News

The deed is now done! The threatened price increase is now in place and will be applied to all orders placed from now own. Well done to all of those of you canny enough to get in your orders before the deadline. I'm afraid that this has created a bit of problem as we have rather a large backlog to work through. If your order does not arrive with its usual punctuality please bear with us - we will get then sorted out and they will be charged at the old prices.

As if this all wasn't enough, the Partizan show is almost upon us, and the weekend after that the Baccus travelling roadshow is on its way down to Newbury for Colours. We've had some pre-orders arrive for both shows, but there is still plenty of time to get them in for Colours, less so for Partizan.

There are some imminent new releases with the resculpted Republican Romans bursting out of their moulds in their eagerness to get to you. Not quite there yet, but there will certainly be limited stocks available at Partizan - it will be first come, first served.

A few new releases that have made it, albeit without piccies as yet are three codes to complete the Napoleonic Spanish. There are mounted and dismounted guerillas and some casualty markers. For more details, >>>Click Here>>>.

There are loads more new goodies in the pipeline for the coming months, so please do keep checking in to see what 6mm goodness will be coming your way in the rest of 2010.

Many thanks to all of you who have ordered the Polemos ECW rules. We've just about cleared all the orders now, so if you've been waiting for your copy to come through the letterbox, it should be happening any time now.

One of the authors of the ECW rules is also next in the firing line, as David Heading's Ancients rules are next for publication. To get an insight into exactly what makes David tick and how he has gone about such a daunting task, can I recommend that you visit his blog. It makes for a fascinating read,

Work on new stuff continues apace and if all goes well the new Republican Roman range will be released very shortly. As with all the resculpted ranges the detail and animation is of the highest standard. No piccies yet, but it won't be long now...

The new Romans will be available for the Other Partizan show to be held in Newark on 5th September. If you want to place a pre-order for collection, then please feel free to get in touch now to give as change to get the figures cast and packed for you.

And to round off today with a reminder that prices will be going upon 1st September. All order received prior to that date will be charged at current levels. You have 12 days and counting...

For those of you who haven't already got your pre-orders in, the 2nd edition of Polemos ECW is now in stock and available for order. Those of you how did place advance orders should find their copies landing through their letterboxes very shortly.

The second edition brings the set up to the standards of our very latest releases, and now includes a two scenarios and a colour section. We are very pleased with the 2nd edition and we think that you will be too. For more details on Polemos rules, >>>Click Here>>>

Moving on to another Civil War, the Baccus Reduced Great Battles of History team have found the next subject to follow on from the Leipzig-Lite game. With a complete disregard for consequences we have decided that the subject of this sketch map

will be our next great challenge. To find out what this is all about and to see just how much trouble having good ideas can get you in, just >>>Click Here>>>

At long last, I am delighted to say that the 2nd edition of Polemos English Civil Rules is in the hands of the printers. This means that you can now make pre-orders for both the rules and the boxed sets.

This new edition has been brought into line with the more recent Polemos releases in terms of writing and presentation style. For an idea of what to expect a free download pdf sample is available if you . >>>>Click Here>>>

Pre-orders are being taken now. We won't be charging cards or presenting Paypal requests until the rules are in our hands and ready to go.

There is an outside chance that I may have some copies available for Claymore this coming weekend. There is still chance to get pre-orders in for this show, but as we'll be setting off on Friday morning the clock is ticking, so please get in touch as soon as possible.

Finally, on a less positive note, I am afraid that there will be a price increase on all our figure ranges which will come into effect on September 1st. This is not something I like doing, if nothing else for the amount of work it causes, but three years of constant increases in our running and material costs have got to be reflected at some stage.

Any orders taken up to September 1st will be at current rates, so you've got plenty of warning!

I've got all the new Celts photographed, so the entire range is there to view from the Chariots

Work is underway on the new Republican Romans and Allies which when released will complete the resculpt of the entire Punic Wars ranges and we'll move on to some brand new stuff for a while. Meanwhile, in another era we're looking at add 1866 Austrians to the late 19th C ranges with release in early Autumn. To complement this, Peter Riley is working on an expansion booklet for the Polemos FPW rules to cover the period. If all our plans work perfectly the release of figures and rules will be coordinated for simultaneous release. So, you can expect them to come out at completely different times...

One set of rules definitely heading for release soon is the second edition of Polemos English Civil War. I hope to get off this off to the printers later this week with release next month. Exactly the time I predicted in the April 2010 catalogue where many of you will note that I mis-spelt 'August' as 'July'. I will use a spell checker next time.

The new edition will be available both as traditional hard copy and as a pdf download. As soon as I know that they are safely on their way I will put in a facility for you to place advance orders.

To wrap up today, another reminder for those of you attending the excellent Claymore show in Edinburgh to get in those pre-orders as soon as possible.

Lets have some more new releases. To be more accurate these are releases of new figures replacing an old range. At long last the old Ancient Celts have been put out to spend their last days in the Twilight Home for the Terminally Confused to be replaced by thrusting, bustling and more dynamic younger recruits. Here are the all new Celts!

This range continues the process of replacing our older castings with new models reflecting the improvements we have made over the years and following the much higher standards set by recent releases. The new range contains direct replacements for the previous offerings and also adds some new recruits in the form of some spectacular charging warriors, (both fully clothed and and in state of heroic nudity), some very nice light cavalry and some casualty markers. I've really enjoyed painting up the bases I've finished so far and will be building a Polemos Ancients army from these which I will feature in the Projects section.

As usual with all the Ancients ranges the Celts are available as single packs, army packs for various rules systems and as part of our very popular 'Buy by the Unit' option.

I'll have the full range and maybe some sneak previews of the next project at Claymore in Edinburgh on August 7th. If you are going to the show and want to place an order for collection, can you please get in touch to sort it out.

More new releases coming very soon, but because I am mean and cruel I am not going to tell you what they are just yet.

Along with working on fresh lots of new little men for you all to enjoy we've been hard at at behind the scenes on the second edition of the Polemos ECW rules. The good news is that we are finally approaching the end of the process. The new set will be brought into line with the overall approach and presentation of our more recent publications complete with a couple of scenarios accompanied by some excellent maps courtesy of Sven Lugar.

I won't give a hostage to fortune by predicting a release date just yet, but I'd like to think in terms of a few weeks. I'll give harder information a little nearer the time.

Something that will be making an appearance quite shortly is the resculpted Ancient Celts range. In anticipation of this event the old range has now been taken off sale. I'm afraid if you wanted some to complete your army, you are now out of luck. Don't worry, the new improved Celt is heading your way!

And for the absolute final time this year, I will just remind you about the Baccus Open Day.

There are still some places available so if you want to be at the THE place to be seen this coming Saturday, just get in touch to reserve your spot.

Alex will be working with us gaining work experience for the next six months. He is already working hard, under the critical direction of Igor, learning the alchemical processes that turn base metals into priceless 6mm castings.

We've a couple of new releases for you this week. Firstly the ranks of the Napoleonic Spanish have been swelled by the addition of the Grenadiers. No piccies yet as the demand for these chaps has forced me to go against my normal policy and make them available before I get a painted example to show. For more details >>>Click Here>>>

In anticipation of the forthcoming second edition Polemos English Civil War rules, there are the first releases in a range of British buildings. Designed by those awfully talented Timecast chappies and suitable for use in many different periods, I am pleased to make available a pair of lovely cruck-built cottages and a splendid country church.

