Browsing Ebay the other day I went on a wander down memory lane to see if I could find my first ever purchase.
Here he is in all his glory, the C15 armoured orc.
So, what was your first wargaming purchase? Photo if possible please ;) If not, let's hear the story :)
(http://coppergate.com.au/wp/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Citadel-C15-2-Armoured-Orc-with-sickle-and-shield-1983-4_l-830x1024.jpg)
My first figures were a box of Union and Confederate infantry by Airfix, somewhere around 1965.
My first minis were either Airfix WW2 Germans bought in 1961-1963 or a few German-made Assyrian infantry "flats" bought 1969-1970 - depending on what we're counting as minis!
Quote from: Leman on 22 February 2015, 05:23:00 PM
My first figures were a box of Union and Confederate infantry by Airfix, somewhere around 1965.
Just been looking at similar on Ebay as possibles for my ACW project.
Quote from: Ithoriel on 22 February 2015, 05:23:29 PM
My first minis were either Airfix WW2 Germans bought in 1961-1963 or a few German-made Assyrian infantry "flats" bought 1969-1970 - depending on what we're counting as minis!
All count ;)
Airfix for me, the old style germans were one of the first I got.
Quote from: jambo1 on 22 February 2015, 05:42:48 PM
Airfix for me, the old style germans were one of the first I got.
Yeah, I had loads of Airfix but never used them for wargames; not sure why really.
These were first - bought from Woolworths in Richmond, 1993.
(https://quirkworthy.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/combat_cards_decks.png)
Then this - NAAFI at Bovington, 1993 [White Dwarf issue 160]
(http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/OTIxWDY5MQ==/z/1T0AAOxyVLNS4n~5/$_35.JPG)
Then a GW mail order for this
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XEmQLbdWAmA/US1huVervNI/AAAAAAAAC1M/mQwZQyCnjiM/s1600/Epic+Space+Marine+40K+Warhammer+40000+Games+Workshop.JPG)
First ever Pendraken purchase would have been bought around 1997, at the Parade Ground show at Stockton. David Pengilley was selling from a table just inside the doorway to the main sports hall. I bought a saxon army pack and a norman army pack (but he had sold out of one of them on the day, so took my name and address and promised to send it to me once he'd cast them up). If it was '97, then I was fifteen at the time. I can remember going back to the family car (where both my parents were waiting) and having to explain what was happening with the receipt I now held, but sans figures. Being new to making such arrangements I was a bit scared that I'd possibly been ripped off, but my mother assured me that it was all perfectly normal and above board. Well, at least I'm honest ;D
Probably some Airfix figures...Not sure which it would be though maybe WW2 . Sometime in the early 70's and then used Donald Fetherstones rules from one of his books
Loved "Space Marine" great game, Roy until it got all silly with stupidly big things (we call it the workshop way). ;)
Airfix for me too....WWII British and German.
Gareth....That figure looks as though it's got lead rot ! ;)
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: Techno on 22 February 2015, 06:09:36 PM
Gareth....That figure looks as though it's got lead rot ! ;)
Cheers - Phil
Yep, oxidised isn't the word :o
The one on Ebay was on a B.I.N at £15 and, much as I want to own it again, there's need for folks to take the mick >:(
Airfix too. Boxed set of Wehrmacht and British Para's in 1/48th scale.
Brought home by my dad who was on leave from NI in 1977. Still got them now which reminds me I must paint them at some stage..... :-[ Is that a record??
Quote from: Nosher on 22 February 2015, 06:33:55 PM
Airfix too. Boxed set of Wehrmacht and British Para's in 1/48th scale.
Brought home by my dad who was on leave from NI in 1977. Still got them now which reminds me I must paint them at some stage..... :-[ Is that a record??
Possibly is a record ;)
What rules did you use or were they "home grown?"
I'm not counting mainstream plastics (Airfix et. al.) for my answer.
