Ulundi - creating the diorama

After we glued most of the figures on the stands we use the garden to try to get an idea how the diorama could look like.

The hills we had to think about and used a huge box as a subtidude.  It was difficult to arrange it with the space we have (6 meter x 4 meter). But in the end we had an idea how to create it.


Schmitty had the idea of turning the square why I still thought how to make the best of show

Schmitty and Roland trying to find the best way to bring the Zulu attack around the hill

This will be the part of the square we show on the plate.

The white plane the hill on which we have Zulu snipers, the green plane is the square. Around the corner you can see the charge of the Zulu column

Comming around the hill. Roland showing the places where to put the cavalry units into it.
The white markers in the middle is the place for the oxen, wagons etc.

We aggree with him:-) 

 And now discussing with Alfred how it could work, how many snipers are on the hill, where we put our Kral etc. etc.

The plates show the Zulu regiments. Of course we will fill up the gaps with more units. So far nearly 6000 Zulus are painted.

It seems in the end Alfred was happy too:-)

Less than two month now left until we can show it on the diorama - and still much work to do....

Franco-Prussian war 1870/71

This is one of my favorite subjects for a future diorama project. So far I have over 1000 French line infantry, 400 Zouves and 250 Turkos.

But this is of course just enough for a rearguard fight like the diorama Alfred and Roland made and which you can find here when you click at the label under this post.

So I asked a friend of mine if he would paint some more French for me. This is the result.

Now we concentrate more on this war, especially as Patrick will bring his Solferino-Range (made by Massimo) on the market and most of the French are useful for 1870/71 too.

So we asked Massimo to make a Prussian army and here is the first set of 12 infantrymen. The next set is already in the making

In the past we already offered figures for this war, several of them made by Massimo. The last was the French firing line from Thomas,

Simpy take a look at the shop to see the increasing range. Of course we would take the profit from the selling as usual to pay for more masters.

My dream are Prussian Cuirassiers and Ulans for a charge at Mars La Tour

Mexican-American war

Last weekend I read an old Military history magazine which had an article about the battle of Palo Alto.

This war had always a litte fascination for me as we have a colorful army on one side and battles which involved not too much soldiers on the other side.

So for sure this is an option for a future diorama project.

Shortly after I finished the article I decide to clear up the hobby-room - ok, at least I tried.
I stumbled over the Hanoverian Landwehr figures, sculpted by Ingo which are available from Schilling-Figuren.

The Turnbacks of the coat ist mostly hidden by the equipment and I took liberties about the cuffs.
But see the result I had afterwards - US Infantry in the Mexican-American war:-)

Very useful, don't you think?

Ulundi - Organizing the units

Finally here now the first photo of our working weekend. Now you can see me working too, not just making photos. The same goes for Roland who painted hundreds of Zulus.

Me glueing a Zulu Regiment on stands while Michael Einsiedel checks the formation.

 Roland and Alfred sorted all my Zulus after the shield color to organize the regiments.

 Proud to have he first base arranged - and looking very stupid...

 Roland started helping me. We know from memoires that they charged in companies four men deep.

Rainer's 80th foot and some artillery which I asked him to paint and organise.

My own British companies of the 13th and 21st infantry as well as my 17th lancers (the on on the yellow base are Rainer's.

Richard made some nice conversions which he still has to paint.

Puh, can't remember which one Zulus these are, but I guess Richard.

Because Rainer arranged his on such bases

While I had most of mine loose to glue them in formations.

 Glueing half the afternoon...

Then removing the older figures which I used for Isandlwhana 15 years ago to reorganize them in the units we need this time.

Richard helping me organizing the Frontier Lighthorse.

And finally a close up of my British companies. You see the kneeling at ready of the second rank needs some reinforcements. So I still have to paint...

And again more Ming Chinese

After all the "modern" figures, here again some more Chinese from Thomas' range.

I guess some of you may have missed these guys:-)

And I am still wondering how much are in the pipeline...

Tirolean insurgents 1809

First I thought the next post would about the Ulundi Diorama, but now I got the next set of figures from Frank who was very busy the last two weeks.

So I show you the photos of another set that will very soon appear in our shop and is for me as a Bavarian one I wished for a long time.

Tirolean Schützen will be the first set in this small series. Tirolean Landsturm with ancient weapons will follow next. If you need Andreas and his fanatic monk take a look at Munich Kits. Great figures which I have in my collection too. The only problem is, they are resin. But so far none break.

So after the charging Bavarians from Massimo here the defenders of Isel Mountain

Royal artillery AWI

Frank sculpted the next set for the shop. This time it is for Timo's range of the American revolution.
But I wished I already had them for the Cuddalore diorama.

Very soon available in our shop:-)