Toysoldiers - "The last of the Mohicans"

Manufacturer:   JohnJenkinsDesigns (with one single figure that does not belong to this manufacturer

Scale:   60mm (1:30)

Hi, 

this is another post about a display I tried to optimize. I have several mounted woodland Indians, two canoes, two wigwams (the greater one is not JohnJenkins), two female prisoners and the three heroes of the novel written by James Fenimore Cooper - Hawkeye, Chingachgook and Uncas. All of these figures don´t really fit to my other displays. So why not combining them into a separate display and call this one "The last of the Mohicans"?

The setup is different to the movie, but it had been the best way to combine all the figures of my collection that had not found use in other displays yet. It shows Major Duncan as a captive in a canoe, while Alice and Cora are already lead to the centre of the village as prisoners. The canoe that transported them is carried next to the women. From the woods Hawkeye, Chingachgook and Uncas are advancing in a hurry. Some Hurons already noticed them. They are shouting and threatening. 

Again the display needs a suitable background. Watching the video (please turn on the tune) you will recognize that the glass in the background worked like a mirror. You can see my daughter and me filming the scene. I had also a closer look and saw that my daughter looks really fascinated at the display,. She said to me "Daddy, this looks very nice!". Maybe I will have the luck to get her in touch with wargaming and toysoldiers some time.:)  (Dream on, you little fool!)

Cheers

Mike

Alice and Cora are lead to the village as prisoners.

Major Duncan is still in a canoe.

The mounted Hurons are watching the captives.

Hawkeye, Chingachgook and Uncas are advancing...

..and are noticed by some Hurons immediately.

Toysoldiers - Rearranging "The Battle on the plains of Abraham"

Manufacturer:   JohnJenkinsDesigns

Scale:   60mm

What to do if you can´t sleep and are awake at five o´clock in the morning?

Yes, find some joy by looking at your collection of miniatures. 

But I did not like the look of my setting of the "Battle on the plains of Abraham" anymore. The display is about 95cm wide and about 55cm deep. Because of problems in placing the figures I used to place the British forces in the background and the French in the front. Not very clever because the French only could be seen from their backsides. I also didn´t like that the little vignette showing the death of General Wolfe was not really visible. Not very satisfying.

So, I had the time as iit still was about half past five in the morning and I also had the inspiration to change the look of the diorama. I made some trials to place the figures in a way they could been looked at from their sides. But how to change a frontage of miniatures that former needed 95cm to be placed to a much smaller width of 55cm?

I decided to place the French artillery on a hill, firing over the regiment de Bearn that I had placed in front of the artillery. Regiments LaSarre and Languedoc (I don´t have as many of the last one mentioined) are now advancing next to Regiment de Bearn. If I should get more figures for these regiments some day I would have enough space to let them advance in two sepaerate rows.

That´s what I did with my British troops. One regiment is advancing behind another regiment that´s already within heavy fire fight with the French. And next to this unit there is another regiment in line firing volleys at the Regiment LaSarre. I placed the two pieces of artillery behind each other with the frst on in front and next to the British firing line while an officer gives commands to the crew of the second gun to place it beside the first gun.

That was (in my opinion) the best opportunity to place the mass of figures on the limited battlefield. Both Leaders, Montcalm and also Wolfe, are now perfectly visible, too. And another very good thing - if there are some more reinforcements to join my collection I still could add some figures to the actual units. But there won´t be enough space to place another new unit.

I always have great fun in rearranging my collection. I get in touch with the figures, have again a closer look at them and enjoy to view the result of my efforts in the end. If you don´t rearrange your displays from time to time the displays loose their fascianation. And you always get aware of your actual collection. 

Cheers 

Mike

The death of General Wolfe

Here you can see the picture that was used by JohnJenkins as a template for the small vignette.
In my opinion he did a very good job.

Soldiers from Regiment LaSarre rescuing the mortally wounded
Marquis de Montcalm.

And this is the picture that was used as a template for creating the vignette of
rescuing Montcalm. JohnJenkins has sculpted the scene perfectly.

          

Regiment LaSarre advancing.

A British piece of artillery next to a British firing line (28th Regiment).

Another Brutish Regiment.(47th).

The French Regiment de Bearn supported by two French militiamen.

The British reinforcements advancing.

An overview on the British Infantry.

A few men of Regiment Languedoc marching on the road accompanied by some skirmishing militia.

