Oddzial Osmy re-releases from Fighting 15s: Teutonic infantry previews
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Next up in the 15mm re-releases of former Oddzial Osmy ranges from Fighting 15s will be the Teutonic crossbowmen and spearmen. We now have the production masters made for the moulds, using the original master figures as a starting point, and hope to get the production moulds made in the next few weeks.
The figures were originally part of a small range that Polish company Oddzial Osmy made for the battle of Tannenberg. Fighting 15s now owns these figures. They are on the tall side for 15mm.
Inked versions
Fighting 15s re-releases 15mm Krakus cavalry
15mm Krakus cavalry 1813
At long last Ian at Fighting 15s has got his act together and started re-releasing the 15mm figures originally produced by Oddzial Osmy of Poland. The company produced a small range of 15mm Napoleonics and Medievals, to which Fighting 15s now has the rights. Fighting 15s is in the process of making new moulds from the masters.
The first re-release is the 15mm Napoleonic Krakus cavalry for 1813, one of the most popular sets in the range. Three units of Polish cossacks (Krakus) were raised in 1812, but combined into one regiment. Headgear varied, and the Oddzial Osmy set represented two variants: a tall czapka, and a lower, more traditional Polish cap, but not the melon-shaped cap shown in some pictures. The Krakus fought loyally for Napoleon, serving into 1814.
The original set was released as a box of 15 figures, but Fighting 15s has re-released the troopers and command separately. The troopers are available in a pack of four for £3.30 inc VAT (£2.75 ex VAT) and the command is available in a pack of two for £1.70 inc VAT (£1.42 ex VAT). The troopers now have cast lances – the originals were open-handed.
The figures are best suited in size to smaller 15mm figures from other manufacturers, but as the Krakus were mounted on small horses they may work with larger 15mm figures.
Oddzial Osmy, of course, still produces its own 1:600 ranges and 15mm SF range, which are stocked by Fighting 15s.
Product Link: http://www.fighting15sshop.co.uk/polish-180-c.asp
Size comparison (left to right): Old Glory, Essex, Oddzial Osmy, AB Cossack, AB
Huzzah! Glorious Empires: Basing
Here are two taster pictures of formations in Huzzah! Glorious Empires, the grand tactical Napoleonic rules based on Huzzah! Work on the rules is progressing with the aim of publishing them later this year.
The Yahoo! group for the rules, formerly known as Huzzah! GT, is at: http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/Huzzah_GT/
The latest version of the rules for playtesting will shortly be uploaded to the group, along with more beta-version army lists.
Work resumes on Huzzah! Glorious Empires
The Christmas break has given Ian a chance to get some serious playtesting and work done on Huzzah! Glorious Empires (formerly known as Huzzah! GTx), Oozlum Games’ forthcoming grand tactical wargames rules for the Napoleonic period. Updates are again being posted on the game’s Yahoo! group at http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/Huzzah_GT/
The game was last updated in April 2006 – yes, 2006! – and the latest playtests mean that a revision will be due shortly. Development work on the game took a break because of a serious family illness, and Ian is only now finding time and energy to pick up the pieces with the aim of publishing the game within the next year. Oozlum Games is aiming at 2013 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the tactical version of the rules, Huzzah!.
Besides the revision to the rules, work is also under way on army lists for the game, a few beta versions of which are now available on the Yahoo! group for playtesting purposes. This will end the reliance of Glorious Empires on the development platform that is the original Huzzah! rules, and remove a somewhat complex formula for determining unit quality.
Although Oozlum Games therefore welcomes interest now in the development of Huzzah! Glorious Empires, a better version for playtesting will be available within the next few weeks. Keep an eye out for announcements.
Martian Empires Venus supplement
The Venus supplement for Martian Empires is at first proof stage, and Mike is currently checking it over. We still have pictures to take and some maps to get drawn.
The supplement, working title From Venus With Love, includes:
History of the Anderson expedition to Venus
Lizardmen army list
Two scenarios
Revised British army lists taking in errata
FAQs and errata
I believe Mike intends it to be available as a free PDF. Mike will also no doubt think of a better title than one I pinched from The Avengers.
