A Massive shovelful of Nostalgia, Edgehill revisited.

I have refought the Battle of Edgehill twice. The first was many, many years ago at the Durham Wargames Club Weekend at the city's castle, organised by the eccentric Derek Sharman. At the battle, which was fought in 25mm, all the units belonged to my wargaming nemesis, John Reidy. While appreciating one tends to look through rose-tinted glasses when looking back, I remember that all the units were beautifully painted and made up of Hinchliffe and Mini Figs. Sadly John sold the armies and although Ive attempted to locate them, they have disappeared, probably forever.

Several years ago, desperate to start a new project I took it upon myself to recreate the armies using figures produced during the 1970's. So between buying old castings, badly painted units and the odd very well painted ones I put together two large armies for the ECW, and then I stopped.

 How many wargamers do that? Work very hard to collect and paint up units and then when the project is completed, simply stop and do nothing with the figures.

Several weeks ago, in the slough of dark thoughts, I decided to sell them all. And then I didn't...

Instead I have set up some of the regiments with the express intention of refighting Edgehill. To add to the feeling of taking a step back in time I've decided to base the re-fight using the information provided  by the late, great Stuart Asquith, and why not given how he wrote the wonderful series for refighting various battle of the civil war.

Edgehill is a decent sized battle. Each side has 15 foot regiments, although the Parliamentarians, or rebels as I call them should be better armed and have larger regiments. As for horse, Stuart recommended using two figures to represent a troop, and as I base my cavalry in sixes, it was straight forward to use that scale for my refight.

Because both sides were poorly trained and this battle was the first shots fired in the rebellion, tactical leadership should be wanting, although they were in the main, brave men. The Royalist cavalry, like the later ACW, Confederates viewed themselves as far better horsemen and fighters, than the Parliamentarians, rightly or wrongly. Tactically Parliament tended to use firepower as opposed to dash and swords in this battle. 

So given this is about nostalgia I thought I should do a little review of some of the figures to be used in the battle;

Firstly, the iconic Hinchliffe dragoons and what I use for my Royalist cavalry. Peter Gilder sculpted two lovely figures for the original range.

I like to have a few bits of ordonnance etc, and this hand pulled cart is manned by both Mini Figs and Hinchliffe figures, and yes I do use gloss varnish. 

                 The original Rupert figure, his generalship prowess is expressed in dice at the rear of the base.

                               Hinchliffe foot dragoons, led by a chopped about figure.

Every 25mm wargamer possessing an ECW army will have Brooke's Regiment, for mine I went overboard with a bright purple, more Hollywood than reality, but I wanted colour and nostalgia.

                             Essex and his Lifeguard, another iconic Hinchliffe figure.

                                        Mini Figs with a Hinchliffe limber.

  Influenced by the original Cromwell film, I had to have a banner and religious preacher. Both Citidal figures.

                   

                  Garrison aka Greenwood and Ball figures mixed with very old Mini Figs.

Unlike other wargamers, my units are not historical and specifically collected for a certain campaign. The days of agonising over exact regiments has long gone, to be replaced by the colour and design of the standards. This Hinchliffe unit is again mixed with a few Mini Figs.  

                                         The Royal Standard held aloft by a Mini Fig.

The only unit of 'modern' wargames figures. I saw the small but lovely range provided by Eagle Miniatures and had to have at least one unit. They are very compatible with their earlier cousins.

    A well equipped regiment that I picked up from E Bay and then touched up. I have no idea who producded these figures, but I do like them. Again, very Hollywood.

                                     A regiment of  Warrior Miniatures, a great figure range.

 My Kings Lifeguard. Not as well painted as the iconic images of Peter Gilder's wonderful one, so I opted for colour and nice flags. Hinchliffe naturally.

 My Kings Lifeguard using the wonderful Connoisseur range, that was released under the title. 'Rupert's Charge' These beauties were painted by the master painter, Dave Jarvis. Im still paying for them, literally. 

   

The only regiment not glossed. A gift from John Coutts of the Westerhope Wargames Group. Garrison figures that needed a little re painting. Beware Greeks bearing gifts, by the way.

  Gilder produced a lovely mounted harquebusier and I was lucky enough to purchase a group of well painted figures.

A beautiful Warrior Regiment, formally owned and painted by the late Stuart Asquith. I had to touch them up a little.

   

 

     One of several Mini Fig regiments, with the infamous 'telegraph' pikes. Still beautiful.

Another unknown manufacturer. Small but beautifully formed and repainted as a Trained Band.

                                            A real hotchpotch of figures manning the gun. 

                                            And finally, a Stadden gun and crew.