A while back I was talking with a friend about how I first became interested in wargaming. I suppose my first contact with wargaming was reading an article in an Annual (Eagle maybe?) by Donald Featherstone, but I didn't get much further until a few years later I came across his War Games book in the library. However The seeds were possibly planted much earlier by the General Jumbo comic strip in the Beano, anyone else remember this?
Now if only Pendraken would start producing radio controlled lancers.
Can't get the electronics small enough yet, it's on it's way.
Quote from: KeithS on 10 May 2021, 12:14:12 PM
However The seeds were possibly planted much earlier by the General Jumbo comic strip in the Beano, anyone else remember this?
Yup, General Jumbo was one of my favourites in the 60's and 70's.
"General Jumbo" haven't heard that in years likewise, I suppose it planted the subliminal seeds of wargaming in my head.
One of my childhood favourites!
He was still in the Beano until the early 80s.
Quote from: Lord Speedy of Leighton on 10 May 2021, 05:09:43 PM
He was still in the Beano until the early 80s.
That's quite surprising, he must have had a pretty good innings then, I was well under 10 when I was reading the Beano in the sixties, but had stopped by the eighties of course.
Hi
Well that brought back a few memories! :)
Just checked my son's Beano annuals and General Jumbo was still around to 2010 at least.
I am trying to remember who his arch enemy was? :-
Cheers Paul
(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IJ-DOFxsuHo/WtxhvBb6kbI/AAAAAAAAhGc/Xkb0Z7fNBjE6dmW3izqRZKsUne_Fc3JqQCLcBGAs/s1600/beano1288.jpg)(https://i.pinimg.com/474x/30/4f/93/304f93e5816d0953d8b3db569a41023a.jpg)
General Jumbo! Good heavens, that takes me back. :)
Quote from: Nirnman on 10 May 2021, 03:20:18 PM
"General Jumbo" haven't heard that in years likewise, I suppose it planted the subliminal seeds of wargaming in my head.
Must admit, I was hoping for an elephant, who was a General.
Preferably a speaking elephant.
Now I must admit I cannot remember this character, despite getting the Beano and Dandy as a young kid in the 60's. All I can remember are Minnie the Minx, Desperate Dan and the Bash Street Kids.
I must admit it took quite a few years before I realised that the name of Dennis the Menace's dog - Gnasher - was pronounced with a silent G.
Yes, I remember General Jumbo, but Corporal Clott was funnier. Airfix got me into wargaming after my long association with Britains (can't remember far enough back when I didn't have any Britains toy soldiers - metal knights, plastic Swoppetts, cowboys, cavalry and Indians, Battle of Waterloo and 8th Army and Afrika Korps).
And a 25 pdr that fired matchsticks!
Quote from: FierceKitty on 11 May 2021, 06:39:33 AM
And a 25 pdr that fired matchsticks!
Ho..Yus !.....(They weren't very accurate though...and the range was a tad on the limited side !) ;)
Don't remember General Jumbo, ......Now....
Q bikes....... ;D ;D ;D
Cheers - Phil. :)
My first wargames were Airfix Injuns and a 25 pdr on each side. What an embarrassing memory. Of course, I was only 54 at the time....
Although I very rarely read The Beano (it was the likes of the Hotspur, Victor, Hornet, Valiant, Eagle and Boys Own for me), I enviously loved General Jumbo's radio controlled army, crazily wondering how you could control all of these vehicles and little men with a lever and two buttons on a box with an aerial. What also fascinated me was that he not only had the usual hardware of tanks, artillery, armoured cars and stuff but also bridging and other engineering vehicles as well. Wishing longingly for my own radio controlled miniature army, it was probably the first 'project' that I ever planned for building my ideal wargaming army.
A similar army of microsoldiers appeared in one story in The Trigan Empire, if anyone remembers.
Quote from: FierceKitty on 11 May 2021, 06:39:33 AM
And a 25 pdr that fired matchsticks!
That goes without saying.
Quote from: FierceKitty on 11 May 2021, 10:01:54 AM
A similar army of microsoldiers appeared in one story in The Trigan Empire, if anyone remembers.
