.. or how I adopted anything and everything and learned to 'love' chaos.
I've no idea how I ended up messing about with wargame figures as I was a dedicated 54mm figure modeller. Especially as I didn't know anybody who was into the hobby so it would be a solo effort. Anyway one day I bought a Minifigs Marlburian army, read too many David Chandler books, 25mm was about the only scale in those days and it was organized and sized for WRG oatcake edition. Needless to say the thing was huge and I carted it around the country through several house moves and now and again it got paid attention to. Thirty years later it got finished by breaking it up into two different armies, neither of whom had an opponent.
The hobby was laid aside for many years until I had the time, resources and interest to get back into it. This was through the good offices of DBA and 1/72 plastic ancients, never had a day's luck since.
At time of writing I've got so many armies I don't know what to do with them (result of being a soloist, one army begets an opponent), selling them is out of the question. Scales are also 10mm, 15mm, 1/72 and 25/28mm. Periods are ancients, right through to WW2 as well as fantasy and sci-fi. Even worse some of the opposing forces are in different scales. For example, at the time of the bicerntennial I bought a British force in 28mm for the AWI based on Guilford Courthouse. Needed an opponent, so what did I do? Built one in 1/72 plastic and 20mm metal. Recently bought another one in 28mm.
After all this I've become aware that I'm not that keen a gamer, so I've been searching around for a set of rules that fit my short attention span. Currently that's a combination of bits from Irregular Wars, One Hour Wargaming, Hordes and Heroes, DBA, HOTT, Warhammer 40K and others. The mixture is still stewing, all based on Kallistra hex terrain.
I'm 66 years old, so I gotta settle down.
I should have started thus:
- Choose one scale for skirmish
- Choose a smaller scale for larger forces
- Sort out the rules first
- Stick to one figure supplier if possible
- Join a club
Any of this familiar? I'd be interested to read of others' experiences.
I must have been around ten when my mother expressed some concern over my preference for games with toy soldiers over more traditional pursuits, like football. My father assured her, "It's a phase." and,"He'll grow out of it." They're still waiting :)
I started with Airfix figures and marbles in the early 60's, moved on to Airfix ships and Fletcher Pratt's rules in the mid 60's, land wargames followed a few months later. Armies have been bought, sold, traded, upgraded, improved, rebased, repainted and extended.
I have the same armies in more than one ... several ... more scales than any sane person should.
I don't just buy one side. I don't even "just" buy two opposing armies. Just one example, my 6mm Sumerian project (two small Sumerian armies to fight each other) has grown to the point where (if I ever get them all painted) I can field a historically attested force from the mid-sized city state of Shurrupak at 1:1 scale!! Plus Amurru, Old Kingdom Egyptians, Gutians, Melukhans and Elamites. Megalomaniac? Moi!?
My forces stretch in time from around 2,000,000BC to 40,000AD and in space across the galaxy.
They say wargamers can't die while they have unpainted lead to deal with. If that's true I must be practically immortal :D
As to joining a club ... that's just exposing yourself to even more temptation!
I seem to be a outlier.
I have told this story before, but some of the newer chaps may not have heard it. My wargaming was pretty flat prior to my divorce. Once freed from the shackles of matrimony, I had a few shaky years but then decided to start anew. I threw away all my Peter Laing 15mm, the 1:300 microtanks, my miscellaneous 20mm and the odds and sods like the Airfix waterline Bismark and 12 Tribal class destroyers. The only thing that was left was my WWII 20mm - and I look at them carefully every now and again as storage gets tighter.
I started from scratch. I wanted one scale, one manufacturer, every period from Babylon to Blake's 7. 25mm and above was a non-starter. Them's for skirmish games and old men. I toyed with 20mm and 15mm, but they were too big. I thought about 6mm, but that was too small. Then I tried 10mm and it was just right. Then I looked for manufacturers. I sent for sample orders - a Churchill and some British WWII infantry, and it was when the Churchill of a certain manufacturer looked too "nice" that I knew Pendraken was the place for me. Also, I phoned and talked to Dave, so who could resist?
