Tag: warrior miniatures

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1/72 scale figures 20/25/28mm figures anglo saxons basing Carolingians lance and longbow society life metal miniatures Mid 19th Century Wargaming natural world normans in the south wargame rules wargaming

That was 2020!

Well we are at the end of a year that will become notorious.

A year when humanity staggered from the blows of a simple virus. It is perhaps a reminder that nature always has the upper hand no matter how sophisticated our societies have become.

I guess there are plenty of historical parallels to this type of massive societal correction. Not in the same vein but I read recently about how the particularly bad 9th century weather or should I say mini climate change dealt the Carolingians numerous bad harvests damaging their always vunerable Empire. Except even if it were decisive, the roaring vikings is a much more exciting concept of Empire destruction.

Yet right now the Dark Ages have become just that – the Dark Ages as in a box with a lid on it! Right now it is the 19th Century that dominates Wargames in the mind of Norber the Wargaming Erratic.

Before we go and embark on another year there is just enough time to reflect on the fact that 2020 has proven to be rather a good year for my wargaming.

The year got going with a trip to Vapnartak, notable for the fact that it proved to be my one and only show of 2020.

Lithuanian Knights gather to charge the Teutons – figures by WillWarWeb I believe

Playing (LIVE) the Lance and Longbow Society game of Tannenberg 1410 made it all the more important as it turned out. It was my last face to face gaming of 2020.

I was into Carolingians at the time of Vapnartak.

The scary plastic soldier review horses of Carolingia!

so which soldiers marched across my painting table in 2020?

well in 2018 I had managed zero painting while in 2019 I painted and based 32 “normans in the south infantry” and 11 “normans in the south” archers.

in 2020 I managed

  • 12 Carolingians including the man himself – comprising the much maligned (by plastic soldier review) horses which actually give my bases some nice dynamics – in my humble view
  • 10 Anglo Norman archers
  • 24 Normans in the South (NITS – I can’t resist an abbreviation) Cavalry
  • 21 Ottonian foot which look very much like anglo danes or could pass for NITS foot soldiers
  • 43 Anglo Danes were my biggest effort
A fine array of some Anglo Saxons, Anglo Danes and Ottonians
  • I finished the year with 4 slavs posing as Picts in my “to be” great army of Danes, Scots, Northumbrians and Norsemen which would fight Athelstan again at Brunanburh

And then the proverbial wheels came off the Dark Ages cart.

Right now the painting table has plastic Union Infantry posing as Piedmont Line Infantry along with some venerable Warrior Miniatures French Dragoons posing as – well French Dragoons. And they are metal!!!

Piedmontese in frock coats – shame about the squished stove pipe hats

I must say I had a good year with basing – finally getting a look for my mediterranean NITS – ok Normans in the South project.

Vikings aka Ottonians aka Anglo Danes aka NITS – the beauty of dark ages

In fact I have decided it will work for pretty much everything dark ages.

On the gaming front I started solo gaming with an unexpected purchase. Neil Shuck had recommended War & Conquest shortly before jumping ship with another ancients ruleset.

One of the many offspring writers/thinkers that Games Workshop brought to our wargames world.
Sea peoples and desert tribes close in on Libyian bowmen

I gave it a go with my bronze age one hour wargame figures based using my hybrid impetus basing of 80mm x 60mm for 1/72 plastics. Ever awkward – probably just as well I don’t need to satisfy a live opponent. I rather liked the feel of the rules even though the play through was so limited.

And then with Covid19 lock down in full swing and some fine weather I had other distractions including lots of gardening .

I really like simple flowers with a few petals
The colours are just fantastic

INTERMISSION

Intermission even surprised me – that was not in the plan

INTERMISSION

And of course there is always some track laying to do……………..

Eventually the dark ages gaming started in late August with numerous shieldwall rule tests – I did really enjoy them all. The biggest surprise was playing gridded wargames using Mike Smith’s Table Top Battles.

My lst shieldwall battle took place in late October and many games and rulesets later was swiftly followed by a thoroughly enjoyable game of Dux Britanniarum by Too Fat Lardies.

My vintage Garrison Vikings got a run out.

I fleshed out some campaign plans as per the rules advice and then…………nothing. I was just starting some Pictish Warriors when I read the wrong article.

On the way the renaissance troll introduced me to Faux Napoleonics for fantasy – here is my own 1970’s era Faux Fantasy Orc veering towards napoleonics?

Next minute it is baggy pants Zoaves, Spikey helms and far too much rifling. OK so it is still rather pedestrian Piedmontese – these proto Italians are quite conservative chaps – very un Napoleonic.

Will they really look like Piedmontese or just Union men on the wrong continent?

And since then two battles have been fought – one with Practical Wargaming by Charles Wesencraft and the other using 19th Century Wargames by Neil Thomas.

Whats in the container? – rescued from a dim corner of the erratic’s tardis store………
Warrior Miniatures – yes they are metal and yes the brown paint was administered back around 1975!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thats a long time on the paint table – 45 years ish. But probably not a record.

And so I wish you all a graceful end to the year 2020 and hope that 2021 brings you all that you hope for.

Categories
1/72 scale figures Mid 19th Century Wargaming new additions wargaming

The Supply Chain and the end of the year 2020

“The Supply Chain” is a bit like “hospital beds” a term overly used and missing out the crucial part – “people”. No hospital staff and well beds are useless. The same goes for all suppliers, despite the digital/AI/automation hype, people are still the crucial aspect of suppliers and the services they operate. Their work, largely hidden, is what makes our modern world go round.

