On a Roll.

Feeling a bit rejuvenated, blog wise, I think now would be a good time to get something off my chest, namely the current state of the wargame magazine world. This view is naturally subjective, but I can easily argue that I am qualified to have an opinion, God knows I've bought plenty of the damn things over the years. In fact I have a bit of a dilemma,in that  something has to give magazine wise, before my roof joists do. I am going to have to either give away a lot of magazines, or cut them up and keep the best bits.
But I digress...........
 I have got the latest Wargames Illustrated, issue 305 and  I can usually judge if I have enjoyed it by the length of time, it takes me to read it. This copy took minutes.
 Now I know it is owned by Battlefront and will naturally feature their Flames of War ranges, I can live with that, I even have two of their armies.
 But somehow the magazine just seemed a bit too, well glossy.
  I know that doesn't explain what I am trying to say, but the range of articles with the wonderful terrain, figures, rule writers etc,etc seems just too slick somehow.
  Again this is my opinion, for what it is worth, but if a new enthused would be wargamer bought that magazine, what would he think? Would he be inspired, probably, would he want to take up wargaming, maybe, how would he be able to pursue this wish?
 There's the rub, nowhere in the magazine is there anything to point a newcomer in the direction that they require. Is there anywhere in the magazine that could help a newcomer to understand what wargaming is actually about. Well no, in fact what is on show is pretty unobtainable for a lot of wargames veterans.

 Going on from there, the magazine is so damn slick that there is no friction, ah that word again, but this time I mean, no letters, views, or articles that run counter to the image that Wargames Illustrated has created. Where is the debate, where the alternative view, where is the wargamer with their latest ideas to amend some rule or other.
 Wargames Illustrated gives us the perfect wargames world, great figures, great rules and lovely terrain, set in a perfect environment.
  Not every wargamer likes 28mm figures, not every gamer likes Flames of war, and not every wargamer can emulate the tables created by Ron Ringrose, God I wish we could.
 The magazine seems to provide a vehicle for a group of wargamers who are effectively professional, or the next best thing to it.
 Is that a bad thing?
Well its good that wargamers can portray a lovely table and figures, if the public actually attended a wargames show.
  Also such a table/game would hopefully inspire wargamers to try that little bit harder to emulate the game on show, but somehow I dont think that will happen.
   Who can afford painted buildings by The Grand Manner?  Who can afford beautifully painted mega sized units?
 Who can afford professionally built terrain?

 So whats my gripe then?  I think its basically, Yes its nice to see some ones lovingly created collection, as a feature each month, but for Gods sake, introduce some ordinary people into the equation, and let them show the wargaming world that there is an alternative view,away from the ideal of perfection. Otherwise our wargaming future will become as regimented as the Games Workshop world, God forbid.
 Here endeth the lesson..........................

Its My Birthday!

Its been a while since I have posted, that is mainly down to a number of factors, namely, work, work and grandchildren. Anyway today is my birthday, and when one gets to my age, you tend not to make a big fuss about it. So I thought it was a good time to put up another post, especially as I have finished another couple of units for my imaginary SYW contingent.

 Firstly I managed to obtain at a good price a couple of unpainted units of Holgar Ericson cavalry. Now I know a lot of older wargamers wax lyrical about the anatomy of the horses in this range, and I must admit that some of the horses are very good, especially when you think they have got to have been originally created in the early 1970's if not earlier, but others are a little bit crap to be frank. Anyway I painted them, and I do like them for what they are. This unit is painted in the colours of the Duchess, ie I had some spare Goblin green kicking about.
 The next unit is from a second hand batch that I have re painted in the main.  Without sounding too big headed I think they came out pretty good, and certainly look the part.

 A lot of wargamers seem to turn their noses up at Hinchliffe, but their SYW range was a really good one, even though Peter Gilder omitted to cast a musketeer in a march attack pose. Any SYW experts amongst the readership, will notice the Brunswick flag, well it was too nice not to use on this unit.
 I went for a more brash style of highlighting, as I remember when I actually viewed some of the figures that Peter Gilder had painted, they looked brilliant from afar, but up close tended to look a little bit slap dash. I dont think I could ever replicate his great style, but it was certainly effective.
 These have the Ducal colour as their facing colour.
 Anyway, another year older, but certainly no way any wiser.
 I have been busy, so check out my sister blog, re more units that I have painted.

Still Banging Away.

On my sister blog,I have photographed a couple of units that I painted over December/January.
I also managed to re paint a further unit of Hinchliffe Prussian Grenadiers,which I use in my Hessian army.
 These are still a very fine figure in my opinion,and are a pleasure to paint, especially now that Ian Hinds has a 20% offer on all the Hinchliffe ranges.

No doubt someone will point out that usually, amalgamated  grenadiers didn't have standards, but, I like flags,and I'm sorry but in my opinion they look better with a flag.  One of my other weaknesses is,command figures and general ephemera. This figure contains a commander that I picked up off E Bay,unpainted,with a  Hinchliffe X Range fusilier to stand guard for him.

I haven't done the flocking yet on the infantry,as I was in a rush to photograph them.

 I always wonder about Blogs. It seems some blogs take over a wargamers life,and the posts become more important than the subject, ie. you talk more about wargaming and actually do less in the hobby.
However I have found that running two blogs has actually inspired me to crack on with my painting, especially when I can see other wargamers painting efforts,its very inspirational.

Everyone's at it.

Well 2012 has gone,and the majority of the posts I've read,talk of the future,and also look back at what was achieved by them in 2012.
 Well all I would like to say about last year was I did all right. I completed my table, painted quite a few figures for my SYW project,and started a new project,ie the army of Cesare Borgia.
 I would have liked to have bought less and painted more,but probably like most war gamers the obsession just keeps on growing and its hard to say no.

