From my recent writings in MWAN, you know that I have been "carried" away by the English Civil War for the last several years. This all started many years ago - probably eighteen or so (geez!) - when Rich Black brought his 25mm MINIFIG and HINCHLIFFE ECW collection over to my house for a "holiday" wargame. At that time, we used to get together around New Years for a game as well as weekly games. The sight of wellpainted 25mm figures along with the sight of "pikes" and "musketeers" within the same unit made an impression upon me. The only thing I remember about the game, aside from the fact that I lost, which was, and is, my usual performance, was that we used Bill Protz's rules for the ECW which placed a heavy emphasis upon getting your "horse" from a standing position to a charging mode. Rich charged a unit of my horse and worked his way up to a "charge" mode hitting my unit while it was standing still. Of course, my horse unit fell apart but it was a very interesting and enjoyable affair. For years, the ECW as a period stayed in my mind. I finally started collecting 25mm figures and put together a large number of WARGAMES FOUNDRY figures but eventually sold them off when I was going through my "I have too many wargaming periods" phases. Sometime after that wore off, I started picking up 15mm ECW figures with a large number of MATCHLOCK MINIATURES, a very fine line. These figures, however, met the same fate when I did exactly the same thing again! It seemed as though the ECW, as a period of interest for me, was dead! At a LITTLE WARS convention a number of years ago, Johnson Hood of WARGAMES, pressed some 15mm ESSEX figure packs into my hands and asked me to review them in MWAN. I did this and placed the figures in a cigar box as I did with review samples which interested me. Then I attended the Seattle Convention ENFILADE and stayed at Bill Stewart's house. We spent a number of hours in his basement looking at his collection of toys. Bill is a very good painter and he had been working on 15mm ECW using ESSEX figures and had finished several units of horse. They were mounted perhaps eight to ten on a base and looked so impressive to me. They weren't in regular lines, but rather, looked a little "irregular" as to their placement on the bases. I tucked this away in my little mind. Then long-time friend Howard Whitehouse sent me a copy of his ECW rules, IRONSIDES to review. I liked the rules, but still didn't make a move toward getting into the period. From time to time, I would take out the ESSEX figure packs and droll over them. I would then go through their figure listing for the period, which is quite extensive, and also review figure lists from other manufacturers such as MATCHLOCK MINIATURES. I wrote to Paul Burnel in Scotland and asked him to give me some information as to which 15mm ECW figure lines produced in the UK would match with each other. I went through all my back issues of wargaming publications and made copies of any articles concerned with the ECW and started a "file" on the period where everything I had which was concerned with the period was in the same place. I find this very useful as I can refer to information on a period of interest very quickly and would recommend it to others. WARGAMES FOUNDRY sent me a copy of ECW rules, 1644, by Rick Priestly, which I read and very much enjoyed. Things were beginning to jell in my mind at this point. All of the seemingly unrelated" experiences I'd had regarding the English Civil War over the years were beginning to "push" me toward going into the period! In reading Howard's rules, I was impressed with the fact that his regiments are represented by three stands: foot have one stand of pikes with two of musketeers while horse have three stands. This appealed to me because I had been reading VOLLEY & BAYONET by Frank Chadwick where a unit is represented by one stand, 3" x 3", if I recall correctly. I remember thinking that I would like to do something where there were three stands to represent a unit because with one stand, one has to utilize something else to denote when the unit is column formation. The more I thought about it, the more I liked Howard's three stand approach. While Howard mounted his foot two deep - in 6mm - I thought about mounting mine three deep with a frontage of three. I'd never done this previously with a collection and thought it would look awfully good - which it does, by the way! Having a standard three-stand approach resolved all of the problems that I'd thought of as far as the period