So mine was FA10. http://www.solegends.com/citf/citfa/citfa82cat.htm (http://www.solegends.com/citf/citfa/citfa82cat.htm)
The first mini for my first AD&D 2e character.
I painted him gold with a burgundy cloak. Badly. :)
There's a picture of me at around the age of 6 with the Airfix High Chapparal set, so this would have been late 1960s. My first proper miniature that I bought was probably a Dwarf of some long forgotten manufacturer. Sadly I sold it several years ago as I no longer played with it. In hindsight I'd wished I'd kept it.
Quote from: Luddite on 22 February 2015, 06:38:35 PM
I'm not counting mainstream plastics (Airfix et. al.) for my answer.
So mine was FA10. http://www.solegends.com/citf/citfa/citfa82cat.htm (http://www.solegends.com/citf/citfa/citfa82cat.htm)
The first mini for my first AD&D 2e character.
I painted him gold with a burgundy cloak. Badly. :)
The orc I showed was painted in blobby enamels; hadn't even discovered dry brushing.
Cool mini though ;)
Quote from: Steve J on 22 February 2015, 06:57:41 PM
There's a picture of me at around the age of 6 with the Airfix High Chapparal set, so this would have been late 1960s. My first proper miniature that I bought was probably a Dwarf of some long forgotten manufacturer. Sadly I sold it several years ago as I no longer played with it. In hindsight I'd wished I'd kept it.
I am on a mission to recover my first orc; I'm not paying £15 though! >:(
If were not talking Airfix and Timpo and there like
Then probably some H&R Char B's
If not Airfix then it would be a 15mm starter set from Tabletop Games complete with rules, "Retinue" you got about 60 15mm figures and the skirmish rules, still have them somewhere.
Quote from: Fenton on 22 February 2015, 07:00:45 PM
If were not talking Airfix and Timpo and there like
Then probably some H&R Char B's
Picture???
Quote from: jambo1 on 22 February 2015, 07:05:30 PM
If not Airfix then it would be a 15mm starter set from Tabletop Games complete with rules, "Retinue" you got about 60 15mm figures and the skirmish rules, still have them somewhere.
Tabletop games Nottingham?
Used to visit their shop as a kid; dingy, mouldy store filled with the most awesome stuff.
Bought Laserburn and a handful of minis when I was about 14; loved it ;)
Long gone Gareth now sadly
Here you go
Sweet ;)
Pretty cool first buy 8)
Apart from Airfix, second left, second row!
http://www.solegends.com/citc/c09darkelves.htm
http://www.collecting-citadel-miniatures.com/wiki/index.php/File:C09-13.jpg
It must have been a real mold ripper!
Quote from: mad lemmey on 22 February 2015, 07:20:58 PM
Apart from Airfix, second left, second row!
http://www.solegends.com/citc/c09darkelves.htm
I had a unit (10) of them.
The reason I went for Dark Elves; it was the only army I could afford a battalion of (Forces of Fantasy) because the cold one riders were 125 points ;)
For the time, they were awesome miniatures.
Christmas present 1962 in Sek Kong Village, Hong Kong, 2 boxes each of Airfix 8th Army and Afrika Corps to use on a papier mache board that my father had made.
First lead figures, 12 MiniFigs 25mm British Napoleonic Marines in 1971 because that was all the shop had at the time. Got a few more now though. :)
Quote from: Subedai on 22 February 2015, 07:30:01 PM
2 boxes each of Airfix 8th Army and Afrika Corps to use on a papier mache board that my father had made.
The Airfix Afrika Crops were so cool compared to the 8th Army figures which were, quite frankly: crap!
Agree now, but when you are six the crapness doesn't really matter.
