My Ongoing WW1 Project: UPDATE on stolen Figs

[traveller]

Really nice post! Lots of interesting info. Thanks!

[carlos marighela]

- Miniatures for the Middle East are fairly easy to acquire these days........

A few problems here, however.

First, and this was a minor but important consideration, I was bound and determined that I would eventually do up some Austro-Hungarians, and since nobody makes the Austro-Hungarians in the appropriate uniform (either for the troops who served as advisors, artillerymen, machine gunners, and garrison troops, or for the proposed, but never completely mobilized, Orient Korps), that didn't seem like an immediate possibility.
in the front has followed, although, of course, it's matured considerably over time.
project, and I'm not much of an architect, at any rate.

Sorry, I didn't see this thread earlier. There are some figures that work for Austrians in Palestine. Eureka produce some 28mm Chinese in an Austrian style kep and puttees. I've painted a number up in khaki as transport and artillery troops.

Good luuck with the project, it sounds wonderful.

[Doc Twilight]

Carlos - I didn't know about those Eureka figs, and will definitely give them a look. Great tip! Trav - I'm very happy the comparison proved useful to you:)

Now, the bad news..

Apparently my Austro-Hungarian army has been stolen. Last week, I took them to game night to show them off. When we loaded the car, they were there. The next morning, however, they were gone. They are not in my home, or my garage, and noone at the local store has seen them. I am, of course, watching Ebay.

Needless to say, I'm more than a little disappointed by this. In fact, I'm pretty well red faced at the moment... visions of chaps in fur hats and burning villages clouding my psyche...

Nevertheless, this is a huge problem. We have placed a substantial reward for the return of the figures. Mina, Baldrick, and the owner of the store, suspect that the individual responsible is:

a) One of the members of our group, or at least closely associated therewith.
b) Probably hoping to sell off the miniatures case, as they wouldn't really know what to do with the minis themselves...

This happened once before. Some of you may recall that shortly after I joined the forum here a couple years ago, my Italian Ariete II armored division simply disappeared, along with the case, plus Mina's 1943/44 WW2 era British for Sicily. Same situation. Same store. My suspicion was then, as it is now, that the figures were stolen to be sold on ebay, and the case was sold separately. We never caught that individual in question (though Mina thinks it may be the same man/woman).

If I could beg one favor of those interested, would you, if you'd be so kind, keep an eye on your local version of Ebay for 28mm Austro-Hungarians/Hungarians/painted WW1 figs? They'd likely be sold as originating in California. There are approximately 45 figures. All are painted and based. Color scheme is a dark grey blue with dark "brown green" helmets.
I ask because a friend in DC found an army stolen from him on Ebay UK a couple months later. Identified it down to the case and paint job... I ask nothing else, but honestly...if you see a collection of Austro-Hungarians at a bring and buy, or at Ebay, please consider notifying me.

I will, of course, continue with this project, and at least Mina is doing some Germans to fight my Portuguese, but I'm pretty well crushed at this point. Had even painted a figure to look like my granddad:(

*sigh*

This is not the first force I've had stolen. Not even the second. But these were very close and dear to me, as some of you who know me already know. They were actually the first honest to goodness Hungarian force I'd ever painted to completion in any scale other than Micro Armor.

Life goes on. I had exactly one (1) picture of the figs taken - the heavy flamethrower team. I may well post that in the next day or so as a photo reference.

-Alex


p.s.

Fortunately, the vehicles were -not- stolen. The Romfell and MkIV Beutepanzer were on my desk at the time I had the rest of the army at the store.

[Plynkes]

Fucking hell. That's rough, man.  Though it sounds like you need to stop gaming at that damn store, if this is not even the second time. Anyway, you have my sympathy, mate. I'll keep my eyes open but I don't fancy my chances. 

[carlos marighela]

Indeed, that's bloody awful. My commiserations. Will keep eyes peeled on ebay.

[Centaur_Seducer]

That's low
We used to have junkies that sometimes tried to steal our stuff at the local club, but in a store? And twice? That's rought, Doc. I hope you get the minis back!

[traveller]

Tragic to hear that all that work is wasted. I will watch ebay and hope you get them back

[Red Orc]

That's really terrible news - I can only think you must be gutted after all the work you've put into this, and such a personal project too. For the whole time I've been on these boards, you've been talking about Hungarians (even an idea to take a VSF Hungarian force to Atlantis at one point). I hope you get them back, and like the rest of us I'll keep an eye open for them on ebay. Good luck.

[answer_is_42]

My greatest sympathies, crimes like this should be a shooting offence. I do hope you get them back.

[Doc Twilight]

Fucking hell. That's rough, man.  Though it sounds like you need to stop gaming at that damn store, if this is not even the second time. Anyway, you have my sympathy, mate. I'll keep my eyes open but I don't fancy my chances. 

Well, to be fair, only the second time at -this- store. Two other incidents. One of them directly from the car - literally whilst I was out of the car carrying in a heavy load of groceries - and another time at another store; some of those minis showed up at the first Gencon in Indianapolis...

Thanks all for your sympathy and condolences. I appreciate you keeping your eyes out. I don't fancy your chances, either, but I think with more than just myself and Mina looking, the chances of finding go up by at least a few percentage points, right?

Hey, at least I've got at least the Portugal half of the project well secured. (I'll just have to keep it in the crate with the dingo.... that'll keep unscrupulous types away!;)) And I've just got some lovely new buildings for the setup, so it's not all bad.
That's what I'm telling myself to keep things positive, anyway.

Orc - I still have those fellows on my painting table. In my defense, I hadn't done much major painting for the last few months, and they simply were the victim of "not enough time to finish any of this stuff." They'll be done, one of these days, by Mithras.

-Doc

[DFlynSqrl]

Wow, that's awful Doc.  Really sorry to hear about this!

[Red Orc]

...
Orc - I still have those fellows on my painting table. In my defense, I hadn't done much major painting for the last few months, and they simply were the victim of "not enough time to finish any of this stuff." They'll be done, one of these days, by Mithras.

-Doc

  No defence necessary - the Atlantis campaign has fizzled out really, but some of us were kicking around ideas for a VSF Ruritania (or at least, Central and  Eastern Europe in some Alt. Hist. form) campaign in the new year, maybe your Hungarians can come to that? I might even be more organised for this one...

[Doc Twilight]

No defence necessary - the Atlantis campaign has fizzled out really, but some of us were kicking around ideas for a VSF Ruritania (or at least, Central and  Eastern Europe in some Alt. Hist. form) campaign in the new year, maybe your Hungarians can come to that? I might even be more organised for this one...

Sounds good. Count me in and let me know. I need an excuse to paint Hungarians in 1848/49 uniforms anyway, and it wouldn't be too terribly hard to update them for the late nineteenth century.

-Doc

[MrHarold]

That sucks... and such a great looking group.... what store did this happen out of? ( Not that I would blame the store, just curious for the area..)

[Calimero]

  That really sucks...

 Do you have any pictures of the stolen figures?