Reinforcements Have Arrived: Soldier King Lands from Noble Knight Games!

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There is nothing quite like the feeling of an international parcel hitting the doorstep, especially when it contains a classic piece of campaign gaming history you’ve been eagerly anticipating! My boxed copy of GDW’s 1982 classic, Soldier King , officially arrived today—safely shipped over from Noble Knight Games. The components are in fantastic condition. Leafing through those vintage 1982 rulebook pages and unrolling the map sheets in person immediately brings back that great, nostalgic operational gaming aesthetic. The Inspiration Behind the Campaign I have to give a massive tip of the hat to Neil Patterson over at the Aufklarungsabteilung blog. It was reading through Neil’s fantastic posts and seeing how he integrated Soldier King into his own campaign gaming that originally hooked me on the concept. The clean map layout, simple area movement, and multi-faction dynamic make it an ideal engine for driving grand-scale strategic campaigns on the tabletop w...
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Uniforms of the Seven Years War 1756–63

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Uniforms of the Seven Years War 1756–63

By John Mollo and Malcolm McGregor (Original Publication: 1977)

The Wargamer’s Bible: A Splash of Colour for the Third Silesian War

Introduction: Uniforms of the Seven Years War 1756–63 is a cornerstone of the Blandford Colour Series and has served as the primary visual reference for generations of wargamers. Written by the late, great John Mollo and illustrated with the precision of Malcolm McGregor, this volume provides a vibrant survey of the major and minor powers involved in the conflict. While it cannot cover every single regiment in the depth of a multi-volume series, it captures the essential "aesthetic" of the era—from the austere Prussian blue to the flamboyant lace of the French court.

The 6mm Connection: For our Baccus 6mm project, this book is effectively our painting manual. At such a small scale, we aren't painting every button, but we are painting "patterns of colour." Mollo’s breakdown of facing colours, lace patterns, and headgear is exactly what is needed when batch-painting 24-figure infantry battalions or 12-figure cavalry regiments. It helps us distinguish between the red-faced Prussians of the 13th Regiment and the white-faced Saxons. Moreover, the plates for artillery crews and the distinctive mounts for Brigade Commanders and the overall commander ensure that our high-command stands look appropriately distinguished on the tabletop.

Historical Insight: The true "lightbulb moment" in this volume is the realisation of just how much variety existed within the supposedly "standardised" armies of the mid-18th century. Mollo highlights the idiosyncratic dress of the light troops—Hussars, Pandours, and Chasseurs—whose irregular uniforms provide a brilliant visual contrast to our rigid lines of musketry. This has encouraged me to spend a little extra time on my 12-figure cavalry stands to ensure the dolmans and pelisses reflect the historical flamboyance of the period, making the 6mm "mass effect" even more striking.

Conclusion: Uniforms of the Seven Years War remains an essential project companion because it translates dry historical descriptions into a tangible visual guide. It rounds out our library by providing the "palette" with which we build our world. Despite its age, its clarity and the sheer charm of McGregor’s plates make it a volume I return to every time a new batch of Baccus figures arrives on the painting desk.

Rating: 5 out of 5 Muskets.

What do you think?

Have you read this volume? Let me know in the comments if you’ve used this research to inform your painting or game strategy!

Related project hubs for this period:
[The Silesian Wars 1740-1763 Project Hub]  |  [The Seven Years War 1756–1763 Project Hub]

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