MY BEST EBAY PURCHASE, BY FAR

I've had some real success on Ebay recently. Picked up a load of Essex figures and horses for the delivered total of £35. The figures are a mixture of Cumans, Pechenegs, and a few heavily armoured Byzantines and arabs. They came with a full range of horses, many of which arrived with some enhancing paintwork. In my estimation, the Pechenegs would not look out of place as early Cossack horse archers, while the armoured Cumans will make some useful Muscovite Druzhina or lesser Boyars. Some of the others can serve as standard bearers, or drafted into my Tartar horde. MGB

Asquith's Cuirassiers

My latest acquisition is somewhat distinct from previous purchases. Costing £23.00 from a seller on Ebay, I have just picked up this small unit of 17th century cuirassiers. These will now serve as Swedish or Muscovite cavalry, as required. Now I have no intention of repainting or altering these 'Warrior?'castings as they were previously part of Stuart Asquith's collection. I've been inspired since the 1970s by this gentleman's wargaming books and articles, I even briefly corresponded with him in the 1980s, so I am VERY pleased to now have this unit of cavalry in my collection. MGB

The Preobrazhenski Guards, 1st Moscow, and Novgorod Streltsy

Some new recruits for the Tsar are now ready for service. In their green coats are the Preobrazhenski Guards c.1700, still wearing streltsy type uniforms. The 1st Moscow Streltsy have gained an additional twelve figures, making a total of thirty (1,500 men). Some spare figures have been formed into a small garrison unit and given light-red coats, they carry a Novgorod flag. While the blue streltsy unit continues as a baggage guard, they have now received a Pskov flag. This makes seven streltsy regiments for the field army with a further two smaller units serving in a reserve capacity. Surely now there is enough to take on the Tartar-Ottoman alliance. MGB