What plans are in place for 2026?

This is a bit of Deja-vu, but the first item on the list is Ancient Assyrians.   These must be the single most announced and least produced range we have ever had.   However, this time, confidence that things will work is pretty high.   All but one of the production moulds have been made, most of the codes have painted examples and the chariots look really quite cool.  These are slated to be the first releases of 2026.

Staying with the Ancients theme, we are still intent on pottering around in the ancient middle east for a little longer.   Although specifics remain very hazy, two of the candidates mooted over a cup of coffee were Mitanni and Elamites.   Bear with us on this.   A major challenge is research into things like dress and equipment which seems to be in short supply.

Other possibilities in the pre-gunpowder space are the Qin Chinese and Hundred Years War, but both are currently in the ‘first reserve’ category.

Moving forward we have the Italian Wars project.   Having completed the Landsknechts, we now move on to their implacable foes, the Swiss.    These will have the same complete lack of regard to uniformity espoused by their more northerly opponents.   We are well on with these, having moulds completed for the various pikemen and with the sculpts for the arquebusiers ready to be pressed.  

Once we complete these chaps, our attention will move the Spanish infantry.   Should we actually complete these before the year end, then we will move back to adding more cavalry to the range.   

As always, these will be accompanied by some of our luverly flag sheets,

All of which brings us on to the second World War.  We realise that we need to make up for last year, so we will be going all out to get the Italians into the fight for North Africa accompanied by appropriate artillery and vehicles.   To those of you waiting, we will also revisit the list of mid and late war models forecast in the 2024 predictions and start tackling these with vim and yes, vigour.

While I have good intentions, and very strong motivation, I will make no promises on the publications front, as much of my ‘spare’ time is now taken with production and managing tasks.

We will be holding the Joy of Six a little earlier this year, as Sheffield Hallam University has taken our more usual slots for its own events.   This year’s show will take place on Sunday June 28th.   We’ve already had a number of traders and game booking slots, and the JOS website will be updated early in the New Year so you can get an idea of what to expect. 

And that’s it.   A little less ambitious than previous years, but at the same time offering a number of opportunities for slips and spectacular fails. Please feel free to comment/moan/ridicule/question to your heart’s content.

As always, this now brings me on the ‘thanks’ section of this annual twaddle.  I’d like to start by thanking the casting Goblins without whom nothing would happen and none of you would get your little men.   They really do a grand job under pressure.    Admin has been artfully managed by Lindy, so my gratitude goes out to her for freeing up time for me.  There is a load of other people behind the scenes, tech, sculpting, mould making etc. who don’t see the limelight or have contact with customers, but are vital to how we work, so take a bow, Stewart, Martin, Tony and Andrew.     Finally, and inevitably, thanks to you lot for buying little men.  Without you we’d all have to go and find proper jobs!

Now I’m off to visit a rancid Goblin bar to see if I can lever the casting Goblins out of there and back to work for the New Year.

So... NO book JOY OF SIX!... lol... maybe if I write one myself it would be easier... only joking... happy new year 2026!... going to delete from my amazon.co.uk wish list nevertheless...

One set of figures that desperately need a refresh is the Sherden in the Egyptian range, especially if you are looking at other Bronze Age neighbours.  The rest of the Pharaonic chaps are still quite serviceable, but the Sherden are in desperate need of a bit of TLC.

Nice to hear about the Assyrian Empire figures.

Elamites are a perfect enemy for them c.650 BC, and are on  full display in the reliefs of Ashurbanipal in the British Museum, and more specifically the Til-Tuba/Ulai River battle reliefs.  Massed archers, archers on flat-bed carts and light cavalry with bow & spear pretty much covers it. Skirmishing archers can be inferred.  Clothing of kilt, cross belts and back-slung quiver is nicely illustrated.

As I downsize and sell off a lot of my 15mm and 25mm figures, I have downsized also into a couple fo 6mm armies. This trend looks like it may continues.

Agree with above post that the Sherden could be relatively "easily" expanded into Sea Peoples, but the range probably needs the ubiquitous Nubian archer and Libyan javelinmen added. I say "easily" because I'm not the one doing it!

I may have bored on this before, but.....

I'd like to see some more generic figures added to the Ancients range, e.g.:

- man holding spear upright, with no shield (there used to be one in the old Greek skirmisher set)

- Eastern civilians (in a similar fsshion to the Roman/Greek and Celtic/Germanic ones)

I'm like Ozzie, I've gradually downsizing and will focus on more 6mm.  My next project was going to be Fantasy, so hope that some new entries get onto the mid term plan at some stage.  I have to replace Fantasy, Medieval, WW2, Scifi, AWI and 7YW... so most of these are covered by current ranges.

With Sam Mustafa soon (I hope) to release his ruleset "Scourge of Princes" covering the Italian Wars and Ottoman Conquests, my Napoleonic Ottomans might be going back in time. Never been a better time for 6mm Swiss and Landsknechts.

To David:  I am looking to extend the civilians options in the EQU range to take in more eras and subjects.   No firm plans yet, but I have taken your suggestion on board.

To Ozzie:  I had not realised that Italian Wars were Sam's next project.   As you point out, perfect timing.  Sam never writes his rules with 6mm in mind, but that are always perfect vehicles for the scale, no matter what period he presents.

Sam Mustapha is American… so he thinks... big scale!

We've been playing Blücher for years in 6mm! But We hadn't posted Our Battle Reports here because they were played with miniatures that aren't Baccus 6mm…

We played the Waterloo, Austerlitz, and Salamanca scenarios!

It is a great rule with 6mm! 

Hope your plans for extending the EQU range firm up soon, Peter. It won't be too long before I have to hang up my little paintbrushes.