Collecting and Gaming with 54mm Plastics After 13 years, the mainstay of the US 54mm plastics collecting fraternity has published its last issue! PLASTIC FIGURE AND PLAYSET MAGZINE #76 (Feb 02) marked the end of a unique publication. Editor Tom Terry of Wisconsin ensured coverage of almost all of the old figures eve made since the 1950's, including extensive coverage of the old Marx playsets. The pages of PFPC included variant parts lists, copies of instruction sheets, etc., so collectors could assemble and value the toys they missed from when they were kids. Tom's magazine was also a forum for discussion which encouraged new friendships and warned of shady dealer articles, reveling in the sheer fun of "The Hunt." There were also great nostalgia type related articles, such as an interview with actor Robert Stack in the Untouchables issue! Thanks to this publication, I met many new contacts from all across the country by mail, in the days before the internet, and received many a package of rare figures I could not possibly find by myself, usually at prices far more reasonable than those now suggested online. New products were also covered, so as the 54mm "revolution" begin, you could see photos of the new stuff and contact the relevant dealers. Even if you ended up collecting on ebay as well as in his Buy and Sell section of hobbyist and dealer ads, your guide to purchasing was this magazine. Its issues will be used as reference works far into the future. Those interested in assembling a back issue library can write to Tom at PO Box 1355, LaCrosse, Wisconsin 54602 (608-781-1894 noon to 5pm, Monday through Saturday). Happily, the gauntlet dropped will be picked up by Rusty Kern, whose new PLAYSET MAGAZINE should have its first issue out by the time you read this. Rusty was a contributor who wrote, among other things, a detailed history of the MARX toy company based on interviews with the quickly disappearing former staff of that venerable organization in the pages of PFPC. For subscription information, write to 1240 Marlstone Place, Colorado Springs, CO 80904 (719-634-7430). For a preview, see the site www.playsetmagazine.us.vu. Rusty has also made a series of videos on the old MARX playsets. Thanks to Tom and good luck to Rusty. TOYS FOR T.O.T.S. (Tenacious Old Troopers) Those of us who collect in the Big Scale try to be just as creative and crafty when furnishing our tabletops as our brethren in 25mm and lower mm's. Since some subjects remain not covered by the hobby itself, we sometimes look farther afield for buildings, vehicles, etc. And since some 54mm fanciers actually enjoy the "toy solder" approach of putting obvious toys on the table, here is rundown of items both crafty and toylicious I have found useful lately: Birdhouses: Down in Lancaster, PA, they make birdhouses in the shape of excellent little buildings in a great variety, which can be used with or without the decorative items which come with each little "Fire House" or "Irish Pub." In a local Brooklyn craft store, I found simply shaped conical bird houses in two sizes, which, along with painted over picket fences meant for doll houses, now comprise an entire African village! I was inspired to cover Africa by craft articles meant for smaller scales in the new TSATF package. Two larger wooden garden decoration type buildings are now brightly painted up as Chinese pagodas/temples. New Playmobil Pirate Ship: This beauty of a galleon features a separate gun deck, with four gun ports below decks on each side. Perfect as an addition to my Playmobi!/Fisher Price/Simba sailing squadron, Metal PT 109: (Toy Street?) Since I got it for my birthday from a Metro wargames pal, this beautiful little addition to my WWII coastal/amphibious flotilla sits on my shelf in proud display. Its really 25mm, but will work as inshore gunfire and AA support. Hobby Bunker "Desert Villa": This perfect little foam building works for desert/Mediterranean encounters with its rooftops, balcony, interior staircases, windows, and doors, etc. Wooden Vehicle Toys from Costa Rica: Down in Costa Rica, they make beautiful WWII era trucks and cars which are perfectly in scale. Also available are biplanes! Disney's Atlantis: The Lost Empire Vehicle Collection: Even if you don't want the SciFi stuff, this excellent selection of WWI era supply trucks, armored cars, and little tanks should not be missed. I got some in Toys R Us when the movie tanked at bargain rates. Now that the video is out, the prices seem to have risen once more! Such Boats: Just a quick re-mention of these beautiful "cloud boats" from a Japanese restaurant supply company. The wooden ones are too expensive, but the plastic ones you eat from are quite reasonable, and include removable decks. Basic Boat Hulls: Decorative house items sold in pharmacies and elsewhere, these little babies are cheap and useful for any kind of river craft. Some come painted in blue and white stripes which look quite Victorian. The Lemax Collection: Available mostly in craft stores, these new lines include excellent buildings, civilian figures, etc., in hard painted plastic, and soft malleable sheets of cobblestone or brick pavement street sheets. The Victorian and New England nautical lined as most applicable to me; there are others as well, including a Halloween line with monsters! Photos of the