FRANCE 1706 - REGIMENT NORMANDIE. FIRST BATTALION ON A SINGLE PLATE

 After a long wait, I have finally received 30 metal plates (provided by REVIS acciai and cut by CTL) that allow me to deploy one battalion on a single base, with a great saving of time; I started with the first battalion of the Normandie Regiment. At the Battle of Turin in 1706 it took part with 1,310 men, that is about 436 men per battalion (a total of 3 battalions); in fact, from these figures one must subtract the regimental staff, which consisted of 1 commander, a deputy, and so on for about 10 men (I would add another 10 NCOs); in any case, for the first battalion I kept the number fixed at 436 men, of whom:

86 in the first line 103 in the second line, 93 in the third line, 93 in the fourth line for a total of 375 men (including lieutenants and second lieutenants among them); 15 men in the flag group (3 flags); 12 drummers, 11 NCOs and 11 captains behind the lines, and the staff, consisting of 1 battalion commander, 3 officers and 6 NCOs.

This is the visual effect of the first battalion of the Regiment Normandie.

Metal plates

Metal plates with (paper) grass

The First Battalion deployed for marching forwards

I would like to rimind that this soldiers are totally amovable even though they are well anchred with a magnet to the metal plate (see the 3 soldiers moved in the foreground)

A MIDDLE EAST TOWN IN THE XI-XIII CENTURY

Although my original intention was to depict the Third Battle of Ramla at a 1:1 scale, I eventually got carried away. Some time ago, I began reconstructing—entirely out of paper—a Fatimid city, or at least a coastal one. The walls had already been completed earlier, and from there I moved on to the inner buildings. Now I have reached the stage of constructing the minaret. This is the first one.

I started with two toilet paper rolls stacked on top of each other and a medicine box. I made a small cut at the base of the roll so it would fit more securely into the structure (picture 1).

Picture 1

I then glued the two elements together and reinforced them (picture 2).

Picture 2

I then prepared a base for the octagonal terrace and glued (picture 3).

Picture 3

Here is the final result. The dome was made by twisting blue sheets of paper; however, the overall look and proportions did not fully convince me (picture 4)

Picture 4

I then proceeded to cut it in half, creating a joint in order to make the minaret higher.

Picture 5

I added and glued the joint (picture 6)

Picture 6

I then added the cut section back, wrapped everything in a nice blue color, and added a second balcony, giving the minaret a more realistic appearance (picture 7)

Picture 7

This is the final result. Nonetheless I did not like the colours of the side building and so I had to change it as well (what a job!) (Picture 8)

Picure 8

This is the (new) renoved final result: better colours (picture 9)

Picture 9

Please note the detail on the top (picture 10)

Picture 10

THE FIRST PAPERSOLDIER CUT BY MY SON MAXIMILIAN

 BRAVO MAX!

It’s always a special feeling when your child walks the same path as you. The result doesn’t matter; what counts is the effort and the willingness to spend an afternoon with his dad playing with little soldiers. Sometimes dreams really do come true. Mine – a lifelong one – came true today. 

Thank you, Maximilian!

This is the first paper soldier he’s cut out with real skill. He chose a Swedish Yellow Brigade arquebusier from the Battle of Lützen. We had fun setting it up and taking photographs. A rainy, cold day outside—what could be better? Nothing!

(Not just any name: he was named after an ancestor who, interestingly, was once against these Swedes of the Yellow Brigade.)

100.000 VISITS ON THIS BLOG!

 I never thought I would have achieved these numbers: on 28th December 2025 I reached the incredible - for me at least - number of 100.000 visits on my blog!

Thank to all the lovers of wargames, papersoldiers, history, uniforms etc. It took me almost ten years but in the last period it increased very fastly.

I hope someone of you got some idea, others some curiosity to be satisfied, others just some pleasure in reading.

I use this moment also to apologize for my English. When I started there was no AI, now I could use it, but I do prefer going on this way. A lot of mistakes are dued to my lacks of knowledge of this English but a good number also to the necessity to write very fast when I have 5 minutes of time and this does not help at all.

I preferred to use English to Italian to allow anyone to understand better and to have a widespread publicum.

Thanks again e Grazie!

MK

1571 LEPANTO - VENETIAN GALLEY IN PAPER

 Since a lot of time - beside building in paper a trireme fitting for paperfigures 30mm tall - there was also the dream to build a Venetian (of Genoese, or Spanish or Papal or of the Order of Malta) galley to be used for the battle of Lepanto, or part of it.

I tried time ago (in small scale) but now I am trying to make it again fitting for 30 mm papersoldiers (even though I did not prepare any of them).

To do so, I started from this drawing

This drawings I found on this site https://modelshipworld.com/topic/30054-17th-century-venetian-galley-by-georgekapas-finished-1350-waterline/ actually the only one with the description of a building in paper. Obviously my model will be much bigger, nontheless the drawings here represent a very good start.

From this I started to do the base of the hull: first I found the correct dimension (x200) then I print it on 2 A3 sheets.

then I add to make it rigid: for this I used cardboard glued on it plus reinforces not to make it fold

                                           

I just wanted to understand how long it would be; hence I used the same principle I used for me triremes (and the same papersoldiers); so 22,5 papersoldiers, it means a (base) hull 45m long in real world

                                                               

I have to admit I did some mistake: the hull was to high and I had to reduce the layers I put before. Nonetheless I did not give up. I  reduced them (making a 2,2 meter high hull over the sea line) and I finished with the edges of the hull, covering with a sort of wood.

I took some picture in comparasion with my Roman Trireme, just to give an idea of the differences of dimensions:

I would also like to share the template I prepare for this, because there is no secret or profit for me, but just the pleasure of history (here bottom)

1706 BATTLE OF TURIN - REGIMENT OF PIEDMONT & PROPORTION & MEASURES

 Going on with my project(s), I still have to keep on mind that I want - one day -  present to to town of Turin a diorama 1:1 of part of the Battle of Turin that occurred in 1706.

As seen in my previous posts, I an dealing with the (French) Régiment Piédmont, that was serving the French Army nonwithstanding its denomination.

I changed the poses of the papersoldiers: now they are marching and dynamic. So I took some pictures to give the idea. While I was there, I tried to understand the dimension of a battallion at 1:1 ratio, so to have the proportions. Previously I was divinding in companies, that could be correct but the extension of the battalion in this way becomes to much, even for me. So I prefer to prepare 1 battalion all together and in case of need to detach one company (my papersoldiers are not glued but just with a magnet); here the results:

The 2 rows on the back are marching (in 2 different poses) thhe 2 front ranks are dynamic (4 poses)

Now the measures:

Width 56 cm

depth 7 cm

So making some calculations:

the front was arount 100 men, i.e. - with all the needed distances around 100m (in this case were 97 men, so 97 meter): this gives the following proportions:

97m:56cm = 100m:x Result: 57 cm = 100 m

570 cm = 1 km

11,40 m = 2 km

I know it is quite a playground to find, but I am what I have to face: a playground to prepare of 16 m wide, so to represent 3 km (that by the way is a huge distance by foot).

CHRISTMAS AND PAPERSOLDIERS - THE COZY ATMOSPHERE

This is somehow  a different post. Less technical. Christmas is coming with its magic atmosphere. Kids are excited, as we all are. So today it was time to go on with my Piedmont Regiment (French Army) for my project "Battle of Turin 1706 - The Attack on the Castle of Lucento" - see my previous posts.

I like how these little paperfigures are standing next to Christmas decorations.

Above:  on foreground the papersoldiers during the glueing process

Above: the Commanding Staff of the Regiment

Above: the glueing papersoldiers on the stove to get dry faster.