 Highlights for me in 2012,apart from my new room were;
1] Making the Miniature War games magazine for December with a nice account by Paul Stevenson. Its been a while since I got a mention in the War game press,but it was a good feeling.

2] Picking up,entirely by accident enough painted French figures for three regiments by a manufacturer that still haven't identified. I have repainted two,and they came up really well.

3] Rapidly increasing the size of my Hessian/Brunswick Hanoverian army, by repainting lots of painted Hinchliffe Prussians. Only three regiments to repaint!

4] Buying a nice unit of painted Willie Irish from Iain Gale, saying that I already have two Irish units part painted.Still you can never have enough Irish.

5] Derby Wargames show.

6] Smoggycon.

 Now that I am nearing the completion of the allied contingent,my thoughts have turned to what I do with the spare mountain of unpainted SYW figures. The answer came to me while re reading the
 Wargame Companion.
 Why not finish the imaginary army that I started. God knows what I'll do with them,but the idea appealed so much that I have decided to go with this as my 2013 project. Obviously this will run parallel to the renaissance project,but I find that switching painting between periods keeps my interest.
 Perhaps I will get an invite to the game at Ayton. Somehow I dont think that will happen,but I can always hope.
 Anyway,Happy New Year and all that.

A short report on the Hobbit.

The clue to this post is pretty evident. Last night I went to see the Hobbit part one.
 I must admit I was a bit concerned as the reviews that I had read had been pretty mixed,and some had been quite rude.
 Anyway,dragging along 'our lass'  [my wife] I lashed out £32.00! to experience 3d and Imex,whatever that is.
 I don't want to spoil the film for anyone and write a review of the film,but I will say that I loved it.
 I think its better than Lord of the Rings,and for me the 3 hours went very quickly.
 I'm not certain how it got a 12 rating as some parts of the film are fairly scary,in particular when Gollum appears on the scene.
Gollum by the way is better than ever. I was interested to see how Radgast the Brown would be interwoven into the film, but it works,and lends a bit of humour to the film. I think its alright to describe the character as a hippy type of wizard.
Personally I don't think the film feels padded out,and the additions work well.

I even liked the new arch enemy that is introduced into the film,who is clearly going to cause heartache throughout the trilogy. He certainly wins my vote for scary nastiness.
 My wife unfortunately was a herder person to please,but even she liked the way it was filmed. That's posh for I'm bored!
 Anyway if you were thinking about going,lash out,get the best seats,and enjoy the experience.I did.

I admit defeat.

I thought that I would have accepted that I now have enough Seven Years War troops to say that my project was complete.
Anyway I had to re paint some more Hinchliffe Austrian cuirassiers in a colour scheme Ive liked for a longtime, green and white.

I know they are not historical,but I can always say they belong to my imaginary army,although they actually do exist,if you know what I mean. I cant decide whether to make this into a 24 figure regiment,or leave it as it is. Only another 48 cuirassier figures to repaint.

I also picked this figure up off e bay,and painted him as a brigadier of my Hanoverian's, I don't recognise the range,but think it might be Citidal. Its a nice figure though.

Is Old School dead,???

The phenomena of Old School Wargaming I think came about partly through nostalgia and partly as a reaction to increasingly complex wargaming rules,discuss?
Personally I think that because a lot of the wargamers out there are of the greying variety there comes a time when we look back with rose tinted glasses at not only their hobbies,but probably their lives as well.
 Henry Hyde's Battlegames magazine helped and became a catalyst for the hankering for Spencer Smiths, Mollwitz and imaginary nations.
 I know they were probably already out there but more wargamers wanted to be a part of the movement,if that is the correct term, and flocked to be a part of the movement.
Where's all this going one may ask?
Well I personally think that OSW, has now rejoined the list of passing fads and wargamers are probably looking for the next big thing.
 If one is honest, most wargamers are magpies,hopping from one fad to the next, collecting the next big thing then moving on.
There's nothing wrong with that,and god knows the traders need that mentality to survive.
I think we are all creatures of today's consumerism.
 This is not,by the way an announcement that I am ditching my SYW project and buying red indians or some other such new project,this is merely an observation of trends that I have witnessed.
 Firstly I am a member of the OSW Yahoo group,although it still is getting the odd new member,the posts are definitely drying up.
 Secondly,I think Battlegames the magazine is starting to struggle in its content and readership,I may be wrong but there is definitely a dearth of articles and the like. I will however continue to support it.
Thirdly I watch the sales on E Bay a lot [ I think I need a life] and its depressing that OSW books and magazines are going for a song.This is not a quibble but I sold a copy of Feathersone's Solo Wargaming this week,for £3.00! Similarly bids on the Wargames Newsletters were hardly inspiring either.
I didnt expect to make a killing,but one bid later, I think shows that gamers are looking elsewhere for their kicks.
I know its hardly proof but I think its an indication of a change.
Anyway if anyone who actually reads this blog is thinking of chucking in their beautifully painted Willie, Hinchliffe,Hinton Hunt etc armies I am willing to pay nostalgic 1970 prices for them.

 Moving on I picked up some new castings on e bay from a range called ALTE ZEIT MINIATURES .
They are described as Stadden like,generic Prussian mounted officer.
I can definately state they are Stadden like and the horse certainly has that style.The officer comes with a loose saddle,and would fit perfectly into a Stadden unit.

 This is the figure compared to a Willie figure,quite a size,I reckon about 35mm.  Go on buy some nostalgia,they will paint up beautifully.