I have painted the next batch of Backyard Battalion by Reis O’Brien figures, first the Blue Gang and next The Red Hand or Red Shirt Gang:
Some beautiful details on these new plastic figures.
Blog posted by Mark Man Of TIN, 6 May 2024
Simple colour or cartoon strip white and black line for these new Backyard Battalion figures by Reis O’Brien?
Crossposted from my fully colour illustrated Scouting Wide Games for the Tabletop blog:
Many of the poses amongst the new Backyard Battalion figures of kids role-playing ‘WAR’ in the playground or backyard might seem a little familiar.
They are an affectionate or nostalgic nod by designer Reis O’Brien towards the much copied Green and Tan Army Men from America from TimMee / BMC and also the Disney Pixar Toy Story version.
See more of these interesting new figures and their green army ‘mancestors’ at my post crossposted from my Scouting Wide Games for the Tabletop blog:
Blog posted / Crossposted by Mark Man Of TIN, 3rd May 2024
Backyard Battalion plastic figures by Reis O’Brien
https://www.backyardbattalion.com
Crossposted from my Scouting Wide Games for the Tabletop blog:
Lots of exciting new game possibilities of Back Yarden ‘imaginary war’ and sticks for rifles …
Blog posted / Crossposted by Mark Man Of TIN, 24/25 April 2024
It is interesting to look close up at the 30mm ‘Modern’ or WW2 Spencer Smith / SAE (Swedish African Engineers) figures.
Phil Barker in Know The Game: War Games (paperback, 1976) was not complimentary, in his opinion “Moderns not recommended“, compared to the more familiar plastic (Holger Eriksson designed?) SAE or Spencer Smith figures for the tricorne era Seven Years War and American Civil War figures.
The Spencer Smith ‘Moderns’ in plastic question appear to owe their design and origins to Swedish African Engineers figures, moulds which have survived and been brought into production by Tradition of London (Sweden) via a long sojourn in Madeira. A delightful and curious story retold in my recent post here.
Previously on this 30mm SAE Madeira and Spencer Smith Miniatures subject: https://manoftinblogtwo.wordpress.com/2024/04/07/spencer-smith-miniatures-plastic-sae-30mm-ww2-moderns-figuresy/
Image source: Binn’s Road Railway web image of box set of USA 6GCR Gun Crew
The plastic Spencer Smith / SAE 30mm Modern figures that I have recently acquired are often matched by surviving SAE Madeira moulds / castings.
I shall include photographs of the plastic figures I have alongside the reference metal figures. 
* Contemporary – US Infantry 1954 Action
6/A US Infantry, 1954 Action
6A 6-A-5 Troops with SMG – the plastic version is less Grease Gun here, more curved magazine like an AK47.
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* I was slightly puzzled by the changed SMG magazine to curved AK47 type weapon.
6/A US Infantry, 1954 Action
As you see, by today’s standards, these vintage plastics or the original metal 1950s figures are not the worst figures in the world, and certainly have their own vintage charm. “Moderns not recommended” as Phil Barker said?
6/A 6-A-4 Troops with Rifle and bayonet
* 6/A 6-A-3 Troops with SMG and grenade.
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6/A 6-A-2 Troops with Rifle and bayonet
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6/A 6A1 Officer with pistol
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6/B – 6-B-5 – US Infantry, 1954 with ammunition box
More 6B Bazooka Team Figures Standing firing 6B1 and standing loading / guiding instrument 6B2 can be found on the SAE Madeira Tradition of London site.
6/B – US Infantry, 1954 Bazooka 6-B-4
A curious type of sighting or guiding instrument or a loader for a bazooka anti tank weapons?
* The 6B bazooka team together 
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6-GCR-3 GCR gun crew US Infantry, 1954 as seen in the SAE box
I have a kneeling plastic gunner that doesn’t have a surviving SAE Madeira counterpart.
6/TM – Trench Mortar Team, Mortar, officer and private
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* The 6TM trench mortar team in position together.
