Longer ago than I care to remember, when this blog was a going concern, I took some steps towards starting a Pulp/Horror project set in western Canada, involving Mounties, moose, werewolves, and nefarious Zeppelin troopers. My name for this madness was “The Rockies Ablaze. Well, 2016 came and went, life and death and a new life all got in the way, but I am thinking about gaming again and want to revisit this project.
I noticed from my old posts on this project that back in 2015 I was racking my head trying to find some 28mm figures that would do for late 1930s Canadian Army, as you can’t have Nazi Zeppelintruppen roaming around western Canada, that just won’t do, and the Mounties may need some backup. I was thinking several sections of Regulars would be required if I could find suitable figures in greatcoats/winter dress, and there don’t seem to be too many of those about.
Fortunately a fellow on the TooFatLardies Yahoo group kindly answered my query and pointed me to these chaps from Gorgon Studios, which I think may be an Australian outfit, but I’m not too sure. Anyway, they do a line of British infantry, which seems to be intended for the 1940 Norway campaign, but these figures seem like they would serve as representatives of Canada’s minuscule prewar Permanent Force.
These fellows have the box respirator that interwar and early WW2 Commonwealth troops carried, so that works well. It would be better if they were in nice warm fur hats, but I suppose some RMC martinet type has insisted that they all wear the regulation tin hats. I have a reinforced section of riflemen plus command, a Bren and a sniper team, and some signallers ordered, so they should provide some effective support to my Mounties.
While I wait for them to arrive, I think I shall move those Bob Murch mad trappers back onto the painting table and get them done. And there’s a model zeppelin to assemble.
Blessings to your plans!
MP+
Has the Mad Padre returned? I hope so!
ReplyDeleteTentatively, yes. :)
DeleteInteresting project Michael - I look forward to seeing more of it over the coming months :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Tamsin! I hope to have something to show soon.
DeleteGlad to see your project moving forward.
ReplyDeleteChris, there is an airship angle to it! I'll send you an email about it.
DeleteThis is wonderful news, looking forward to further updates.
ReplyDeleteLovely units...and lovely colors!
ReplyDeleteCan't take credit for those figures, but hope to get mine and paint them to that standard.
DeleteI‘ll follow this one closely! Reads like it has some potential.
ReplyDeleteI certainly hope so! I'm excited about it.
DeleteLooks like a sound plan for this project. I have a few of Gorgon studies figs, and they are decent sculpts. No complaints.
ReplyDeleteYes, that's what I thought. They looked decent, not stunning but decent.
DeletePadre, Gorgon are from the USA IIRC. Also Slave 2 Gaming (Oz producers) do an Australians at Bardia group which is also available from Brigade Games. They are in Greatcoats and scarves, all rugged up for the cold in North Africa, these might suit your needs as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks, wonder why I thought they were from Oz. I did look at the Bardia figures, and they look lovely, perhaps better sculpts than the Gorgons, but as someone on the TFL listserv noted, by then the Australians had gotten rid of the respirator in the chest pack, which is an archetypal early WW2 look, and besides, the Nazi Zeppelintruppen are rumoured to drop sleeping gas. :)
DeleteOddly enough l had just been thinking about your Mountie project and hoping it would start again,spooky eh. I do look forward to seeing it move forward here and hopefully a few more posts over the months ahead. Any thoughts about adding First Nations and their mythology into the already heady mix?
ReplyDeleteAlan
Thank you Alan. What an interesting notion! I did paint some of the Crucible Crush First Nations figures some years back for a secret Santa project, but they are pre-gunpowder. Still, they do make a Wendigo I believe. Hmmmmm .....
DeleteNice figures, Padre. I'm suddenly very cold...
ReplyDeleteDon't fall asleep in the snow!
DeleteGreat to see yo7 back at the brushes Mike! Great work on these lads too. You need moose.
ReplyDeleteTHey're not my lads, just samples from the website, but it is good to be back at the brushes. I have a moose, I do have a giant grizzly bear on order!
DeleteBe really interesting to see your pulp/horror Rockies project come back,I look forward to seeing it unfold!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
Thanks Iain!
DeleteYou could always do headswaps or chop the helmets off but I think the tin pots are quite acceptable. You never know what might fall out of a zepplin when it passes over your head.
ReplyDeleteps Congratulations on ....the new life. I wish you much joy.
Thank you so much, Ross, I do feel like a resurrected man sometimes. :)
DeleteHurray!
ReplyDeleteAdventures for HMCAS Timberwolf?
The thought had crossed my mind!
DeleteGood morning Michael, this may be of interest:
ReplyDeletehttps://frontiersmenhistorian.wordpress.com/aerial-scouts-and-airships/
And: https://frontiersmenhistorian.wordpress.com/2018/10/01/chaplains-of-adventure/
DeleteFantastic that you are back to hobbying again Mike and getting back to this fun project too! Bravo!
ReplyDeleteGorgon make some decent sculpts for sure. I particularly like their Crete partizans - lots of big moustaches and tall boots.
Greetings nice to see you posting again. I really like the gorgon figures and look forward to seeing the project come to fruition.
ReplyDeleteI really like th Gorgon German mountain troops such nice sculpts