The era of musket-based warfare stretched from about 1700 to the 1840s. It included the 7 Years War, American Revolution, French Revolution, Napoleonic Wars, War of 1812, the Alamo and the Mexican-American War. For those of us growing up in America, the American Revolution was one of the first things we learned in our history classes. We learned of leaders like George Washington, Nathaniel Greene, and enemies such has Burgoyne and Cornwallis. Our lessons covered battles, too: Trenton, Brandywine, Monmouth ( less than two miles from where I sit) and Yorktown. A few companies produced figures for the Revolution. Lido, MPC and Marx made sets of Revolutionary War soldiers. The Louis Marx Company also made playsets based on a popular show about that era.
|Militia from Castings Inc Series 1 metal molds|
Boys in Britian and Europe had their Napoleonic Soldiers and 7 Years War troops. While we in the States played our games of the Revolution and the Alamo, they fought Waterloo and the Silesian Wars. Only in the last generation or so have plastic toy Napoleonic soldiers made their way to America. Once solely the province of metal figure collectors in the US, plastic Napoleonic troops became available to wargamers here in the States. As for American companies in recent years, BMC produced affordable playsets and figures for the Revolution and The Alamo. Barszo made several of its more expensive sets for the French & Indian War and the American Revolution.
|American officer figure from Dutkins mold|
Ewald’s Treatise on partisan warfare
His later work on light infantry (hard to read - old version from 1803)
ewald’s diary http://www.jaegerkorps.org/reference/Ewalds%20DIARY%20OF%20THE%20AMERICAN%20WAR.pdf
Emmerich was another German who fought in the Revolution as a leader of light infantry. Here is his treatise. this one is an easy read:
Emmerich’s Treatise on Partisan warfare http://www.loyalamericanregiment.org/The%20Partisan%20in%20War.pdf
Foraging parties, Indian raiders and scouts might get info skirmishes when encountering each other or coming across small posts guarded by enemy troops. These battles are very different from the set-piece combat of conventional warfare of the time.
OMOG Musket is a game of small unit action of the period from 1700 to 1849. The movement and terrain are like the other OMOG games. However, the game play of OMOG Muskets has been designed to reflect combat in the Musket Era. The game is easy to learn, easy to play and lots of fun. Designed to be played anywhere with whatever is at hand. You can play the conflicts of Europe, the Americas and in colonies of the time.
Download a copy here:
There are several companies making troops for the Musket era. A couple of very affordable brands are the Revolutionary War troops by BMC and the Frontiersman by Tim Mee (Victory Buy) These sets are in the 60mm to 65mm range. The BMC figures are a bit crude, but have a variety of poses and come in different colors and types.
|Tim Mee frontiersmen from Victory Buy|
Frontiersmen from Victory Buy - Click here
For BMC, Call to Arms MPC and recast, see Toy Soldiers depot - click here
Recasts of Timpo and Airfix Napoleonic soldiers are out there. Sets are also available from Call to Arms.
Molds for those good souls who cast their own are available from several sources. Nurnberger Meisterzinn makes a set of Seven Years War Molds that can also be used for the American Revolution. A few can even produce Napoleonic. There are in the 40-42mm scale and some are more like semi-rounds.
|From Castings Inc Series 1 single cavity metal mold.|
Download their catalog here: http://www.miniaturemolds.com/media/Catalog0225.pdf
|American Officers from Dutkins Molds|
54mm molds http://www.dutkins.com/catalog/index.cfm?companyid=22
|Castings Inc Revolutionary War solders from Series 1 molds|
Dunken makes its own molds and also carries the Irish-made Prince August Line for the US. They have a line for Alamo, and Prince August makes 7 Year War and Napoleonic 54mm. http://dunken.com/
For people in Britain and Europe, Prince August of County Cork, Ireland makes the 54mm 7 Years War and Napoleonic line as well as 40mm scale semi-round circa 1750 http://www.princeaugust.ie/
|NJ soldiers from Castings Inc Series 1 mold|