My 6/MG machine gun team or gunner in plastic seems different from the metal lying down version – assuming this is the right kneeling figure for this large HMG?
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A spare unpainted ACW bugler from my 1980s Blue Box gaming time capsule bits and bobs meets a modern USA infantryman from a century later.
L & R. Two similar poses from Poundland £1 for 100 figures, my Pound Store Plastic Warriors almost being the modern Spencer Smith Miniatures plastics figures (central).
Five to six poses per set box or foot figures, three for Cavalry, as fits Donald Featherstone’s descriptions in War Games 1962 /1973
An online search of auction sites reveals the odd carded box set of 6 figures to give an idea of how Featherstone and his generation would have obtained them.
Listed as 6CH Charging – eBay reference screenshot: eBay Seller Found Footage (USA) – Interestingly shows boxed painted and unpainted figures.
A clearer SAE box back c. 1957 from a History Of Wargaming timeline https://public.websites.umich.edu/~beattie/timeline2.html
Various other 30mm SAE box sets or figures such as:
6/FT Flamethrower team,
6/AU Ambulance Unit,
10/SF or SP Military Police figures
7/A US Air Force pilots
are still available whole or in part from SAE Madeira figures Tradition Of London, along with the Auxiliary AU type sets dog handler, TV crew, medic with flag and a set of seated figures for lorry or vehicle modelling (and dioramas?)
The opposition is fairly odd – limited WW2 allies or enemies Britain, Italians, French or Belgians – but there are no listed German infantry for example surviving in the 1950s HE / SAE moulds ‘time capsule’ that is the SAE Madeira range from Tradition Of London.
Research tip: Online auction site archives or Worthpoint often show such figures from past sales.
You can see here from this interesting C&T 2022 auction source photo that the figure poses are recognisably quite stylised as happens with many figures ranges including Peter Laing 15mm, repeated with variations of helmet and webbing etc. for each nationality.
Here in this C & T figure shot you can see Historicals, WW1 and WW2, such as Desert rats and British Infantry, French in WW1 Blue, German infantry, beret figures, marching US Infantry in a recognisable Authenticast / Comet Holger Eriksson semi-flat style marching figure poses (still available but as 40mm Modern Swedish infantry from Prince August)
Fortunately from a skirmish and small tabletop gaming point of view, I can cobble together enough Spencer Smith 30mm SYW/ AWI and Wild West figures as well as ACW figures to make an interesting ‘insurgent’ opposition. This plastic bunch of poses are still made as SAE Madeira mould metal figures.
I hope that you have enjoyed exploring these ‘Moderns’ or WW2 figures that are new ones to me, finally seen after a search of about 40 or more years.
An enjoyable classic vintage Wargames / Toy Soldier nostalgia ‘Rabbit Hole’ to explore …
Blog posted by Mark Man Of TIN, 8 / 9 October 2024
EBay and online screen shots remain copyright of their owners, used here for reference and research purposes.
Peering at slightly dim toy soldier pics on the internet again …
I came across an interesting mention of Spencer Smith figures in a Know The Game (KTG) Book by Phil Barker on Wargaming from 1976, a curious little paperback book that was a birthday present c. 1981/82.
It mentioned some figure sources that I knew of and amongst the Spencer Smith listings, it mentioned the famous 18th Century tricornes figures (from Charge! and The Wargame) and American Civil War (sample bag of plastic figures which I duly bought) – and Moderns.
There is more on this KTG book here:
https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2019/12/18/man-of-tin-blogvent-calendar-day-18-irregular-spaces/
Last week I spotted two listings of Spenser Smith WW2 Americans online which curiously had no bidders. This might be because of the description which honestly described the poor state that some of the plastic was in, a common problem with Spencer Smith plastics (and many other ageing plastics).
Were they Spenser Smith Modern figures (and by extension Holger Erickson of SAE) or more modern game pieces?
I had never knowingly seen or found anywhere online these SSM plastic Moderns (WW2?), though I thought I had seen those running officer poses somewhere before.