First miniatures:
Esci russian grenadiers and revell french grenadiers. The russians are still in their original paint from 1995, the french are repainted last year as a tryout
(http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff441/petercooman123/DSC03310_zpsibqrsxbm.jpg) (http://s1236.photobucket.com/user/petercooman123/media/DSC03310_zpsibqrsxbm.jpg.html)
(http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff441/petercooman123/DSC03309_zpsf2pzs3la.jpg) (http://s1236.photobucket.com/user/petercooman123/media/DSC03309_zpsf2pzs3la.jpg.html)
First ever wargame miniatures:
epic 40k space marines and tanks, ork battle wagons and ork warband
some of the tanks in the original crappy paint
(http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff441/petercooman123/DSC03311_zpsyai2kor9.jpg) (http://s1236.photobucket.com/user/petercooman123/media/DSC03311_zpsyai2kor9.jpg.html)
And the tanks and infantry how i repainted some of them in 2013
(http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff441/petercooman123/DSC03312_zpsqujboadt.jpg) (http://s1236.photobucket.com/user/petercooman123/media/DSC03312_zpsqujboadt.jpg.html)
Quote from: Subedai on 22 February 2015, 07:37:12 PM
Agree now, but when you are six the crapness doesn't really matter.
;D
So true :)
Quote from: petercooman on 22 February 2015, 08:14:08 PM
First miniatures:
Esci russian grenadiers and revell french grenadiers. The russians are still in their original paint from 1995, the french are repainted last year as a tryout
(http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff441/petercooman123/DSC03310_zpsibqrsxbm.jpg) (http://s1236.photobucket.com/user/petercooman123/media/DSC03310_zpsibqrsxbm.jpg.html)
(http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff441/petercooman123/DSC03309_zpsf2pzs3la.jpg) (http://s1236.photobucket.com/user/petercooman123/media/DSC03309_zpsf2pzs3la.jpg.html)
First ever wargame miniatures:
epic 40k space marines and tanks, ork battle wagons and ork warband
some of the tanks in the original crappy paint
(http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff441/petercooman123/DSC03311_zpsyai2kor9.jpg) (http://s1236.photobucket.com/user/petercooman123/media/DSC03311_zpsyai2kor9.jpg.html)
And the tanks and infantry how i repainted some of them in 2013
(http://i1236.photobucket.com/albums/ff441/petercooman123/DSC03312_zpsqujboadt.jpg) (http://s1236.photobucket.com/user/petercooman123/media/DSC03312_zpsqujboadt.jpg.html)
Love the epic minis; it was Space Marine that got me into small scale stuff ;)
First figures were probably Britians Knights and Saracens - with a very cool wooden castle that my Dad and Grandad made for me. I have no idea what happened to the castle, it seemed to disappear when we moved. There were also some 1/32 French Foreign Legion and Arabs in plastic, but not Airfix.
Then piles of 1/72 Airfix, I particularly remember the big box sets with the coastal defence guns - I remember making huge dioramas across my bedroom - but they weren't games.
We did progress to games with Airfix figures and plastic tanks.
First metal figures were a set of Ral Partha Adventurers - this would have been mid 80s. These were very small figures, 25mm at best, they were small compared with the Citadel figure I got soon after. Can't remember where I got them from - I half recall it was a newsagents?
GetaGrip - I am pretty sure I have a double of your first Orc. Drop me a PM with an offer (cash or swap), and I'm certainly not asking £15!!
We have just started playing Epic !! how things go in circles.
Those yellow Space Marines are OK, but I never really liked the red scheme.
Quote from: fred 12df on 22 February 2015, 08:19:57 PM
GetaGrip - I am pretty sure I have a double of your first Orc. Drop me a PM with an offer (cash or swap), and I'm certainly not asking £15!!
Done ;)
Once upon a time I had a complete chapter of Epic 40K "Banana Marines" (Imperial Fists) plus Titans, Imperial Guard, Eldar and Squats but these days I only have about half of the Marines and Guard plus the Titans, Eldar and Squats. Never did get round to painting the Squats!
