Some lists of things ... 'cos why not?
Books that changed my life (In no particular order)- Waterloo: A near run thing - David Howarth, Fontana, 1972 First time I read detail of a Napoleonic battle. Some of the people and their stories I have read in full - Mercer, Gronrow, Muffling.
- Uniforms of Waterloo - Philip J Haythorthwaite, Blandford, 1974 Oooh pretty uniforms! Helped with the painting of the Airfix Waterloo offerings. Also began my love of OOBs. I re-drew one of the maps A3 size and hung it on my bedroom wall.
- War Games - Donald F Featherstone, 1962 I took this book out of my local library, and kept it out until the kindly librarian removed it from stock and gave it to me. My first introduction to dice and rulers in a structured game, and the book that changed me from someone who plays with toy soldiuers into a wargamer.
- German Combat Uniforms, S R Gordon-Douglas, Almark, 1970 My first solo shopping trip was to Chester when I was about 12 or 13. Took the A7 bus and felt very grown up. I went to the Chester Model Shop and found this little volume there. As a child of the 60's I KNEW that German soldiers wore tunics with bottle green collars and jackboots. This book changed my view of WWII. I painted by Airfix Germans in a very bright green / brown pattern - in Airfix gloss from the tiny bottles.
- The Histories, Herodotus, Penguin 1954 My school had a scheme which enabled students to buy Penguin book through the school. I started with the Iliad, but Herodotus got me fascinated by bronze age Greece. A wonderful style that neatly hops over the line between history and myth.
- Armies of the Greek and Persian Wars, Richard Nelson, WRG, 1978 Grotty line drawings, not in colour - but fascinating. I was struck by the homogeneity of the Greek armies and the heterogeneity of the Persians - including the poor Libyans with their "fire hardened javelins".
- The Ship, CS Forester, Penguin, 1950 The story of HMS Artemis one day in the Med. Forester brings to life the action of a light cruiser - from the Captain to the poor soul stuck in the dark bowels of the ship, oiling the shafts. From the day I read this book, the sea war in the Med has been a period of choice for me.
Honourable mentions
- Featherstone, CS Grant, Bruce Quarrie for their wargames writing.
- Military Modelling Annuals for my first idea on how WWII vehicles were painted, and the concept of medieval skirmishing.
- Roger Lancelyn Green for his "Myths of the Norsemen" - a book which Neil Gaiman just basically re-wrote - which introduced me to Thor, Odin, Freya, Tyr, Loki and Fenris Wolf - before Marvel destroyed them.
- Stephen Turnbull for his works on Japan.
- John Julius Norwich for his "The Normans in the South" - extending the story of the Normans beyond 1066.
Things I want Pendraken to Produce that aren't planned (As far as I know)- Chariot Armies
- Napoleonic British Marines (boats and ships to go with them would be excellent. HMS Victory is 187ft long ... that's only 15" in Pendraken Scale. HMS Beagle was 90ft long - that's only 7"!)
- Napoleonic Scandinavians (Yeah, used to be the Swedes, but I have a hankering for Danes as well.)
I think I can cobble together from other ranges, but it would be nice to see:
- Napoleonic Ottoman (there's a book coming out in June that I want to see first)
- C11 Byzantines
Wow that list has got smaller!
Things that don't go on my table- Anything on that table that isn't a figure or a piece of scenery. Don't like it when you go to shows and there are rule sets, dice, beer glasses and glasses glasses spoiling the effect.
- Kneeling & prone poses - I'll accept kneeling figures as crew for heavy weapons but apart from that - nah.
- Small units - three figures do not a company make. I have a rule of thumb of 1:10 pre 1900 and 1:1 post 1900. My Napoleonic Austrian battalions are 90 figures; my WWII British tank squadrons have at least 15 vehicles. I work at the division level pre 1900 and platoon/company level post 1900. I've shot meself in the foot somewhat with the entire Akagi air compliment of 70 planes.