I checked the picture against Tradition of London’s 30mm SAE / Holger Erikkson,
This shows the figures are Spencer Smith plastics (out of SAE metals), which are flukily still available in metal form, thanks to an unusual find on the island of Madeira via the Swedish embassy.
I had seen these poses when previously buying 30mm SAE pilots and dog handlers.
The SAE Madeira story is an interesting one retold on my blog post here.
https://manoftinblogtwo.wordpress.com/2024/04/01/the-curious-sae-madeira-30mm-figure-story/
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What did Phil Barker have to say about these Spencer Smith Moderns (WW2) figures?
I recall from Phil Barker’s book that Moderns were dismissed as “Moderns not recommended“.
“Others look unpromising but clean and paint up reasonably.”
The rest of the plastic figure ranges reviewed by Phil Barker in this curious KTG Wargames 1976 book. He was equally uncomplimentary about Airfix’s HO/OO WW2 figure output, the affordable mainstay of my childhood and teenage gaming.
Know The Game Wargaming – 1976 WW2 Moderns Figure reviews by Phil Barker for plastic figures.
Sadly many of the 1980s Spencer Smith figures are getting brittle and I’m told now easily snap at the ankles: I have bought these in full knowledge of the “Lingering smell due to moulding chemicals” in the seller description. They already have that familiar Airfix figure smell of slowly dying 60s and 70s plastic. 
Peter Johnstone at Spencer Smith Miniatures (who took them on from Ronald Spencer Smith (in 1982?) has recently sold the SSM range to an American casting business Wee Wolf Miniatures USA.
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If Phil Barker was lukewarm about Spencer Smith figures, what did Donald Featherstone have to say about them?
They featured in his American Civil War section of War Games (1962). This book is where I first saw them, although in a slightly updated branch library copy (1973 seventh version) that I still have (not stolen or an unreturned loan, I bought this during a 1980s library stock book sale).
Donald Featherstone, War Games concluding paragraphs at end of the ACW section (unchanged from my tatty 1st edition 1962 to my 1973 seventh edition)
More SAE / Spencer Smith figures in this Featherstone Tackle Model Soldiers This Way (1963) photograph, also I think used in his Solo Wargames, captioned as the ‘Lonely Wargamer’!
In his 1962 figure guide, Featherstone mentions Spencer Smith and SAE (Holger Erickson had designed figures for both ranges) separately. SAE were already getting hard to find in 1962.
(above and below) Appendix 1 Sources Of Supply for Model Soldiers, War Games (1962, First edition) by Donald Featherstone.
After a repeat of the Spencer Smith paragraph, Featherstone mentions the very first Airfix Guards and the German and (British) Infantry Combat Group Figures used in the WW2 rules section example battle are mentioned on the earlier page (1962 section, Model Soldiers for War Games, War Games p. 27)
A slowly enlarging of the Airfix range is mentioned in the War Games 1962 Appendix 1 Sources Of Model Soldiers
1973 seventh edition of Featherstone’s War Games
By my 1973 seventh edition of War Games, SAE figures are sadly out of production. Spencer Smith is also no longer mentioned in the Source Of Model Soldiers chapter or in the Appendix 1 section. Airfix seemed in 1973 to have taken over the cheap plastic soldier end of the market range.
SSM advert in Military Modelling / Battle for Wargamers Wargames Manual 1983
Ten years later by 1983, Spencer Smith were back in plastic production and advertising in Military Modelling or wargames magazine small ads. I couldn’t believe the value so bought sample bag packs of plastic Spencer Smith ACW Infantry and Cavalry and possibly some AWI /SYW figures c. 1981 /82.
Some of my sample Spencer Smith ACW figures, painted as a schoolboy c. 1983
Some of my painted and unpainted original Spencer Smith ACW and other figures can be seen here, as painted c. 1983 https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2016/06/21/spencer-smith-figures-for-close-little-wars/
Ironically the fact that these plastic figures were 30mm and I already had a very scrappy small collection of Airfix ACW and AWI OO/HO figures for small skirmish gaming is what put me off buying more of these very affordable plastic Spencer Smiths in the Eighties.