was concerned, namely, how to vary the ratio of pikes to muskets within different sized units, and how to determine casualties to a unit when it is composed of both pike and muskets. Certainly problems which could be overcome with a little thinking; perhaps that's why I wasn't able to resolve it! Anyway, I finally took the plunge and purchased a large number of ESSEX figures. Foot are mounted as such: MMM PPP SMM MMM PPP DMM MMM PFP OMM M-Musketeer P-Pike F-Flag Bearer S-Sergeant O-Officer D- Drummer Stands are 2" X 2" for foot & horse Horse are mounted four to a stand in an irregular fashion though they sort of look like two ranks. Each horse regiment has an officer, trumpeter, standard bearer, and nine troopers. Dragoons have three dismounted stands (1" x 2") with one of the stands being a little deeper (1.5" x 2") to accommodate a horseholder and riderless horse. firelock stands are 2 1/4" X 1" 'W' and have nine figures in sort of a skirmished position. For those who don't know what "firelocks" are, they are muskets which do not require a lighted "match" to ignite and they were used to protect artillery and wagon trains because "match" was known to ignite powder kegs, a most undesirable situation! I am also doing up "detached" musketeers, again in groups of nine, and mounting them, I think, in the same fashion of the firelocks. Guns and wagons are mounted on stands to accommodate their size. All guns have limbers while all limbers and wagons have a "walking" figure to lead the horses/oxen. Another factor I like about Howard's rules is that all regiments are the same size as regards the number of figures/ratio of pikes vs muskets. Although I am not normally a fan of the "roster" system, it makes perfect sense with this period where one has to be concerned about the ratio of pikes to muskets. One merely identifies a unit as being pike or musket "heavy" and there is a modification to account for this. Larger and smaller regiments are handled in the same fashion. In 15mm All right, let's take a look at what's available in 15mm. First of all ESSEX, since they are the range I am most familiar with. The ECW is contained within their "Renaissance" line. There are 13 packs of musketeers varying as to pose, hat/helmet, and with or without musket rest. The only I don't like is the "musket shouldered" merely because I don't like glueing muskets on figures. Pike are well represented with nine packs (medium & heavy; hats/helmets) in three poses: pike upright, 45 degree angle, and forward. I stayed with the upright and 45 degree angle just because a pike unit, to me, just doesn't look right always being in a pike forward position (push of pike, I think, is the correct term). I should mention that the pikes are "cast-on" and extremely durable. I've never had one break off. Foot command is very good with packs in hat or helmet consisting of officer, standard bearer - with cast-on flag - drummer, and sergeant). You can also purchase packs of six foot command of the same type (i.e., six officers or six drummers), something I like as I always need more of one type of command figure and I don't always like buying a full pack of assorted command and then not being able to use all of them. There are four packs of dragoon troopers mounted, one of command (with a beautiful flag) and two packs of dismounted troopers and one of dismounted dragoon command. One of the dismounted dragoon packs requires you to glue on their weapon - a walking figure - and I have to admit that it wasn't difficult to do this, but I still don't like it. There is a single pack of artillery crew with different poses as well as three guns, a limber, and horse or oxen teams. Horse are extremely well represented with 16 packs of troopers, two of command (hats or helmets), and five packs of Cuirassier troopers with one command pack. All standard bearers have cast-on flags and although I never was a fan of them, ESSEX have converted me! The Scots Covenanters have six packs of musketeers, two of pike, two of horse, and two of sergeants. For other command, one can use the ECW command in helmet. The Scots Royalists have one pack of horse in bonnet, one mounted musketeer, and one of Irish Musketeers. There are six packs of Highlanders including one command. They offer one pack of Mounted Generals and one of mixed staff mounted staff officers. Although you can use the above mentioned figures for the Thirty Years War, Essex also offers TYW figures within the Renaissance line including Dutch lancers, Stradoit horse, Grenz