Even my hobby activities rely on supply chains, as I do not make my own figures or write books I want to read for that matter.

right now I am gathering some reading material about Italy in the mid 19th Century

My supply chain for wargames has been of necessity online for about 10 years. Although when I think about it I was “online in the 1970’s because if you wanted certain figures you could not buy them at your local store.

I remember back then you could buy the “centre companies napoleonic british infantry” provided that was roughly 5 of each in advancing pose only (hinchliffe I believe) – that was all they had.

So I discovered direct postal sales long before “online” was even dreamed of. And in those days I did not go to shows either, having no means of transport. And anyway I don’t think I was even aware of them as a shopping opportunity.

I bought all my Warrior Miniatures by post in those days. and I still have a few.

So this is a big thank you to all the “people” who provide my miniatures, paints, scenery, brushes, books and the like. Either at shows (remember them) or by post (online).

In some ways nothing has changed although I seem to remember the cost of postage was truly massive to my mind back then – and I was trading in metal too.

superb service from Hannants to drive my latest project – the unification of italy…..

In alphabetical order some of my popular “suppliers” have been

  • Abe books – various out of print book editions
  • Antics online – for 1/72 plastics
  • Colonel Bills – for coat d’arms paints mainly at shows
  • Coritani (Magnetic Displays) – scenery, paint brushes mainly at shows
  • e Models – for 1/72 plastics
  • Hannants – for 1/72 plastics
  • Irregular Miniatures – 1/72 metallics
  • Lancashire Games – 1/72 metallics, scenery, rulesets
  • Models for Sale – for 1/72 plastics
  • Model Hobbies – for 1/72 plastics
  • Pendraken Miniatures – for mdf bases
  • SHQ – 1/72 metallics
  • Too Fat Lardies – rulesets
  • Warbases – for mdf bases
  • Wonderland Models – for 1/72 plastics and kits
  • World books – various out of print book editions

Tirelessly working to give their customers great service.

Currently reading this great summary of a complex story – needless to say garibaldi looms large yet the story is kaleidoscopic!

So thanks to them all for allowing me to pursue my hobby even in the midst of a global pandemic.

wishing every one a safe and secure christmas and a better year for all in 2021

Categories
Book Reviews Continental Wars Mid 19th Century Wargaming Military History new additions Solo Wargamers Association wargaming

The Domino effect

Sometimes things come together in the most unexpected way.

No sooner had I read the SWA (Solo Wargamers Article) by Brian Cameron than I stumbled across the Renaissance Troll and his post about Napoleonic imaginations and painting a couple of foot soldiers with those early flashy metal helmets boasting giant “bog brush” combs!

In my last post I mentioned I had rediscovered Donald Featherstones’ Advanced Wargames Section 6 Chapter 14 Franco Prussian scenario.

And I recalled that the first time I found this book I only had Airfix Napoleonics remotely usable. And they were duly rolled out to fight the battles. Interestingly I did have Airfix ACW armies – and I probably used them as well except I never used ACW for “imaginations” warfare.

I also never had it in my head that “imaginations” worked with Napoleonics that well either. For one thing then I was consumed by the actual history – no need for imaginations gaming in that period.

my “Imaginations” gaming came from “Charge or how to play Wargames”.

The last chapter 10 – Tailpiece gives some very sensible advice on avoiding multiple period wargaming – pure madness apparently (oh dear).

It also recommends creating “Mythical Powers” (D&D in 1967!) and their armies so as to avoid arguments about uniform accuracy.

So my “imaginations” gaming has been of the tricorne variety.

Zvezda Peter the Great Russians and Swedes in the background

Back to Renaissance Troll who posted that neat little post about “a new miniatures project”. Yes those 4 simple words can either send a shiver down the spine of you average wargamer or create a frision of excitment that must be assuaged.

Yep its both – the anglo saxons have yielded to the inevitable. They now shiver in some dark corner of my wargaming tardis (yes its that bad here – I had to get some more storage options beyond 3D).

And now in the bright uplands there appear some Napoleonics……

Warrior Metals originally based for Charlie Wesencrafts Practical Wargaming now rebased for Maurice.

Well yes and no.

“Yes” I did get my game using some 1970’s retro rules (post to follow) using a few Napoleonics and “No!”

my painting table now has Strelets Union infantry on it with some

absolutely ghastly other figures on the worktable – boy do they need work.

oh dear oh dear oh dear……………..

Postscript

Renaissance Troll mentioned they were reading David Chandler. I have kept just two books on Napoleonics.

I can recommend the following books if you can track them down.

A Military History and Atlas of the Napoleonic Wars published by AMS Press Inc. It was originally published in 1964 having been compiled for the Department of Military Art and Engineering, The United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y.

Given I have always liked maps this book or rather atlas is an absolute cracker.

The second has an introduction in my copy by David Chandler. It is an adaption by Anne S K Brown of Henry Lachouques’ “Napoleon et la Garde Imperiale”. It is entitled “The Anatomy of Glory”. It is full of glory and is both gripping and draining. The later years of 1812 to 1814 are just relentless.

Enjoy you “imaginations” gaming whatever form it takes!