Time to remind you all once more of the Baccus Open Day. If you fancy coming along, meeting the team, finding out all the latest gossip and having a good poke around, just get in touch and book your place.

I'd like to say a very big 'Thank You' to the St Helen's club for their excellent work in staging the Phalanx show last Saturday. We had a great time there and were kept busy pretty much all day long. To cap it all, the Sun shone all day as well. When was the last time you could say that about Lancashire?

Lots of bits and pieces to announce this week. I'll start off with the news that the Polemos Napoleonic, ACW and FPW rules as well as the Napoleonic Companion

This means that you can get copies off these publications at a reduced price without paying postage costs and without having to wait. I know from my correspondence that there's a big demand for the rules in this format. I hope to extend this to cover other titles in the Polemos series.

No new releases as such this week, but a couple of things that might grab the attention of the cogniscenti.

I have long been a fan of the Figures in Comfort range of foam trays and carrying cases. Jules, the previous proprietior of FIC, produced a special tray for carrying 60mm x 30mm Polemos sized units and these have proved to be very popular. However, there was no provision for those of us using the larger 60mm x 60mm Brigade sized bases. However, Erik Priessman, the new owner of FIC has put this right with the release of a new tray specifically for those of us who prefer the larger base. The new tray will hold 12 brigade sized bases and a further 10 artillery and general bases:

I've just got a load of these for carrying my armies around and I know that they'll do the job very nicely indeed. You can find more details at the FIC website.

It can't have escaped your notice that we've been working on replacing some of the older ranges and that I keep on posting teaser piccies of some of the new stuff that isn't just quite available yet. I am really sorry if this is causing pain and anguish to some of you as the anticipation becomes too much to be bear. Anyway, here are a couple more images of new stuff that that you can't have quite yet...

We are actually nearing the end of sorting out the Celts for release. As a result, in one week's time I'll be withdrawing the old range from sale, never to be seen again. If you do need to complete that odd unit/army with the older castings, then you have seven days to place the order.

I hope to be painting some of the new Celtic figures this coming Saturday when I will be presenting an all day session on painting and basing 6mm armies. This will be held at the Wargames Emporium in the centre of Sheffield. It's going to be a fairly relaxed event and I'll basically be driven by the subjects that people want me to cover. Figures, paints, brushes and materials will all be provided and there will be no charge. You can even bring your own stuff with you and paint it. I'm really looking forward to the day and I hope to see a few of you there.

Which inevitably brings me on to the now traditional reminder about the Baccus Open Day which will be held on Saturday 17th July. There are still places available for both sessions, so if you want to come along then just get in touch and reserve your place.

Let me try and distract you from wandering if persistent thoughts about why English goalkeepers can't catch footballs with the announcement of the release of the resculpted Carthaginian range. These have had some very limited availability at wargames shows this year, but now the range is complete and open for all to collect.

The new figures effectively replace the old codes exactly so you you still have old friends such as the African infantry and Libyan cavalry,

I've also taken the opportunity to add a new code in the form of some veteran spearmen who have managed to give themselves a make-over with a job lot of dodgy Roman equipment that fell of the back of a Legion...

As you can see, these are quite incredible little models and follow the high standards set by the Spanish and Moors. For more details of the range just >>>Click Here>>>.

And it wouldn't really be me if I were not to dangle some more tempting morsels just out of reach, so here's a couple of previews of the forthcoming new Celts.

Work on this little lot of hairies is proceeding very nicely and release should be within the next couple of months.

If you fancy seeing these chaps for yourself and possibly get a glimpse of more stuff in the pipeline, then now is the time to book yourself a place on the annual Baccus Open Day on July 17th. You can find more details of this extravaganza if you >>>Click Here>>>

Coming up before that is the Phalanx show in St Helens this coming weekend. Thanks to those who have already got their pre-orders to us, but there is still time for others to do the same. I'd heartily suggest this if you are after any of the newer lines as evidence from the last couple of shows we have done is that our stocks of these tend to get hit hard and early!

Yes, it's that time of year again! Once again we are throwing open the doors of the Baccus workshop to all and sundry. This is your chance to peek behind the scenes of Baccus MegaCorps Industries, investigate the whys and wherefores of 6mm figure production and to poke the Igor to see which bits fall off.

Because of the size of the workshop we will have to restrict numbers, but we are running two sessions, one from 10am and one from 2pm. You will need to book your place(s) on the session of your choice by either phone (0114 2724491) or by email to baccus6@aol.com

These sessions can get full very quickly and we will be working on first come-first served basis. Block bookings from wargames clubs are welcome, as are wives/girlfriends/partners/significant others, all of whom in the past have had a far more interesting time than they could have thought possible.

For those of you traveling you can make a full wargames day of it with a visit to The Wargames Emporium in the centre of Sheffield - a veritable treasure house of wargaming paraphernalia.

And staying with this theme, I can also announce an event taking place on Saturday 26th June. I will be spending the day at the Wargames Emporium demonstrating 6mm painting and basing techniques. This is something that I often get asked to do at wargames shows, but it simply isn't practical while running a trade stand. John, the Emporium's owner, has kindly offered his premises for the day and I have taken him up on the offer. The day will be 'hands-on' and while I will have samples there to paint, if you want to bring some of your own figures for painting or basing you will be welcome.

But even before all of this excitement on Saturday 19th June we will be attending the Phalanx show in St Helens. Once again we will haul ourselves through the sunlit uplands of the Yorkshire Pennines and descend into the cold damp miasma of Lancashire to bring our wares to the Dark County. As always, if you have any pre-orders for the show, please get them to us as soon as possible.

So there you have it - three bites at Baccus Goodness coming up in the next few weeks - and before any of you scurry away to check your diaries none of them clash with England's world cup games...

Following the very successful 'unofficial' release at Partizan, I am now pleased to be able to let you all know at the Napoleonic Spanish range is officially released and available to one and all.

You can find details of the infantry, cavalry, artillery, flags army packs and booster packs if you >>>Click Here>>>

I know that these have been long awaited by those of you gaming the Peninsular campaigns, and judging by the disappearing act our stock performed at Partizan you'll soon be knocking on our doors to get hold of some. There are some still a few gaps to fill in the range, notably the infamous Guerillas, but work is well advanced on these codes and they will follow on in due course.

Just a very quick note to those of you interested in getting your hands on the Napoleonic Spanish. By means of superhuman efforts and brave deeds whose telling would freeze the very blood in your veins and turn your muscles to rags, I'll have limited amount of the new range with me at Partizan this Sunday. These will be strictly first come - first served, so no chance of reserving or pre-ordering.

The only thing stopping the joyous announcement of the release of the new Napoleonic Spanish and the redesigned Carthaginians is that we are being held up by that old problem - a glitch in the supply chain. Or to be more precise I am sat here waiting for a new batch of mould discs to arrive so I can get production moulds pressed and metal poured. Your many and varied emails do give me the impression that there are some desperate people out there in 6mm-land, but please be patient for a wee while longer...

...but in a piece of random sadism, here's a preview of what you are missing with a couple of pics of the Spanish cavalry,

If all goes well I will be be doing the official public launch of these ranges at Partizan this coming weekend. Which brings me nicely to my usual request for you to get any pre-orders into us as soon as you can, so that we can get them all cast and packed for you.

