More about the WSS range

As some of you do already know, we at Minairons are preparing a new range of War of Spanish Succession 20mm metal figures, to be sculpted by Leonid Primachenko. We're going to start the range with a couple of Austro-Catalan Mountain Fusilier sets - perhaps better known as they were nicknamed, Miquelets (or Migueletes in Spanish).

The first set will consist of 4 soldiers in campaign dress and heavily armed with musket and a couple of pistols in a side apron, all showing different skirmishing poses:

The second set will comprise an officer, an NCO and a horn blower. While showing a commanding pose, the officer is armed just as his men with musket and pistols. The NCO is calmly looking forward while smoking on pipe, with the musket at his side. As per Charles Habsburg's regulations, Mountain Fusiliers regiments were not supposed to have flags, but it can't be discarded that some units carried a standard to their colonel's taste (especially if irregular, volunteer units). If following Catalan folk-lore, these might likely be all black flags, St. George's crosses or double-headed eagles. So the NCO could be easily converted into a standard bearer if desired.

As for the horn blower (or should I say 'sea shell blower' for once?), please notice his hat is crowned by a side feather - usually blue. He's shown while blowing the sea shell. Such unusual instrument is attributed to the medieval Almogavars heritage Mountain Fusiliers alleged - one of the features sustaining their strong esprit de corps.

We expect to release those first sets over this Autumn - although we might make them available earlier as pre-order, if asked to. I can't give a quotation for them so soon, but a price of €4.95 for a 4 figure set (or €3.95 for a 3 figure one) seems quite likely right now.

Italian CTV Littorio Division flags

The Corpo Truppe Volontarie (CTV) was an expeditionary force sent by Italy to Spain to support the Nationalist forces during the Spanish Civil War. Their land forces consisted of around 50,000 men in four divisions (Littorio, Dio lo Vuole, Fiamme Nere and Penne Nere); among these, Littorio was the only fully motorized one, besides of enjoying an armoured force too.

We've just released a set of flags related to this Italian unit; at 1/100, 1/72 and 1/56 scales altogether as usual.

New figure range to come

After a lot of time spent thinking around (years, actually!), this month I've finally taken the decision to start a new range of War of the Spanish Succession 1/72 figures, dedicated mainly to the too often forgotten peninsular armies; not just Philip d'Anjou's army, but also that one of Charles Habsburg - hopefully extending with time to Portuguese troops too, depending on this new range rate of success.

After some talk with other knowledgeable professionals, I've commissioned this new range to the well-known sculptor Leonid Primachenko, who has already excelled at sculpting horse & musket figures for other manufacturers. If taking a look at the pictures in this post, I believe you'll agree this is going to be a very promising range!

First figures commissioned are the couple of Austro-Catalan Mountain Fusiliers or Miquelets that you can see in pictures, that will be accompanied by another two figures to form a first set of 4 skirmishing fusiliers. A further set to follow shortly afterwards will comprise a Miquelets officer and horn blower.

Figures are to be around 20-21mm tall from feet to eyebrows, so 1/72 scale compatible. Here above you can see how does one of our figures compare to a GNW musketeer from Zvezda.

Three new Age of Sail flag sets

I'm pleased to show you our three latest Age of Sail flag sets at 1/600 scale; this time, all three are related to Mediterranean sea powers - starting with the Saint John's Cross of a Maltese warship, along with the flags for Catalan and Sicilian merchantmen or privateers.

If interested in such range, please don't hesitate and write to us for suggesting new designs!

1/56 WSS flags - conversion finished too!

All my War of the Spanish Succession flag ranges have already been converted into pro printed paper sheets, from their old PDF versions. All them are now available as printed DIN A7 sized sheets comprising one King's and one Regiment's colour each.

If interested in those, please don't hesitate and write to us for suggesting new designs!

WSS flags 1/72 version - conversion complete!

Just as announced a couple of days ago, I'm converting my War of Spanish Succession ranges from digital PDF files into physical, pro printed DIN A7 sized paper sheets. I started with their 1/100 scale version, and now I've also completed conversion of their 1/72 version!

Now only their 1/56 scale version are still awaiting conversion. This will be done in a few days too.

War of Spanish Succession releases and update

I'm happy to announce the release of a new set of infantry flags for War of Spanish Succession, devoted to Philip V's Spanish Guards, an elite regiment created in 1703 on the model of Louis XIV's Gardes Françaises. Released in 1/100, 1/72 and 1/56 scale versions altogether, these new items are presented in DIN A7 format paper sheets and comprise one Kings's colour and one Regiment's colour each.

Also, I'd like to acknowledge you that all my WSS flag sheets are no longer going to sell as PDF files, but as pro printed DIN A7 paper sheets too. Over a period of a few weeks, the already released flag sheets will be progressively converted to such new format - starting by their 1/100 scale versions, that are already available in the new shape right now!

Here below you have a sample of Catalan Deputation IR flags on standard bearers kindly provided by Eureka Miniatures.

Age of Sail Chinese Junk flags!

If anyone was missing some Far East naval powers ensigns and flags, in order to add some colour to their deadly war junks, I hope these two new releases will be useful and tempting enough to you! For I've just made available two new sets of 1:600th scale naval flags devoted to Chinese ships during Ming and Qing periods - quite roughly, between XVI and XIX centuries.

Despite splitted into two sheets, one for each period, most of the flags in them can be combined quite freely to some extent. Only tips to be held in mind there, are that red dragon flags were dominant during Ming dynasty, while blue dragons were preferred by the later Qing emperors; also, that Chinese ships used to place their ensign-like dragon flags not at stern, but on main mast instead. Sterns were often decorated with five smaller flags, one of each colour (at least during Ming period). And last, that red-dotted flags were apparently used by civilian ships only.

Hope you like them!