A small addition to my Austrian forces.

I was lucky enough to purchase three units of painted Hinchliffe figures from E Bay.
I may be wrong but I think they may be by Phil Robinson of 1980's fame, or certainly someone copying his wonderful style. Anyway, I've now completed the second of these units, by adding two extra companies and touching up some minor damage.
 I still love [ perhaps too strong a word] Hinchliffe figures, and can't help collecting them whenever I see some well painted figures. My poorer efforts are tucked away at the rear of the unit. I just couldn't replicate the black lining and grey undercuts of the other figures.

If anyone can actually identify the painter I would be very grateful. I also attempted to keep as much of the original basing as possible, as that was also well executed.

By the way, as means of a plug, I have also added a new post to my sister log. Aut Cesar.......

Wargaming Compendium, a review.

Moving on from my last post regarding reading material, I was lucky enough to receive my copy of Henry Hyde's WARGAMING COMPENDIUM from Amazon over a week ago.
 Some people complain about Amazon,but I couldn't fault their service. I have had this book ordered for months, and they kindly sold me it at the original ordered price of £16.00!
 Anyway, I should firstly confess I have only read the first six chapters. It is a very large book of over 500 pages, and I only read when I go to bed, so my time is limited.
 First impressions are very good.
 I must confess, I am a bit biased as I had a run in with Mr Hyde over two years ago, and I wasn't impressed with his rudeness, however I wont let it detract from his efforts.
 The idea is a very good one.
 The majority of wargamers are of an age that they assume everyone knows what wargaming is about, the scales, rule ideas and general concepts including how to collect and paint figures.
 This is a flawed assumption, and if we wargamers want things to carry on and actually grow then we need to be able to point new gamers in the right direction. This book fills that void admirably.

   Mr Hyde, starts with a brief history of the hobby, a good place to start, and then leads the reader through various books etc. that helped shape the hobby. This again is a great idea, as hopefully newer gamers can explore these ideas. I particularly liked his recommendation of Achtung Schwienhund, one of my favourite wargaming books.
 He then leads us methodically through choosing a period, and how to create battlefields. These seem pretty obvious to veteran gamers, but if you are just starting out, this is great.
 From there the book leads us to assembling our forces, scales costs etc, all obvious but a good way to educate a new wargamer.
 I am currently on the chapter regarding campaigns, skirmishes, etc using rules.
 Again basic ideas, but very relevant.
  Amongst the detail in the book is the influences of Games Workshop, fantasy etc, and also the current trend in rules.All very relevant.
 Would I recommend this book, from reading just the first six chapters,with another five still to go?
 Yes I would.
 Although it doesn't have the style of Charles Grant and the Wargame, or the panache of Peter Young and Charge. It definitely has a place in the wargamers library.
 
 If I had obtained this book in the mid 1970's I would have read it to death.
 All you need to start wargaming is there.
 Most importantly for fathers looking to get their children into the hobby, or for a person attempting to interest a friend or neighbour then this book should help a lot.
 The book currently retails for £35.00, but at least it will be relevant for a few years unlike some similarly priced rules.
Any criticisms? Henry Hyde names figure manufacturers, and I know there are a great number.
 However, regularly citing Perry, Warlord, Victrix, Bacchus tends to point new persons naturally in that direction.
 As regards great value for new wargamers, one can not look past Old Glory and Irregular Miniatures.
 Still only a minor gripe.
 Definitely worth a punt, but I still think Mr Hyde was rude.

Vintage reading to go with my regressive wargaming ideals.

When I opted to revisit my early war gaming period, I somehow started to also revisit the books that had enthralled me when I was just starting on the war gamer's path.
 In the 1970's and early 1980's one had to really scratch around for fictional [ and non fictional ] books to feed the war gaming bug.
 Again, unlike today, there wasn't that many fictional books based around military history. Now there seems to be a new author turning out some latest trilogy about some Sharpe like character, not that I am complaining as I seem to buy quite a few.
 Anyway, in between building my Seven Years war armies, trying to complete my Wargamer's Newsletter collection I have been tracking and buying books that I read when I was a teenager.  
 I hope some of the titles that I mention will be of interest to any wargamer's out there.
 Firstly an old favourite of many dyed in the wool war gamers, is Alfred Duggan.