When I looked again at Spencer Smiths in the early 2000s, they had changed production to individual figures in metal and were too pricy for me to build up units at the time.
As of 2024 now, Tradition still cast and sell these SAE ‘Madeira’ figures (based in Sweden) and many Spencer Smith Miniatures figures will also be produced by Wee Wolf Miniatures in the USA.
Recently Mark Copplestone has added a modern Tintinesque pulp twist with his new Mark’s Little Soldiers MLS range in 30mm,
MLS officers with pistols seen here (below) alongside kitbashed 28mm and Pound Store 30 to 32mm-ish Figures – and shiny but slight and slender Tradition Of London / SAE Madeira 30mm WW2 US pilot figures.
I will review the 30mm Spencer Smith / SAE modern plastics and their SAE Madeira metal counterparts in a further blog post.
Blog posted by Mark Man of TIN, 7 April 2024.
The SAE Madeira figure story, taken from the Tradition Of London website:
“Swedish African Engineers (SAE) was established by Curt Wennberg in the early 1950’s in Capetown, South Africa.
SAE was the next project for Wennberg after the Authenticast establishment in Ireland [on behalf of Comet Metal Products of the USA in 1946].
The setting was ambitious and the volumes produced in 1953, according to Wennberg, was about 2 million toy soldiers.
The majority of the figures were produced by HE, but Curt Wennberg also converted own figures from HE’s basic models. A couple of other designers were also engaged by Wennberg.
In 1953-54 Curt Wennberg wanted to expand the production and he set his eyes on Madeira, a small island in the Atlantic.
The Swedish family Österlind were engaged to start the production and moved to Madeira.
However, after waiting for moulds until 1955, without any moulds arriving, the family moved back to Sweden.
Later on, one of the sons returned to Madeira.
Surprisingly, the Swedish Consul on the island informed him that he had about 40 moulds from Wennberg.
The moulds were brought to Sweden and are now back in production.”
I think this is a great little story – and you can buy and play with the outcome. If only the long-lost Peter Laing figure moulds would turn up in such an unexpected way ..
The surviving Madeira SAE figures are a quirky bunch – in the WW2 range, you have British, American, a few French and Belgians versus Italian Alpini and Bersaglieri (oddly no WW1 or WW2 Germans) including motorbikes and support weapons
but you could also have Franco Prussian War French, American Civil War and AWI Cavalry, Artillery and Infantry, mounted and dismounted Wild West Cowboys and Indians and buffalos as alternative foes!
Historifigs biography for HE
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Peter Johnstone’s old Spencer Smith Miniatures SSM shows the links between the SSM and HE figures – I believe these similar 30mm SSM moulds or figure ranges have now been sold to Wee Wolf Miniatures in the USAhttp://www.spencersmithminiatures.co.uk/html/h_e_.html
Tradition Of London (Sweden) still stock metal castings of many HE 30mm figures from 17/18th Century to modern ceremonial. 
The Binns Road uk Railway website features the US Gun Crew figures in a six pack
and also a blurry figure listing on the packaging, similar to many of the SAE Madeira figures produced today by Tradition Of London:
Much of HE’s 40mm output is still available as homecast Prince August moulds – it matches some of the 30mm style and poses but in larger 40mm scale.
https://shop.princeaugust.ie/holger-eriksson-he-moulds/
Interview with HE in Table Top Talk magazine with Jack Scruby’s son John
https://www.tabletoptalk.com/?p=572
and finally, the Donald Featherstone War Games 1962 photograph that made me aware of SAE / Spencer Smith figures from quite a young age.
In 1962 Featherstone wrote about SAE that:
By 1973 when my seventh edition War Games was published, SAE were no more.