Quote from: Ithoriel on 22 February 2015, 08:39:05 PM
Once upon a time I had a complete chapter of Epic 40K "Banana Marines" (Imperial Fists) plus Titans, Imperial Guard, Eldar and Squats but these days I only have about half of the Marines and Guard plus the Titans, Eldar and Squats. Never did get round to painting the Squats!
Must be a sqaut thing... Ive still got a load unpainted...
You ought to Ebay them guys; they're fetching silly money ;)
(http://www.vintage-airfix.com/images/Assault%20Sets%20Gun%20Emplacement%20Assault%20set%20(box).jpg)
With the Infantry Combat Group, first German Infantry, and four plastic vehicles including a Centurion.
Minfigs 25mm Chasseurs à Cheval of the Guard sometime about 1970. In my ignorance I painted them without undercoating the metal. Ten years later I repainted them and sold them to a mate.
Quote from: fsn on 22 February 2015, 09:33:48 PM
(http://www.vintage-airfix.com/images/Assault%20Sets%20Gun%20Emplacement%20Assault%20set%20(box).jpg)
With the Infantry Combat Group, first German Infantry, and four plastic vehicles including a Centurion.
Once I had bought a few boxes of Airfix minis I got the Emplacement set for Xmas with the Pontoon bridge for my birthday a few weeks later.Very happy days
Quote from: Ithoriel on 22 February 2015, 08:39:05 PM
Never did get round to painting the Squats!
Oooh! Nasty!
Quote from: Fenton on 22 February 2015, 09:48:54 PM
Once I had bought a few boxes of Airfix minis I got the Emplacement set for Xmas with the Pontoon bridge for my birthday a few weeks later.Very happy days
Yes to both, those pontoon boats were awesome :-bd
Quote from: getagrip on 22 February 2015, 09:57:02 PM
Yes to both, those pontoon boats were awesome :-bd
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Airfix-A03383-Pontoon-Bridge-Plastic/dp/B0002HZWDG
There was this one too
(http://www.vintage-airfix.com/images/Assault%20Sets%20Coastal%20Defence.jpg)
The same strange mix of WWII infantry and post-war tanks.
Just looking at the airfix website now - its mostly the same stuff - some nice kits and loads of really poor ones - like the super small Sherman.
Still got mine. And the Beach Defence set.
Quote from: fsn on 22 February 2015, 10:10:59 PM
Still got mine. And the Beach Defence set.
No!!! :o
I want one!!! :'( :'( :'(
Hi
Very first figures were Britains figures before they were banned for lead content. Then loads of Timpo, Hong Kong copies, etc. Airfix Combat group and Germans came next, as well as many others. Along the way I got some plastic flats from a comic book (quite daring then to order from America):-
(http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NzY4WDEwMjQ=/z/bN4AAOSw9NxTwu3h/$_58.JPG)
My first metal wargame type figures were Lamming Scots Greys. Here is (I'm pretty sure anyway) a scan of the picture I saw in the Airfix magazine that fired my enthusiasm to ge t these figures:-
(http://www.vintagewargamingfigures.info/rblack/images/lammcav.jpg)
Interesting to read that the masters for Lamming figures were made from brass!!! :o
I got these from Battlefield here in Australia, a case of write for the catalogue, read the catalogue, send an order with a postal note. No chance of a hasty impulse buy :D Still have the catalogues stashed somewhere ;D ;D.
Cheers
GrumpyOldMan ('Preview message' still not working)
Quote from: Leman on 22 February 2015, 05:23:00 PM
My first figures were a box of Union and Confederate infantry by Airfix, somewhere around 1965.
I was going to say possibly the same for me, Leman (but thinking it might have been British Infantry Combat Group and WW2 German Infantry instead - both Airfix). However do Brittains (and Timpo?) and other toy soldiers count, in which case I had the usual Guardsmen, Knights in Armour, Cowboys and Indians what before then?
Remember my uncle bought my brother and me some Airfix cowboys and Indians (yes, they were called that then); two boxes eeach, which was a big deal back then! Happy days :)
Quote from: fsn on 22 February 2015, 09:33:48 PM
With the Infantry Combat Group, first German Infantry, and four plastic vehicles including a Centurion.