I've dipped into most of the Pendraken ranges - 'cepting Saurai, and League of Ausburg (not enough variety for me) and Colonial, and AWI, well in fact anything between Marlborough and Wellington ... all right I've dipped into quite a few of the Pendraken ranges ... even Fantasy - but that was for a conversion.
At the same time as I abandoned my heterogeneous collection, I threw away all my enamel paints - including some Humbrol Authenticolour - which I miss greatly. I now paint entirely in acrylics, but don't feel very confident in bright, colourful uniforms which is why I have a separate "Napoleonic Lead Mountain".
More recently, I was lured by Tumbling Dice, so went a bit mad on 1:600 scale aircraft, and then 1:600 scale ships and then 1:3000 scale ships (all WWII).
In summary then, I am pretty good at sticking to my 10mm rule, and am slowly building up little forces; squadron/company size in WWII*, 400 figures per side in medieval and ACW, platoon sized skirmish games for the Spanish-American war, but I know I am building up to fielding rather large Napoleonic forces - a Corps of Wellington's army at Waterloo with battallions of 80 figures - then French, Prussian, Russian, Austo-Hungarian and Uncle Tom Cobley an all. Actually, I'd like to field an 1815 Ottoman Army. That would be fun.
If only I could get the hang of painting colourful uniforms.
*OK, my British 1944 has a squadron of Cromwells, one of Churchills and one of Shermans, plus odd funnies, but who's counting?
Funny old world; the only scale I've ditched is 20mm - mainly Airfix, although there were a few Hinton Hunt and Jacklex in there. For the last 50 odd years I have had all sorts on the go, but can still only really field:
two 15mm WOR armies
two 15mm ACW armes
two 10mm SYW armies
two 10mm FPW armies
two 6mm FPW armies
two 3mm ACW armies
two 2mm APW armies
one 28mm Post-Roman Saxon army
one 15mm Venetian Italian Wars army
one 15mm WWI BEF 1914
one 10mm post-Roman Arthurian army
one 10mm WWI/White Russian army
That works out at approx one army every four years - pretty naff, although I have sold off a small number of armies (20mm ACW, 6mm ACW, 15mm FPW, 10mm FPW - that one was probably the daftest move, although those are the armies currently appearing in my BBB FPW campaign). There are however all sorts of projects to be completed, and at the moment I am finishing off a 28mm Saga army and then it is on to my 15mm 1914 Germans. Too much in the lead and plastic mountain to mention, but you can definitely see the butterfly in what I have been up to.
I started playing using Charge or how to play wargames with Airfix Napoleonics. Then played WW2 20mm using Operation Warboard. Microtanks using Donald Feathersones (blessed be his name) Rules.
Then a friend came round with some lovely painted 15mm Mikes Models (Essex) renaissance figures. Loved the colour and variety and I was hooked on Real wargaming using the Gush rules. I then did moderns using WRG . All playing with this one friend.
I got married and went into a hiatus, only painting figures and playing ww2 occasionally at another friends. When I moved again I Joined the local club and it moved on from there. Getting Divorced also boosted my hobby. I now have a group of friends who all have free time during the week. Three of us have tables so we get two full days gaming ( at least) every month, plus weekly club nights. I also have more time to paint and more money to spend on my hobbies so its very dangerous
6mm
WW1/Russian Civil war
British
Russian
German
10mm
Dacian/ Warband army
Early Imperial Romans
Parthian - Awaiting paint
Wars of the Roses - Both Sides
Marlburian _ British.
Spanish - awaiting paint
ACW Union - Awaiting paint
ACW Confederate- Awaiting paint
North Africa British
German
Italian
Early war Polish
German
Belgian
Awaiting paint
BEF -
Russian -
Fallshirmjager
15mm
Hebrew
Modern Africa
Italian Wars
20mm
WW2 North east Europe
28mm
Vikings
Gondor
Orcs
Dwarves
Elves
On top of this lot I have a load left to paint
400 15mm Italian wars
100 28mm Orcs
100 28mm Gondor
300= 15mm Napoleonics (from 30 years ago)
So like Ithoriel I should be immortal
So it's not only me then. A lot in there I recognise. Great stuff, many thanks for sharing 8)
Okay...