Blog posted by Mark Man Of TIN, 1 April 2024 (after noon)
Being a whole new rabbit hole prompted by buying some fragile 30mm SAE / plastic Spencer Smith Moderns / WW2 Figures:
An interesting wargames or strategy table for elves …
Read more about the feisty blue haired heroine Hilda from the animated series based on graphic novels by Luke Pearson which have a solid Scandi mythology background and a charming weirdness.
Crossposted from my Man Of TIN Blog
https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2024/03/21/hilda-animated-scandi-folk-horror-on-netflix/
Blog posted / Crossposted by Mark Man Of TIN, 21/22 March 2024
About ten years or more ago, I bought this toffee tin cheaply online, attracted by the old lead Toy Soldiers inside. 
From high up here, you can see the telltale distinctive mould holes in their head which tell you they are hollowcast figures.
Inside this Toffee tin “Made In England by Edward Sharp and Sons Ltd of Maidstone Kent” is a strange mix of old toy soldiers that I assume all belonged to someone, handily stored in this vintage tin with a rose on top.
I have a vague feeling that I might already have removed one or two figures for display such as motorcyclists or machine gunners but otherwise the tin is intact with its tiny mixed garrison.
I enjoy handling and looking at old figures, identifying the maker and looking at how the paint scheme was applied, carefully on some figures and a little ‘piece work’ second grade slapdash on others. This is useful for getting the feel of figures right when repairing or repainting them.
Even the patterns of wear are interesting if you are trying to match or mimic the play-worn patina of age (on plastics or modern castings) such as I did on these ‘faking lead‘ style recent plastic space figures (and borrowed the tin for the photograph). 
In the style of a unboxing video on YouTube, here is my unTINning blogpost from the Man Of TIN to have a close look at the brave chaps and veterans within.
In no particular order :
A fine bronze paint skin tone colourful Injun, or what we now call Native American or First Nations. The restricted gloss colour palette of bright primary or few colours works so well. Maker? Not Britain’s, probably 1950s Crescent possibly marked England on the inside left leg
Two sentries at ease, one in Khaki battledress or field service dress, the other a Guardsman in Busby and Greatcoat.
The khaki one is a little on the small side, especially compared to these common khaki prewar Johillco buglers. Probably both are unidentified makers similar to ones in Norman Joplin’s Great Book Of Hollowcast Figures.
He has a very simple or inexpensive paint scheme, Khaki overall including base with flesh paint for face and hands and black eye dots.
These have quite impressive patterns of wear, especially on pockets and pouches.
These buglers look like they “have been in the Wars” as people used to say of bruises and other battered things.
This smaller scale machine gunner in First World War with his soft cap and puttees has authentic “play dirt”; what I took to be worn flaking khaki paint is on closer inspection, I think, genuine original dried mud and grime. The head and neck is slightly damaged and he is obviously missing a waving hand. Simple khaki all over paint scheme. This is a Crescent figure, issued prewar 1932 to 1939. I have seen some such machine gunner figures in a red tunic and blue trousers paint scheme.
Both bandsman marked on the base ‘Made In England’, probably postwar Crescent (former Reka)?
These two low paint grade clarinet or bassoonists are in better condition than the headless and armless Britain’s bandsman. 
Oddly despite the missing parts, the paint work is reasonably good condition and the delicate bayonet is still in place. Worth ordering a new head and recast pair of arms with instrument at some point …
Stepping down a scale, two horses were also in the tin.
The smaller one is the size of Airfix OOHO type horses, with attachments either side for some kind of traces or reins. One day to be repaired?
The Coronation coach rider is another fine figure, possibly Johillco, much more 30mm – 40mm scale than 54mm.
I hope you have enjoyed this unTINning post.
Posted by Mark Man Of TIN
Wargaming as proof of strategy or criminal fanaticism?
The old wargames fanatic / villain character plot twist …
Crossposted from my Man Of TIN Blog
https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2024/03/15/wargaming-in-dick-francis-novel-proof/
Man of TIN blog two 