Me too with the infantry, fsn (see my previous post) but not the box set illustrated. First Airfix tank was the Josef Stalin (so Pendraken's recent release of particular nostalgic interest) but couldn't get the tracks to turn (a common problem with subsequent Airfix purchases) so, when I acquired not one
but two Dinky Centurion tanks
with moving tracks, you can imagine my boundless joy!
Btw fsn, would you mind removing your hand? :-w..... Thank you.Grip, would these have been the High Chaparral Airfix set - if so, I seem to recall the Buck Cannon figure had a pistol in one hand and a bottle in the other?
Btw Grip, I've sent you the money. When will I get the negatives?
These?
Quote from: Westmarcher on 22 February 2015, 10:49:07 PM
Grip, would these have been the High Chaparral Airfix set - if so, I seem to recall the Buck Cannon figure had a pistol in one hand and a bottle in the other?
Btw Grip, I've sent you the money. When will I get the negatives?
Think it was and, in the 70's it was okay to give small children miniatures with guns and bottles :D
The negatives are backed up and also with my lawyer.
Anyone remember what a box of the Airfix soldiers cost ?
I've got in my mind they were 'Two Bob' (10p) back in the late 50s/early 60s.....I'm sure groats had been phased out by then. ;)
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: Techno on 22 February 2015, 11:04:18 PM
Anyone remember what a box of the Airfix soldiers cost ?
I've got in my mind they were 'Two Bob' (10p) back in the late 50s/early 60s.....I'm sure groats had been phased out by then. ;)
Cheers - Phil
Mid 70's they were about 60p a box I think :-\
I have memories of maybe 20p in the early 70's
Quote from: getagrip on 22 February 2015, 10:40:22 PM
Remember my uncle bought my brother and me some Airfix cowboys and Indians (yes, they were called that then); two boxes eeach, which was a big deal back then! Happy days :)
Mine were US marines and plains Americans. With two matchstick-shooting 25pdrs. We shall not look upon the like of such games again, thank God.
I wasn't aware five minutes ago that plastic flats had ever existed.
Must've bought the catalogue of Airfix figs back in the day when Woolies was alive and LSD was the currency of choice. After the hoover-fodder days many, many years passed until the next fig which was Airfix again but this time a 54mm kit:
(http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r221/cameronian/54mm%20Plus/AfxFus01_zpsd70ceb5c.jpg)
Just recently dug up by archaeologists in my garage along with several of his comrades.
Quote from: Fenton on 22 February 2015, 10:52:00 PM
These?
Hi
I had the original cowboy set in dark brown. Here is a whole article on the High Chaparral set :-
http://airfixfigs.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/s38-wild-west-madia-related-high.html (http://airfixfigs.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/s38-wild-west-madia-related-high.html)
(Fort Apache looks good doesn't it! :D)
Cheers
GrumpyOldMan
Fort Apache; how cool was that? :)
I had the Roman Fort and the Sheriff of Nottingham's Castle.
Quote from: Ithoriel on 23 February 2015, 12:20:12 AM
I had the Roman Fort and the Sheriff of Nottingham's Castle.
Me to..I had a great plastic vacuum moulded Celtic hill fort by Bellona I think it was
Quote from: Ithoriel on 23 February 2015, 12:20:12 AM
I had the Roman Fort and the Sheriff of Nottingham's Castle.
That was on my want but never got list :'(
British infantry by Airfix back in the early 60s.
These were followed by more Airfix figures and models plus a load of 54mm figures by various manufacturers.
My first metal figures were 25mm bought in the mid-70's from the Minifigs shop in Southampton...and I can't for the life of me remember what they were!
My first Pendraken figures that I bought were WWI early British in about 2005 when I was trying to decide what scale to concentrate on, I eventually chose 10mm due to space constraints and 6mm being too small for my eyes and fingers. Never looked back from that point onwards.