I started young, aged 11, and got into early 1st edition Warhammer. Then I got introduced to 6th Edition, WRG WW2, DBA, DBM, and from there...
Never stopped.
The wife just shrugs it off, but it pays for her sewing lessons...
My most lax period was during 1998, where I didn't paint for 9 months as I was working away, and during teacher training when I only painted three tigers and 150 Amerindian cavalry.
I appear to paint more often for friends these days than myself, but actually, I'm just ahead this year...
What have I got (painted):
6mm
Greeks
Macedonians
Vikings
Huns
15mm
WW2 British
WW2 Germans x 2
WW2 Russians
WW2 Americans
There should be more here, but I sold out before the market crashed...
Vietnam NVA
Later Imperial Romans.
Maximilian Adventure French
Maximilian Adventure Mexican Republican
WW1 British
WW1 Germans
Plains Indians
US Army for Pony Wars
Napoleonic British 1815
Prussians 1806
28mm
Tau
High Elf/Melnibonians
Halflings
Marian Romans
Scots
Various generic sci-fi
Many Blood Bowl teams
Various 28mm fantasy skirmish figures (Frostgrave et al)
1:1200 galleys Carthaginian
1:1200 galleys Romans
1:2400 British Naval WW2
1:2400 German Naval WW2
1:600 Tumbling Dice planes
Russian WW2
Finnish WW2
Late War British
Late wat American bombers
Late War German jets
Modern British jets
Modern soviet jets
Modern Argentine jets
Star Wars Armada imperials
Various sci-fi starship fleets (mostly from Drew at Studio Bergstrom)
10mm
FPW French
FPW Prussian
FPW Wurttemberg
FPW Bavarian
1866 Saxon
1864 Prussian
LOA Anglo-Dutch
Polish & Lithuanian Commonwealth
Tudors
Samurai
Mongols
Picts
Later Imperial Romans
Republican Romans
AWI British
AWI American
Woodland Indians
7/12 of the Warband armies
Fantasy armies not covered by Warband.
Falklands British
Falklands Argentine
Timecast Soviets
1980s Western Europe British Armoured
Mitanni
And that's after selling off a load!
So for me:
- Choose one scale for skirmish
Skirmish for me is in 28mm. In general. Do have 10 mm ww2 forces, and pendrakens zombies and survivors
- Choose a smaller scale for larger forces
Again a mix: 28 mm for napoleon and fantasy, 10 mm for ww2 and acw. I do not plan to do big scale for large battles anymore. Small scale is just more handy to store. Would like to try 15mm though, the only scale i never did!
- Sort out the rules first
As i have said here on the forum, i have been sorting out my rules for a while now. Sticking to the same family of games to reduce downtime. Using the same rules engine means you don't spend much time looking things up when you should be playing.
I talked about it here: http://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,17523.0.html
- Stick to one figure supplier if possible
Almost impossible for me. I like to stick to one as much as i can but just doesn't work. Generally i stick to one supplier for each project though. ( except for napoleon, where i mix perry and warlord games)
The problem here is the games i play. You have IP games like terminator or LOTR, so you have limited choices in manufacturers. Mixing up scales also means you have to use different suppliers. And not everyone having a complete range makes it even harder.
- Join a club
Got a group of friends to play with so that counts as a group i think!
Started in big Airfix plastics with trashy rules in the 1970s; discovered 6mm in the 80s; cut back severely to 15mm pike and shot and 6mm SYW in the 90s; and discovered the One True Scale in the new millennium, with 6mm houses and 1:1200 ships in supporting roles.
