So. Arthur is interested in toy soldiers, especially after being introduced to the Nutcracker at Christmas. He is particularly interested in hussars, as the Nutcracker wears a hussar uniform (according to the book we read for him).
I spent a great deal of time doing research, also known as surfing the interwebs looking at toy soldier websites. I particularly wanted to find traditional wooden toy soldiers (as in March of the Toy Soldier style toys), but it gradually became clear to me that I'd need to make them myself if I was to go down that path. I hemmed and hawed over the Skull n Crown wooden flats for quite a while before finally deciding that they weren't what I wanted.
Then I had my Eureka moment: I had a box of Perry plastic French infantry, patiently waiting for me to find time to give them the attention they deserve. I got them out, plopped them in front of Arthur and we had a golden moment as he started organising them into different formations. I had to explain that they are NOT hussars, they are infantry, and hussars all are cavalry. He's starting to get that message, despite eyerolls from my lovely wife. I've even started to splash a bit of paint on them in the evening after Arthur has gone to bed. (Painting progress is very slow - par for the course for me these days). Arthur wants them to be England soldiers, so they must have red coats. Accordingly, I'm painting them as Swiss.
Meanwhile, Arthur still wants hussars, and I want to oblige. This is where wargamer logic comes in.
I can buy a box of Perry plastics from my local store for about CDN$50, plus GST and PST. However, by ordering direct from Perry Miniatures website, I can get a cavalry division deal, which is 4 boxes of plastic cavalry, plus two horse artillery sets, plus mounted command, for £85. I need to add S&H, but the Perrys deduct VAT so it's pretty close to a wash. And since I'm making an order, I might as well add one or two other things I need (i.e., things I REALLY REALLY want) to round out the order. So in the end, instead of $50 to my local B&M shop, I send CDN$177 direct to the Perrys and get 4 boxes of plastic cavalry, four metal guns, and one pack of heavy cavalry generals. That's a win, right?