Projects in progress/ in the pipeline- Napoleonic Austrians (714 infantry, 200 cavalry, 4 batteries) bought - being painted
- Napoleonic Poles (720 infantry, 140 cavalry, 3 batteries) bought - not started painting
- Napoleonic Russians (576 infantry, 160 cavalry, 3 really big batteries) - started buying
- Samurai* (780 infantry, 240 cavalry) bought - not painted.
- Romano-British vs Saxons (don't say Arthur) (760 infantry, 45 cavalry) bought - not painted
- Imperial Rome - planned
- Napoleonic Danish - bought some figures for test painting
- Napoleonic French, Saxons, Italians - maybe
- Amazons - waiting for Pendraken
- Napoleonic Spanish - waiting for Pendraken
- Arab-Israeli 1973 - waiting for Pendraken
*These will be painted as 8 different fictional factions. Thus I can mix and match who fights who. I can have two equal forces, unequal forces, cavalry vs infantry. I have done the same with my Medievals for maximum variability. Top YouTube Channels- Mark Felton Productions https://www.youtube.com/c/MarkFeltonProductions Odds and ends of military history
- Lindybeige https://www.youtube.com/c/lindybeige He's ... well ... just go have a look
- Napoleonic Wargaming https://www.youtube.com/c/NapoleonicWargaming Too big and the wrong rule set, but thoughtful
- Forgotten Weapons https://www.youtube.com/c/ForgottenWeapons Think he's done all the forgotten weapons, so now he's onto the DShK. he's been playing with a gauss gun recently. Yes, a real live gauss gun.
- The Tank Museum https://www.youtube.com/user/TheTankMuseum Excellent tank chats by people who look after old tanks.
- Drachinifel https://www.youtube.com/c/Drachinifel Naval history. His videos on the Russian Baltic Fleet's expoloits in 1904 is one of my favourite videos
- Task and Purpose https://www.youtube.com/c/Taskandpurpose A ex-US Infantryman talks about modern warfare
- The Metatron https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIjGKyrdT4Gja0VLO40RlOw Ok, initially he irritated me (maybe because he's too Italian and good looking ... and he pronounces Latin in Latin) but quite interesting about ancient and medieval warfare
- Seth Skorkowsky https://www.youtube.com/c/SethSkorkowskyAuthor Talks about RPG's including Traveller
I also watch too many Warhammer painting channels including Midwinter Minis, Goobertown and Sword 'n' Steele
Quote- Romano-British vs Saxons (don't say Arthur) (760 infantry, 45 cavalry) bought - not painted
Search out the Warlord Chronicles - "The Winter King", "Enemy of God" and "Excalibur" - by Bernard Cornwell for a terrific story set in this period.
Chophin or Liszt...
Favourite Pendraken Ranges- Pig faced bascinets, monks and nuns - obviously
- American Civil War I love the ACW as a simple conflict: you can get away with infantry, cavalry, artillery - without dividing into light, heavy, very heavy, lancers - and the Pendraken range is comprehensive and largely lacking silly poses.
- Anything with a Centurion tank
- Korean War though I'm still waiting for a Sten!
- Classical Greek Who doesn't love a Hoplite?
- WWII I think I've managed to buy into most of the offerings - except the Finns ... and that may just be a question of time.
- Napoleonics ... think I'm addicted.
Pendraken ranges I don't think I will ever buyI'm not dissing the ranges, nor those who game them. They're just not for me.
- Aztecs Yeah, but no.
- League of Ausberg Somewhat 'twixt fish and fowl. I'd rather just pop along to the WSS
- American Rebellion Sorry, Colonials, but it falls between the 7YW and the Napoleonics, without the grandeur of either.
- Colonial Ranges Conflicts in the Empire have never really appealed. (see American Rebellion). For some reason the Russo-Japanese war is included in this section and that is a conflict I could get interested in.
- Spanish Civil War Possibly the saddest of all sad wars.