Current holdings:
Ancient
Bronze age Greeks
NKE
Imperial Assyrians
Midianite alliance
Scythians
Northern Indians
Ch'in
Han
Achaemenid Persians
Classical Greeks
Thracians
Alexandrian Macedonians
Seleucids
Antigonids
Pyrrhics
Nabatean alliance
Early Gauls
Iberians
Numidians
Later Carthaginians
Republican Romans
Imperial Romans (WIP)
Hunnic alliance (WIP)
Early Byzantines (WIP)
Sassanid Persians (WIP)
Medievals
Ayyubids
Franks, 3rd Crusade
Comnenan Byzantines
Pike and Shot
Oda
Takeda
Ming
Ava Burmese
Moghul Imperial
Moghul Rebel
Renaissance French
Renaissance Spaniards
Conquistadors (WIP)
Incas
Mexicans (WIP)
Cavaliers
Roundheads
Scots
17th century Turks
Zaporozhian Cossacks
Poles
Muscovites
Swedes
Horse and Musket
SYW Prussians
SYW Austrians
Dixies
Dam' Yankees
Victorians
Khedival Egyptians
Mahdists
Abyssinians
Zulus
Modern
WWI aircraft - British, French, German
8th Army
Afrika Korps
What have I done with my life!?
The 'butterfly effect' seems to have been rampant among forum members over the years. Compared to some of you guys I dont think I am as muxed ip as I thought I was ;D Marvellous responses.
How about 'Desert Island Discs' time?
Table and terrain a given.
Blk, Wh, silver, gold. red, blue, green and yellow paints a given along with the usual sundries.
1 Book (history or hobby)
1 Example of electronic medium
6 Armies of your choice
I typed this thinking I had a quick answer, turns out I don't. This could take some time.
How about 'Desert Island Discs' time?
1 Book (history or hobby)
Napoleonic wargaming by Neil thomas
1 Example of electronic medium
My phone, with my ganesha games pdf's on it
6 Armies of your choice
To spend a lot of time
Waterloo french
Waterloo british and allies
To get the pirates of the carribean feel
Pirates
British marines
For big games (there will be room on that island)
Bkc pendraken british
Bkc pendraken germans
That was easy
Excellent choices.
Out-thought me with the 'phone.
However it's disallowed, no point being on a desert island with one of those :P
Audio/visual, DVD/MP3
How about 'Desert Island Discs' time?
1 Book (history or hobby) A Day of Battle David Ascoli
1 Example of electronic medium ipad, with Total War Rome on it
6 Armies of your choice
FPW Prussian/German (all Corps)
FPW French (all Corps)
WW2 Americans
WW2 German
Star Wars Imperial Fleet
Star Wars Rebel Fleet
Book: A Day of Battle David Ascoli
Electronic medium: ;D ;D ;D absolutely no chance!
6 armies:
FPW French
FPW Prussian
SYW Prussian
SYW Austrian
Italian Wars Spanish
Italian Wars French
Quote from: SV52 on 18 July 2018, 08:53:05 AM
Excellent choices.
Out-thought me with the 'phone.
However it's disallowed, no point being on a desert island with one of those :P
Audio/visual, DVD/MP3
Tablet or phone. It's practically the same. Without reception, a modern day phone IS a tablet so.. :D
After a week the battery will be dead anyway. Just need enough time to carve some of the special rules/tables in a rock or something.
Quote from: FierceKitty on 18 July 2018, 06:55:34 AM
What have I done with my life!?
I think that's a bit like the George best quote "I spent a lot of money on Booze Women and fast cars the rest I just wasted. "
In your case
"I spent a lot of time and money collecting and painting these figures the rest I just wasted"
By sundries I am assuming rules to match your period of Armies
1 Book (history or hobby)
A History of the art of war in the middle Ages - Oman.
1 Example of electronic medium
I pad with Solar charger holding painting guides
6 Armies of your choice
Marlburian French and Allied
Italian Wars - Two Armies as I can use nearly all units on either side
WW2 France 1940 Allies and Germans
Donald Featherstone's "War Games".
Solar powered Kindle
If it's a desert island, I thought I should use the available terrain:
Britsh & Italo-German, 1943 Tunisia.
Anglo-Allied & French, 1813
Greek & Carthaginian, very old timey
Quote from: fsn on 18 July 2018, 11:27:15 AM
Donald Featherstone's "War Games".
Solar powered Kindle
If it's a desert island, I thought I should use the available terrain:
Britsh & Italo-German, 1943 Tunisia.
