The collection I have is to stand as is.

I have come to the realization that I may have to not increase my collection of my main hobby collection.
Around 2004, I took a count of my collection and came up with the figure of 10,000 figures and about 1000 vehicles for my others.
I have to be satisfied with what I have and game and play with what I own now.
That or I need to get my spending in control.
As of July 2019, the collection is roughly 7120 figures however this may go up when I take a more accurate count.
The only new additions have been either through trade, or by my subscription to Wargames Illustrated which are providing a free spruce of products this year.

So far, I have been able to get a few figures from Wargames Illustrated which fit my Black Powder Era gamming. I am also going to tackle painting up some of these as the summer turns to fall here in Nova Scotia.

Barrosa 1811 will now be New Orleans 1815

As some blog viewers may have noticed, I had a rather large blog posting about an upcoming battle I had planned to do. However, over the last few months, I have been reconsidering my collection.
A new friend I have met has been trading parts of his collection for bits of mine. One of the latest bits he asked for was a Napoleonic French force. So, after consideration I traded my Napoleonic French force for several modern/cold war and WW2 kits. If I want to get back into Napoleonic, I can always buy newer kits.
I had taken the collection with me to Japan for 11 years, but my heart has always been in North American conflicts between 1620-1820.
So, when I can find some time, I will be doing up the New Orleans campaign.
Or, this book could be sold, most of my interest for the War of 1812 is confined to the Canadian side of the operations.
But it seems that no one is taking me up on the offer of my book, and after my tax return came in, I may be able to weather the storm.

Warmer weather coming, so garage will be back in business

I was puttering around in my garage between work, sleep, shoveling snow and slush and then water issues.
I should be able to get two tables going this year.
Stay tuned.
I spent the day airing out and sorting off both my gaming tables. I'd like to try to run both, one for large games, the other for smaller skirmish ones.
However, with the influx of new kits, and reductions of my other collections, my project table will stay cluttered for a while.

La Belle-Famille, 24 July, 1759 Niagara,

One of the books I got for Christmas 2018 was Ospreys Combat North America 1755-63 British Redcoat vs French Fusilier by Stuart Reid.
The great thing about French and Indian war battles is the small scale they were, but the outcomes were so huge in the history of both Canada and America.
British Forces
De Lanceys Light Infantry: 44th, 46th, and 4/60th light companies
44th Regiment
46th Regiment
New York Regiment
Farquhar Grenadiers made up of the grenadier companies
Mohawks

French Forces
Companies Frances de La Marine 6 companies
Militia and Amerindians

Darnah, Algeria, 1805

Minature Wargames have a scenario between US Naval troops against Ottoman Corsairs. The conflict came about when the Americans didn't want to continue to pay Barbary Deys protection money.

US forces consist of
2 guns with crew,
6 Turkish warriors Capt. Eaton

Lt. O'Bannon
30 figures mix of Marines, sailors

Derna castle: 40 Muslim warriors

The article lists a large amount of Turkish troops, but I will be using my Muslims troops as the defenders.
 I will model the defences with the tan coloured blocks I picked up as I have traded my Airfix desert fort to a fellow collector

I've been able to build up the North African forces and some terrain for this battle so sometime in 2021 I shall do this action 

French Hussars, 1808-1814

I got these two figures for free from Wargames illustrated.

Since I have gotten out of the Napoleonic Wars (except for War of 1812,) I will be using these in other locals in lieu of other troops

both are 28mm but will fit nicely into my project for fighting in South Africa as Dutch, and in South America as Spanish.

Updated 4/6/2019

My buddy who I have traded kits and troops with has asked for my French collection. I will be keeping these figures for a South American liberation wars of the 19th century which used surplus Napoleonic kit. I am also passing over a brigade of British troops.

In trade, I received about a dozen more kits and several other figures. I have increased my collection without spending any funds!

More fortifications to come.

I've been reading Chartrand's French Fortresses in North America 1535-1763.
One of the forts I'd like to build is Fort Senneville as it's a square stonework castle like fort. So I shall see what I can accomplish.
5/27th
So far I have built 2 stone block houses to add to my 18th century forts.
Now that I have glue and some basing they
Shall rise

Jacobite Rebellion 1746 Prince Charles on the run.

This Scenario comes from Wargames illustrated October 1997.
The crown forces are made up of 2 infantry sections 6 figures with an officer each, and a mounted patrol of 5 troopers.
There are 2 checkpoints which have a garrison of 4 men each with an officer.

Charles has a party of 3 and there are 4 additional Jacobites.

The objective seems simple enough. The Prince kits make it from one end of the table to the other.
But its not so cut and dry.
It should make for an interesting battle

King Phillips War 1671-76

August 1999 Issue of Minature Wargames
Had an excellent article on a colonial north American war.
The article describes the basic history of the conflict as well as both sides.
There are 3 scenarios set up. The first  Governor Winslows attack I played and did an article on in my blog about 5 years ago while still in Japan.
Scenario 2 is Benjamin Church's March to Tiverton. The Scenario is for Church's men to reach the river or the town without being attacked.
Scenario 3 Warriors attack (originally named Indian attack)
So once the weather stops being sub zero, battles will commence.

Battle of Rocoux October 11, 1746

Rocoux anyone? It sounds like a French dish, which begs the question is it better served hot or cold and with a Bordeaux or a crisp Chardonnay?
This was part of Marshall de Saxe's campaign. It pits the French against the British, Dutch, Hanoverian and Hessians.

The article I have from Minature  Wargames is only half, this was from issue 195, August 1999. I must have bought the issue before I left for Japan, gee 20 years already.......
Anyhow, I shall be working on an order of battle.

the French line

Looking towards the Hessian and British lines

The British left wing made up of a composite Grenadier Battalion with a strong Highlanders contingent 

The Allied horse waiting to smash into the French

the Royal Artillery on the Allied right.

the French Horse begin to advance

the French cavalry attempt to hit the Allied left

The last of the Brunswick and Hessian troops

French musketry is punishing the Allied line 

Royal Artillery desperately attempts to move the guns to support an assault. Eventually the Allied force suffered so many casualties. The French emerged victorious