I remember The Trigan Empire, Look and Learn if memory serves, unfortunately I missed the story with micro-soldiers.
Although I don't remember much about The Trigan empire cartoons, well over 40 years since those days, I wonder if anyone has used it as a basis for a wargames campaign.
Quote from: steve_holmes_11 on 10 May 2021, 07:21:31 PM
Must admit, I was hoping for an elephant, who was a General.
Preferably a speaking elephant.
Sorry to disappoint, although a young lad who has a radio controlled mini army of his own isn't too bad.
Presumably Steve has no memory of the likes of Alf Tupper, Limp along Leslie or the Four Marys (you needed a sister for the last two).
Crikey! Tupper, the Tough of the Track! I think it was following his fish and chip training diet that may have prevented my playing international rugby you know.
General Jumbo, planted the seed that Callan prodded into germination.
The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire - Ranger magazine first - then Look and Learn then... it went on forever! I grew out of it before anywhere near the end. They are reprinting it in four volumes allegedly. I'm debating whether to sink completely into my dotage by buying them (only two out so far) or buy more 10mm. Thoughts?
I'm going to stop before we get onto Maggot Malone and Paddy Payne Fighter Ace and...
Kids don't appreciate real literature these days
Quote from: Leman on 12 May 2021, 08:10:28 AM
Presumably Steve has no memory of the likes of Alf Tupper, Limp along Leslie or the Four Marys (you needed a sister for the last two).
To keep it vaguely wargamey let's not forget Matt Braddock VC, and of course Captain Hurricane beating up tanks. Perhaps you could represent him in a 10mm game by a 28mm marine figure. :D
Quote from: steve_holmes_11 on 10 May 2021, 07:21:31 PM
Must admit, I was hoping for an elephant, who was a General.
Preferably a speaking elephant.
A pity. You could have set up a tusk force.
Nobby - COAT now
Funny how successful the old 50s, 60s comics were at teaching foreign languages. Never forgotten that gem of a phrase, Englander schweinhund, or those Japanese soldiers screaming "miniature trees" as their officer surged forward with his katana and obligatory round glasses. Never found much use for the only French I can remember from school, "Voulez vous nettoyer le tableau noir?" "Oui, je veux bien nettoyer le tableau noir." Learnt more French from supermarket girls over there. Wonder how many Tesco girls can help out a French tourist in French?
;D ;D
"Eeyah Tanya, this cheeky French lad keeps saying he wants to clean my blackboard"
"B....y Cheek"
"but he is quite cute though"
Quote from: Leman on 12 May 2021, 08:10:28 AM
Presumably Steve has no memory of the likes of Alf Tupper, Limp along Leslie or the Four Marys (you needed a sister for the last two).
I remember Alf Tupper (Though none of the others).
Always got handed the late shift when he was due at a track meet, started half a lap down, and had to stop off to straighten out some bullies, or finish his bag of chips during the race.
It's a shame he never got to race against Coe and Ovett.
Quote from: Leman on 12 May 2021, 05:03:14 PM
Funny how successful the old 50s, 60s comics were at teaching foreign languages. Never forgotten that gem of a phrase, Englander schweinhund, or those Japanese soldiers screaming "miniature trees" as their officer surged forward with his katana and obligatory round glasses. Never found much use for the only French I can remember from school, "Voulez vous nettoyer le tableau noir?" "Oui, je veux bien nettoyer le tableau noir." Learnt more French from supermarket girls over there. Wonder how many Tesco girls can help out a French tourist in French?
How are you getting on with the Albert Heijn girls?
Quote from: Westmarcher on 12 May 2021, 03:42:53 PM
A pity. You could have set up a tusk force.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/bPXm5CO9_lA3w_tyLmas36yRibIFNhVng5F12n-rlb0AoZ8TLG5ptywhUnCg8Wtg3342AjDTu98jqy1kIu9LiR2a3NQaKUPWVq6EK74alxGr)
Quote from: Westmarcher on 12 May 2021, 03:42:53 PM
A pity. You could have set up a tusk force.
(https://i.pinimg.com/564x/71/c6/34/71c634f08812accb1875c1c379f4e469.jpg)
:D :D :D :D