Tuesday 14 March 2017

 



Avanti per Bonaparte! go to Calenzano 2017.

Presentation of the wargame under the Toy soldier and Doll Show during the 18 years of the competition of painting miniature "Frammenti di Storia", located from 11 and 12 March at the Hotel Delta Florence to Calenzano in the province of Florence.

 
Continue the adventure of your patient lone Italian member
for launching also in Italy the wargame we all love, this time we are in Calenzano, for il "Salone del Soldatino e della Bambola da Collezione", an international show for the story of Toy soldier with more than 200 exhibitors, manufacturers Companies, painters and experts from around the Country.


A must for fans of the plastic figures and miniature in 54mm and in other scales.

My brother and I start early from Lucca to arrive on site at 8 am and set up the space for present a field section of the battle, of course Napoleonic soldiers in abundance (You can see the tired face of the early morning).
A view on battle and my stand.
First visitors.
French and Russian in battle.

Arabs, French Legion and Indians of FIW (on top, my best figures of Victrix, Hat and Italeri).


Many experts of the collection figures but without money.

My stand again.


The wargames with the original edition.




 
 
After seven hours, all are very tired. Many visitors but there is the crisis and I can see it like many others friends present to Calenzano 2017. We want return to home!!
 












 




You can see my Replicants Cossaks, my only cavalry present to Calenzano.

 

Many complements for my toy soldiers, many question on the Wargames but no sale and not only for me (but I sell only the rules and special dice, my figures and gaming accessories are not for sale)Many, however, took my business card with the Web address of Regulations.
 
 

 
How to make a balance of the day ... there is the economic crisis and the toy soldier has become a genre unnecessary so few sales on the market. The older collectors prefer the metal and collect in a static way and this event is not point to the wargames world (even though I knew a fan of my age who started its production on the Franco-Indian wars in plastic for to play, among others, a very beautiful series that I show you on the blog as soon as possible).
However, this was a first time both for me and for Avanti per Bonaparte!
It was an important event on the figures of the industry's calendar, it was important to be present and to show this product. I can not follow the whole calendar but in the future Calenzano, Agliana and Lucca Comics can be best exploited in order to participate maybe even with an effective battle.
Apart from the gain, I had fun and my brother, who was forced to accompany me because my car was firm, was enthusiastic and now speaks of a constant participation in exhibitions, we will see if this will be possible. Meanwhile, I will take the first information about Agliana, I can think it for the next year not before...
 
 
Greetings from Italy by a tired but happy Cambronne (my nom de guerre as a painter of 54mm) and see you soon!
 
 








 

 







 

8 comments:

  1. Hail Cambronne!
    What a fantastic effort. The stand is well build up, and I'm not surprised you had many interested people. Also time and time again, I'm impressed by your painting skills. Even if you did not sell much, it will attrack some people to wargames.
    I know the table is not big, but maybe at a following occasion you could invite interest visitors to a very small demo game, you against the visitor. No more than 3 units on each side. Just to give a flavor, it would only take 15 minutes or so.
    Surly, you did (will) find people who are enthousiastic to see their figures are not only for display but can be used for gaming.
    Congratulations, and keep on the good work!
    Dirk

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  2. Thanks friend!
    My effort of present your fantastic game is a long journey between fans, collectors of Toy soldiers and exibition. I meet a few men of my age with the same passion and speak with them it was a great fun. For the battle with visitors, the right place is Agliana but I must choose a few appointments on the year and only after having tested them I be able to have the right idea about what to do. Now I have to see the dates and cost of space for to go to Agliana, where I have already received half-invite from painter friends but we talk about 2018. I do not think I can still have any vacation days to short since I have used them for Calenzano 2017.
    Thanks again for your congratulations, I will write you a mail to soon.
    Massimo

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  3. Dear Massimo, what a wonderful contribution to the hobby. It is true that a significant part on the people have pleasant memories concerning toy soldiering. Yesterday there was a documentary on the BBC on the Imperial War Museum and someone being interviewed there called that group 'The Airfix Generation'. I guess you hoped to find soulmates to play some games with too? Going into the open is the thing to do and so you did. When you have plans for upcoming shows (2018) where you want to demonstrate the game in action, share it with us. You never know if some amongst us are in to a relaxing show/gaming trip.
    Greetz, Marcel

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  4. Hi Marcel,
    if any of you my friends came in Italy for a meeting on battlefield with me (I think particularly to Agliana Wargames),I will happy like a child, but it is a big dream. When I came to Waterloo,in Belgium,(Guilty the case and the negative destiny of those days) I was able to meet only Stan and already I was lucky. So I have to be realistic and, of course, continue painting toy soldiers for more units...
    Thanks anyway of the proposal, I will try to warn on time, even though I have always kept updated of each my proposal to launch of our wargame Dirk like Lucca Comics & Games 2016 & Calenzano 2017.
    Best wishes,
    Massimo

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  5. Good to see you (on the pictures)! Hope you are doing good, back home?
    The figures on your display look splendid!

    All the best,

    Grenadier Stan ;-)

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  6. Oh and is the Russian artillery crew a conversion of...HaT hats and?.. ;-)

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    1. Hello Stan,
      happy to read you again, our meeting at Waterloo was short but very important for me. I can to see one of my "friends of pen", I don't know at time if they are real or not; yes! Now, I can say: Stan is real!
      No, my Russian artillery is not a conversion Hat but a russian gun in the set of Supreme toy soldiers, not the best figures but the only with a canoon, two gunner and one officer. I think to find a new battery with the russian production in metal of "Tin Toy soldiers", a gun with 4 gunner (beautiful soldiers but too hight for the standard Hat). In this moment, the Russian army is my nightmare, no cavalry, few artillery and not so many infantry...
      Ciao e a presto stan,
      Massimo

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  7. Dear Massimo,
    Yes I do! ;) I also experienced this moment and your presence as very special! I still feel regret that it was a very short meeting due that we were just called to arms! Maybe we will made again one day ;) Your troops look splendid! I fully agree, the Russian Army is very bad represented in 1/32..I recentst purchased a bunch of Black Cat Russians that I also noticed in your collection! Maybe a tip or Maybe you allready new about it; Marcel and I recently visited Piet also a member of this group, he showed us very beautiful figures of helmet soldiers that represent Russian Cuirrasiers!

    All the best and take care!

    Stan

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