figures can be seen in PFPC magazine #75. William Britains Buildings: Although fragile and relatively expensive, nothing can beat the most traditional hobby company of all with their new Dunker Church from Antietam and ruined Waterloo farmhouse. Plastic Farm Buildings by SIMBA: This European Commonwealth company has put out farm buildings perfect for Napoleonic or other period in 54mm. They have appeared in my ECW scenario at Cold Wars. Roman Town "Nativity set": This last Christmas season featured an entire Roman town setting for the Nativity, with buildings, walls, tents, figures, etc., made from a porcelain type substance. I picked up the main gate section with its palm trees for use in Foreign Legion, WWII etc. While the small buildings are better for 25mm, some of it is quite useful. Dollhouses: Since my article in a recent HMGS Newsletter was truncated, I'll reveal here for the first time THE PROMISED SECRET of how to attract women during a gaming convention: use a dollhouse as an ECW manor. I had women from the con and from the hotel staff coming over to smile and say "I had that one when I was a little girl." SHARPE'S BROOKLYN Sad to say, its been a year since I've set up any figures to game. Moving in to a new place, it was all I could do to catalogue and rearrange my collection in its new storage room. Now I'm still throwing non-hobby stuff out by the cartonful, so I can then rearrange my several dining tables and plywood boards as battlefields. But I've kept up with purchasing and painting, and now a lot of games never possible before are ready to go any time I work up the scenarios. Oddly enough, besides Ancients, the only major period I've never done with miniatures is - Napoleonic (unless you count the Alamo's Mexican Army). Believe it or not. But now I'm ready to go. For inspiration, I've recently purchased the new epic Sharpe's Collection in video (that's 14 cassettes plus a bonus summary show). Hey, I got tired of waiting to see the second half and the Waterloo episode! This is what got me interested in the period in the first place. Just in time for the new Napoleonic artillery sets being produced by CALL TO ARMS and ARMIES IN PLASTIC. I also have a few Britains Deetail, Mokarex, Elite, Timpo, and other special 54mm HQ figures to inspire the troops, the regiments of which are mostly Napoleonic units now redesignated from "ACW Militia" (I needed an excuse to buy them). Thanks also to various books, including the highly entertaining "Campaigning with the Duke of Wellington & Featherstone: A Guide to the Battles in Spain and Portugal" with Donald Featherstone, The Duke of Wellington and all the others, 1808-1814 and 1973-1992 (Emperor's Press, 1993) which was a great introduction. Now I'll be able to enter into all those great hobby arguments -er, I mean, discussions about line vs column, l'ordre mixte, the necessity of following up with the bayonet, and the accuracy of my RON BARZO Rocket Troop (or ... NOT!). RULES SYSTEMS DESIGN - ONE SIZE FITS MOST Its been awhile since I've done any rules development, so its useful for me to look at where I am at this point. Years ago, a couple of friends and I developed a role playing system (Quest Masters, unpublished) which would serve as a "one size fits all" vehicle for every period and character type. Like the commercially available GENERAL UNIVERSAL ROLE PLAYING SYSTEM (G.U.R.P.S. by Steve Jackson Games), the idea was to avoid learning entire new rules systems over and over again (it was also useful for time traveling scenarios). Board game designs have tried this idea, from the original AVALON HILL series to the more recently produced AVALON HILL/GMT popularized strategic/tactical system used in "We The People" (ARW), "Hannibal" (Second Punic War), "For The People" (ACW), "Paths of Glory" (WWI), "Wilderness War" (FIW), and even an upcoming design on the Russian Civil War (whew!). Successful miniatures rules systems have inspired similar "period clones," such as "Piquet" and now "Fire and Fury" - and it's not a bad thing. Although I have over 10,000 painted 54mm figures and the vehicles, terrain, and equipment to go with them from Medieval to WWII, my greatest interest has always been in developing rules and scenarios, as opposed to the painting and crafty aspects of the hobby. Over the years I have created seven rules sets which are really clones of three basic ones. The three different systems break down along different representational scales. All are made for 54mm, but can or have been successfully used for smaller scales. These are now in various degrees of completion, from only played a few times but promising to be published. To go along with a former column about what I consider the important factors in entertaining wargaming, here is the first written report on my rules projects, with a few general comments and observations. All titles are copyrighted by me, and etc. Whether I end up self-publishing or otherwise remains an open question at this point. Everything is on disk, but I lack the computer graphic skills to get them in shape myself. If you catch me running a game at a Con, I might sell you one of the Xerox copies of whichever set I made up for the players - talk about a cottage industry! (Update Note: I will be running a Vikings vs North American Indians game with slightly modified Medieval rules at COLD WARS '02. 