THE PROFESSIONALS

The film above was made around the same time as the Sergio Leone dollar films but it was a much greater film albeit shadowed by the Leone westerns. An exceptional cast of the great Lee Marvin, Burt Lancaster, Woody Strode, the great Robert Ryan and the unforgettable Jack Palance. It don't get much better does it? The boys have to cross into Mexico to get back the wife of Claudia Cardinale but finding that she is happy with the Mexican leader Palance they cross back into Texas. The last bit of the film is the rich industrialist husband saying to Marvin.
"You sir are a bastard"

Marvin replies." That was a fault of nature but in your case you are a self made man".
A great scenario here for a game.Or a range.

HOLDEN AND THE WILD BUNCH

One of the greatest ever performance on film was that of William Holden as Pike in The Wild Bunch. Peckinpah's character is the leader of a band of outlaws/babk robbers who have their time slowly eeking away as industrialisation takes hold on the country. Peckinpah the hard nut of Hollywood based this film on how ridiculous was the Vietnam intervention; an allegoric subject therefore. I saw this as a young teenager in Islington and had never ever seen a film like it. It took a long time before characters in the film became model solderised but I think it was the spanish firm Andrea who did them.

THE BATTLE FOR LONDON

Wellington decided to leave South London to the advancing French army.
"They will have to cross the Thames and if we mass all our men and artillery on the other side that won't be easy" Another army from Wales was marching towards London picking up men in its wake and it wouldn't be long for the North to be mobilised. Thee battle for London had to be fought and won quickly. The Royal Navy after the initial shock of being outwitted by the steam craft of Napoleon had now destroyed these ships with a terrible cannodade at Dover. All sank. There was only one thing for it.VICTORY!!!! This was what Napoleon told the French army massed at Kennington.THe English army that faced them was like no other army ever seen in a battle such was the variance in the loyal volunteers uniforms; these soldiers of London wore all the colours under the sun .Would they be a force against Napoleon?
NEW FIGURES IN METAl the london volunteers out very soon.

NAPOLEON INVADES ENGLAND

With the new innovation of the steam engine Napoleon put together a fleet of rudimentary crafts that in very quick time had his entire army in Dover and along the coast of Southern England, The Royal Navy had been powerless in face of this new invention (see date of invention). At Croydon a hastily organised army had met Napoleon's veterans but after a fierce battle had retreated on London. Wellington told his men. "We stand or fall by London". All able men were enlisted and the preperations of London's defence began to take shape. It was called the "Battle Of London". The London Militias took up their positions; would they be a match for the veterans of the Imperial Guard. First action figures of the London Militia nearly ready from Fixed Bayonet. Casting £5, leave a message here if interested.

PECKINPAH

The films of Sam Peckinpah were some of the greatest innovations ever done. I remember seeing Major Dundee plus THe Wild Bunch and being totally entranced for the whole of the film. The figure we are doing now is one of James Coburn in Cross OF IRON and what a figure it will be plus what a great actor.
STATUE

MAJOR DUNDEE RANGE

One of the things I've been thinking about is an ACW range but based on the film Major Dundee. It was a shame that that great actor Charlton Heston died. He was remembered as the great Gordon plus of course Major Dundee. To keep the film going he renounced his salary as Peckinpah had overshot the budget.
Remember the range could be used for the Mexican adventure shown in the film or that of the ACW. I'll try and devote my attention to this sometime. I'd like to do it in plastic and I'm talking to some Chinese firms. Who knows. If you can give advice on that please do. MY PROPOSED RANGE
1. Confederate Zoauve firing coly another in his hand
2. Confed bareheaded bald with beard firing with pistol sabre in other hand
3 French Lancer parrying with broken lance
4Confed thrusting outwards with fixed bayonet
5. Major Dundee with colt and sabre
6.Union soldier firing rifle/carbine
7.same but fat and bareheaded
8.same but kneeling firing
9.Union soldier wearing sombrero firing pistol
10.Union officer kepi firing pistol
11.Quantrill firing shotgun at Lawrence
12.Raider two pistols firing both
13.Same but one pistol
14.Sharpshooter union Stndg firing
15. " " " kneeling firing
14 . Tennessee Volunteers adv with fixed bayonet five versions
15.Western United States infantry advancing but with straw hats.
This is my first drawn up idea . Some will go with the Major Dundee scenario others won't but if you are interested leave your comments

LIBYA

Here are Bersasglieri in Libya. These are also on the agenda. Note the grey green uniforms. I will also do the Turks and their Bedouin allies.