- Achamenid Persian Too hard to paint
- Mongols Can't raise the interest to even Google them
I
could see myself getting into English Civil War, WWI, and some of the C19 Europeans in a Chocolate Box War setting - including at least one marching band. I'm not saying "never" to Fantasy. I may fall into dark times and find myself with an army of Elves.
I recognise the inconsistency in my position in some regards. I'm not likely to game the Falklands, 'cos it's too recent, but I am looking forward to the Cold War Ranges being released.
Quote from: Raider4 on 19 February 2022, 10:47:52 PMSearch out the Warlord Chronicles - "The Winter King", "Enemy of God" and "Excalibur" - by Bernard Cornwell for a terrific story set in this period.
I enjoyed the Sharpe books ... though there are now too many. I yawned my way through the Starbuck chronicles, and I'm afraid I didn't manage to get all the way through "The Winter King". :(
QuoteSearch out the Warlord Chronicles - "The Winter King", "Enemy of God" and "Excalibur" - by Bernard Cornwell for a terrific story set in this period.
Inspiring stuff. This is my next project up (after my little butterfly back to 1/72 :-$ ) but I recommend a dose of reality as well through Professor Guy Halsall's work. Either his Miniature Wargames series which you can get via here: https://darkagewargaming.wordpress.com/2011/01/17/the-age-of-arthur-post-roman-britain-for-the-historical-wargamer-part-8-figures-lists-and-rules/
or the "Age of Arthur" book which covers the "history" rather than the military which he did in warfare and society in the Barbarian West.
On the other hand, research can be depressing. I have still not recovered from the Society of Ancients work on the Goths by Von Essen: they probably wouldn't have coffin shields, they were mainly clean shaven and would be using Roman army equipment either as ex-soldiers or looters! Good job I hadn't painted them when I read it!!
QuoteSome lists of things ... 'cos why not?
Books that changed my life (In no particular order)
- War Games - Donald F Featherstone, 1962 I took this book out of my local library, and kept it out until the kindly librarian removed it from stock and gave it to me. My first introduction to dice and rulers in a structured game, and the book that changed me from someone who plays with toy soldiuers into a wargamer.
Honourable mentions
Things that don't go on my table
- Kneeling & prone poses - I'll accept kneeling figures as crew for heavy weapons but apart from that - nah.
- Small units - three figures do not a company make. I have a rule of thumb of 1:10 pre 1900 and 1:1 post 1900.
Top YouTube Channels
- Mark Felton Productions https://www.youtube.com/c/MarkFeltonProductions Odds and ends of military history
- Lindybeige https://www.youtube.com/c/lindybeige He's ... well ... just go have a look
- Napoleonic Wargaming https://www.youtube.com/c/NapoleonicWargaming Too big and the wrong rule set, but thoughtful
- Forgotten Weapons https://www.youtube.com/c/ForgottenWeapons Think he's done all the forgotten weapons, so now he's onto the DShK. he's been playing with a gauss gun recently. Yes, a real live gauss gun.
- The Tank Museum https://www.youtube.com/user/TheTankMuseum Excellent tank chats by people who look after old tanks.
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Featherstone's Naval War-games for me plus Grant's The War-game. Not daft on kneeling or prone poses either.
But I now go for smaller units - eyesight ain't getting any better and life is getting shorter. Currently experimenting with a 9 figure strong Foot unit on 3 bases for AWI (contrasting sharply with my standard SYW Foot units which are 32 figures strong on 4 bases, with large units as much as 48 figures on 6 bases).
I watch most of these channels. I also watch LitteWarsTV and also, for those interested in the 'celtic fringe' (d-guy?), Scotland History Tours.
Quote from: fsn on 20 February 2022, 09:20:28 AMI enjoyed the Sharpe books ... though there are now too many.
I've read all bar one. Have you read the most recent one - Sharpe's Assassin (published 2021)?
Quote from: fsn on 20 February 2022, 09:15:52 AMFavourite Pendraken Ranges
- American Civil War I love the ACW as a simple conflict: ... and the Pendraken range is comprehensive and largely lacking silly poses.