Anglo-Allied & French, 1813
Greek & Carthaginian, very old timey
That would give you a very large "table"
Well, SV52, your post comes just as I am contemplating sorting out what was once the guest bedroom but has gradually become something of a dumping place for my hobby stuff, plus the coffee table in the dining room, the top of the freezer in the garage and the shelves at the back of the garden shed; I was looking for a recent order yesterday and just couldn't find it in all the chaos; Well, I found part of it but not most of it...
All started like so many with Airfix in the late '60s, early '70s, trying to recreate Waterloo on the living room floor. Couple of like minded mates from school and Donald Featherstone's rules, althoug sometimes we used Arthur Ransom's (?) diceless ones. Joing the school wargames club got the juices flowing for 1/300 tanks and also Airfix HO/OO ones. At one time had a German panzer division and Soviet tank corps in 1/300 metal,or at least as far as w could research OOBs in those days. Two of us discovered Peter Laing and a long-term love affair with 15mm began (I hear cries of heresy). A university grant introduced me to Mikes Models and the Baltic Crusades and Dacian Wars - two falames which still burn brightly. I probably have more Teutonic Knight models than there were actual knights, and who can have too many Lithiuanian cavalry?
The came girls, booze and looking for a job. Coupled with gaming friends being in the same boat, interest waned for a long time, especially after moving abroad. The advent of wargames magazines stirred old embers and in the early '90s I dipped into 10mm for the first time, building small WWII Eastern Front forces for a campaign which has never really taken off, although all the details are still there in my notebook. Another long-term love started then, this time the SYW, which is also about to move into 10mm from 15mm.
I dabbled in 6mm for a time but found them too small, although I did like the mass effect, which I couldn't affort to recreate in 15mm and then I though the WWII 10mm forces and eureka. Off went the 6mm an din came the 10mm, large French and Russian Napoleonic armies and an idea to build an Austrian one too. Have the brits, but not painted yet. An old ECW itch was also scratched and I just have to complete the New Model Army to get a decent game going. I am now sorely tempted by the new Indian Mutiny range as this has always struck a chord for some reason. A 10 mm Culloden army just has to based and then I'll launch the SYW project.
Rules are a problem. I have a bookshelf full of them, all read, but only few played, despite the fact that I build armies to fit specific rules that I never play. Not sure what syas about me, but you have to start somewhere I suppose. Currently looking at Sword & Spear for the Dacian Wars and Lion rampant for the Baltics - seems to fit with the small scale nature of the fiighting there, although I do want to deploy all those Teutonics for a mass charge :D
The lead mountain is scattered around, but is large for all that it is low lying. I recently found this site that allows you to enter your collection details and prices it for you. Gave me a nasty shock when I see just some of what I've spent over the years. :o
Armies
15mm
Carthaginian
Republican Roman
EIR
Dacian
Palmyran
Spartan (DBA force)
Anglo-Danish (1066)
Normans
Nikephorian Byzantines
Rus
Early Polish
Lithuanian
Teutonic Knights
Later Crusader
Ayyubids
WotR Yorkists
WotR Lancastrians
AWI British
AWI Continentals
Latvian War of Indepedence Latvians (RCW)
Baltic Freikorps
Bolsheviks
Late War Germans (Eastern front)
Late War Russians
British in Italy
Germans in Italy
14th Army - Burma
Japanese - Burma and elsewhere
10mm
Late War Russian battlegroup
Late War German battlegroup
ECW Royalists
ECW New Model Army (ish)
1745 Jacobites
1745 Hanoverians
1812 Russian
1812 French
Peninsular British (ish)
SYW Prussian (the beginnings)
As you can see, it covers quite a bit and I can't really say that any army is actually "finished", except perhaps the 10 mm Eastern front battlegroups. Rather than add to them, I'm tempted by a Barbarossa force. AWI and the WotR armies are pretty much done, but an odd base of artillery or handgunners never goes amiss for the latter, not Indians for the former.
So, as has already been said, immortality looks assured !!
Have you looked at the Sub-Board "In the Line of Fire" in the "Intro's and Welcomes" Board yet, SV52? Anyway, here is a brief summary of my experience.
- "Real Wargaming" starts in early teens with Airfix soldiers and homespun rules.