We are finally, finally, beginning to settle down to some form of normality here after last month's orgy of casting. So it's time to start looking at getting some new releases ready. We're not quite ready for these yet, be here's a couple more teasers of the new Napoleonic Spanish;

And no, I haven't forgotten about the Ancients. We will soon have all the new Punics out on official release and are already working on the new Celts. Here's a piccy to show you the sort of thing you'll be able to expect from these...

Time waits on no Man, so as the tick tock of the clock advances, so the days shorten to the next show which will be Partizan in Newark on 30th May. I will now repeat the traditional request for you to get your pre-orders in to as as soon as you can. Those of you attending will get to see all the forthcoming bits and pieces for yourself, so athe trip to Newark could well reward the effort!

This was going to be the usual regular update post with a few teaser pics of forthcoming releases. However, I'll change the routine for once.

The reason for this change is the news that has recently reached me of the death of Bob O' Brien. To any UK wargamer of a 'certain age' his name will be instantly recognisable as one of that group of wargaming pioneers who helped start and promote the modern hobby back on the 1960s. Anyone who ever attempted to get the figures that they really wanted by butchering various Airfix sets will undoubtedly have been influenced by his articles on the subject on Military Modelling. Under his instruction I performed unspeakable acts on innocent pieces of plastic by means of drawing pins, hot needles, scalpel and plasticine. I never did find a source for the 'banana oil' that he always mentioned as the means of making those plasticine additions set hard.

Bob was also a founder member of the Wargames Research Group. It was their 4th edition Ancient rules set that I will always remember fondly, being my first introduction to what I call 'proper' wargaming. These, and their successors, as well as the 1685-1845 rules as well as games such as 'Decline and Fall' and 'Seastrike' gave me and my friends countless hours of gaming pleasure.

I cannot claim to have known Bob other than as a wargaming 'name' until recently, when he took to 6mm Napoleonics and the Polemos system. We had a correspondence mostly punctuated by his frustration with computers and IT. He had just begun to contribute to the Polemos forum and it is sad that we will no longer benefit from his experience and input.

As a group we all owe Bob and others like him a great deal of thanks. People such as myself cut our teeth in the hobby in terms of modelling techniques and models of how to write and produce rules.

From what contact I had with Bob, he was obviously a gentleman and I think it fitting that his achievements should be acknowledged and his passing mourned.

Only a fairly hurried scrawl this time as I prise a few minutes away from a red hot casting machine. Many thanks to Sheffield Wargames Society for a wonderful effort in staging the new look Triples. This show is set to go from strength to strength. Thanks also to the Lead Commanders, Ruarigh and his merry men and GIMPS for all staging wonderful 6mm games and showing just what can be done with the little fellows. I had a great weekend and so did everyone else I talked to.

Right now, we are concentrating on restocking for Salute. If you want to place a preorder, then you have until noon Thursday, after which we can't guarantee being able to get special orders cast.

If there wasn't already enough incentive to attend Salute then here's another one. We'll have limited quantities of our new Punics figures available. We had some of these at Triples and they disappeared in the blink of an eye, so if you want in on the action get along to us quickly. Suffice it to say that they continue the trend of superb quality sculpts that we've established for the resculpted Ancients ranges.

Just 5 days to go to the Sheffield Triples show and things are getting busy here at Baccus HQ. I'll repeat the mantra at this point; if you have any pre-orders for Sheffield or Salute, can you please get them to us now. We are going to be on a very tight schedule over the next couple of weeks and don't want to disappoint anyone.

Sheffield Triples will be a major treat for the 6mmilitant tendency amongst us, with three games being presented in God's Own Wargaming Scale. Firstly, the Lead Commanders will be reprising their epic Borodino game. If you missed this at Derby get along to Triples as it is one of the biggest games in the scale you are likely to see. Next Ruarigh Dale will be presenting Blore Heath, which will be a lot smaller then Borodino but is looking rather nice as a visit to his blog will show. Thirdly and keeping to the Napoleonic theme, Sheffield and Rotherham wargamers will be staging that ultimate of Napoleonic Battles - Waterloo. Check them out the new Triples venue at the English Institute of Sport

I'm hoping to get some new figure releases out very shortly, but in the meantime, there are a couple of announcements on the scenics side of things. Firstly, and in anticipation of the forthcoming Napoleonic Spanish range we have a lovely little Peninsular chapel.

And I am really glad to say that we are once again supplying trees, in both Deciduous

If you fancy getting your hands on some of these or any other goodies from the Baccus ranges and you'll be going to Triples or Salute, just email or call us to make a pre-order, or use the friendly shopping cart system and take the 'Collect at show' option.

The latest of our series of new releases is out today, in the form our redesigned Ancient Moorish figures.

Once again, these are a reworking of an older range which has been brought up to modern design and production standards. You can find more details if you >>>Click Here>>>

The new Carthaginian figures featured in February are now going through the moulding stage and if all goes well should be available for release at Sheffield Triples or Salute. Work is already well advanced on the new Celtic range which promises to be pretty spectacular!

Other periods are not being forgotten so if you are on of those waiting for the Napoleonic Spanish to appear, you won't have to wait too much longer...

With April just round the corner, we have two major shows coming up; Sheffield Triples on the 17th and 18th and Salute on the 23rd. It can't have escaped anyone's notice that these are on consecutive weekends (for the second year running). I know that a lot of people like to pre-order for shows, especially Salute. However, with the two events being so close together we won't have much time in the period between them, so can I please ask you to get any pre-orders in as soon as you can so as to give us enough time to cast and pack them. We are taking orders for both shows now. Many thanks in advance for your help with this. With a bit of luck the show organisers may manage to get it right year, or who knows, perhaps they'll stage them both on the same day and solve all the problems...

Another week, another set of new releases, as it is time to release the resculpted Ancient Spanish. These figures really bring one of our oldest ranges bang up to date in terms of detailing and animation.

You can find full details of the range if you >>>Click Here>>> Next for the treatment and coming up very soon are the Moors.

We'll have these and lots of other 6mm goodness at the Warrior Bazaar show this coming weekend.

The first of the new resculpted Ancients ranges is now up and running as I am pleased to be able to unleash the new Hittite range on an unsuspecting word. The new sculpts are a vast improvement on the old ones reflecting the improvements we have made in sculpting, moulding, casting and design of our ranges over the years.

One innovation we have introduced is the reduction of parts involved in the chariots. For example, the previous Syrian chariot model consisted of four separate parts. This has been reduced to just two in the new models, which in turn makes them much easier to assemble and far stronger. The end result is a much improved end result in every department. You can find more details of the new Hittite range if you >>>Click Here>>>

I've had a few people asking why I am taking the trouble to do this work in replacing older lines while there are so many new subjects that still need covering. (Yes, I DO know that people want Byzantines, than you very much!) The answer is that ten years ago when we released the first of our 6mm Ancients figures, they set new standards for design and quality in the scale. Sadly the years have overtaken these little men and it is time for us to retire them and replace them with new sculpts that will once again raise the bar for 6mm Ancients and help us to maintain our high standards of quality. I can best demonstrate this with a couple of comparisons of the old figures and the new resculpts from the forthcoming Ancient Spanish range:

The Spanish should be available very soon, followed shortly by the Moors and the Carthaginians themselves early next month.

If you are going to the Warrior Bazaar show in Bolton on the 28th March we'll have all the new stuff for you to look at there. If you want to preoder these or any other items please get in touch as soon as possible.

