Inspiration

Well as I'm starting this blog, I might as well tell you all a bit about myself. When I often mention this to people, they seem to immediately jump to the conclusion, Do You play Warhammer? I have  been known to dabble in those dark depths, collecting armies of Orks, Space Marine's etc., I know a lot of people who continue to dabble in the Games Workshop hobby. Yet for me, it doesn't really jell anymore. The fact that a) everyone does it b) Games Workshops present prices are extortionate, where you are going to be paying at least £10 a miniature c) whenever you go into a shop they try and corner you and get you to buy their newest most expensive model, book, gane etc. really puts me, in my experience off wargaming. Ok there's nothing wrong with that, they do produce very well sculpted miniatures, their paint range at present is second to none and one of the reasons I keep on going back and they have a really well thought-out marketing agenda and a dedicated fan base. But in this time, when we are all pulling our belts tighter due to cuts, do I really want to be part of the crowd?  

In the last ten years, there has been an underground resurgence in historical wargaming, to the extent that we are now gradually being given the chance to buy particular ranges off of the high street again for very good prices e.g. 50 British Napoleonic Infantry for £20. My fascination with the world of wargaming really started when I was 5. When visiting Cambridge during weekend shopping trips, a stop at the Toy Soldier was always a must. An old fashioned shop, with a picture of Lord Kitchener pointing his finger in the window, the shop front was constantly surrounded by 54mm miniatures of British Drummer Boys and Drum Major's, Zulu War Infantry, troopers of the Light Brigade. Going inside, the room was surrounded floor to ceiling with cabinets filled to brimming with large scale diorama's and vignettes of life on campaign as it was seen, during the 18th and 19th centuries, with pieces of militaria from sabres, shako's,  Brown Bess muskets hanging from the wall and then a wargames table I believe depicting the actions around La Haye Sainte, with a huge farmhouse setup and 1000's of beautifully painted miniatures laid in various manoeuvres upon the table.

For a boy of such a young age, it was a treasure trove of senses that was to act as a motivator in later life. This was coupled with a recent viewing of the Channel 4 Gullivers Travels, in which there is a seen depicted in a Lilliputian War Room, where all these late17th-early 18th century perriwigged, brocaded gentleman are pushing Marlburian troops across a board, planning their various wars of conquest; an influence that was to prove a decider a couple of years later. By 10 I was heavily immersed in Warhammer, the various monsters and tales of the ne'erdowells making perfect sense. But by 12, I was looking for something bigger, that had more panache, sense, education, research tied into it. Buying a copy of Wargames Illustrated, coupled with my Dad's revelation  that he himself had previously been a military modeller and wargamer, presenting a series of miniatures, from a French Imperial Bandsmen, with a beautifully soldered on Sabre, to Gurkha rifles, a Boer Exploring officer and a Black Watch sergeant, equally linked to the fact that grandfather and dad had influenced me to start reading Sharpe from the age of 11, made double sure that I had an interest in all things Napoleonic.

The latest craze, paper soldiers, depicting Government infantry circa 1745 by Peter Dennis, allowing for cheap and easily maintained armies.

Today I own a range of armies, from the early Warhammer, to my French and British 20mm Napoleonics using Neil Thomas Napoleonic rules, to the 28mm skirmish WW2 British Paratroops vs. German Volksgrenadier, considering using Bolt Action for, to the pride and joy in my 28mm Parliamentarian Northern Association.

The army has increased in size ten fold since this image was taken, but shows the essential elements of a 17^th century army in line of battle

Yet it shall not all be wargames related. Throughout my life I have been taken around castles, museums, battlefields, places of historical significance and that has had a huge influence. As my dad was an ex-member of Appleyard's Yeomanry of Foote, now amalgamated into Rawdons, reenactment has always played a big part and being so close to the duke of Wellington's house at Stratfield Saye and Basing House, site of the longest protracted siege of the English Civil Wars, reenactment has been very predominant.

Rawdon’s Yellowcoats, the Garrison of Basing House, take it to Waller’s Parliamentarian besiegers.

So that’s a bit about where my influences lie. How about some painting. The following were originally painted up for the Black Powder paint off on the Internet this Christmas (although a return to the ECW, coupled with further WW2 collection side tracked this). Photo’s are not brilliant, miniatures look a lot better in the flesh.

Firstly a battalion de ligne of 20mm French line infantry (mixed Italeri and Airfix), painted using the dip painting method (although personally I use watered down cuprinol, which has the same effect). Flock is made using dyed woodchip/hamster bedding.

 

Next is a 28mm officer of Irish Militia (converted from the accompanying miniature to Black Powder Rebellion, Warlord Games) and 60^th Rifles (wearing pre-1806 draft uniform, not sure of the manufacturer of the castings, possibly early Minifigs?) for the 1798 Irish rebellion. I also have a set of Perry American War of Independence Infantry filling in as Ulster Fencibles. I do not think that I will go as far as making up a force for Vinegar Hill (due to the price of Trent Miniature’s Castings and the number needed this would be unfeasible) maybe a smaller engagement such as Colleraine etc. Might suffice.