- Napoleonics ... think I'm addicted.
Pendraken ranges I don't think I will ever buy
I'm not dissing the ranges, nor those who game them. They're just not for me.
- League of Ausberg Somewhat 'twixt fish and fowl. I'd rather just pop along to the WSS
The running standard bearer in the Union command, advancing, pack. Definitely silly. Looks as if he's tripped over something. :O)
Napoleonics if I was younger but I just can't face then again (sold off my large 6mm collection decades ago). :(
"League of Ausberg" ..... See what you did there. :P ;D
Yep, I suspect that without the combination of the local library service and Don Featherstone I'd be a railway modeller not a wargamer. Changing from dreams of saving up for a narrow gauge mining train set to the much more pocket money friendly pursuit of Airfix figure sets.
Not keen on kneeling or prone figures either, except where the former are gun crew.
Mark Felton, lindybeige and Drachinifel for gaming related Youtube, yes, but mostly I'm on there to listen to music. Far more likely to be on listening to Joyce Jonathan or Dua Lipa than those three. More likely to be on Twitch than Youtube in any case.
No surprise I'm sure that I rather like Marvel's take on the Norse gods, though I prefer American Gods take on them.
With 6mm and even, moreso 3mm, figures it is possible to go 1:1 for some forces. The Sumerian city of Shurrupak despatched a force of 700 men and 60 donkey carts battle cars to deal with raiders. If I ever get my matched pair of Sumerian armies painted I will have just North of 800 infantry and 48 battle cars ... so naturally I have two more units of battle cars I don't strictly need.
Ranges I don't think I will ever buy? What heresy is this!? My lead mountain would be much diminished if I could imagine a period/ locale/ scale I would never play. :)
A table without dice, rules, tape measures, coffee cups, beer bottles, crisp packets, bowls of pistachios, olives or crisps, etc. is a wasted space.
Quote from: Westmarcher on 20 February 2022, 12:57:37 PMFeatherstone's Naval War-games for me plus Grant's The War-game. Not daft on kneeling or prone poses either.
Grant's "Wargames Tactics" is one of my most treasures possessions.
Quote from: Westmarcher on 20 February 2022, 12:57:37 PMI've read all bar one. Have you read the most recent one - Sharpe's Assassin (published 2021)?
No. I'm not keen. Doesn't appeal at all - it does not (as I understand it) have the background of a a campaign or battle.
Quote from: Ithoriel on 20 February 2022, 02:03:38 PMWith 6mm and even, moreso 3mm, figures it is possible to go 1:1 for some forces. The Sumerian city of Shurrupak despatched a force of 700 men and 60 donkey carts battle cars to deal with raiders. If I ever get my matched pair of Sumerian armies painted I will have just North of 800 infantry and 48 battle cars ... so naturally I have two more units of battle cars I don't strictly need.
The Great Heathern Army was "less than 1000" men. I have more than that in British Napoleonics. That's perfectly do-able in 1:1. :-\
Quote from: Ithoriel on 20 February 2022, 02:03:38 PMRanges I don't think I will ever buy? What heresy is this!? My lead mountain would be much diminished if I could imagine a period/ locale/ scale I would never play. :)
I know. I surprise myself. However, I think I have many, many depths to plumb before I'll touch any of those areas. Just in WWII I could do the Finns, later war Soviets, Chinese, Western Desert, Far East Indian Army, Australians, Polish Cavalry, liberation of Madagascar and Norway Camapign before I'd think about the SCW.
Quote from: Westmarcher on 20 February 2022, 12:57:37 PMThe running standard bearer in the Union command, advancing, pack. Definitely silly. Looks as if he's tripped over something. :O)
Fair point, well made.
Quote from: DecemDave on 20 February 2022, 12:37:41 PMI recommend a dose of reality as well through Professor Guy Halsall's work. Either his Miniature Wargames series which you can get via here: https://darkagewargaming.wordpress.com/2011/01/17/the-age-of-arthur-post-roman-britain-for-the-historical-wargamer-part-8-figures-lists-and-rules/
or the "Age of Arthur" book which covers the "history" rather than the military which he did in warfare and society in the Barbarian West.