Musketeers, Poles, and Cossacks. No less an authority than Bernie Chambers of the EMPEROR'S HEADQUARTERS describes the ESSEX ECW line as their best line and I have to agree strongly. Nearly every figure line I've ever seen has a few weak figures; not this line. They are uniformly strong across the line. Available from WARGAMES, Box 278, Rt 40 East, Triadelphia, WV 260590278 (304-547-0000). MATCHLOCK MINIATURES, 26 Cliffsea Grove, Leigh on Sea, Essex SS9 I HQ, UK has an extensive and attractive line which fits in well with ESSEX. However, I recently ordered some figures from them and was told that VIKING FORGE, 1727 Theresa Ln., Powhatan, VA 23139 would be carrying them on this side of the ocean. Upon contacting them, I was informed that they are redoing the molds and would let me know when they were ready. MATCHLOCK prides themselves on the historical accuracy of their 15min line and it shows. There are 32 musketeer poses, 32 pike (at order or port), 16 foot command, 8 horse command, 5 mounted Generals, 22 horse troopers, four mounted dragoons (no dismounted), and perhaps the best artillery crew (10 poses). Furthermore, there are 11 Highlanders, 6 Irish Brigade, 1 Gordon Horse, and 22 "character" figures including "shot" musketeers, looting pikeman, rat catcher, etc. Pikes and standards have to be supplied. This really put me off the first time I had these figures, however, this time, I tried glueing on pikes and it worked really easily. In my opinion, the foot are superior to the horse figures. The great thing about the foot figures is that they have a variety of "true" ECW headgear including Monteros (perhaps the most popular ECW headgear from what I have read) and Monmouth hats. FREI KORPS 15,25 Princetown Rd., Bangor, Co. Down, Nor-them Ireland BT20 3TA UK also has an extensive line including 10 pikemen, 1 musketeers, 1 dismounted dragoon pack (mixed figures skirmishing), 1 pack of foot command in plumed helmets, three packs of Cuirassier troopers and one of command, 3 packs of troopers and a command pack (command horse packs include one officer, one standard bearer without standard, and one trumpeter), two packs of gun crewmen, one of mounted Dragoons, one pack of mounted staff officers, and packs of foot officers, musicians, and an interesting pack of camp followers (women and children). They have single packs of Scots pikes, musketeers, and lancers as well as a pack of Highlanders. They also offer three mounted personality packs which are very good. There are four guns and a Scottish frame gun (you've got to have them if you have Scots!) as well as a limber and horses or oxen. I have many of their horse and gun crew figures as well as guns and limbers. The foot, in my opinion, are a little smaller than the horse. The horse fit in very well with ESSEX. Cameron Robinson offers a very fast and inexpensive airmail surface which I have utilized many times and can vouch for! I have always liked the FREI KORPS 15 horse and artillery/limber items! In addition to carrying the MATCHLOCK MINIATURES line, THE VIKING FORGE, 1727 Theresa Ln., Powhatan, VA 23139 has listed an "Early 17th Century" line which looks as though it would work very well for the Thirty Years War. There are ten foot figures for pike and musketeers for French, Spanish, German, and Swedes and an officer and standard bearer as well as nine horse figures encompassing Spanish Caballo Coraza and Arquebusier, Swedish Cuirassier and cavalry, a Dragoon, officer and standard bearer. They offer two guns and four artillery crew. I've never seen these figures so can't describe them to you. They also offer a rules set entitled DUTCHMAN, SPANIARD, SWITZER, AND SWEDE by Doug Hubbard ($12) for the TYW. STONE MOUNTAIN MINIATURES, PO Box 675, Brighton, CO 80601 has a new ECW line which thus far as four packs of pike (three medium, one heavy) marching, advancing and standing. This was the first time I had seen a "marching" pike pose and I liked it. They have one pack of musketeers advancing and firing as well a pack of foot command and two guns. They are just a little smaller than ESSEX but mix very well. Pikes are cast-on while standards are not. A nice start for this period! GLADIATOR GAMES, carried by REGAL MINIATURES, 1116 Broadway, Polk City, Iowa 50226 (515-984-6470) has a brand new line consisting of 29 packs of figures with more to come. There is a pack of mounted Generals (three), three foot command (early/late war in helmet and then one with hats), eight packs of musketeers, five packs of pike including a pack of "poorly