NOV 9 2016 IN THE US

A cloud of critics, of compilers, of commentators, darkened the face of learning; and the decline of genius was soon followed by the corruption of taste.

 Edward Gibbon; Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, VOL I, Chapter 2.

We will now resume our regularly scheduled programming on toy soldiers...

FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT #112, OCTOBER 2016

This is just a short post to mention that the first piece in a series on my Chocolate Box Wars project appeared in the recent issue of the Foreign Correspondent, that excellent publication of the Continental Wars Society edited by Ralph Weaver.  If you happened to drop by this blog as a result of seeing that piece, I bid you welcome!  For those who may not be familiar with this excellent periodical that manages to persist in this digital world, you may peruse the title page below (yes, it still arrives via the mail: long may it waive!).  Clix pix for Big Pix to enable easier reading...

Excelsior!

FRENCH FOREIGN LEGION, CARLIST WAR ERA

There will be a minor interlude in the order of march in the "Pass in Review" (Prussians next...I promise) in order to post the latest completed unit in the Chocolate Box Wars project: the French Foreign Legion.  These figures are from the Perry Carlist War range--and (surprise surprise) are actually French Foreign Legionnaires (well, some of them are).  Although it would be difficult to justify these fellows showing up in the absence of a French army, and they are a bit early in the era compared to my others (so far), what the heck. They give me a more colorful option to plunk on the table on the odd occasion when it doesn't matter too much.  This acquisition, though, was initially grounded in the First Schleswig Holstein War, a cryptic allusion to the Van Der Tann volunteers who are described only as wearing a tall french-style kepi and being outfitted in green.  The Perry Carlist War line FFL figs had just the kepi, and there are two versions, marching  and firing line.  I picked up some of both with an eye towards the Van Der Tanns, but then, of course, gave in to the temptation of fielding the French Foreign Legion, too!  (The flesh is weak). As always, clix pix for BIG PIX.

I figured that if the Van Der Tann's were in French style headgear, why not also French style kit? albeit colored in typical Germanic fashion, with red piping and black straps.  I also figured that the more huddled look of the marching figures would be more appropriate for the volunteers...

 Speculative Van Der Tann Volunteers in Green, advancing in front of the Bracklow Volunteers (who are also Perry Figure conversions: British Infantry in straw hats from the British Intervention Force line).

...leaving the bravely arrayed firing line for the French Foreign Legion!
 

These very animated figures allowed me to create a small vignette on each stand.  In the above, an NCO controls the fire of his men, with one soldier just about to shoulder his rifle and the other looking on.  In the opening image at the top of this post, an officer, elegantly leaning on a cane (very Hercule Poirot-like) observes the shot of a soldier while the other waits his turn (almost shooting competition-like).

Excelsior!