Ral Partha Orcs about 25 years ago. Odd scale, guess they were 1/72ish, didn't match anything my friends had.
Quote from: SerialLoser on 23 February 2015, 09:12:38 AM
Ral Partha Orcs about 25 years ago. Odd scale, guess they were 1/72ish, didn't match anything my friends had.
Weren't they a bit smaller than 25 / 28mm?
Much smaller.
As well as being shorter they were much 'finer'.
Damn fine sculpts, though !
Cheers - Phil
Those are the ones Julie Guthrie did, aren't they?
Quote from: GrumpyOldMan on 22 February 2015, 11:52:29 PM
Hi
I had the original cowboy set in dark brown. Here is a whole article on the High Chaparral set :-
http://airfixfigs.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/s38-wild-west-madia-related-high.html (http://airfixfigs.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/s38-wild-west-madia-related-high.html)
I thought something wasn't right colour-wise. Originally in brown right enough. Quite disconcerting however to read the bloggers suggestion that the Manolito figure was originally designed for
being mounted ! :o
And wasn't Blue Boy, big John's son?
Quote from: Techno on 23 February 2015, 10:02:35 AM
Much smaller.
As well as being shorter they were much 'finer'.
Damn fine sculpts, though !
Cheers - Phil
Yeah, remember them. Seems to resonate with something else you said about "cheating" with proportion; these didn't and, as a consequence, looked thin. :-\
Quote from: Techno on 23 February 2015, 10:02:35 AM
Much smaller.
As well as being shorter they were much 'finer'.
Damn fine sculpts, though !
Cheers - Phil
nice figures with good proportions - no cartoon orcs. It was just next to my mates GW stuff they looked tiny.
Like a lot of my age group it was packs of Airfix from Wollies in the mid 60's,and shot at with matches out of Dinky field guns on the living room floor.First metal figures were Lamming ancient Greeks in 25mm for my 1st 1000 point army in the early 70s.I used to walk across Hull to Bills workshop on wincolmlea street to buy them,used to take pity on me and throw a few extras in because i'd walked so far,but like a true Yorkshire man,it was to save the bus fare and get one more figure,they were expensive at 1s6d(8p),and the bus fare 6d each way.Happy days.
Quote from: Fenton on 23 February 2015, 10:06:54 AM
Those are the ones Julie Guthrie did, aren't they?
I
think so, Steve.
Though a fair few of the ones that went into the early Citadel Journals were by Tom Meir.
I'm pretty sure there was a third designer at Ral Partha back then, with a very similar style to those two....But I just cannot remember her name at the mo'.
Cheers - Phil
Quote from: Techno on 23 February 2015, 02:32:26 PM
I think so, Steve.
Though a fair few of the ones that went into the early Citadel Journals were by Tom Meir.
I'm pretty sure there was a third designer at Ral Partha back then, with a very similar style to those two....But I just cannot remember her name at the mo'.
Cheers - Phil
There was a certain elegance about those miniatures; almost like they'd been lifted off ornamental fountains :-\
Quote from: Techno on 23 February 2015, 02:32:26 PM
I think so, Steve.
Though a fair few of the ones that went into the early Citadel Journals were by Tom Meir.
I'm pretty sure there was a third designer at Ral Partha back then, with a very similar style to those two....But I just cannot remember her name at the mo'.
Cheers - Phil
Sandra Garrity?
Thank you, Steve. :)
That sounds familiar......Garrity ?.....Gerrity.....I think the former, though !!
Cheers - Phil
Picoarmo 3mm Cold War US and Warsaw Pact. Thousands of them. Then sold them off earlier this year...
V/R,
Jack
Greetings
If plastic then undoubtedly Aifrfix something. Possibly the band or the infantry battle group (or whatever it was called). If metal then I think it was a selection of 25mm Hichcliffe French Napoleonic infantry, probably from a Model Engineer exhibition.
Regards
Edward