equipped" pikemen (nicely done!), three of horse command, one of Cuirassier troopers, and six of horse troopers, and one of mounted Dragoons. These figures a little larger than ESSEX though I have mixed some of the two manufacturers together in the same unit. Nice character and I'm looking forward to more releases. MUSEUM MINIATURES of the UK is now being carried by THE COLONIAL CONNECTION, 226 Wareham's Point, Williamsburg, VA 23185 (757-229-1499) and should be available soon. There are seven packs of pike (45 degrees and upright and cast-on pikes), five of musketeers, two of Halbarders (what were they used for in the ECW?), six of "recruits" (with farm implements, firing bow, firing musket, and using Bill), one dismounted dragoon (in advancing and firing poses), one Cuirassier trooper, two of mounted Dragoons, six of horse troopers, one gun crew, one Scots Lancers, and a Cromwell personality figure as well as five guns and a four horse limber. These figures are very good for the most part; I found some variance in quality within the range. The horse are fantastic. The figures a little larger than ESSEX and the foot would fit in well with GLADIATOR GAMES figures though the horse are smaller. LANCASHIRE GAMES, 20 Platting Rd., Lydgate, Oldham, OL4 4DL, UK (0 1457872212) has a list of TYW figures which I haven't seen as of yet consisting of six packs of pike, two foot command (hat and helmet), four musketeers, one artillery crew, four horse troopers, one mounted and one dismounted Dragoons, and one pack of horse holder and horses. IRREGULAR MINIATURES, 3, Apollo Street, Heslington Rd., York, YOI 5AP UK (0 190467110 1) offers a Renaissance line of 31 packs. The first seven are Polish foot and horse, two Cossacks (foot and horse), three pike, two musketeers, one Halberdier officer, one Cuirassier, one Carabinier, two horse troopers, three Scots (pike, musketeer, and claymore), dismounted Dragoon and horseholder w/horse (nicely done!), horse command consisting of officer, trumpeter, and standard bearer, Mounted General, and foot drummer and standard bearer. Each figure has a number of variations which is quite nice. These are "larger" type 15's and would fit in well with GLADIATOR GAMES foot but not with their horse figures as they fit in with ESSEX. I like this line a lot! DONNINGTON MINIATURES, 15 Cromwell Rd., Shaw, Newbury, Berkshire, RG14 214P, UK (0163546627) has an extensive line of both TYW(I 618-1648) and ECW figures which is far too long to describe. The TYW line encompasses all of the major powers. Let me allow Paul Bumel describe them. "You may well find that individual ranges vary in size. A case in point being the TYW range and the earlier produced ECW figures. My own view was that the latter figures were smaller in stature and less detailed than the TYW castings which is a VERY large range (60-80 listings), has great poses, detail, are 'big' enough to do conversions to, and because the war covers 1618-48 (the range has been extended to cover up to 1660), you could use them as ECW troops. My own view is that the TYW offers more variety than ECW." Thanks, Paul! They also provide casualty" figures which I always like as "morale markers" in wargames. TABLETOP MINIATURES, carried by DIVISION AFTER DIVISION, 11107 Finchley Rd., Louisville, KY 40243 has lines of Early 17th Century and 17th Century foot and horse. Their listings of Early 17th Century foot consisting of French, Spanish, German, and Swedish pike and musketeers sounds exactly like those offered by THE VIKING FORGE - I wonder if they are the same? Within the 17th Century line, there are Scottish pike and musketeers, dismounted Dragoons, English pike and muskets, as well as Covenanter Pike and Musketeers. The early 17th Century line also includes four artillery crew members. I haven't seen this line so can't speak on it. JACOBITE, available through SIMTAC, 15G Colton Rd., East Lyme, CT 06333 seven packs of pike (including kneeling and charging), three of musketeers, two infantry command, two dismounted dragoons, two of peasants, one of artillery crew; six of Scots (axeman, longbowman, claymore, musketeer, infantry, trooper w/lance, and horse command), four of troopers, one Cuirassier trooper, three of command including one Cuirassier command, and two Dragoons. There are four mounted personalities and one mounted General as well as four guns, one mortar, one limber, and four types of carts. It's been a long time since I saw a few figures from this line so I really can't recall what they look like. HALLMARK