This should have been a piece announcing the release of some new stuff, but due to our suppliers sending us the wrong sized mould blanks that will have to wait a few days. Instead I thought I'd keep your attention by showing you a couple of previews. First we have some Ancients. The resculpting of the Punic Wars figures is going pretty well and the first result of that in the form of the Spanish will be available very shortly, closely followed by what are quite frankly gorgeous Moorish infantry and light cavalry. Of course the ones that everybody wants are the Punics themselves and their elephants, so here's a few masters for your delectation...

And to reassure those waiting for news of our Napoleonic Spanish range, here are some light infantry in a rather spiffing crested helmet.

We've no scheduled release date for these yet, as it is proving to be demanding range to produce due to the sheer number of uniform changes, but we are working very quickly to get them done and on your wargames tables.

Our next show will be the Warrior Bazaar in Bolton on Sunday 28th March at the Park Hall Hotel in Chorley. This looks to be a much improved venue and organised event than last year's effort so once again we are preparing to make the expedition to the Dark County. As always with these events please let us know if you have any orders you wish us to prepare in advance.

Time for some more new releases. Rather than a new range as such, these are some much sought after 'fillers'.

First, I am relieved to announce that at long last, the MAHDIST RIFLEMEN are finally, finally available. Now will you all please, please, please stop the emails! You can find the details of these if you >>>Click Here>>>

Secondly, all of you waiting for the High Command for your Risorgimento armies need wait no longer as we now have available both Austrian and Piedmontese general and staff figures. You can find more details if you >>>Click Here>>>

The keen-eyed amongst you will spot that there are no photos of these yet. This is because the moulds are so fresh out of the can that I haven't had chance to paint any of the castings yet. I'll be adding these a little later. However we do have some photos of the forthcoming new Hittite range.

These will replace the older versions which have been withdrawn from sale. The new sculpts are a vast improvement on what was one of our oldest ranges of figures and should be available from next month. This marks the start of what will be a steady replacement of many of our older Ancients ranges in order to bring them up to our current high standards. Work is already well underway on the Ancient Spanish and Moors and these will rapidly be followed by the Celts, Carthaginians and Republican Romans. The aim is to have the Punic Wars figures replaced by entirely new sculpts by the end of this year.

We will however continue to expand our ranges as well a resculpt older ones. The next new range will be Napoleonic Spanish and will follow the standard set by the new British figures. For those of you who may be interested, here are some masters so you can see what to expect.

Finally, to anyone visiting the York show next month, we'll be there with the Baccus stand and will all have all our new releases plus the usual bits and pieces.

If you want to pre-order anything can I please ask you get in touch as soon as you can so we have time to cast the items for you.

I suppose that it's only fitting that the first post of the New Year should be the announcement of some new releases. So, without further ado I am please to be able to make available the Egyptian/Sudanese infantry for the many of you out there who are messing about in the Sudan. There are two basic flavours on offer;

I've also taken the opportunity of adding a new flagsheet for the Egyptian infantry. As there was plenty of space left on the sheet I've added a few Mahdists flags to it as well. You can find all the details if you >>>Click Here>>>.

On a less upbeat note, we've been having quite a bit of snow here of late. To those of you who have to deal with the white stuff in large quantities every year, this may not seem to be such a big deal. Unfortunately, we in the UK aren't really geared up for his and it can take a fall of just two inches to bring the country to a halt. In this case we've actually had a lot more than that with the result that very little is moving at the moment. This will have an effect on how quickly we can get completed orders into the post, so there may be a few delays in mail orders packages until this all works through.

On a more otpimistic note, I hope to have news of more new releases by the end of the month.

Staggering on its last legs, the credit crunch ridden and economic crisis laden year of 2009 is wobbling to its final destination paving the way for a brand new and optimistic credit crunch ridden and economic crisis laden 2010 to take up the burden. To be perfectly honest if another person says 'in the current climate' to me once more, I will physically restrain them and force feed them strips of 6mm figures until they apologise and promise never to say it again ever, even it is only to themselves while looking in a mirror.

All of this means that it is now time do my Janus* impersonation, (*Look it up on Wiki if you don't recognise the reference but be prepared to understand that 95% of material from this source may be only slightly more accurate than my 2010 release schedule.). I'll start on my dual task by looking back at the last 12 months.

.Before I start on this section, I do have an admission to make. By previous year's standards we've actually had a pretty lean time in terms of new releases. The reason for this is very simple in that we've been kept exceptionally busy on the production side of things keeping up with demand. Now while we can only view this a Good Thing, it has taken us by surprise and taken up most of the time that we would normally use for product development. The good news is that I'm working on sorting this out for next year so things should start to pick up in terms of new products.

2009 saw a couple of cracking 6mm Napoleonic demo games gracing the UK wargames circuit. First came Steve Jones's masterful Wagram game featuring outstanding painting and scenic modelling. This game was so impressive that it even got plaudits from die-hard 28mm gamers. Later in the year we were treated to the Lead Commanders' Borodino which proved to be epic in scale and in entertainment value as the saga of its conception and completion graced the pages of the Projects section, and they and their massive game was hugely popular. I hope that you'll get the opportunity to see them at more shows in 2010.

2009 was a year in which we said goodbye to a couple of old friends. The MAD gamers took their wonderful Isandhlawana game for its last ever outing at the Crisis show and when I last saw them were planning to give it a viking funeral. We also finally took out of production the last Baccus resin cast scenic items breaking a link which goes back twenty years.

But enough of this maudlin retrospective wittering. What you are REALLY interested in is what is in the pipeline for 2010.

The first bit of news is that I am welcoming two new sculptors to the Baccus team. The first is Tony Quickenden who has already made his mark by doing the modelling on a lot of the recent artillery and equipment models. The second is Simone Gabellini from Italy. Both will be joining myself and Martin in working to keeping the flow of high quality 6mm sculpts flowing strongly in the coming 12 months.

Vikings. Yes, Vikings. If nothing else to keep that Ruarigh fellow quiet. These will be the of the 10th/11thC variety and will be joined by Saxons and Normans.
Ottoman Turks. Yes, I've been promising these for years, but they are in the list and I WILL get round to them.
There will be work on the Napoleonic ranges. Firstly will come the release of the Spanish. Then we'll move on to the mammoth task of the redesign of the Russians. As with the British this will not simply be the replacement of the existing models, but will also see the addition of all those bits and pieces 'missing' at the moment. You can expect to see infantry skirmishers, horse artillery, militia and all those others things that are currently conspicuous only be their absence.
The late 19thC ranges will be extended by the addition of the Austrians for 1866 plus some bits and pieces to fill out the existing French, Austrians and Piedmontese.
We will FINALLY release the rifleman for the Mahdists and the Egyptian army to round out the Sudanese campaigns.
There will be some significant changes in the Ancients ranges as they undergo the same process as the Napoleonics with some of the older ranges retired and replaced by up to date sculpts. This process will start with the Hittites and the aim is then to move on and to completely renew all the Punic Wars ranges by the end of 2010.
Simone will be working on expanding the WOTR to cover the wars in Italy with lots of colourful Gendarmes and pikemen supported by some stunning banners.
The Command Horizon SF ranges will continue to expand, with some spectacular large models for all three races.
As was the position at the same time last year, there are loads of publications waiting to be laid out. The limiting factor is the amount of time that I get to spend on layout and design. As well as the Minuteman/Ranger (AWI and FIW) dual set, I am working on the 2nd edition of Polemos ECW as well a Ancients, Wars of the Roses and Seven Years War. I also hope to be able to get out a dual Risorgimento/1866 booklet which will convert the existing FPW set to cover these conflicts. This is a huge schedule and I can't be certain at this stage in what order these will be done.