Thanks for the link - very useful. I've got 4 or 5 books on "Arthur" from a historic perspective including Michael Wood's "In Search of Arthur".
What an interesting, and nostalgic thread. My wargaming journey started with an interest in history in general, the only subject I really enjoyed at school.
Books that changed my life:
Little Wars – HG Wells, 1913. Where it all started. I'd been collecting 54mm Britains toy soldiers for some time and found this in my local library. I started playing with my 54mm and the rest is history, as they say.
War Games – Donald F Featherstone, 1962. Absolutely. Second from top of my list. I found it quite by accident in Hummels in Burlington Arcade when spending my pocket money on more 54mm lead Britains toy soldiers. I had no idea wargames and wargamers existed in 1962. I thought I was the only one. So, I started wargaming as it would be understood today in 1962, with Spencer Smith 30mm plastic figures. It also introduced me to Wargamers Newsletter to which I subscribed until it ceased publication. If anybody is interested you can find them here: https://fourcats.co.uk/mags/index.html
The Anatomy of Glory – Henry Lachouque, 1962. A present from my parents Christmas 1962. It started my life long interest in the Napoleonic period generally and Napoleonic uniforms in particular. It set me off on a peripheral hobby of collecting uniform prints.
Wellington in the Peninsula – Jac Weller, 1962. Even if you don't agree with all his analysis, this is just about the most readable book on the subject. I have never lost my interest in the Peninsular War.
Arms and Equipment of the Civil War – Jack Coggins, 1962. 1962 was a good year for books. This one made me realise that there was life beyond Napoleonics and allowed me to make use of Airfix 1/72 ACW figures. The ACW remains my second favourite period.
The Campaigns of Napoleon – David Chandler, 1966. Still as good an overview of the Napoleonic Wars as it gets.
Imperial Bayonets – George Nafziger, 1995. This was the first book, in English anyway, that described the battle drills of the Napoleonic era. Its gestation was a series of articles George wrote in the magazine Empires, Eagles and Lions and it set me of on a another peripheral interest such that I now have about twenty box-files containing copies of the drill regulations of just about every country that took part in the Napoleonic Wars.
Historical Romances – Arthur Conan Doyle, 1931. Particularly the Brigadier Gerard stories. My two-volume copy belonged to my father. Great historical fiction and ripping yarns.
Others are far too many to mention but collectively they reflect my wargame interests, from The Norman Conquest, The Crusades, English Civil War, Jacobite Rising 1745, Napoleonic Wars, American Civil War, Spanish Civil War, WW1 1914, WW2 1940 and naval, from the Armada to Jutland via via Trafalgar, Lissa 1866 and Tsu Shima.
Things I want Pendraken to produce:
Early Napoleonics to cover the period 1805 to 1807.
WW2 1940 Belgians
WW2 1940 Dutch though this is probably too late as I've converted British from the Boer War range as Dutch surrogates.
Things that don't go on my table:
"Anything on that table that isn't a figure or a piece of scenery". I agree entirely about gratuitous clutter, including rules and other stuff, especially food and drink. I don't allow food and drink on my table if only because it is dirty, food and spilt drinks can do a lot of damage.
"Kneeling & prone poses". I agree although I do have a few prone MG figures in my WW2 armies.
"Small units" Absolutely. That is why I downsized to 15mm and then 10mm. All my armies prior to the 20th Century are also 1:10 and my games divisional level. WW1 and WW2 are also 1:1, the games are hardly larger than a company, usually smaller; almost skirmish games on steroids. 10mm is perfect for 1:1 WW2 and with this size there is no excuse for small 19th Century units and earlier.
Projects in progress:
Just the Peninsular War at the moment – Talavera.
