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Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Span-Am War Americans Receive Their Flags

When these SAW Americans were mustered earlier in the year, my search for appropriate flags turned up empty.  While browsing around Redoubt Enterprises' website trolling for Trojan War figures, I saw the Body's Banners link.  Looking under the Boxer Rebellion flag list, there they were.  Stars and Stripes and the Marine Corps flags.  After a short two week turn-around, the order arrived.

The flags are more simply rendered than GMB flags but they will do.  Below are my Americans bedecked with new banners.


I should add a battalion of U.S. Marines into the painting queue so that the Marine Corps flag can be unfurled too.

27 comments:

  1. Your Span-Am War Americans look lovely! Marvelous work Jonathan!

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  2. Looking very good. Yep, gotta have a battalion of Marines!

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    1. Yeah, you must have Marines to send in to save the day!

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  3. Lovely flags on lovely troops Jonathan!

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  4. Really impressive sight Jon - just realized I have no clue what army actually came up with the concept of marines and when. Has to be investigated further :0)

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    1. Thank you, Soren! I can only address the origination of U.S. Marines which began in 1775, dissolved after the war and then constituted in 1798.

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  5. Very nice, Jon! What rules do you have in mind?

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    1. I have thoughts of giving Fields of Honor or Rough Riders a try.
      May find something else too. Enough figures are present for a small action.

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  6. Lovely Marines, Jonathan. Makes me think of Wind and the Lion. "And your President Roosevelt is mad."

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    1. "Wind and the Lion" was such a great movie! Probably been about 40 years since I last saw it. I should make an effort to watch it again. I wonder how it has aged?

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    2. I actually saw it as kid in Radio City Music Hall as a premier showing. I have the DVD, and I feel it is still relevant today - maybe even more so than when it came out. Classic film.

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  7. Lovely looking troops, Jonathan!

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  8. Looking suitably star spangled now. Looking forward to a battle report.

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    1. Yes, now the Americans are suitably star spangled. As for a game, first I need to decide on a set of rules and a scenario.

      I wonder if Thomas' Wargaming 19th Century Europe could be pressed into service for this conflict? SAW was a much, much smaller conflict than the European wars but maybe the mechanisms would work?

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  9. They look great, this may guilt me into finishing mine.

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    1. No need for guilt! If this encourages you to finish yours then we both win.

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  10. Jon, another fine piece of work! I have a friend who is really into skirmish games for the late 19th Century and have agreed to field a few dozen Spanish soldiers in raydillo, straw hats and a mix of pith helmets for some Span Am scenarios (he's already got Americans painted). After viewing your figures, I decided the Old Glory 25s were a worthwhile investment, esp. with the 40% discount. I am getting close to 2 dozen completed. Your figures are a real inspiration!

    One question ... how to you paint the pin-striped rayadillo uniform? There is no way I'm going to attempt individual stripes. Rather, I've painted the figures a very light blue, and then follow with a lighter blue/light grey color dabbed over it. From 2 feet away, it seems to look okay.

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    1. Don, for rendering the Spanish raydillo, I do the same as you. That is, the uniform gets a light blue-grey base. If you look at the raydillo, from a distance it does look blue-grey.

      As a test, grab a pair of Levi blue jeans and turn them inside-out. The white and blue striping looks like raydillo to me. Held at a distance, what color do you see? That's right..blue-grey.

      Those that paint the striping are distorting the size of the stripes as well as the visual effect at distance.

      Old Glory's SAW range is one of their best and at discount an unbeatable combination.

      Appreciate your thoughts and comments!

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    2. For your planned skirmish gaming, what will you use for rules?

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    3. Our club has used "Trench Wars" which are simple, fast-play rules for WW1 but easily adaptable to earlier periods. The guy who does Colonial era (late 1800s) has his own home-grown rules. I've experimented with 'Contemptible Little Armies' and 'Triumph & Tragedy' as well.

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  11. Nice looking units and the flags look great too!

    Christopher

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    1. Yeah, I do enjoy painting the Americans for this conflict.

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