- Don Featherstone's "Naval Wargames" opens up new horizons. ACW games played using Featherstone's rules.
- First painted figures (previously only tanks, planes and ships) and first conversions cannibalising other figures and using plasticine and banana oil.
- To "grow up" and focus on career, etc., Airfix ACW, AWI and Napoleonic collection given away to cousin. Career, amateur football, hanging out with friends disinterested in wargaming, marriage, family, etc., follows. But inwardly longing for wargaming fix so continue to buy magazines (including Strategy & Tactics with free board game), and 'commercial' rules, go to shows and play computer strategy games over the next 25 years.
- Meet old wargaming acquaintance by chance on train. We both buy and paint up 6mm ECW and Napoleonic armies, play many DBR and Shako games and run two demos at shows.
- Our short-lived little wargaming 'club' is dissolved when I discover my acquaintance has a secret lifestyle we fundamentally disagree over and which results in his incarceration(!).
- Another period in the wargaming wilderness during which my 6mm armies are sold (but terrain retained - hence the 'Wendy' houses, Ithoriel).
- Family grows, finances start to get slightly better and decision made to start a new collection. SYW chosen. Talk to Dark Lord at Claymore in Edinburgh who flashes his wares. 10mm chosen.
- Now have opposing SYW and ACW armies in 10mm and 15mm (ACW started before Pendraken's new ACW range). Joined the Pendraken, Honours of War and Peter Pig forums. Have more rules than I can ever play (currently Honours of War, Field of Battle, Black Powder mostly played). I play solo and sometimes with others (e.g., Greenock Wargames Club). Don't have an unpainted figure mountain - more of a "heap."
- Read more than play or paint nowadays (like most of my life, I suppose) but, having recently started a new ECW project, the addiction is still latent within.
I am Westie and I am a Wargame-a-holic. :-[
p.s. @Nobby: It's 'Augsburg,' old chum. :P
Quote from: mad lemmey on 17 July 2018, 11:25:47 PM
Okay...
I started young, aged 11, and got into early 1st edition Warhammer. Then I got introduced to 6th Edition, WRG WW2, DBA, DBM, and from there...
Never stopped.
The wife just shrugs it off, but it pays for her sewing lessons...
My most lax period was during 1998, where I didn't paint for 9 months as I was working away, and during teacher training when I only painted three tigers and 150 Amerindian cavalry.
I appear to paint more often for friends these days than myself, but actually, I'm just ahead this year...
Like it, another nutter.
Quote from: petercooman on 18 July 2018, 06:02:42 AM
So for me:
Good choices again, envious of friends group.
Quote from: FierceKitty on 18 July 2018, 06:55:34 AM
Started in big Airfix plastics with trashy rules in the 1970s; discovered 6mm in the 80s; cut back severely to 15mm pike and shot and 6mm SYW in the 90s; and discovered the One True Scale in the new millennium, with 6mm houses and 1:1200 ships in supporting roles
Yup, another sufferer. Better not to ask the last question. It's like thinking about how much money you've spent on cars over the years.
Quote from: mad lemmey on 18 July 2018, 09:05:58 AM
How about 'Desert Island Discs' time?
A Day of Battle David Ascoli
Don't know that one, like the choices.
Quote from: Leman on 18 July 2018, 09:16:52 AM
Book: A Day of Battle David Ascoli
Electronic medium: ;D ;D ;D absolutely no chance!
Italian Wars Spanish
Italian Wars French
Ascoli again, hmm.
Luddite
Oh yeah!
Quote from: petercooman on 18 July 2018, 09:45:16 AM
Tablet or phone. It's practically the same. Without reception, a modern day phone IS a tablet so.. :D
After a week the battery will be dead anyway. Just need enough time to carve some of the special rules/tables in a rock or something.
Not convinced, wind turbine available for power (the bits are there, all you gotta do is build it) but no phone service.
Quote from: Orcs on 18 July 2018, 10:24:32 AM
I think that's a bit like the George best quote "I spent a lot of money on Booze Women and fast cars the rest I just wasted. "
In your case
"I spent a lot of time and money collecting and painting these figures the rest I just wasted"
Indeed.