Given the usual reliability of my predictions, and my track record over the last twelve months this is more a statement of intent than a hard and fast plan. However, given that we've got extra hands in the sculpting department, that area at least should show some improvement. The other thing to remember is that while I type this with the best of intentions I usually forget to mention something that pops up later in the year, much to everyone's surprise. (In short you'll probably find more hard facts on a Creationist website...)

It can often seem that Baccus consists of myself and Igor. Nothing can be further than the truth as the whole thing is only kept going by a large network of family, friends, supporters, contributors, and modellers. So, in no set order, I'd like to thank Nick M, David H, Nick D, Martin B, Tony, Martin P, Zac, Peter R, Chris G, Maksim, Sven L, Chris B, Helen, Cliff, Bill, Dave, Mark, Barrie, Derek, Andrew B, and the Polemous playtest group, for their invaluable help and input. Honourable mentions must also go the the MAD gamers and the Lead Commanders for their good company and sense of humour. I'd also like to thank each and every one of those harrassed and put-upon wargames show organisers the length of the country who have worked hard to stage these invaluable events. I've probably missed someone off the list, so if you feel as if you deserve a place on the roll then get in touch.

Sorry that it's been a long while since my last update. This has entirely been down to how frantic we have been coping with the extremely hectic late Autumn show season and a fantastically busy period for mail order which saw me doing the important work of casting and packing orders rather than sitting at my desk playing solitaire on the computer, which is how Igor sees my role for the rest of the year.

With the main rush now behind us I can now get back to my proper job and let you all know what's happening here in snowy Sheffield. The first thing that I must do is to apologise for the lack of promised new releases, in particular, the Mahdist riflemen. We simply have not been able to spare that time to get the new patterns cast and moulds made. Believe me, it has not been for lack of effort! We have made some progress so watch out for new items appearing throughout January. I'll provide more details in my annual review/look ahead posting after Christmas.

Baccus will close at midday on December 24th, moulds will not be spun nor metal poured over the festive season. Activities will resume on January 4th 2009. All orders placed using the cart over the period will be processed when we get back.

This last statement is particularly important in light of what comes next. On January 1st, the UK rate of VAT goes up from 15% to 17.5% and will affect all orders to EU countries. (Customers outside the EU will not be affected as VAT is not charged on their orders.) Any order placed prior to January 1st 2010 will be charged at the current rate. Any orders placed on or after that date will be charged at 17.5%. Sorry about all of this, but VAT is one of those things that is entirely out of my hands.

As ever a this time of year I would like to thank all of you for your custom. However, just as important to us are your questions, your phone calls, your ideas your emails, your suggestions and your conversation over the last 12 months. without all of these we would be running Baccus in a vacuum and it keeps us in touch with why we are doing what we do and more importantly, who we are doing if for.

Chris and myself have just about recovered from a very hectic few days around the Crisis show in Antwerp. The Tin Soldiers of Antwerp members were excellent hosts and outstanding and tireless organisers. Thanks from both of us for a great few days.

We've only two more shows to do this year and the next one is coming up fast as we prepare for the Warfare show in Reading on November 21st and 22nd. A number of you have already placed preorders for collection there, but there is still plenty of time for others to do the same.

I am hoping to have some new items for sale at Warfare, as we add the finishing bits and pieces to the Colonial Sudan range. The Mahdist riflemen and Egyptian infantry should be available there and if we get things right you should get a sneak preview of our resculpted Ancient Hittite and Syrian figures.

As usual, if you've any questions or requests feel free to contact me. There is normally a good chance of an informative answer.

A belated vote of thanks is due to all the nice chaps at SELWG for staging the recent show. First time for me at Crystal Palace and the voyage of discovery that is the south London road system. We had a great day there and will be back in 2010 if the organisers will have us.

Coming up in swift succession are the Fiasco show (Sunday 1st November) and Crisis (Saturday 7th November). After a brief chance for me to draw breath, then we have Warfare (21st and 22nd November). If you want to place pre-orders for any of these shows, then please let us know as soon as possible. This is particularly true for Fiasco and Crisis. The moral is, 'Order early to avoid disappointment!'

I've added some pictures of the Risorgimento period Austrian cavalry. I really enjoyed painting these as the colours of the uniform and equipment are very handsome indeed. Say what you like about the Austro Hungarian army of the period, these chaps knew how to dress well! For more details, just >>>Click Here>>>

The final thrilling installment of the Lead Commander's road to Borodino is now available and Matt Pickard has provided his usual humorous account of the clockwork-like management of this ambitious project. Well worth a read and to see some pictures of the finished game as presented at the Derby show. >>>Click Here>>>

There's more new stuff coming out very shortly for the Colonial range and some new Ancients figures. Which brings me nicely to an important announcement. Many of you will know that we regularly update older ranges which we feel aren't up to our current standards. I know it can be annoying, but I also know from feedback from customers about their reaction to the recent release of the new British Napoleonics that the work is appreciated when the quality of the new sculpts is seen.

Plans are well underway for an extensive overhaul of the Napoleonic ranges over the next two years. I'm also glad to be able to let you know that we are beginning a similar review and upgrade of our Ancients ranges. We'll be starting the process with the Hittites and the first of the new sculpts will be available very shortly. You will be able to expect not only superb quality replacements for existing codes, but also and where appropriate we'll be adding to and extending what is currently available. This will not affect new releases as we have been fortunate enough to be able to secure the services of Tony Quickenden to work on this project, leaving myself free to carry on with new stuff.

This is the time of year when we seem to finish unpacking from one show five minutes after we start packing for the next one. SELWG is nearly upon us, and your deadline for getting preorders to us is Thursday morning.

I've now added army packs for the Austrian and Piedmontese forces in the Risorgimento range which you can find if you >>>Click Here>>>

If you are going so SELWG these will be available there and I'll have painted examples of the range to hand.

We've just finished sorting out the aftermath of the Derby show, and what a feast of 6mm goodness it proved to be. Keith and Ian put on a wonderful looking battle from the Seven Years War, and I'd love to tell you which one, but I can't remember. However, given the number of bottles of red wine that were drunk at the table over the weekend, I doubt if Messrs Cluskey and Gendle could tell you either!

The Lead Commanders surprised everybody including themselves by turning up for their Borodino game with all terrain completed, both armies painted and based and all units had their flags attached. I always had faith in them...Honest, I did.The game itself looked spectacular and I am sure that pictures and reports will appear very shortly. Such was the level of interest from people on the day that they actually only got two moves in on Saturday as they were all fully engaged in talking to people asking questions or heaping them with praise. All joking apart, it was a magnificent effort from a group of enthusiastic and extremely personable wargamers and they deserved all the positive feedback they received. The organisers recognised their achievements with a 'Highly commended' award. If you missed it don't worry as they are making plans to take it other shows.

Derek and Paul had a happy weekend on our Leipzig-Lite game with players of all ages getting stuck in and enjoying themselves immensely. They managed to squeeze eight full games on the Saturday and nine on Sunday which is not bad when you consider the subject of the game! As with Borodino, the game attracted a lot of bystanders and universally great feedback. Once again the organisers gave it a Highly Commended' award. Leipzig-Lite will appear a some more shows this year and next, but Derek is already planning his next subject in his 'Reduced Epic Battles' series...

With Derby now a glorious memory, it's time to turn thoughts to our next show which will be SELWG on the 18th September. As ever, if you want us to bring a preorder for you can please let me know as soon as possible. You can do this by email, phone or even by using the shopping cart.

