Nostalgia

No battle this week, that dread word, (work), intervened. However, I did manage to squeeze in a bit of reading, mainly due to yet more juggling of space in the glory hole'. The reading consisted of some old copies of 'Battle' magazine, dating from 1977/78. I never subscribed to the magazine at the time, but was fortunate enough to acquire some a few years ago. Looking at them now you can see how far the popular front of the hobby has moved. It was far more uniform then, more inclusive. Alongside Stuart Asquith's articles on battles of the English Civil War and Tony Bath's story of Hyboria you have ones on kit conversions for AFVs, new military equipment entering service and product reviews covering figures, board games and magazines. Two things you don't find are colour photos other than on the cover) and masses of adverts for figures, paints and scenery.




















Here is Peter Gilder setting up Gettysburg from the cover of the issue from June 1978. I never did get to see the 'Battleground' series, but I have heard lots of my contemporaries speak about it. The accompaning article says that 100 wargamers were interviewed before the final line-up was arrived at. Those chosen were Duncan McFarlane, Peter Gilder, Paddy Griffith, John Braithwaite, Bob O'Brien, Steve Davidson, John Tilson, Steve Birnie, John Harrison and Gavin and Bernard Lyall. Six battles were recreated and Edward Woodward presented the programmes. I also include an advert for Games Workshop, listing the D & Drules and scenarios plus "White Dwarf" with a full year's subscription costing 4 pounds!.
One thing that hasn't changed is the enthusiasm of the contributors for the hobby; their willingness to share knowledge and give a helping hand to beginners.

Books

Well, it just goes to show that you shouldn't brag about making a bit of progress with painting. Since my last post almost nothing has been done. There has been a fair amount of the wargamers usual displacement activity, doing a bit of research. Most of you will be familiar with the scenario, "I remember seeing an article on x recently, it's just what I need to finish that scenario oob." Or, "that uniform plate is in here somewhere". What starts out as a 5 minute job prior to the serious business of setting up a game or painting figures ends up taking most of the evening and nothing gets done. In addition I have been reading a book by Byron Farwell called Eminent Victorian Soldiers. It's not even my main period, (how often do we hear that said?), I just play the occasional Sudan game, but the names are well known, Gordon, Kitchener, MacDonald, Roberts, and Wolsley, to name a few. As I read the book, it was amazing how interlinked all the stories were, the petty jealousies, rash actions, and fame, fortune and disaster. Before pronouncing on the book's accuracy I would like to read a few other titles, but for light relief and to ponder how would you create a set of rules to cover these actions, it is an interesting read. The next book in the pile on my bedside table is Zoe Oldenburg's book on the Crusades. I picked it up on a recent trip to York. It is a book I have kept meaning to read, but never quite got around to. Although quite dated now, it was first published over 40 years ago, it may well prove the catalyst for yet more diversions into the early medieval period.

The photo this week is from a game played some years ago now. It was based on the Battle of Copenhagen, 1659 when the Swedes attacked the Danes across their frozen water defences. It had some curious little episodes, infantry assualts on ships and a petard party trying to breach the landward defences.

Ancient Sharpe?

SIDEBOTTOM, Harry

Fire in the east. Warrior of Rome series, part 1.

Michael Joseph. 2008.

ISBN 978-0-718-15329-8

By chance I came across this title and on impulse decided to read it. The warrior in question is a barbarian called Ballista, who hails from the lands beyond the Rhine. As the book opens he has been chosen to lead an expedition to defend a city on the Euphrates against an attacking Sassanid army. Most of the action revolves around the siege, with forays and general assaults. The author should know what he is writing about as he is a lecturer in Ancient History at Lincoln College, Oxford who has written academic articles on ancient warfare. This is pehaps why the book contains a bbliography and glossary in addition to the normal list of characters.

I don't know enough about the period to comment on the accuracy of the storyline or action portrayed, but it is a 'page turner'. Perhaps one for making a note of and getting a copy for reading on holiday?

No photos of ancient troops, so apropos of nothing a view of the slow-growing 15mm SYW forces

Here we have a brigade of British foot, with some jaeger in the ruins on their flank.

Nostalgia

A trip down Memory Lane this week, courtesy of Athur Ward. I picked up a copy of his "The Boy's book of Airfix", this week. The subtitle says it all "Who says you ever have to grow up?". Reading through the pages took me back too many years to mention to the days when Saturdays meant a trip to the model shop to buy yet another Airfix kit in its trademark plastic bag, or box of soldiers. I think most of us will have tussled with the glue with a mind of it's own, despaired of ever managing to assemble the kit so the propeller actually spun rather than being fixed in place, or, chased that transfer around the saucer of water trying not to get it folded on itself. What can compare with that first painted model. The first one I remember painting was the Bristol Beaufighter. Grandad supplied the paint, it was the green and brown he had been using around the house, so it took an age to dry and the brush didn't allow for much detailed work. But the pride when the job was finished. To me it looked just like the picture in the book I had borrowed from the library.
Over the next few years dozens of kits followed and I attempted to create dog-fights by putting up networks of string in the bedroom. English Electric Lightenings taking on Me 109s, what's wrong with that? One Christmas I got a "lucky bag" of 10 different kits, heaven!
Ships followed, Tiger, Daring, Campbeltown, but the main drawback to these was the hull, it looked odd moving them around on their stands, but without them they just rolled on their sides. By the time the waterline kits came along other interests had taken over from 'toy soldiers', such a missed opportunity.
The book has loads of illustrations to trigger memories, but perhaps the most fascinating part is reading about the trials and tribulations of the company, the characters who formed and developed it and the way it has come back from the dead, twice!
So, keep an eye out for this book, if desperate, borrow it from your local library and take a trip down Memory Lane.