Designing something in anger again has sparked renewed my enthusiasm for print editions of the Huzzah! Napoleonic rules. I am currently looking at the fast-play grand tactical edition again (project title: Huzzah! GTx) with a view to publication, particularly as it would suit the forthcoming 3mm Napoleonics from Oddzial Osmy. The rules for this are complete and work, but the army lists need knocking into shape. It’s conceivable that something may be available by the time the 10th birthday of Huzzah! comes around.
Ian
Small claims court news from Fighting 15s
Fighting 15s regrettably had to take a customer to court recently for defaulting on a payment. Their payment for an order was reversed by their bank after the goods had been dispatched and received, and the customer failed to respond to several emails and a final request for payment sent by registered post. Fighting 15s had proof of delivery of the order, and proof of delivery of the final demand for payment.
Fighting 15s has a Government Gateway account (for VAT), so it was no trouble to go through the online procedure for the small claims court which requires a gateway account. The court fee is £25, which is added to the amount that the defendant has to pay.
Fighting 15s is delighted to announce that the customer decided to pay in full, if somewhat after the deadline, rather than have judgment go against them and damage their credit rating.
It’s the first time in its trading history that Fighting 15s has had to use the small claims procedure against a customer. Fighting 15s had all the necessary documentation and proofs of posting and delivery, and the process was very simple and trouble-free. But it could have been avoided if the customer had responded to communications, particularly to the final written demand. The customer had managed to respond to email when a first attempt at placing an order failed. The result is that the customer ended up paying £55.28 for an order that should have cost £30.28.
Fighting 15s completes purchase of 40mm Flashing Blade lines
Fighting 15s has formally completed the purchase of the 40mm ranges formerly made by Southampton-based Flashing Blade, and which Fighting 15s has been keeping in production.
The 40mm ranges include Romano-British and Dark Ages Saxons, Ancient Greeks and Skeletons, and Napoleonic Portuguese Cacadores. Over the next few months Fighting 15s will be tightening up the lines, making new moulds where required to ease production headaches, and getting photographs up on the website.
Figures in the ranges are reasonably priced at £2.50 per foot figure including VAT.
Fighting 15s gets set to walk the Wight again
I am walking the Wight again on 13 May 2012, raising money for the Earl Mountbatten Hospice – the only hospice on the Isle of Wight. I last did this in 2010, when I raised over £400, largely thanks to donations made by Fighting 15s’ customers.
One of those generous customers is no longer with us, having been claimed way too young by pancreatic cancer. So this year I’m walking partly in memory of him and of the fantastic conversations we used to have about our toy soldiers. And partly I’m walking it again because the hospice does such fantastic work here on the Isle of Wight.
Walking the Wight involves covering the distance from Bembridge airport in the east to the Needles in the west – a distance that if walked in a straight line would involve getting your feet rather wet at the end. It’s around 28 miles, and I plan to cover the distance in about 10 hours. I’ll have a few days to recover and regain use of my legs before heading off for Triples in Sheffield.
I have a Just Giving page for customers to sponsor my walk at: http://www.justgiving.com/ianiow2012. My walker number is 2218.
For more details about Walk the Wight and the Earl Mountbatten Hospice, go to http://www.iwhospice.org/
Fighting 15s agrees purchase of 40mm Flashing Blade lines
Fighting 15s has reached an agreement with Mark Rowsell of Flashing Blade to buy the 40mm ranges formerly made by the Southampton-based company, and which Fighting 15s has been keeping in production while Mark has been sorting out his life.
Buying the 40mm ranges, which include Romano-British and Dark Ages Saxons, Ancient Greeks and Skeletons, and Napoleonic Portuguese Cacadores will allow us to tighten up the lines, make new moulds where required, and look to expanding the ranges.
Casting machine update, 14 September
Ian has retrieved the repaired casting machine from the engineering workshop and hopes to be back casting figures in the next day or two. Parts of the casting machine need to be reassembled, and returned to their usual settings. Please bear with Ian in the meantime: there is a substantial backlog of casting to deal with.
oozlumgames.com 
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