Game Changers
The Internet. Generally, including stuff on YouTube, but particularly things like Google Books and Gallica that give you access to stuff you'd otherwise never see, without an awful lot of time, effort and expense. The internet has simply made research accessible.
Other things Worthy of Mention
Magnifier Lamps – Not so much for the magnifying capability but the light distribution. I have two now, one on each side of the workspace, to remove shadows. I don't know why I didn't get them sooner; the Anglepoise has been retired and is just used as a desk lamp, which is what it is for really.
Reading glasses – Reading glasses do the job much, much better than those things you wear on bands round your head which keep slipping, catching on my lamp, are uncomfortable and just too inconvenient, almost for words.
Battle Mats – Why didn't somebody think of these decades ago?
Acrylic paints – So much more user friendly.
Wet palettes – Discovered these a couple of year ago. Brilliant piece of kit.
10mm Figures – I think I would have given it up had not 10 High ACW appear in the mid-1980s
Pendraken Ranges I am never likely to Buy
Ancients – Unlikely.
19th Century European – Probably not. FPW perhaps, if I run out of other things to do.
Colonial – Unlikely. I'd have a go at the Zulu War but painting all those Zulus puts me off a bit.
Post War – Never.
Modern – Unlikey. A Dhofar War range might change my mind.
Fantasy – Never.
Dungeons – Never.
Sci-Fi – Never, though I did do 40K with my son 25 years ago.
Some Favourite Films
Zulu
Gettysburg
Gladiator
Kingdom of Heaven
Beneath Hill 60
Dunkirk – The 1958 version with Sir John Mills, not the 2017 pile of proverbial
The Searchers
Pet Hates
Charging cavalry – Cavalry only looked like this in the last 100 meters of a charge. Most of the time they were walking/trotting with sabres at the shoulder.
Packs of figures that have incompatible poses – Mixtures of standing, advancing and/or marching in the same pack. I like all my pre-20th Century armies to have units of the same pose and prefer marching figures.
Kneeling and prone figures. Largely a waste of space. Even for my WW1 and WW2 stuff I have converted figures for moving LMG/MMG.
The Rules Industry – Many seem to be produced just for the sake of it and, presumably, to get the gullible to part with their cash. Most, as far as I can tell, bring nothing innovative to the table. I've seen them go from the ultra simple, to the hideously complex and back to the simple again. I settled on mine 30 years ago.
Wargames Clubs. Not quite sure why but they seem too big, too noisy, too much pressure to get a game finished, too much club 'politics' and too many teens playing 40K, dystopian, fantasy and late WW2 with dozens of tanks crammed onto a table that is far too small.
Waterloo – Atypically Napoleonic and everybody does it – boring. There are far more interesting battles.
Gettysburg – Everybody does it – boring. There are far more interesting battles.
Sharpe – As historical fiction goes I think the Sharpe series of novels are just awful.
I heartily concur with your selection of most of those books. I don't have the Coggins - I use "The American Civil War Source Book" as my golden tome on the subject, though John Wayne and Audie Murphy are probably as big an influence.
Quote from: John Cook on 20 February 2022, 05:57:27 PMThings I want Pendraken to produce:
WW2 1940 Belgians
WW2 1940 Dutch though this is probably too late as I've converted British from the Boer War range as Dutch surrogates.
I'd add my name to those. Norwegians as well - though I may be able to find proxies.
Quote from: John Cook on 20 February 2022, 05:57:27 PMOther things Worthy of Mention
Reading glasses – Reading glasses do the job much, much better than those things you wear on bands round your head which keep slipping, catching on my lamp, are uncomfortable and just too inconvenient, almost for words.
I totally agree. I gave up on the Optivisor as I couldn't properly focus on the figures. Also, very uncomfortable in summer.
Quote from: John Cook on 20 February 2022, 05:57:27 PMAcrylic paints – So much more user friendly.
Indeed. I was saddened to throw out my old Humbrol enamels, but acrylics are far superior.
Quote from: John Cook on 20 February 2022, 05:57:27 PMWet palettes – Discovered these a couple of year ago. Brilliant piece of kit.
