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.

Wargaming keeps you young.

My last post was way back in June when I came back fired up after a great weekend wargaming with some wonderful gamers. Sadly the enthusiasm I had melted away very quickly. Its sometimes hard to identify why this type of issue happens. All wargamers suffer from such issues, some never return to our hobby, but most thankfully do return and appreciate just how important their hobby is to them.  

I can only apologise for posting this downer, especially as it has become a recurring theme for me and worryingly it has become more frequent. I find it annoying in that the actual hobby is bursting with life, from new ideas, rules, figures and countless improvements from paint to actual knowledge and research. It is a veritable hive of activity.

 I attribute my ennui to an age thing and no matter what, one cannot fight the inevitable, BUT one can slow ageing down. Bruce Springsteen once attributed his longevity to Rock and Roll, he claimed it slowed down the aging process. I think he was right on the money except my longevity is down to wargaming, rock and roll and immaturity. So hopefully I will rise above such trivialities as aching limbs, poor eyesight and hairy nostrils.  Sadly painting has been the first victim of my inactivity. I have started to use my brush again and completed the terrain I needed for Xenos Rampant, so that was a positive. I also completed the lovely figures, that the generous Iain Macmillan sent me.   

I think my favourite is the lovely Stadden figure of Cardinal Richelieu, it must be about 50 years old, but the quality of sculpting has stood the test of time. And talking of which, last months Wargames Illustrated,[August 2023] was a good issue for all collectors of old wargames figures, especially Rick Priestly and his tribute to Mini Figs. Like Rick I continue to buy up old/ early wargames figures, ideally as cheaply as possible and hopefully badly painted.  

I now have two Ancient Persian armies, my plastic one made up of Wargames Atlantic and Victrix figures and then my Persian army or Garrison, Mini Figs and Hinchliffe figures. My favourite? The old one full of telegraph poles, wonky horse legs and dodgy research. It is difficult to articulate why this is, nostalgia? Perhaps. Simply being old and wearing rose coloured glasses? Maybe.  But whenever I see them placed on my table I find a warm glow coming over me, and no it isn't my prostate kicking in.

All my armies, be they SYW, ACW, ECW, Ancients all have contingents containing early wargames figures. They aren't compatible with the later ranges, but I dont care, although I do keep the units in separate brigades where possible.  

Another figure I was very kindly given was from Mark Taylor after my defeat at the last Billhooks tournament has also been completed. The Games Workshop Bretonnian Green Knight is still a beautiful figure from probably one of their best ranges. This one had to be painted as a Burgundian commander naturally. Totally unhistorical, but eye pleasing to me. Happy days.