French & Indian War
The first packs of Mohawk are available on the Galloping Major website, and previews of Canadian militia and Hurons on the Studio page: www.gallopingmajorwargames.com

Welcome to WD3… Very nice figures.

Am I right in thinking that the Daniel Day Lewis LoTM film producers went to great lengths to get the Native Americans authentically kitted out? I know they used archive plans to recreate Fort William Henry and the Hurons et al looked pretty good in the film... I wondered if that info was generally available?

Thanks Timmo. Nice one sukhe_bator. The Last of the Mohicans has a superb period feel about it. If you don’t already have it, buy the “Director’s Expanded Edition” (only available in Region 1 format as far as I'm aware, but worth getting a multi-region DVD player for. There’s only about 5 or 10 minutes of extra stuff in there, but it’s all excellent, most of all a night action during the siege featuring a foray by the Highlanders. The Native Americans look very convincing, only surpassed on film (IMHO) by the re-enactors in the PBO series “The War That Made America”, and the lone Mohawk warrior transplanted to France as a former captive in “Brotherhood of the Wolf” – and this chiefly for the war paint he dons towards the end of the film…….. There’s a ton of information available on Native American dress of the pre-revolutionary period for those dogged enough to find it, though many tend to blend this together into a generic “Woodland Indian” look. Of course, by the time of the FIW, tribal differences had begun to be blurred a little by the increasing introduction of European clothing items and cloths. Nontheless, the differences are still pretty marked in the mid C18, for example: Iroquois leggings still being different in cut and shape whether made of buckskin or broadcloth. We’re producing painting guides to accompany each tribe as they are released to help those who wish to, to more closely replicate the appearance of the different nations involved in the conflict. Of course, there’s nothing to stop anyone who prefers to do so merging and blending the sundry nations we’ll be representing into one force, and for some actions, especially the “Pontiac Conspiracy” after the official ceasing of hostilities in North America, this is far from inappropriate. The most comprehensive single source of information I’m aware of is “Encyclopedia of American Indian Costume” by Josephine Paterek published by WW Norton & Company, ISBN 0-393-31382-4 I hope that goes some way to answering your query.

GM, Thank you for the information on the ' Directors Edition', I purchased a Region 1 DVD to watch the American series of the 'Swamp Fox'. Good luck with the new range. John Ray.

Its very refreshing to find both figures and source material on natives are taken as seriously as the European combatants. So often I've seen 'shoot-'em-up' scenarios in the past where little time has been spent researching or even getting the right look to the natives while all the attention to detail is lavished on the European units down to the buttons. I think if you are going to wargame a period then both sides deserve equal attention. In my own area of interest - South Asia, very much the same thing happens. There is so much regional variation in dress but so few figures available to use that most battles inevitably use the same old figures in different guises. I think it devalues the 'opponent' not to invest time and effort in getting them right. Older hands might even suggest that they won't play as well! Research can give new insights into ways of playing potentially more interesting scenarios, particularly if there is a difference in fighting styles between cultures. Objectives etc. can be quite different. For example, if a raiding party attack a small column, the Europeans will huddle together, while the raiders will not act as a cohesive unit but will skirmish and attempt to single out opponents, cut them out and gain credit/points for each European killed with the least casualties. In effect two wargaming mechanisms operating on the same table. It might even be worth experimenting with those rule sets/systems which are transitionary between skirmish and army level...regardless of period, and see if their mechanisms have the right feel, for example The Lord of the Rings rules, or Contemptable Little Armies???

sukhe_bator - that's very much how I see it, de-valuing opponents other than Europeans untimately devalues the whole thing. Why bother if you're not going to do justice to all involved. Big Dave - that's right, born in Cottingham, raised in Hull and the East Riding. Not really part of the local wargaming fraternity, i.e., not a member of a club. I noticed your Hull banners! :mental:

London 0 Hull 4

:clap: :)

This is worth a watch, re the above talk of inspiring FIW film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDRFHScDgGU...player_embedded The Plains of Abraham - just checked and found this went a bit astray on mine, if yours did too, you'll find it 2/3 of the way to the bottom of this page of this great blog: http://warsoflouisxiv.blogspot.com/search/label/reenactment

"You should come along to the club," I'll do that some time - send me the details when you can :hi:

Interesting looking figures, when are the next batch due ? Will you be doing any civilian types ? We haven't actually seen Last of the Mohicans yet (in any version) but watched Drums Along the Mohawk recently. Old and slightly corny, but has a potential skirmish scenario. Couldn't see anything for postage rates on the site - is it just my eyesight ?