Finally for today, it's time to say, 'Goodbye', to some very old friends as we are retiring our range of English buildings. These models date back right to the origins of what has become the Baccus you know today. However, the moulds are wearing badly and we do need to concentrate on metal rather than resin production. It's not all bad news as they will be available from Coyote Miniatures once Alex gets his GCSEs out of the way.

Many thanks to all of you who wished me well during my recent period of unpleasantness. My immune system has finally taken charge and seen off the nasty N1H1 virus invader and I'm back at work. In my absence Igor has done a sterling job and thanks to his solo efforts we're not really too far behind with mail orders and we'll be back to full efficiency levels very shortly.

All of this has delayed a couple of announcements and postings that I should have done last week, but it's a case of better late than never.

Firstly this coming weekend is the World Championships at Derby University. This is a top notch venue and a really enjoyable show. It will also be one to attend for the quality of the 6mm games on display. Top Billing will have to go the Lead Commander's bold, enterprising and trailblazing presentation of Borodino. The telling of the tale of how this ambitious enterprise came to be initiated planned and executed with ruthless efficiency is probably available from some source or other, but for the meantime you'll have to make do with their humorous account of how hope can do wonders if you >>>Click Here>>>

Coming a close second, but with the very positive news that I am certain that both armies and terrain have actually been completed is our very own Leipzig-Lite game. This proved a huge hit at last year's show and is reappearing by popular demand. Derek and Paul will be on hand all weekend to give you the chance to change history in less than the time it takes to paint a single 28mm Old Guard grenadier. If you want to what all the fuss is about, just >>>Click Here>>>

I have yet to have confirmation for this year, but the Derby show is also the traditional home of Ian Cluskey and Keith Gendles's exquisite Seven Years War games. All made the more enjoyable by the copious amounts of fine wine in attendance...

You can still place pre-orders for the show, by phone, email or via the shopping cart system, but we'll have to place a cut off for this of Thursday afternoon, so if you want to take advantage, please get back to us sooner rather than later.

Secondly, some advance notice that this year I will be attending the SELWG show at Crystal Palace on Sunday 18th October. This has been an event that has always been noticeable for it's lack of a Baccus stand much to the dismay of lots of people, so after a bit of shameless, spineless begging and pleading I've finally managed to secure a spot. Once again, you can send in pre-orders from any time now up to a couple of days prior to the event.

Well, I suppose it had to happen one day. I've just been diagnosed as playing a generous host to Swine flu virus, which is currently repaying my kindness by making me feel as bright and chipper as a hedgehog that has recently had a close encounter with the tyre tread pattern of a twelve wheel juggernaut.

Igor remains unaffected and is casting away, but I'm afraid that there will be delay in getting some orders out until I'm back on my feet and able to get stuck in. Please bear with us and I hope that all will be back to normal by the end of next week.

On this, the anniversary day of the momentous English Civil War battles of Dunbar and Worcester and of the death of God's Englishman, Oliver Cromwell, I suppose it is only fitting that I should make an announcement about the Italian Wars of Unification...

The prolific Peter Riley has been working away on a supplement to his popular Polemos FPW rules to cover the wars between the Italians and French and the Austrians which led to the foundation of the Italian state. These are available as a FREE download, but you will need a copy of the FPW rules to play them.

The supplement follows the standard pattern set for Polemos 19th century rules by allowing for two scales of operation, at Corps and at Army levels. The battles of the period were huge and this is not the time to be messing around with companies and individual skirmisher figures.

As well as the rules themselves, the supplements include extensive orders of battle, army generators and two scenarios, Palestro and Magenta.

I'll have hard copy versions for inspection at the forthcoming Partizan and Colours shows.

For those of you who collect armies from the War of the Spanish Succession, I've got news a major new uniform and organisation CD ROM from Robert Hall and Giancarlo Boeri.

This represents a major overhaul of the two seperate CDs covering this subject and in an extended and much improved treatment of the subject. The real value of the new CD is the much improved artwork.

Staying with the theme of uniforms, and for something completely free, we are indebted to Gary Clark for you another guide to Napoleonic uniforms. This time it is the army of Baden.

Gary really has the got the bit between his teeth, so watch out for guides coming up covering the Confederation of the Rhine, and the really epic piece on Prussian armies.

With Summer rapidly coming to an end the first two shows of the Autumn season are nearly upon us, and plans are in place for our visits to Newark on the 6th September for The Other Partizan, and to Newbury on the weekend of 12th and 13th September for Colours. We'll be taking our full ranges to both shows, but if you do have an idea of what you'll want from us, now is the time to get those preorders in to us.

Firstly Rex Hurley presents us with an illustrated step by step tutorial on painting and presenting buildings

And Gary Clark has added to the Napoleonic Uniform painting guides with an excellent illustrated guide to the army of Wurttemburg.

I'd like to thank both Rex and Gary for sharing their information and their work with us.

Once more I find myself announcing a newcomer to the Baccus ranges. This time it is an addition to the Polemos rulebooks series with the release of the Napoleonic Sourcebook.

The Companion is the perfect partner to the main rules booklet. It provides the opportunity to expand the range of actions and armies outlined in the rules by providing more scenarios and army generators. There is also a section on extending the available action by playing campaigns, complete with a sample campaign scenario and map.

Chris Grice has also added a really useful section with the 'Jargon Buster' which sets out to explain in plain language all those awkward, confusing and impenetrable terms that crop up. It may well be fine for a wargamer who has been playing Napoleonics for the past half century to talk about 'Cacadores', 'Depot Battalions' and 'Carabiniers', but it can be both confusing and off-putting to the newcomer. The final section of the Companion gives you a listing of the composition of the armed forces of all the major nations and most of the minor ones of the wars. This can be really useful for planning new armies and projects.

First I'd just like to say, 'Thank You', to the members of SESWC who did such a fine job of staging the Claymore show in Edinburgh last weekend. Helen and myself had a great time there and the new venue was a vast improvement over the Meadowbank stadium running track. I can only see this show growing and getting better.

Those of you who were there may have seen the painted examples of our brand new range, as we continue our coverage of the late nineteenth century. This time we are heading for sunnier climes and are covering the Italian Wars of Unification or The Risorgimento.

The French forces can mostly be modelled using the FPW codes, but we will be adding a few new items specially for the Italian campaigns. You can find all the details if you >>>Click Here>>>

This is a range that has been asked for repeatedly over the years by lots of our Italian customers and I am really pleased to be finally able to make it available. Special mention must go to Fabio Fiorentin who almost single-handedly, encouraged, bullied, and cajoled me to produce these figures and provided many of the references used.

Peter Riley has been working on amendments to the Polemos FPW rules that will enable you to use them for the wars from 1859 to 1866. These will shortly be made available as a free pdf download.

Another week, another new release. These are the final items in the all new British Napoleonic range, and are a couple of pieces that people have been asking me for an awful long time. The Royal Corps of Drivers finally makes an appearance with the British limber teams.

More spectacularly, and for those of you with a sense of humour we are proud to present the British Rocket Troop, which I have to say may not have impressed Wellington, but makes a pretty impressive model on the table top.

These mark the end of the British releases. The next nation to get the Baccus Napoleonic treatment will be Spain, but you'll have to wait a little while for these. We are now gearing up for the launch of the Risorgimento armies, which will be coming along very shortly.