Toysoldiers - "Battle on the Monongahela" - I wasn´t satisfied by the arrangement of the figures

Manufacturer:   JohnJenkinsDesigns

Scale:   60mm (1:30)    

As you have already read in the title of this post I wasn´t really satisfied with the last arrangement of my display showing the "Battle on the Monongahela". The background was not really fixed, the ground did not fit perfect and I also was not able to  place all figures of my current collection of this range. The ammunition wagon had no space within the last arrangement.

So - another try. I fixed the background, optimized the underground and re-added the ammunition wagon.

Here is the result.

Cheers

Mike

I also forgot to place the warrior with his trophy last time.

The ammunition wagon.is placed again.

Toysoldiers - "Battle on the Monongahela" - Rearranging the showcase

Manufacturer:   JohnJenkinsDesign

Scale:   60mm (1:30)

Hi,

last week I tried to rearrange my showcase of the "Battle on the Monongahela" that took place on th of July in 1755.

A force of about 2.200 British soldiers under command of General Braddock marched towards Fort Duquesne (present day Pittburgh, Pennsylvania) in order to arrest it from the French.

On July 7, Braddock´s columns reached the mouth of Turtle Creek, a stream entering the Monongahela about 13 km from its junction with the Alleghemy River where Fort Duquesne was located. The direct and shortest way lay through a difficult country and a dangerous defile, Accordingly Braddock preferred to ford the Monongahela twice in order to reach his destination.

The French decided to ambush the advancing British column with some 900 men. The French Commander Beaujeu only convinced his native allies to join the war party after he had dressed himself up as an Indian.

The outcome of the engagement was a desaster for the British. General Braddock had been morally wounded. On the British side from the 1.33 NCO´s and men who took part to the engagement, only 43 came off unharmed. Of 86 officers, 73 were killed or disabled. The wounded men left on the field were killed.

There is a very good scene from the series "The war that made America" on YouTube that tells a bit more about the battle.

"The war that made America" - Monongahela

I had been inspired to rearrange my showcase because I had currently seen the trailer of "Young Washington", a movie that will be published on July 3rd in the US. I hope that this movie will also be published in Germany for the trailer looks really good.

Trailer "Young Washington"

I also just watched the TV mini series "George Washington" on YouTube. This series is from 1984 with James Mason and Trevor Howard. Within this movie there is also a part dedicated to the "Battle on the Monongahela".

TV mini series "George Washington"

Rearranging my own showcase I got aware that it is very hard to place terrain and figures on a limited space of about 95cm by 55cm. I was not able to place the British artillery and the ammunition cart that I already was able to include into my collection. So either the collection is already too big or the showcase is just too small. 

The first option is fake for sure because there are still some sets from this range by JohnJenkins that my collection is still missing. So I guess it must be the second option - the showcase is too small. In lack of being able to stretch the shelves it may be a good idea to split the battle on two shelves, every one of them showing different stages of the engagement.

Hope you enjoy watching the videos and also the pictures.

Cheers

Mike

General Braddock mortally wounded and young George Washington´s attempt to rescue him.

The Redcoats are suffering heavy casualties.

Attackint with a cruel warcry.

The death of the French commander Beaujeu.

Ambush.

Fierce melee fighting.

The warband of native warriors ...

... attacks the Redcoats from all sides.

Toysoldiers - A short video about some FIW stuff

Manufacturer:   JohnJenkinsDesign

Scale:   60mm (1:30)

Hi,

just a short video showing a part of my collection of figures of the FrenchIndianWar. All figures are JohnJenkinsDesign. The tents are JGMiniatures and the big log cabin and the big palisade are selfmade.

I tried to combine some different ranges. Refugees (own range) are arriving at an fortified outpost (St.Francis-range). I know that there are some palisades missing in the front of the display. But to be honest I used to display this scene in this way. But the palisades just obstructed the view on the figures. I am sure this won´t be the final attempt to display the scene.

Cheers

Mike

Toysoldiers - "Settlers and refugees" - a small range from JohnJenkinsDesign

Manufacturer:   JohnJenkinsDesign

Scale:   60mm (1:30)

Hi again,

this saturday´s post is about a small range from JohnJenkinsDesign that fits both to FrenchIndianWar or American War of Independence.

The figures have wonderful postings that catch the drama within this scene. I love the small details like the dolls on one horse and another one held by the little girl.

Also the girl that is sitting on a horseback seeking protection while wrapping around her mothers body.

The settler with the rifle looking backwards is alos brilliant. Maybe he has heard a suspicious noise and now is looking for potential danger. 

A possible setting could be the settlers walking on a path through the woods observed by two or three hidden Indian warrios. 

Another setting could be that the refugees are leaving their home for enemy troops are expected to arrive soon.

Maybe thats a good idea.

Cheers

Mike