A wet palette is on my list. Apparently, making your own is quite simple.
Quote from: John Cook on 20 February 2022, 05:57:27 PMSome Favourite Films
Zulu
Gettysburg
Gladiator
Kingdom of Heaven
Beneath Hill 60
Dunkirk – The 1958 version with Sir John Mills, not the 2017 pile of proverbial
The Searchers
I would add
Kokoda: 39th Battalion We Were Soldiers mostly because of Sam Eliot's caustic Sgt Maj.
A Hill in Korea Including an early role for Michael Caine
The Way Ahead Propaganda piece, but wonderful cast led by David Niven
Danger Close Australians in Viet Nam
The Siege at Jadotville The Irish in the Congo
Quote from: John Cook on 20 February 2022, 05:57:27 PMPet Hates
Packs of figures that have incompatible poses – Mixtures of standing, advancing and/or marching in the same pack. I like all my pre-20th Century armies to have units of the same pose and prefer marching figures. - Totally agree
The Rules Industry – Many seem to be produced just for the sake of it and, presumably, to get the gullible to part with their cash. Most, as far as I can tell, bring nothing innovative to the table. I've seen them go from the ultra simple, to the hideously complex and back to the simple again. I settled on mine 30 years ago.- Totally agree
Waterloo – Atypically Napoleonic and everybody does it – boring. There are far more interesting battles.My late forces are mostly from Leipzig - though the Bavarians are from Hanau. I will admit my British and Brunswickers are from 1815 but IMHO they're most compatible with Leipzig.
Sharpe – As historical fiction goes I think the Sharpe series of novels are just awful.Should have finished at Waterloo. I tried re-reading one and couldn't get through it - possibly because I knew the outcome? I think Lord of the Rings has been overdone as well. I certainly won't be watching the new Amazon offering. Female Dwarves without beards! Ridiculous!
Quote...
A wet palette is on my list. Apparently, making your own is quite simple.
...
A wet palette certainly helped my painting and they are incredibly simple to make, you can skip to 3:58 for instructions
That's more or less how I made mine except that instead of using paper kitchen towel to hold the water, I used a sponge dishcloth, then baking parchment on top of that. The sponge is reusable, almost indefinitely.
Quote from: John Cook on 21 February 2022, 09:33:53 AMThat's more or less how I made mine except that instead of using paper kitchen towel to hold the water, I used a sponge dishcloth, then baking parchment on top of that. The sponge is reusable, almost indefinitely.
Suppose you could use all the spounge packing in the battlefront packs.
Quote from: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 21 February 2022, 09:51:48 AMSuppose you could use all the spounge packing in the battlefront packs.
I don't know what battlefront packs are I'm afraid. If they are thin and hold water then I'd say, yes you could.
They packs that the Flames of War stuff comes in, have an excess of foam spounge.
Quote from: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 21 February 2022, 12:15:54 PMThey packs that the Flames of War stuff comes in, have an excess of foam spounge.
OK, with you now. I've seen FOW stuff but haven't used it myself so I'm still not much help. All I can say is that the sponge, or whatever is used, has to retain water to keep the parchment paper damp, though not too wet otherwise it would dilute the paint. The object is to stop the paint clotting - it usually works for three or four days.
QuoteThe Great Heathern Army was "less than 1000" men. I have more than that in British Napoleonics. That's perfectly do-able in 1:1. (https://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/Smileys/SoLoSMiLeYS1/undecided.gif)
Well Sawyer says so - others say more like 3,000. (Some go even higher, but...)
On the bright side - even 3,000 is do-able at a pinch - but then you have the English to do as well... :(
QuoteWell Sawyer says so - others say more like 3,000. (Some go even higher, but...)
On the bright side - even 3,000 is do-able at a pinch - but then you have the English to do as well... :(
The GHA was not a fixed roster.
Each spring/summer, new fleets joined.
Some leaders led splinter groups in different directions.