Thanks to all of you who have booked for the Baccus Open Day. I'm afraid that the afternoon session is now closed for any bookings, but we do still have places for the morning. Please email or ring to reserve a place.

Following the current trend, this week once again sees the release of some additions to an existing range. This week it's the turn of the Sassanian Persians who get their Regular infantry,

There'll be more new releases coming over the next few weeks so do keep on popping by to check.

We're in the final stages of preparing a companion volume to our popular Polemos rules set for the Napoleonic wars. I'll be giving more details nearer the time of release, which should be in early August.

The first is the Baccus Open Day. on 18th July These are always great fun and there are still places available. Please get in contact asap to make a booking.

Secondly we are now just four weeks away from the Edinburgh Claymore show in its new location. I can now start accepting pre-orders for collection at both the Baccus Open Day and Claymore.

Some more new releases for you this week, as we near the completion of the new-look Napoleonic British range. In particular we have two codes which aren't really mainstream castings, but I think will nevertheless prove very popular.

These will be useful for adding to those diorama bases that I know a lot of people love to produce, but are also invaluable for use as shaken markers in Polemos or similiar systems, providing a more aesthetically pleasing alternative to tiddlywinks counters or dice.

The second release is an item that I've been asked for quite a lot over the last few months. The British army finally gets some Engineers and Sappers.

While the Officers/Engineers are obviously British, the sappers themselves will do duty in lots of different armies, so these are also available as separate items in the Equipment section.

Can I also bring your attention to the Baccus Open Day which takes place on the 18th of July. There are still places left, so if you want to come along, please do get in touch by phone on 0114 2724491 or by email.

First off, many thanks to the St Helens wargames club for the Phalanx show, and especially to the team who helped us unload on arrival. Much appreciated and it made a hard job much easier for us.

Moving on, I am sure that any of my Italian customers will be able to tell you that June 24th 2009 is the 150th anniversary of the battle of Solferino - a pivotal moment in the struggle for Italian Unification. In honour of this event, I had hoped to release a Risorgimento range, but events have got in the way which has meant that I'll miss the deadline by a couple of weeks or so.

What I can do is show you a couple of pre-release pictures from the forthcoming range to whet your appetites. Firstly there are some Austrian infantry

More infantry, cavalry and artillery for both sides are in various stages of production and I am working to get the range up and running for release as soon as possible.

For those of you following the exploits of the Lead Commanders as they tirelessly and valiantly toil away on their Borodino project, I've just posted the latest instalment of their saga. This is an account of their 'trial' game at the Partizan show. As a tale about a well-oiled and efficient team showing off their expertise and competent grasp of the subject in hand, it makes a good account of a group of people who really do mean well...

You can read all about it if you >>>Click Here>>>, if only to find out why Poles seem to like walking in woods.

Just a couple of reminders for you. There is still a small window of opportunity for you to get any pre-orders for the Phalanx show at St Helens this coming weekend.

Secondly, the bookings for the July Open Day are coming in fast, so if you are planning to come along, please get in touch by phone or email.

No new releases at the moment, however, I can promise some in the very near future. These will be a few much- anticipated items, and in answer to all those emails, the Sasssanian Persian elephants will be among them.

It's time to let you know about a couple of events that are coming up. Firstly, we have the 4th (or 5th - I can't remember and my mind isn't what it used to be...) Baccus Open Day. This is your chance to visit the nerve centre of the Baccus Evil Empire and see what goes on behind the scenes.

There will be two sessions - one in the morning, and with impeccable logic, one in the afternoon. We are limited in the numbers that we can take as the workshop isn't all that big so you will need to book your place(s) ahead of time. Group bookings from clubs are welcome, as are spouses/partners/significant others. The last two years have been oversubscribed, so I'd suggest that if you want to come along, you get in contact sooner rather than later. You can fnd all the details by clicking on the Open Day logo above or if you >>>Click Here>>>.

However, before then we have the Phalanx 2009 show staged by the St Helens Spartans. This will be held on Saturday 20th June, and you can find loads more information if you >>>Click Here>>>. We'll be there with as much stock as we can physically manage, but as ever, if you know what you are after it's always best to place a preorder for collection.

There's quite a bit of news this week, but I'll start with two important announcements for my overseas customers. There'll be more later, so don't forget to check on in the next couple of days.

Firstly for those of you in the USA. Jason Tepool had asked me if I could find alternative arrangements for a US supplier as soon as was possible. I was able to do this, and I am pleased to be able to announce that you can now get the full Baccus range from Mark Severin of Scale Creep Miniatures.

I have known Mark for several years and I feel that he will give first class customer service and support and I am looking forward to working with him for many years to come. He is working hard behind the scenes to get the Baccus ranges listed on his site, but he is open for business. You can find the Scale Creep Site if you >>>Click Here>>>

Secondly, and on a similar note I am delighted to be able to announce that Baccus now has a representative in the Antipodes. More precisely in Taupo, New Zealand.

Little Men, Big Battles is the brainchild of Craig Martin. I am particularly pleased to see an outlet in this part of the world as I am getting an increasing number of customers from the other side of the globe and I hope that Craig will be able to supply them with their craving for large armies of little men. You can find the LMBB Site if you >>>Click Here>>>

Over the weekend I was contacted by Jason, the son David Tepool of Olde Rivertowne Miniatures, who gave me the sad news that his father had died of a heart attack late last week.

The best wishes from all of us at Baccus goes to David's family at what must be desperately troubling time for them.

David first contacted me a few years ago when I was looking for a new sales outlet in the USA. Although he was new to me, he struck me with his enthusiasm and his commitment to success and customer service. He told me of his ambition to make ORT a major force in the supply of wargames figures and accessories. In the following years he built a reputation with his customers for professional and responsive service that was second to none in the business. This was all the more remarkable as ORT was not his primary activity as he had an extremely demanding business with successul motor dealership.

I shall sorely miss David Tepool. He was a joy to work with and a true professional.

'My father had a passion for all things gaming and for military history. He is an accomplished game designer having wrote the original Star Trek RPGs by FASA, as well as writing many adventures and material for the original D&D series of products. He has amassed a collection of games, miniatures, models, and books that would put any world library to shame. His dream was to one day open a hobby store for his passions and Olde Rivertowne Miniatures was step one in that dream.'

Jason has informed me that he is currently working on completing and winding up all outstanding orders with ORT, after which the company will not be taking any further orders.

I mentioned a couple of months ago that I am working behind the scenes to improve the provision of pictures on the site, both in terms of coverage and quality. When I started this process back in late 2008, the range that was really in need of attention was the American War of Independence. Out of the forty codes listed, only sixteen were illustrated, with the bulk of those coming from the SYW figures doing dual service. Well, I am pleased to say that today, with the addition of the following picture

there is now complete coverage of every figure code in the British, Rebel, Loyalist, Indian, German and French ranges. However, the work has not finished there and I have already got my list prepared for the next range to tackle. I know that the dreaded 'No Image Available' notice is frustrating and always seems to crop up exactly on the stuff that you want to look at, but the problem is being addressed, and overall we have a over 90% of the codes on offer illustrated.

Moving on, the next show is Partizan at Kelham Hall, Newark on Sunday 24th May. We are still taking pre-orders for collection, so if you know what you are after please get in touch with us.

There won't be any new releases at Partizan, but we are working flat out to get the extra bits and pieces done that will complete the Napoleonic British and Sassanian Persian ranges.