Quote from: Orcs on 18 July 2018, 10:41:46 AM
By sundries I am assuming rules to match your period of Armies
1 Book (history or hobby)
A History of the art of war in the middle Ages - Oman.
1 Example of electronic medium
I pad with Solar charger holding painting guides
6 Armies of your choice
Marlburian French and Allied
Italian Wars - Two Armies as I can use nearly all units on either side
WW2 France 1940 Allies and Germans
Nice range again. Sundries - glue, brushes, stuff like that.
Quote from: fsn on 18 July 2018, 11:27:15 AM
Donald Featherstone's "War Games".
Solar powered Kindle
If it's a desert island, I thought I should use the available terrain:
Britsh & Italo-German, 1943 Tunisia.
Anglo-Allied & French, 1813
Greek & Carthaginian, very old timey
A sandtable and a half. Very themed selection. The Featherstone one I know, got too.
Quote from: Malbork on 18 July 2018, 02:55:09 PM
Well, SV52, your post comes just as I am contemplating sorting out what was once the guest bedroom but has gradually become something of a dumping place for my hobby stuff, plus the coffee table in the dining room, the top of the freezer in the garage and the shelves at the back of the garden shed; I was looking for a recent order yesterday and just couldn't find it in all the chaos; Well, I found part of it but not most of it...
A good read, another incredible collection.
Quote from: SV52 on 18 July 2018, 04:09:53 PM
Not convinced, wind turbine available for power (the bits are there, all you gotta do is build it) but no phone service.
Ok laptop it is then. Holds more books, music and can play cossacks european war!
Quote from: SV52 on 18 July 2018, 04:02:40 PM
Like it, another nutter.
Ok, I resemble that remark!
Quote from: Westmarcher on 18 July 2018, 04:00:56 PM
p.s. @Nobby: It's 'Augsburg,' old chum. :P
I know, but for some reason it never quite comes out right when I type it. :-\
I really don't understand all these cries of heresy when anyone mentions anything other than 10mm when talking about wargaming in general. Let's remember where it all started and how it initially developed. I began in 1966 and never saw a 10mm figure before 1992 - that's the best part of thirty years.
Well I suppose it's because we're all now devoted followers of the Dark Lord, but even he, sorry He has dealings with 28mm and 15mm.
Truly, His ways are unknowing.
>I really don't understand all these cries of heresy when anyone mentions anything other than 10mm when talking about wargaming in general Let's remember where it all started and how it initially developed. I began in 1966 and never saw a 10mm figure before 1992 - that's the best part of thirty years
Indeed and before that, the terracotta bloke had a huge army in a really big scale or in his words 'the one true scale'.
It seems likely that budget, storage space, playing space, associates and health (eyes, hands, backs, necks etc), plus a little bit of what you fancy will influence scale and army choices as much as anything else.
Then there is the 'going beyond the point of return' argument, so you have so many 15mm ACW figures with matching terrain, that you can't now contemplate up / down scale changes because of the current investment.
There is an advantage in one scale for everything, particularly for terrain, which is potentially the most bulky aspect of our collecting.
I have always wished that I was one of those people who has that smug certainty that they have terrain, scale, game size, period and rules right and tight and have no desire to think or look beyond that boundary ...... but I am all over the place and see the advantage and disadvantage in everything. Everything is too big and too small, Everything is too small to paint or takes too long to paint, everything is either too complicated and can't be remembered or is too easy and bland, Everything I sell because I will never use it, I want back a month later, but at least I am consistent in being short of storage space! yes, I am quite good at that.
Indeed. I would love to have some skirmish sets in 25/28mm, but can't be faffed with the scenery. That's why I stick to 10mm, and can even skirmish in that scale.
10mm is a discipline that I actually can stick to - except where I'm doing air or sea and they don't need scenery in the same way. When I bought some PzIV's for my 1:600 Seibel ferries, I was soooo tempted to have another look at micro-armour, but I resisted O:-) largely because of the scenery requirements.
