Sunday, September 14, 2025

FPW Prussian Commanders

With no games on last week's schedule, I actually found time to put in a few meaningful painting sessions between numerous competing distractions.  After mustering out WotR mounted knights, painting focus shifted gears decisively toward 15mm FPW work.  
First out from the painting desk are two handfuls of German commanders.  These 16 mounted officers are in a mix of uniform and come from one bag of Old Glory figures.  One bag of officers ought to be enough to get me started.  The figures represent brigade commanders (based singly) and division/corps commanders (based in pairs).  Serviceable figures all.  Commanders making it into the painting queue and out the other side suggests that a gameable force nears.
Lots more on the painting desk and a few completed units awaiting the camera.  Expect additions to Prussian and Bavarian infantry and several batteries coming up.  There are even a couple of sample units of Baden and Wurttemberg infantry in the painting queue that Allan from Lancashire Games sent that managed to pass through the tariff blockade.

On the topic of tariffs and the Royal Mail's stoppage of shipping to the US, I placed an order with Lancashire Games on 04 August to take advantage of their summer sale.  This order was placed several weeks before the 29 August tariff launch.  I figured that this package should slip through unscathed before the deadline.  Since 13 August, the package has been stopped in Irish Customs.  After more than a month of "Pending" status in tracking, on 12 September I received an email from Royal Mail stating that the package has left the UK.  We will see if the package makes it stateside and whether I owe any extra duties once it lands on my doorstep. 

42 comments:

  1. Nice officers. Good luck on your package. My big book purchase was pretty tariff so hopefully you will get the stuff w/o extra cost.

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    1. Thanks, Joe! My understanding is that books and media ship without tariff.

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  2. Splendid looking Prussian command and best of luck with your imports,luckily I don't buy anything anymore from the US,difficult enough from Europe, I'm finding myself to be more and more insular, not out of desire but from necessity!
    Best Iain

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    1. Thank you, Iain! Yeah, I hope this package eventually arrives. When it does, there will be a celebration.

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  3. Lovely looking officers Jonathan and good luck on the postage. Everyday I'm more thankful for my lead mountain as prices and shipping become more ludicrous.

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    1. Thanks! I am with you in being grateful for having stockpiled a HUGE inventory of figures. Who knew we would have such foresight?

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  4. Jonathan,
    I admire your ability to switch painting gears from 28mm to 15mm at the drop of a hat! I need at least a day to contemplate switching projects.
    Good luck with the parcel. I keep getting caught for VAT on parcels from Spain. I don't mind the VAT which has been around £2, but I do resent the £8 handling fee imposed by Royal Mail!
    Neil

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    1. Switching is easy! Staying focused is more difficult. As for deliveries from the UK, I received an email from 1st Corps yesterday stating that they would resume shipping to the US but adding 10% tariff and 1% Royal Mail admin fee. On top of already nose bleeding postage rates and a weakening USD, adding another 11% may hurt.

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  5. Great looking command stands. Good luck with the package. I could comment but I don't want to be drawn into the politics of tariffs etc.

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    1. Thank you! Current politics ought to stay out of Wargaming blogs.

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  6. The officers look great Jon! The tariff situation is the opposite. Postage can be a real killer here in NZ too, although I always found 1st Corps one if the more reasonable suppliers in that regard.

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    1. Thanks, Keith! Shipping to RoW from UK varies widely. I agree that 1st Corps shipping has been reasonable but recently switched to fixed postage cost by weight.

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  7. Great looking Officers and look forward to seeing more of your FPW units

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    1. Thanks, Neil! There is a long line of FPW units mustering out. You may get tired of seeing them!

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  8. Great work on FPW officers - I am about to start on my own sets (albeit in a different scale). I am a great fan of this conflict - you may have noticed - so will never tire of your parades.

    I note that NZ Post has resolved the tariff issue now with 15% tariff plus 5% admin and 5% dispersement fees.

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  9. That is a lot of command figures, and all beautifully done. Thankfully packages from the UK and Europe are still making their way to Australia in around a week and the postage is generally quite reasonable.

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    1. Yes, a lot of command and more than is needed for now. I simply pushed the whole 16-figure bag into the painting queue. You’re lucky that international goods are still flowing for you.

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  10. Fine looking command figures there Jonathan. Good look on the parcel delivery🤞

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  11. Very nice FPW cav, Jonathan! Another of my favorite periods.

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  12. Cracking work on the Prussian command, they look really good. Not bought anything form the U.S. since the tariffs have come in, usually Fife & Drum are about the only one I buy from to be honest and Jim has always been great to deal with. Hopefully your package will arrive in a timely manner.

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    1. Thanks, Donnie! Do you pay tariffs on goods coming from the US? Hopefully my package arrives at all!

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    2. It's really very much hit and miss Jon, I have paid extra tax on a couple purchases but generally they seem to slip through the net, which is very nice indeed!

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  13. Great looking command figures Jonathan. Excellent work.

    Good luck with your purchase. Hopefully in the worst case the discount you bought at will offset some or all of any additional charges.

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    1. Much appreciated! Yes, the summer discount ought to offset any tariff.

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  14. Good news that another period is nearing deployment on the table and so arrival in photos of a game.
    I hope frustrations with mustering new figures doesn't accelerate.
    Stephen

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    1. Well, is this a new period or an extension to my 1859 FAW collection? With so many figures already in The Lead Pile, there is little frustration in shipping delays.

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  15. Nice work Jon , you always need more commanders 👍

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  16. looking good. I don't remember you doing round bases previously. But of course, I have a faulty memory.

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  17. The Prussian commanders look good - a sign of nearing completion of the armies?
    Sorry to hear about the issues with deliveries - I get the impression various postal services have 'paused' service to the USA because of uncertainty over how the new tarriffs will be implemented/collected. Hopefully that will become clear fairly soon...

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    1. Thank you, David! As you know, Austrian French, and Sardinian armies are all in place. Now working on building a gameable Prussian force to bring to the table. I am getting close having now painted German commanders. The Prussians could use some cavalry but not too much to begin.

      Yes, shipping was on pause for a while but looks like the process has been worked out and (hopefully) wargaming supplies will begin to trickle into the colonies.

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  18. Fine work there Jon and I too use a single figures for Brigade commanders and two for Divisional ones. I think the tariff and postal issue is slowly sorting itself out, but it has caused loads of headaches this side of the pond whilst everybody tries to find out how it's meant to be implemented. Hopefully your order will arrive soon.

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    1. Thank you! Yes, I believe the tariff situation is beginning to unjam.

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  19. A bit late to the party commenting...these look excellent. Very nice indeed. Its a pity we only get to see your painted creations from way above in our zoom games.

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    1. Thanks, Lee! Never too late to leave a comment. If you want see the figures in person, plan a Reject outing to America.

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