” vehicles will one day be available again or if they are conversions?
Finally, some of those range of scale pictures.
Part of my unpainted Peter Laing ECW / 1745 collection was preserved for decades of house moves by the sort of plastic box that I received as a present around this time – inspired no doubt by the photo in this supplement?
This box is still a time capsule or touchstone of my gaming activities c. 1986/7 with hair roller armies, Heroics and Ros / Skytrex 1:300, Platoon 20 and Peter Laing figures amongst the oddments. Worth an emptying out for a blog post one day as another fun “Unboxing” post?
Peter Laing 15mm collectors and fans can find those with similar interests on the MeWe Peter Laing site set up by Ian Dury when Google+ pages closed.
Blogpost by Mark Man of TIN 4 April 2020
Man of Tin blog 