I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but I am an old guy in my 70's and played my first wargame in the mid 50's. And my first real game as we know it toady about six or seven years later after getting Donald Featherstone's "Tackle Model Soldiers This Way' Book. That opened a whole new venue for me and it's never stopped since. I am probably more of a modeler and painter than a gamer, but do love HOTT and DBN, so play a lot of that with the local guys. I started with Revell and Mongram army figures and models, but in the early sixties learned abut Bussler and Scruby miniatures so got lots of them. I also started doing 54 MM figures and that was my main interest for a good while as I never saw much fun in the WRG and CLS rules that required dozens of figures for a single unit.
After graduation from the University of Texas at Austin, I was devoed ot my career in Corporate America. However, I still kept actively pursuing uniform research and information. After retiring I was able ot once again jump back into gaming and locals David Crenshaw and Paul Potter introduced me to DBA and that was all it took. I have been devoted to DBA based gaming ever since. Foe m, i's perfect small armies but still a fast fun game. However, I must be honest and say I do not care at all for the new DBA, 3.0. Not the same game, so I am a dedicated HOTT and DBN gamer now.
And so here I am over 50 years later still playing with toy soldiers, and with not a single regret!
Terry
Quote from: petercooman on 18 July 2018, 04:57:15 PM
Ok laptop it is then. Holds more books, music and can play cossacks european war!
Have you tried Cossacks III yet? The Scots are separate faction so scenarios for the '45 and Montrose are possible.
Quote from: Terry37 on 18 July 2018, 09:47:01 PM
And so here I am over 50 years later still playing with toy soldiers, and with not a single regret!
Terry
Good to hear from another 'silver surfer' ;)
Quote from: SV52 on 18 July 2018, 08:35:05 AM
The 'butterfly effect' seems to have been rampant among forum members over the years. Compared to some of you guys I dont think I am as muxed ip as I thought I was ;D Marvellous responses.
How about 'Desert Island Discs' time?
Table and terrain a given.
Blk, Wh, silver, gold. red, blue, green and yellow paints a given along with the usual sundries.
1 Book (history or hobby)
1 Example of electronic medium
6 Armies of your choice
I typed this thinking I had a quick answer, turns out I don't. This could take some time.
The Military Experience in the Age of Reason Duffy
Espresso machine, with trimmings (great aid to morale when your centre's disintegrating)
SYW Prussians and Austrians
Republican Roman and Seleucids
Renaissance French and Imperialists
(I'd REALLY miss my Poles, Japanese, Crusades, Sudan campaign, and certain others.)
QuoteI really don't understand all these cries of heresy when anyone mentions anything other than 10mm when talking about wargaming in general. Let's remember where it all started and how it initially developed. I began in 1966 and never saw a 10mm figure before 1992 - that's the best part of thirty years.
Point taken, Leman and Norm. My first 10mm came around 20 years after first unboxing Airfix US Marines and letting the genie out of the bottle. :)
Quote from: FierceKitty on 19 July 2018, 07:28:23 AM
The Military Experience in the Age of Reason Duffy
Espresso machine, with trimmings (great aid to morale when your centre's disintegrating)
SYW Prussians and Austrians
Republican Roman and Seleucids
Renaissance French and Imperialists
(I'd REALLY miss my Poles, Japanese, Crusades, Sudan campaign, and certain others.)
Duffy, geez, I'm a great admirer of his work. This book choice is getting more and more difficult.
Coffee, of course! Seeds and a 'how to' need to be included.
I need to get off the pot and get my choices down but it's just so difficult "I'll think about that tomorrow...."
The book choice thing is quite difficult. I chose Ascoli's because it is the clearest presentation of a FPW battle I have come across, but I also have some excellent books on Flodden and Gordon Craig's book on Koniggratz which was the first really decent military history book I read.
I just can't make my mind up over fiction, memoires, campaigns, etc, etc, etc.
OK, time to wind this one up I think.
No lists, they all appear on the blogs.
Book: The Steel Bonnets - George MacDonald Fraser
Electronic: Pod cast collection of Melvyn Bragg's In Our Time
Alexander Macedonians and Achaemenid Persians, 1/72
French and German Divisions 1940, 10mm
Spanish and French of the Early Italian Wars, 1/72