 Duggan was an interesting character and a very good historian. I was lucky enough to have a mother who collected his fictional books, and I have gradually been replacing the paperbacks with hardback copies. If you are interested in the Norman period I dont think there is anyone better, certainly around the period of the first crusade.
 Saying that, my favourites are,
FAMILY FAVOURITES, the story of the Emperor Elagabalus.
 FOUNDING FATHERS, the story of Romulus and Remus.
 ELEPHANTS AND CASTLES, the history of Demetrius, son of Antigonus One Eye.
LITTLE EMPERORS, the story of Britain after the Romans left.
HE DIED OLD, the story of Mithradates, King of Pontus.
 Duggan wrote in a lovely old fashioned style with a great sense of humour.
 You can still buy most of these books very cheaply in paperback.

Next was Cecelia Holland, who has written about some interesting personalities in history, including Atilla, William the Conqueror, Ireland in the 11th century and my favourite Genghis Khan.
 This book is titled  UNTIL THE SUN FALLS, and is a cracking read about the mongols.  
 These books tend to be a bit more expensive, but are worth a punt, especially the last one.

 One of my earliest memories of reading a fictional history book, was WARRIOR IN BRONZE by George Shipway, this is the story of Agamemnon and is still agreat read. He also wrote a great book called Knight in Anarchy which I would recommend.

 Another of my favourite authors [authoresses?] is Patricia Finney who wrote two books about Cuchulain, A SHADOW OF GULLS and THE CROW GODDESS, both are brilliant books about the struggles in early Ireland, and are quite remarkable as Finney was only 18 when she wrote the first one.  These are available but could prove expensive in hardback, still they are well recommended.

To coincide with my return to the renaissance period, I located and bought the three books in the Leonardo da Vinci series written by Martin Woodhouse, the first, and best is THE MEDICI GUNS.
 Woodhouse captured the period really well, and I enjoyed reading them again.

I think most older wargamers will have read EAGLE IN THE SNOW by Wallace Breen, which is a cracking read about the late roman army of the Rhine. This has now been reprinted.

 I have just located and purchased two books I read in the late 1970's by an author called Charles Underhill, which was the pseudonym of Reginald Hill.
 The two books, THE FORGING OF FANTOM and CAPTAIN FANTOM concern a Croatian mercenary officer in the English civil war. The books are based on a Croatian mentioned by John Aubry, who was allegedly a ' hardman' that is a man who was very hard to kill. Fantom is a blackguard and a rapist, and I must admit I do like him, which doesn't say much for my ethics.

Another series I have located and re read are the series by Nigel Tranter about Robert the Bruce, granted they are a bit romanticised but give a good grounding in the period.

One that I occasionally see mentioned by other war gamers is SEVEN MEN OF GASCONY by R.F. Delderfield, who was a real pro french author. I still enjoy re reading this book, especially concerning the 1809 campaign.

A real blast from the past is a GOAT SONG by Frank Yerby, about the Peloponnesian wars. It is a little bit dated in its style but the siege of Syracuse is well presented.

 I must mention an old favourite and that is the Flashman series, which was and still is one of the best historical fictional characters ever created. George MacDonald Fraser knew his history, and again I could empathise with Flashman. What I still love is the lack of political correctness, and the idea of an Englishman having a god given right to bestride the world, [ I wish.]

I can remember reading two books about a dragoon in the Malburian wars in the mid 1970's but can I hell remember the author of titles, I do remember they were a damned good read.Such is life.

 This list is by no means exhaustive, but is a taster of what I have been reading and collecting. I haven't completely regressed, and still avidly collect Bernard Cornwall and Conn Iggulden books.
However, these books hold a particular nostalgia for me, all are well written in my opinion, and seem well researched.
 Enjoy..................

Summer, the time for campaigning?

Its been a while, although I've managed to put one post on my sister blog.
 Why is it that in historical terms Summer was the time for campaigning, but in wargaming terms, Summer is a quiet time.
There are very few wargaming shows in July and August, and clearly judging by the blogs, a lot of wargamers have family commitments.
 I was no exception in June, but most of my absence was purely selfish, with the return of the Springsteen world tour.
 I still managed a bit of wargaming, and also a bit of painting.
I have been concentrating on my renaissance army, but I am still chipping away at my SYW project, which is really a long labour of love.

