Blue Dragoons crossing the river

Playmobil Blue Dragoons – A Reconnaissance Patrol

The Blue Dragoons are a cavalry unit I created to accompany my Playmobil British Redcoats. Inspired by historical dragoons, these soldiers can travel on horseback and also fight on foot when the situation requires it.

In my imaginary army, their main duties include scouting and reconnaissance. In this series of photographs, a patrol of Blue Dragoons makes its way across a rocky ford while exploring the countryside ahead of the main force.

The trumpeter and standard-bearer accompany the mounted soldiers. The flag is an original Playmobil accessory, while the Blue Dragoons are a unit I assembled for my collection.

Crossing the Ford

The horsemen carefully negotiate the stones and shallow water. Some are already crossing, while others follow behind. The real mountains and natural light help turn this small Playmobil scene into a much larger imagined landscape.

Behind the Scenes: Making the Water Move

One of the challenges of miniature photography is making a static scene appear full of movement. For these pictures, I used a simple practical effect: I placed a long tube underwater and blew air through it to create bubbles and splashes around the horses.

By taking the photographs at the right moment, the splashing water gives the impression that the horses are actually moving through the ford. As with many of my Playmobil scenes, I photographed the figures outdoors and let the real landscape become part of the story.

You can also explore more of my Playmobil Redcoats on Little Carpet Wars.