Ian Kay and Irregular Miniatures.

              Ian [ in the red top ]commanding divisions at a refight of Borodino. 1987!!!

I found out the other day that my old friend Ian Kay was finally hanging up his ladle and retiring from Irregular Miniatures. I can understand why Ian has retired, but it's still a real shame. I first met Ian and his Dad at a Durham Wargames show in the 1980's, he had a small stall selling various metal accessories for wargamers. Ian was a skilled silversmith and had stepped over into wargaming. 

From that small beginning, Ian used his undoubted talents to sculpt strips of 6mm wargames figures. As usual, John saw the potential, and the next thing I knew, he had sold his lovely 25mm figures and invested in Ian's 15mm and 6mm ranges.   

  Being the 'follower' I am, I did the same as I embraced the 6mm revolution that Irregular Miniatures introduced. There was a 5mm range owned by Heroic and Ros, but because Ian sculpted the units in strips, they were easier to paint and also looked great en masse.  

One of the first projects I created was the Malburian Wars and I naturally started with the Battle of Blenheim, and because of Ians strips, I wanted every regiment, gun and squadron. I found I could paint units quickly, and as I painted, I got better. And thats how I ended up inviting the late great Charlie Wesencraft to take part in the refight at the community hall in Hunwick village.

I was hooked as I realised the potential to fight the big battles I had always wanted. Ian was churning out new ranges, Ancients, American Civil War, the Napoleonic Wars, Fantasy, the two World Wars, you name it, Ian could supply you, and in vast amounts. Did I mention his fantastic mail-order service overseen by his wonderful dad?

I remember travelling down to York with John, where we fought a big Spanish Civil War battle in Ian's quaint converted chapel, travelling back laden with more 6mm units. My big passion in the 1990's was Napoleonic, but Ian's original ranges didn't float my boat. No problem, he simply sculpted new figures and even took the backpacks off the figures because I wanted to show more of the uniforms. And so my enormous Napoleonic armies were created. Austerlitz, Friedland, Wagram, Leipzig, Waterloo. I had the armies for them all, every brigade, gun and cavalry unit. Did you know Ian was a skilled sculptor of historic buildings? They were too good not to use, and I built them into my 200-plus terrain boards. He created trees, walls, sheep, ponds, and anything one wanted.                                                                 

                                                                                                                                              

                              The Battle of Waterloo 1999.

John and I wanted to start a new project, the 100-year war. I wanted to show off the heraldry of the knights, so Ian broke with his strip rule and sculpted beautiful one-piece mounted knights. They looked beautiful even if they died quickly. Ian also created a 'Battle in a box'. Rules and figures you could buy in a box.   

He also sculpted a beautiful 54mm French Revolution chess set that lies unpainted somewhere in a box. When Ian was diagnosed with a long-standing, debilitating condition, he began to create his beautiful 40mm and 54mm toy soldier ranges. They are beautiful, stylised figures, and I wanted some until I realised I couldn't do them justice. I know his 'toy soldiers' were a huge success and rightly so. 

Ian is one of those annoying people who can turn his hand to anything, and while growing his business, continued performing with various bands. I know he still performs.

Wargamers owe a lot to Ian, his Dad and Irregular Miniatures, a small company that grew the 6mm phenomenon. Thanks Ian, for all your wonderful hard work, talent and contributing to our hobby.