Some of the army settled areas they had pacified.
Other times settled farmers left their land to join the army (plunder being more profitable than turnips).
Don't tell me, tell Sawyer et al.
Anyway, it says Guthrum's Army = 1,500 points in my list, so there. (including 1 small Beserker unit and no Blood Eagle) :D
Thank you. I must give that a go.
Blimey what a bunch of curmudgeon we are. We now what we like, and like what we know! 😜
Not that I'm any different 😂😅 It's good that we all like different things, otherwise it would be a pretty vanilla hobby. It always amuses me though that although we all love this hobby, I don't there's any two of us that see it from the same point of view.
Take a gamer who has moved to a new area. He finds his local club and sees they're into Napoleonics. Great. But they typically play 28mm Sharp Practice and he only has the entire Grand Armee in 6mm amd loves the Blucher rules. Or they play 40K but you're into New Kingdom Egyptians.
We are as disparate a lot as you'll find across any hobby. I personally prefer 6mm for grand tactical games. I love the Altar of Freedom rules by Greg Wagman and have enough figures to refight every major engagement of the ACW.
But, although you might love the ACW and play in 6mm, you might prefer Fire and Fury for your games. So never the twain shall meet.
No one choice or decision is right of course. Just because somone likes 1:1 for modern games, doesn't make them the final word on the subject. If I choose to refight Waterloo with 50 unpainted figures on my grandmother's carpet, then it doesn't make me any less of a person and I certainly don't deserve ridicule or snobbish grognards telling me I'm doing it wrong. It's all toy soldiers after all.
Having said that, my contribution to the lsits are...
Books - Grants Wargame Tactics and John Sanders book (can't recall the title) with the Sandskrieg rules in it are treasured items in my collection.
My 6mm ACW figures are precious to me, as having gamed the period in every scale and used most of the available ruleset, I finally have found the rules and scale that I have been looking for, for over 30 years. They make me happy!
Washes - they have revolutionised my painting on the sense that I can paint armies quickly that look good for the tabletop. The realisation that I paint to play and not display was an important one for me.
My club. I have been attending the Stoke club for over 30 years. It is a small community of friends who have gone through bad times and good. We have had deaths, seen kids grow into adulthood and find fulfilling careers, seen membership wax and wane and survive closure orders and theft of every penny by an ex treasurer. But we have stuck together through thick and thin and it is a huge part of my gaming life.
Shows. These are hugely important to me, for social reasons as much as anything else. As an extension of club life, our club has a good turnout for road trips. I have made other friends across the length and breadth of the nation whom I'd have never met if it weren't for shows. I've also spent a Kings ransom at them over the years, but let's gloss over that bit!
Social media. In general this has been a force for good in my hobby. If you think you don't engage with it... Well, just by reading this, you most definitely are! It has opened up the hobby beyond a monthly magazine and a few shows. We are more connected than ever. We share ideas, gain inspiration and generally engage with a much wider group of like minded enthusiasts than ever before. Yes there are downsides. But overall, social media has been a huge positive for the hobby.
Films -
Glory - possibly the best ACW film ever.
Gettysburg - without the talking is great.
Of course Zulu. Don't talk to me about history. It's a great damned film. 😅
A Bridge Too Far - see above.
A recent entry is Danger Close. Possibly the best war film for a generation. In my opinion.
Other books -
As I Walked Out One Midummer Morning by Laurie Lee. This is the book I would take to a desert island and be happy until I was rescued.
1914-1918 by David Stephenson. Probably the greatest single volume history of the war.
Youtube and podcasts - too many to mention.
Audible is worthy of note. Listening to a great history book, preferably one on the subject that you're painting has been a wonderful discovery over the last few years.
I think that's enough. I'll go for a lie down now.
Stay safe and happy gaming 😁👍
Huzzah Well said Sir!
"Danger Close" is an excellent film. I'm reading about the US Navy in Viet Nam, and there were Centurion tanks in Viet Nam ...
I can see myself falling in the near future. :)