The mysteriously motionless musketeer

[Aart Brouwer]

Practically all model soldiers can be found in walking, running, even charging poses.

The Imperial Roman Legionnaires keep up a good trot and so do their auxiliaries by the look of them. Late Medieval Dismounted Knights are not above walking it to the Saracen, and Napoleon's finest are seen riding Shank's mare alll over the place. And in the modern era, practically all that soldiers did was run, it seems.

But when it comes to 17th century model musketeers, there is no pedestrian motion whatsoever to be found. Either they strike oneof those heroic poses that the ladies fancy, or they are seen leaning on their barrels, dozing away no doubt in expectation of a blind buyer. The 17th century rabble run as fast as its sturdy legs will allow. Oh look, and there's even a walking dismounted dragoon.

But a marching musketeer? No Sirrr.

I wonder what it takes to walk the lazy bastards off their feet for a change.

Suggestions anyone? 

Cheers,
Aart

[sebigboss79]

What nationality is that Musketeer?

For Germans: Beer
Brits: Whiskey
French: Wine
Other or if above fails: Soldering iron.....

Not sure if you like the result though 

But honestly now: Get a bonesaw or razorsaw and carefully get one foot from the metall base. Make sure it is the minis foot and not your finger that comes of. Now reposition. Use (liquid) putty to clean up any mess you caused witht he mini, let dry, prime, paint varnish and enjoy.

[Luddite]

No..

Germans = lager
British = beer/ale (or in fact any grog they can get their hands on).

The British drank ale and beer almost exclusively until the 'lager invasion' from Germany in the 1980's...some of us still refuse to look at a pint of lager, let alone drink any of the ice-cold fizzy, piddle.

[sebigboss79]

I must interfere here dear sir.

Beer is a general term for the German connoisoir. What you call "lager" is just one type of beer (Pilsener) and to my eternal shame was invented in....Prague.

And tot op it of the picture of the typical German with a beer in his hand should include a bavarian wheat beer.
I can only recomend you try for yourself. Contraindication such as headache are included for free.

Luddite I feel the same for the lukewarm broth that is served in so-called pubs here.
As an easy reminder: Beer=Cold, Soup=warm/hot

But then again a lukewarm "beer" goes fantastic with some cooking from the smallest book in the world (british cusine for the gourmet)

[mollinary]

Sebigboss,

That sounds like fighting talk!  Warm beer?  Not at all dear sir!  Chambre (sorry, don' t know how to that little accenty thing) .   A room temperature that allows you to taste the subtlety of the flavours.  If you just want your tonsils freezing, drink ice water!

But to return how to get static musketeers to take to their feet, I find a dodgy curry, like Texans (obscure R.E.Lee quote) "always move them"!

Regards

Mollinary

[Sandinista]

1: Go to bar
2: Buy beer
3: Go to toilet
4: Make lager
5: Repeat from step 1

[Aart Brouwer]

But honestly now: Get a bonesaw or razorsaw [...]

Now now, gentlemen. There are learned heads among us, wargamers of name and fame by the dozen, fourscore jaded connaisseurs of every nook and cranny of the miniature trade. Surely one of them can come up with a decent explanation of the mystery of the motionless musketeer?

Anyway, back on topic. When it comes to beer I favour Hungarian pilsener. It's Borsodi or Dreher for me, sparkly and tasteful and dead cheap for a drink of that quality. Of course I've heard stories about what passes for beer in the UK. Let me just say that it stretches the imagination of a spoilt continental.

Cheers,
Aart

[sebigboss79]

Coming to beer I feel we all have out national/regional dogmas and I am sure Luddite is a sporty chap who knows how to take it ...well the beer as well.


@Sandinista that sounds like my spnish experience....

@Aart: I tried Italian, Belgian, French and Polish beers. All have their distinctive advantages so why would I limit myself?

[Chad]

Cold beer!   

It has absolutely no taste so you might as well drink lager.

Give me a warm beer anytime so that I can appreciate the taste. 

Chad

[FierceKitty]

I must interfere here dear sir.

Beer is a general term for the German connoisoir. What you call "lager" is just one type of beer (Pilsener) and to my eternal shame was invented in....Prague.

Actually in Plzen, with an accent that my non-Bohemian Siamese computer can't type.

[DanJ]

I think the maindifferences between what the English call ale/beer and lager is the type of yeast and the temperature at which fermentation takes place.

Ale/beers tend to ferment at at cool room temperature and use traditional English/British yeasts.

Lagers tend to ferment at a cooler temerature and use european strains of yeast.

I think lager and beer yeast ferment at different hights in the vat, one top down and the other bottom up but can't remember which is which.

Anyway the result is that the best temperature to drink either brew is the temperature at which it was brewed: ale/beer is best at a cool room or cellar temperate (we used to keep ours at 54-56 degrees farenheit) while lager types are best cooler but not ice cold.

Overall the ale/beer or lager is best arguement is a waste of good drinking time, there are good beers/ales and bad ones and good lagers and bad ones, a quick look in my kitchen turned up a couple of bottles of Budwieser Budvar, Pilner Urquel and Leffe, 3 bottles of Old Specled Hen and half a case of assorted Wychwood ales (who also do realy cool T shirts). 

To maintain that one type or the other in inherently inferior is to deny oneself some delicious experiences, I make no distinction between beers and lagers only between good and bad.

[sebigboss79]

Hear hear, a connoisseur speaks truth.

I see it like you DanJ. Why limit ourselves?
Why start a beer-war? Rather grab a pint or two and enjoy some new experience.

Carlsberg and Guinness are my main supplies after relocating. The local Stewart Brewery does some nice stuff as well, including the best bavarian style wheat beer I tasted so far.

In other words: Cheers

[DanJ]

Actually Guiness is about the only thing I don't like, nothing wrong with it but I once got very drunk on it in Chamonix, next morning I was up at 5.30 to pack up the tent, walk several miles to the station, get the train to Geneva, walk across Geneva to the other station, thence to the airport and a flight to London.  Across London, train to Peterborough then quick wash and brush up before driving to Norwich for a mate's wedding.

I think it was 36 hours without going to bed and the whole thing started and ended with liver curling hangovers but I was young, fit and it was fun 

I also don't like cider but that's because I drank myself into unconiousness when I was 3 (we lived in Somerset).

[Hertsblue]

If you want a marching musketeer won't you also want a marching pikeman, a marching officer, a marching drummer and marching standard-bearer also? Unless they already exist - in which case why the stationary musketeer? 

[Aart Brouwer]

If you want a marching musketeer won't you also want a marching pikeman, a marching officer, a marching drummer and marching standard-bearer also? Unless they already exist - in which case why the stationary musketeer? 

They already exist. Pikemen are marching all over the Renaissance, commanders are footloose like their is no tomorrow, drummers and standardbearers are walking tall. Musketeers, no.

So there you have it. Why, oh why indeed?

Cheers,
Aart