The Warrior Bazaar show has come and gone. Thanks to the organisers and to those of you who braved Bolton's one-way system to come and see us there. It struck us as being a show that has the potential to do quite well once this year's teething troubles have been sorted out. We'll be back next year.

But well before then, we have all of this year's shows to sort out and coming up next will be Partizan at Kelham Hall on 24th May. We've already started receiving pre-orders for us to take to Newark, so if you know what you want please do get in touch.

This year you can look forward to two spectacular 6mm Napoleonic games on display there. Firstly, Steve Jones will be staging his Wagram demo which attracted so much attention at Salute. Featuring first rate terrain and outstanding examples of 6mm figure painting and unit basing, this really is as good as it gets. It will be well worth the effort to get to Newark to see this alone. You can see more piccys and read more details if you >>>Click Here>>>

Steve is an experienced 6mm campaigner, but the other game comes from a group who I think could be described as '6mm virgins', as the Like A Stonewall club have decided to move from their more normal 28mm figures to stage Borodino at battalion level in 6mm. They aren't quite there yet and so will be presenting the battle of Shevardino, described by them as the, 'completely pointless precursor battle to Borodino'. To read about how this project got started, how it's progressing and to look at some nice pictures, >>>Click Here>>>.

The Baccus Basing System has proved a be a big hit and judging by the huge amount of positive feedback that has come in it seems that it will make a positive contribution to nicer looking bases for lots of 6mm armies.

One point that did come up was that people were going through the Foundation Wash at a much greater rate than the other items in the kit. As a result I have now replaced the old 18ml pot of ink with one holding 60ml. I'm afraid that this has had to be reflected in the price which is now £14.00 including VAT.

Thanks to all of you have placed pre-orders for the Warrior Bazaar show this weekend. There is still a little time left if any of you want to do the same, but please note that we can't really get anything done after Friday morning.

The Easter holidays gave a welcome break for Igor and myself after what has been quite an intense period of work in the lead in to and attendance at Salute and Triples. We're both now back in harness, rested and refuelled on copious amounts of Easter egg chocolate and various alcoholic beverages. As ever, time does not stand still, so let's move on to a couple of announcements.

The Baccus trade stand will be attending the first ever Warrior Bazaar show which will be held on Sunday 26th April at the Holiday Inn in Bolton. The location looks excellent and there is a very healthy and impressive list of traders attending. I have very fond memories of the early Northern Militaire shows and I do think that it's about time the North West became the home to a large scale wargames show again. This will be one of Igor's 'away days' so will be one of the very few chances you'll get to see him in daylight. As ever, with all shows, if you have any pre-orders can you please get in touch as soon as possible so that we can get the moulds spinning on your behalf.

Moving on, many of you have become proud owners of the Baccus Basing System kits. I've had great feedback from a lot of customers, but one thing that has come across loud and clear is that the Foundation Wash runs out before the paints and that you'd like to be able to buy the short strand flock separately. Well..now you can.

I can now supply the foundation wash in triple size 60ml pots, as well as sets of the drybrush paints and packs of the flock.

We are still working hard on the goodies to finish off the Napoleonic British and Sassanian ranges so watch out for announcements on these over the next few weeks.

Salute has come and gone leaving me hoarse, exhausted and facing a wall of empty racks with only four days to fill the gaps before Sheffield Triples! I have to say a big Thanks to the Warlords for doing their normal efficient job despite all the difficulties that the Excel centre threw at them. Bill and myself had a very busy day leaving very little time for shopping or looking at huge number of games on show. One game I did make a point of visiting was Steve Jones's superb Wagram demo.

Featuring thousands of beautifully painted and presented 6mm figures on a stunning custom terrain setup this was a master class in just what potential the scale can offer. I know that Steve and his team were talking to people and answering questions all day long. Mr Jones - take a bow! You can see loads more pictures and view the history of the project along with close-ups of the figure bases at http://paintingshed.blogspot.com. Steve will be taking the game to Partizan at Newark in May, so if you missed it at Salute you can see it there.

However, no laurel sitting for us here at Baccus. Not with Sheffield Triples now just four days away! We are casting frantically to plug the gaps in the stock and are still accepting pre-orders for the show. Unfortunately this will mean a delay to mail orders taken this week, but we will catch up on all of these by the end of next week.

The Triples show will feature the last ever outing of MADgamers 6mm Isandhlwana participation game. If you are unsure about attending the show, let this make you mind up for you. A game that not only looks wonderful, but is huge fun to play. Every game I've watched has had all the participants really getting into the spirit of the thing and it is one of the few games that I know of that can be heard before it can be seen.

With only 6 days left to Salute it's all getting just a little bit hectic here. Igor is casting frantically and I'm telling to him to cast faster while feeding him with fresh orders. To make matters worse, I've decided that it really is time to release some new ranges. It's a pleasure for me to be able to add two much demanded groups of figures to the Baccus site.

First to arrive are the Sassanian Persians first promised so long ago that I'm not allowed to reference the original post for fear of damaging priceless archaeological material. Although not quite finished yet, (the Elephant and Generals were not done in time), the range is pretty comprehensive with all the favorites including armoured cavalry

The Sassanians are also available as 1000 point army pack for the Ancient ruleset that I cannot name for legal reasons from the very big toy soldier company that I cannot name for legal reasons. They can also be ordered using the very popular Buy by the Unit system.

Moving forward in history a thousand years or so, if you >>>Click Here>>> you will find listings for the Napoleonic British in post 1812 uniforms. Yes, I've finally relented and added the option for those of you wanting to build the army of the Hundred days campaign. I've even included everyone's favorites, the Scots Greys.

I have to apologise for the current lack of images on this lot I've been concentrating on getting the Sassanians done. I'll rectify this once the next couple of weeks are out of the way.

Talking of which, the thin elastic sheet that is the UK Wargaming space/time continuum is about to face a massive distortion due to the effects of the singularity event caused by the cosmological congruity of Salute and Sheffield Triples. This is causing serious strains that are being felt down on Planet Baccus, and which will manifest themselves in our ability to clear mail order as quickly as we would wish over the next few days. I'll apologise in advance for any delays to orders. While we'll work as hard as we can to keep this to a minimum, but please bear with us.

Preorders for Salute and Triples are still being taken, but please bear in mind that I'll be loading the van for Excel on Thursday and traveling on Friday, do don't leave it too late. Working from past experience of customer behaviour, sending an email or leaving a phone message on Friday evening will both satisfy the definition of 'Too Late'.

Right enough of this waffling - back to work for me. It looks as if Igor needs shouting at again...

I'm happy to say that this time around I can announce some new releases. We have, for your delectation and delight, lots of redesigned Napoleonic British Cavalry.

These replace the existing codes codes covering Light and Heavy Dragoons, Hussars and Lifeguards. To round off this section all the British Generals have been redone including a rather spiffy new Big Nose. I haven't got photos of them all done yet, but that will be rectified shortly. Thanks to all of you who have given such great feedback on the quality of the new infantry and artillery, and I can assure you that these are all up to the same high standards set by the first group of releases.

All Army and booster packs will now only consist of the redesigned figures. The old range has now been permanently withdrawn from sale.

Work continues on yet more new stuff with both the post-1812 British and Sassanian Persians nearing completion, with the aim being to release these at Salute.

Talking of Salute, thanks to all of you have sent in pre-orders for both this show and Triples. Can I please ask any of you who know that you want at either of these shows to let us know as soon as possible. This really is especially important for Triples given its proximity to Salute.