Wooden Wars: 54mm Wars of the Imaginations WIP

 “Audacity and more Audacity!"

- Marshal Villars

Empress P's guard troops from the Dutchy of Hypzig

54mm Wars of the Imaginations

While my Galleys Guns and Glory!  rules are off getting laid out and edited for printing, I’m concentrating on getting models and forces ready for a 54mm Wars of the Imaginations game being held at the Recruits game convention in mid-September.  The game is to be MC’d by Jaye Wiley (aka: BaronvonJ) and we’ll be trying out a pike and shot variant of  “To the Strongest” by the talented and dashing Simon Miller (aka BigRedBat). I’m really looking forward to the game, the traveling to a new convention and of course seeing brand new Wooden Wars forces on the field of battle!  Speaking of models, let’s take a look at the latest.

Rear view of troops. Eventually this will be three stands

Troop Review

My current models are based around the Wars of Spanish Succession, and lean heavily towards French troop designs with a bit of British lines and the Austrian cuirass snaking in. Remember, these are for “Imaginations” troops, but could easily be used for historic battles. Infantry stand 54mm tall from feet to... (pauses to actually measure…pauses again to look for ruler... find on son’s desk…and I'm back)... to the top of forehead where the hat rests.

I've updated the model to have a queue and back of hat attached to back piece.

Infantry and Command

Currently I have the infantry marching with musket, standard bearer, unarmored pike, drummer, sub-officer (spontoon) colonel with either raised hand or sword.  Units are currently 12-18 figures, with each base holding 6 models. 

Scale comparisons.

Gun crew build out options. I've a couple more on the way.

Artillery

My guns are scaled to represent something between an 18 and a 24 pounder. Can you imagine lugging those things around?!  As I recall, a French 12lb gun weighed about 1,200 pounds!  Each gun has 4 gun crew on its base, with the ability to add an additional “half stand” for more crew and accoutrements.

This illustration if nothing else, inspired me to do this line of models!

Cavalry trooper front and back.

Half a cavalry regiment next to infantry for scale

Troopers riding knee to knee.

Cavalry

These troopers were built a la “cobbling” together the foot soldier and legs from a Napoleonic officer. I deconstructed the models for pieces, then rebuilt them in my vector program. The whole time I felt like I was creating something akin to the Perry Twin's greens where they take one of their existing models and convert it.

Heavy cav master drawings

I need to make several bigger wig options!

On the Work Bench

Here’s a few shots of the “masters” I drew up this week, for the upcoming foot officer and heavy cavalry trooper. The foot officer gives me several variant options, and the heavy cavalry - well- Heavy Cavalry!

I’ve wanted to do a cuirassier for my Napoleonic woodens for a while, so this guy is a good testing ground for him.  

Back to painting, and cutting… and patiently waiting for my Galleys Guns and Glory! rules to be done! 

This is Major Soro from the 7YW- totally inspiring!