1 have also run games at Cons with the ECW and WWII sets, and at my house or my club with all the others. Mike Fatovic, a nice guy in Pennsylvania and former member of my NYC gaming club, regularly uses the WWII rules at the HMGS Cons in 54mm - and he puts absolutely beautiful stuff out on the table). CHARLEY'S MASTER LIST OF RULES SETS (Annotated) 1. SWORDPLAY AND STRANGERS (Medieval/Fantasy; 1: 1). Not a skirmish game but a simple combat system allowing for any Medieval type from small baronial disputes to sieges or fantasy combat. Different melee and missile weapons, cavalry, morale, heroes, fanatics, etc. Basic unit is the 25 figures/men Medieval "company" (warband) each with its own 11 captain." Higher level "Army Commander." Used primarily in the multi-month "Siege of Castle Greystoke," which pitted Prince John and the Sheriff of Nottingham's infantry, cavalry, archers, and siege train plus an allied Viking Army against Lord Greystoke and William Tell - with Robin Hood's men skulking in the woods (The Bad Guys won - see my old article for the story)! Have become very interested in Mongol vs European battles lately, but no special rules yet (been playing other systems like Warhammer to get their flavor). This is the only set using 1: 1 scale, but there are common themes in all my rules sets, and you can tell the same person did them. Hopefully, that's a good thing! Still under development, as I add more "national" characteristics and fantasy being types. 2. STAND AND DELIVER (English Civil War; 1:20). Basic unit is the regiment of 25 figures. Simple and successful with different morale level infantry and cavalry types, rudimentary cannons, leaders, etc. My newest set, and much simpler than other systems I've seen available. A new and fun period for me, which gets the "best clothing" award! Not so much available in 54mm, but managed to assemble two armies (for the story and figure sources, see previous article in last year's HMGS Newsletter). 3an van der Haven, an old role playing character, shows up often with his Dutch mercenary company! Just assembling cavalry figures in meaningful numbers (squadrons of ten figures), partly by converting Napoleonic cavalry of a certain manufacturer who has made all ECW types EXCEPT cavalry in a cavalry heavy period!?! 3. SMOOTHBORE DAWNS (The Riles Trilogy Volume 1: 1755-1859; 1:20). Basic unit is again the regiment of 25 figures. FIW, ARW, 1812, MAW, and soon, the Peninsula. Chosen men, to me! A relatively new period, being helped by Ross McFarlane and the crew of Canadians and Yanks at www.littlewars.com who love the period and are very knowledgeable about it. The colorful uniforms test my painting skills to the limit. Gotta use my ships and the Vauban style 54mm star fort one of these days. The "Rifles Trilogy" will allow common rules for all Horse and Musket games. This latest addition has been tested in the ARW Battle of Brooklyn (natch), Oriskany, and Guilford Court House. At 1812 Bladensburg, the British were stymied and Washington saved (Hurrah). 4. CIVIL WAR DAYS (The Rifles Triology Volume 2: 1860-1865; 1:20) Basic unit the regiment of 50 figures (easily varied between 20 and 60+). This and WWII are my original rules systems, and very carefully thought out. CWD breaks down into three different modules: CWD Basic, CWD Advanced, and CWD Naval. A simple, turn sequence based system, but includes many of the beloved details of the ACW. Play the Basic infantry-cavalry-artillery game or go for "strategic" hidden movement and cavalry reconnaissance, restricted recognition, cross uniform regiments, artillery ammo types, Brigade- Division-Army Generals, looting, Same State or Black/White Fanaticism, cross-trained units, regulars, dismissed detail, engineers, machine guns, siege trains, torpedoes, tinclads, ironclads, railroads, and much more from rockets and partisans and literally all the rest, from Amphibious Landing and Balloons to the Zouave Rush (passage of lines). A virtual encyclopedia of simple rules and conventions to be selected for special scenarios, most of which were developed for specific battle games and then added to the mix - hey, I've been playing for a long time. And yet, astoundingly, some folks don't want to pay $20 for the Basic Set! Twenty years work, but it's 'too expensive' for some gamers who will pay that much for a metal 54mm figure. Gotta get fancy graphics, I guess. This is the love of my life. 5. NINETEENTH CENTURY NIGHTS (The Rifles Trilogy, Volume 3: 1866-1913; 1:20). Basic unit is the 50 figure regiment. Colonial (that is, 19th Century Imperial) variant uses the 25 figure battalion for Westerners and various formations for Easterners (what used to called 'natives', but hey, I teach Cultural Diversity). Have playtested mostly colonial scenarios, most of which have been covered in previous MWAN articles, especially the Taiping and Boxer Rebellions in China. NCN puts the capstone on the system, as it uses mixtures of weapons tables for all three periods in Colonial scenarios, even including melee only weapons Eastern units. So you might have in the Boxer Rebellion Chinese Regulars using modern artillery and machine guns, allied with Mongol cavalry using bows or flintlocks, Green Flag militia using rifled muskets, and of course, fighting European troops with magazine