Rationalising

''Rationalising" is one of those euphemisms that emerged in the 80s for 'cuts' and it is in that sense that I am thinking right now. I don't have a massive inventory of toy soldiers, and I have been thinking about expanding it. My first thought is always to look at 'the lead mountain' to see what I can do there before I can justify to myself more spending.

I've worked through my 6mm SYW pile to the point where I don't have enough for any more units. Just a few odds and sods. The ECW 'pile' is similar. I have a few civilians and some petardiers. And some officers, drummers and the odd pikeman, but nothing to make a unit out of. The AWI collection has nothing whatsoever, unpainted. I'll say that again. "The AWI collection has nothing whatsoever unpainted".

Then there's the Napoleonics. Again, nothing to paint. There are various painted figures, donated by Tony 'Max Foy', which could be based up into a unit. It might require some re-painting. But here's the thing, I haven't gamed with them in 3 years. I have an Anglo-Portuguese-Spanish army and a late war Prussian army. But no French, save the aforementioned painted loose figures. I could look at the viability of re-painting the Prussians. Obviously the biggest issue is the shape of the shakos (and all with covers on), and the flat caps amongst the Landwehr. Food for thought. If I decide not to do that I will seriously think about moving the collection on.

	No./base	No. Bases
Napoleonics
Baccus infantry	24-28	63
Baccus cavalry	9	24
Baccus artillery	1 gun	16*
Baccus generals	1	55

* about half with limber teams.

Finally there's the WWII Finns and Soviets. Again, I hardly use these. There are a lot more unpainted models here. I sorted through them, catalogued them and decided what I would definitely keep and paint, and what was genuinely surplus. The surplus will definitely be moved on one way or another. Comment below if you're interested.

Description	# Figures/heavy weapon teams/vehicles	Cat.No. (packs are not necessarily full)	Make
Soviets in winter coats and fur hats	40	?	Magister Militum?
Finnish senior officers in coats and winter hats	4	Fin 2	Pendraken
Soviet officers various hats	10	W258?	Magister Militum
Soviet LMG team (teams of 2	9	W257	Magister Militum
Soviet light mortar teams (bases of 2)	4	W251	Magister Militum
Soviet LMG teams of 2	7	?	Magister Militum?
Soviet heavy mortars (teams of 3)	2	W256	Magister Militum
Soviet Naval infantry	11	SV19?	Pendraken?
Soviet MMG teams of 2	7	W252	Magister Militum
RCW Red Army inf in Budyanovka	23	RCW1	Pendraken
Soviet AT guns (teams of 3)	2	SV17	Pendraken
Soviet early war light tank	3	?	?
Soviet T28	1	?	?
Soviet BT7	1	?	Pendraken?
Soviet KV1	2	?	Pendraken?
Finns in winter coats	37	?	?
Finns in Summer uniforms	35	?	?
Finnish MMG (team of 2)	2	?	?
Finnish heavy mortars (teams of 3)	2	?	?
Finnish AT gun (team of 3)	1	?	?
Finnish AT gun (team of 3)	1	?	?

I was originally thinking of the Winter War, which is why I've got some of the earlier AFVs and RCW infantry, but the thought of creating all those leafless broad leaf trees put me off! Most of the Soviets are in  post-1940 kit.

Oh, I nearly forgot. In the interests of full disclosure, I do have various samples of Punic War, Colonial and late C17th pikemen unpainted. The latter for the 'bateaux project' I mentioned a while back.

Postscript

I 'discovered' that I also have a pack (50) of Pathan infantry and a pack (20) of Tartar cavalry bought from H&R many years ago for an 18th century Ottoman project that never got off the ground. [Now there's a thought]. Also some Prussian grenadiers and  some Austrian grenadiers. Collectively nearly enough for a battalion of grenadiers (based on pennies for use as markers in my home brewed rules). But which nationality? I seem to have enough Prussian, Austrian and Anglo-Hanoverian grenadiers. Options include:

• Rochow Fusileers (Saxon) would involve cutting mitres down, but they have nice green coats. Fought with the French.
• Saxon converged grenadiers - white coats with mitres for a change!
• Reichsarmee combined grenadier battalion (which could be a mixture of bluecoats in mitres and whitecaps in bearskins!). Think they may have only combined grenadiers later in the war.
• Something from the WAS like Piedmontese or Spanish (assuming they had grenadier battalions), but they'd be odd ones out.

I also have c.40 mounted officers, also based on pennies as 'markers'. These could be 'converted' into cavalry of some description. Enough for 2 'brigades'.