Tag: ral partha

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wargaming

“On track” with Wargames Illustrated

The October edition of Wargames Illustrated is a fantasy special. So you might miss the article on railways in war, specifically the Franco Prussian war. As part of my wars of the Italian independence I have been considering railways – something that really marks out post napoleonic warfare.

WI have a good introductory article on the subject with images of models available as well period art.

Is it me or does the Amercian Civil War wargame hobby tend to cover railways more than their european counterparts even though a railway often ran through or near the european battle fields?

The magazine is mainly about fantasy and I am pleased that again the message is that at the start of the fantasy era of gaming miniatures it was simply another theme that players did – the historical gamer was a fantasy gamer. The divergence came later on with phenomenal growth in the hobby.

One article shows 1970’s era D&D figures so here are two of mine – some layering with only fleshtone shading. And note plain grey bases with the dungeoner having both shoulder bag (for storing loot) and a rope. At the beginning there was a bit of “what you see is what you get” – WYSIWYG or wizziwig.

Ral Partha Elf Warrior – circa 1977
some shading facially but otherwise layering was the order of the day.
Ral Partha Thief – These figures were just awash with detail that the historical wargames makers of the day did not offer – they soon followed though and started the journey to 28mm even back then.
The chunkier style was completely new but with such great detail no one complained as I recall, base detailing gives away that these were figures bought singularly and were for the dungeon
No self respecting dungeoner in the 1970’s sent their characters into a game without equipment and baggage – very WYSIWYG!
Despite a few chips this is still one of my favorite character figures and is now a mature 45 years old!

I have posted previously about Grognardia who has some excellent posts on 1970’s D&D. This link shows the first? full colour White Dwarf Magazine edition No7.

Categories
metal miniatures wargaming

1970’s and all that

Grognardia has been running a series of posts on 1970’s roleplaying which have prompted my memories of encountering D&D.

His post showing the No7 edition of white dwarf took me back 5 decades to that moment when D&D took off – well arrived in my backyard.

It has meant I have dug out some pictures of my historical figures of that time.

1970’s Ral Partha Knight – my 12th century army that never happened

I play fantasy historical anyway – this theme has a long history and I could say my introduction was Charge or How to Play Wargames where the “tailpiece” exhorts all gamers to abandon thoughts of modelling real units. In fact there is an allusion to Charlotte Bronte and her brother and their fantasy stories.

In fact I think my influences were in the 1960’s – airfix soldiers, my mates playing with the US union troops against the British 8th army! well thats all we had! Then I had a magazine called Ranger (later Look & Learn) which typically in those days offered children a whole range of articles although mainly science and history as I recall. Nestled in there was a cartoon strip in colour called tales of the Trigan Empire. Pseudo Roman soldiers armed with ray guns and swords complete with monsters and a little magic meant I had no compunction about twisting history when it came to gaming with model soldiers.

1970’s 5th Edition WRG with 80mm x 60mm large bases decades before IMPETUS!!!!! element basing with no figure removal was happening even then……..
1970’s Regal Hinchliffe 25mm Persians to be admired mainly because minifigs were cheaper
1970’s 25mm Garrison Vikings – came in at almost small 28mm causing grief in the 20-25mm world and having no match with the other garrison ranges either!
1970’s more unfinished hinchliffe as in 40 plus years in undercoat…………..
1970’s billy no mates – a complete george gush rules minifig ECW unit – their brethren lie unpainted in store to this day
1970’s minifigs hussars, lancers and cuirassiers napoleonic cavalry
Fantasy Zvezda 1/72 Great Northern Wars rub shoulders with Minifig 25mm 7YW Austrian Grenadiers and Musketeers plus some Warrior 25mm French Napoleonic Grenadiers

Finally 25mm Minifigs 7YW Austrian Free Corps rub shoulders with Warrior 25mm Napoleonic French, Tradition 25mm Russian Guards, Hinchliffe 25mm Bavarians, Minifigs 25mm 7YW Grenzer, 1/72 Hat Napoleonic Austrian Grenzer and finally some early Minifig french napoleonic infantry of the very slim variety.

Categories
Mythical Worlds wargaming

Grognardia: Dungeons and Dragons reflections

Grognardia has been running a series of posts on 1970’s roleplaying which have prompted my memories of encountering D&D.

His post showing the No7 edition of white dwarf took me back 5 decades to that moment when D&D took off – well arrived in my backyard.

Here are some figures I have never been able to part with – perhaps it is just the memories of fun attached to them? Well except for one…..

1970’s Minifigs Orc Captain – this guy was slim by minifig standards
1970’s Ral Partha Knight
1970’s Ral Partha Thief complete with chips and memories of so many pockets filched and locks picked in a mythical world far far away……..
The one who never played – this elf warrior was painted and then put his feet up for 40 odd years – he is still at it!

Grognardia reflects on various aspects of D&D and notably the split between historical gamers and fantasy gamers. I was lucky – I started historical and never lost my interest and I also enjoyed those first few years of D&D. And we gamers played anything fantasy/historical no one cared as I recall.

When I returned to the hobby in the 1990’s I felt Fantasy had gone off in a different direction and created a completely new industry. Whereas I could still connect with Historical.

The fantasy world of Warhammer, Gameshop etc. is fantastic but just like sci fi, naval or air warfare it is just a theme. You pick your theme and play the games you like. For a more nuanced and dare I say it very intelligent analysis of fantasy gaming, Grognardia gives you detailed posts in spades.

adventurers Left to Right: overweight warrior I think was Asgard?, minifig elven guardsman, warrior monk again Asgard? then Ral Partha – my thief figure and next to him a desert warrior from Ral Partha who was another character I used.
male and female warriors were I think Asgard, the footpad was Ral Partha as was the elven warrior on the right
minifig skeletons
minifig forest orcs?

Finally – painted at the same time minifigs 25mm ECW figures – all podgy faced and extremely well fed to the point of being bloated. The ancestors of todays 28mm monsters?