rifles and steam boats! And this is definitely a period one can fall into and spend the rest of one's life in, as the variation in technology and country is so extreme. Campaigns could perhaps be fought with the board game WAR! AGE OF IMPERIALISM by Eagle Games. The Zulu War is one project I have in mind, since I now have all the figures I'd need for it. Because the movement distances and morale systems are the same in all three periods of "The Rifles Trilogy", the main difference is weapons range and historical special army doctrine. Here I have truly created a simple "Universal" system for the 1755-1913 period. And while it's not for me to rate my own rules, I will say that one of the reasons I got into a club was to get the opinions of other gamers. So far, most have responded in a positive manner. I have essentially tried to update the Featherstone type of simple wargaming. With creative and entertaining scenarios, an important and often overlooked factor, the feedback has been good. One day, I would like to do scenario books, for I do keep notes on the games I run. I also have a photo album of some of the games, to show what is Possible in different periods with 54mm. 6. DOWN IN FRONT (World War I; 1:4). Basic unit is the 50 figure/200 man modern infantry company; with an historical distribution of heavy weapons in support, etc. Basically, I started out by 'backdating' my WWII rules. Then, I began adding period specific rules for various types of artillery barrages, gas, tanks, hidden command posts, etc. Since the 54mm figures and equipment have only just become available, I'm planning this year the mother of all Western Front battles! Simple and sturdy, the rules are tons of fun. While perhaps the most awful war ever fought in history, its neat to play at battalion/regimental level and very popular with the gaming public. Got to try early war scenarios - just painting up the Prussian Guard, with their uncovered pickelhaubes (no, they probably didn't fight that way, but what the heck; there's no pint to me painting Scotties in tartans and putting khaki covers over them either). So far we've done trench raiding and a Verdun fort scenario, the second half of which was fought in underground galleries with German flamethrowers. 7. RECON AND RUSHES OF WORLD WAR II (WWII; 1:4). Basic unit is the 50 figure modern infantry company or four vehicle armored company. Support companies, paratroops, armored infantry, commandos, recon, combat engineers, and more. Units rated Elite, Normal, or Weak morale. Tanks of various classes and other vehicles, planes, mines, artillery, small arms of many types, and the whole nine yards in all theatres of operations. With the ACW rules, my favorite child. Slam-bang action which plays like a video game! Over the last thirty years I've playtested scenarios set in China, Norway, North Africa 8 1h Army Front and Tunisian Front, Greece, France, Russian, Holland, Italy, Germany, Singapore, Guadalcanal, Burma - you name it! I have fielded 54mm formations from the US, British, French, German, Italian, Russian, Japanese, and Chinese Armies, with minor allies in open, built-up, jungle, mountain, desert, swamp, and other terrain (Korean War coming up - The Frozen Chosen Few; don't miss a new table called - Tanks on Ice: They slide; they spin; they stall out! Yikes!). Watch buildings and other terrain features degraded by artillery, or interrogate prisoners using the horrible but historically accurate Torture Eligibility Table (by race and nation). Where will it end? The new fantasy figures made in Russian open new horizons. And I've been fooling around with SciFi, now that all my post-WWII units no longer need to stand in for WWII units, and can be released to various "Planetary Defense Forces." I've been collecting figures from old MARX Tom Corbett Space Cadet (I have all six original novels and newly available videos) to the X-Men and Britains old space series (Aliens! Robots! Mutants! Mutant Alien Robots!). Then there's that giant turtle a pal gave me from Japanese monster movies ... a nice simple, semi-roleplaying set would serve, thinks I. Well, I've just turned fifty, and probably won't live to play with all the stuff I have now, let alone whatever comes along in the future. I'm barely able to keep up my master figure catalogue, The Big Red Book. You know how it is. Someone comes up with another idea, a new movie comes out, or a convention has a different theme this year, and you're off in another direction. If I wasn't out of storage space, I'd probably be tempted by the new Ancients coming out in 54mm (some people don't do windows, I don't do Ancients). If my rules work to entertain, and cover the subjects I want to try, then that's good enough. Its been a grand ride so far, travelling and storytelling through the history. Which has been only possible living at a very special time and place in history. One needs to remember that, and be grateful. I've got three more large cartons from the move to empty, and I'll be ready to set up ftgwes once more in the new apartment. A bit of tricky logistics, eh wot! Then it will be once again. "Troops, Forward, March!" Back to MWAN #117 Table of Contents Back to MWAN List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 2002 Hal Thinglum This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com