Anyway, in 28mm there doesn't seem to be much competition which begs the question whether anyone is really interested in the period. For me it has never been a period that appealed that much. Odd, given that it features a British Army in all its Victorian (and inappropriate) splendour. Partly, perhaps, it is too close in time to Waterloo and given a choice of two periods with redcoats and traditional cavalry I'd be more likely to go for the Napoleonic option. For a more modern war the American Civil War offers a more engaging choice with many and varied sized engagements and terrain. Basically my mental image of the Crimea is of (only a handful of) battles fought on freezing cold treeless, featureless terrain and rather too much siegework for an enjoyable wargaming period. The ultimate decision will be made, I suspect, by the figures themselves but these aren't due until 2010. If these are really spectacular (as they have the potential to be) then I may look at the period anew. Perhaps buying the Garry Douglas Kilworth novels might be a good (or bad) idea, especially given that, after the Crimea, his hero Jack Crossman ends up involved in the Indian Mutiny.
Something of a gamble for GWM I would have thought...
I have just read an illustrated history of the Crimean war by Ian Fletcher and a Russian/Ukranian woman which I bought mainly because of the painting on the cover of a Russian artillery redoubt under attack. It was a pretty grim war as the British army suffered. I share your caution on diving into this period mainly because I think I would get v bored building an army of Russians in greycoats. The plus is that there would be lots of French, Sardinian and Turkish units to collect. I think that I would be more tempted by the Indian mutiny if there was a choice.
ReplyDeleteRegards,
Guy