 I was fortunate enough to pick up three units of Hinchliffe painted units, and only had to add to them to make them into  36 figure units. This is the first that I have completed. The figures were beautifully painted and I feel very privileged to have been able to own them

You can see my handiwork in the back ranks, which I have tried to paint in a similar style.

  Rick Priestly in the latest WSS, wrote on an interesting point. Are we collectors or are we wargamers. I know I am both. In fact I know I've got a problem as I always feel the need to complete a collection, whether it is a magazine, series of books or an army.
 Hence I am still painting SYW units. I know I can never have all the units that fought, but I cant help painting units that have taken my fancy, ie The Royal Italians in the French Army to the Saxon Garde grenadiers.
 There is probably a name for it. I call it a beautiful obsession. It sounds better than a sad git with more money than sense. Still onwards and upwards. Anyway talking of obsessions, I'm off to Ireland to see Bruce again, sad yes, excited, you bet.

Two Units for the Ducal Contingent.

Several months ago, I recorded that I had completed my Seven Years War armies, and had decided that enough was enough. Then you realise, there is never enough. That there is always one more regiment that deserves painting, either because of its exploits, good or bad, or may be because it was just too pretty to ignore. Well I have tried to at least cut back on my SYW project,but somehow it just keeps on developing. Hence these two units painted for my imaginary! ducal army. The country I feel always tended towards the east of Europe and had a Russian/ German influence. The first unit completed is a repainted Hinchliffe unit, resplendent in pink facings. The colour is a favourite one of the dukes dwarfish companion. The flag is of course a Hesse based flag, with a little bit of tinkering.

 The second unit is the dukes White Regiment of Cossack neer do wells. In an effort to keep up with their neighbours, the dukedom has recruited a frei korps made up of redundant cossacks.

 In accordance with their background, they were allowed a Russian based standard, and allowed to continue in their blasphemous greek religion. Any excuse to add to my burgeoning Seven Years War units.

RSM Figures for sale.

In an effort to down size my SYW metal mountain, I think its time to sell some of my RSM bags.
I have the following bags to sell.

 2 Russian Horse Grenadiers.
 1 Ottoman Turks Cavalry.
 2 Cossack cavalry,
  I British Heavy Cavalry.
 4 Hanoverian Cavalry.
 1  Von Kleist Cavalry.
 1 Austrian Hussars. [Colpacks.]
 1 French Hussars. [Miltron]

I also have 2 Prussian Infantry bags,
4 Hanoverian Infantry bags,
 1 Hanoverian Grenadier bag,
 1 Hanoverian jager bag,
 1 Janissary infantry bag.

 The cavalry contain 12 figures, the infantry 36 figures.
The cavalry retail at $ 26.00 and the infantry at $29.00.
This equates to £16.79p  and 18.73p respectively.That is without the air postage and the usual risk of HMRC hitting you for another fee, usually of £9.00 for opening up the box.
Ideally I would like £14.00 for the cavalry and £16.00 for the infantry, which taking into the account of air postage etc, seems a fair deal.
 Postage would be extra, but I would attempt to find the best value way to send them.

 Thats what the infantry look like. If no one is one interested by Sunday of this week, I will put them on E bay.

Enough is enough.

Now this sounds like another rant, but honestly its not.
I have reluctantly realised that I have too much stuff, and in order to get more stuff, I need to get rid of something.
 The something, starts with some of my war game magazine collections, that is Miniature War games and War games illustrated.
 So if anyone would like several years worth for the cost of the postage,please feel free to contact me.
 Additionally, I have realised that I have no need to enlarge my Seven Years War armies any further.
 As a consequence I am going to sell some of my regiments of unpainted RSM figures.
 Again if anyone is interested before I put the figures on Ebay,then drop me a line.
 There are several bags of French, Austrian, Hanoverian  and Prussian,with some cavalry as well.
 It would save the buyer having to run the gauntlet of HMRC.