FIGURES, available from REGAL MINIATURES, has a number of very interesting, though "small" 15mm figures and items. They have a large number of carts and wagons as well as horse/oxen teams and drivers which are perfect for an ECW artillery train. They also have four guns, a mortar, artillery crew, Scots frame gun and crew, Scots horseholder and pack horse, and a number of "carters" leading horses. I've found these items to be very useful. Sizewise, the foot fit in well with FREI KORPS 15. They also have wooden fences (in metal) which are useful for the ECW period, gates, signposts, monuments, gravestones, wells, pillory & stocks, fountain, gallows, and much more. TACTICAL CONFLICT SYSTEMS (TCS), 545 Newport Ave., Suite # 155, Pawtucket, RI 02861 is one of the most useful wargames accessories manufacturers. They offer redoubts, earthworks, rubble barricades, fences and stone walls, bridges, tents, haystacks, walled yards, gabions, castles, and a large number of European buildings which can be used for the ECW period. Many of the houses are available in ruined condition as well. I have many of their products and can say without hesitation that they are of high quality and very useful! MINIFIGS is a company we are all familiar with as they are one of the early manufacturers of wargames figures. They offer a TYW and ECW line which are extensive. For the TYW, the Swedes have packs of pike, musketeers, artillerymen, foot command, Noble Cuirassier, horse, Dragoons, and Horse Command while the Imperial forces have packs of pike, musketeers, Grenzers, artillerymen, Cuirassier, foot command, heavy lance, mounted Arquebusiers, Croat light horse, and horse command. The ECW line has two packs of pike (armoured and unarmoured), one of musketeers, dismounted and mounted dragoons, Irish Musketeers, Scots Pikes/Musketeers/Assorted weapons, peasants (I'd like to know what these are), foot command, artillerymen, five of horse troopers, Gordon Horse, Scots Lancers, horse command, two packs of mounted Generals, two packs of guns, and one of limbers/limber horses. It has been many years since I've seen this line, but Dan Rakowski, who has many of them in his collection, tells me they are a little smaller than ESSEX but fit in all right. VILLAGE GREEN, 34 Moorgarth Ave., York, Y02 2DP, UK (0904629062) has a beautiful set of buildings, the "Peel" Farm consisting of five separate buildings. I have this set and it is truly an impressive setting. HOVELS has a number of buildings appropriate for the TYW/ECW. They have 12 buildings for their Medieval range and an additional 19 for their European 17th-19th Century range. All are beautiful buildings and would grace anyone's wargames table. SCENIC EFFECTS, PO Box 70332, Point Richmond, CA 94807 (510-235- 1955) has a number of building sets which are being sold for the Napoleonic period including Wagram, Aspern, and Essling, which I would feel quite comfortable using for the TYW and some for the ECW. Among the best buildings I've seen in 15mm! HEKI, available in most railroad hobby shops, has FEW type hedges mounted on plastic bases which I find quite attractive and useful for the period. My intention is to put my buildings on bases and then mount fences/walls/etc. on them. I have two different colors, both called "light green" and labeled with code 1391. CHEVAL DESIGN STUDIOS, 165 Charles St., Vestal, NY 13850 (607-785- 5486) has a line of 15mm TYW figures which have seen several times at THE EMPEROR'S HEADQUARTERS in Chicago though I haven't seen them for some time. I called Jeff Valent several weeks ago and asked about the line. Just today, I received a listing and samples. There are six packs ($10.95 each) of figures for the TYW: Horse musketeers (18 figures/3 poses), Cavalry (as w/horse musketeers), Pike (50 figures/3 poses), Musketeers (50 figures/6 poses), Command & Characters (30 figures/8 poses), and Mounted Command (16 figures/4 poses; officer, trumpeter, and Dragoon drummer). I have the Mounted Command and they are very much like MATCHLOCK MINIATURES ECW figures as sculpting and will fit in well with ESSEX. Flag sets for the FEW in 15mm are available through REVO FLAGS (available from WARGAMES) and ORV BANASIK, 3165 26th Ave., Marion, Iowa 52302. MATCHLOCK MINIATURES also have color flag sets. As regards rules sets, aside from Howard Whitehouse's (265 McCarter Rd., Lafayette, GA 30728-6479; give him an SASE for information as to price) IRONSIDES and books, 1644 by Rick Priestly is available from WARGAMES FOUNDRY (see their ad in this issue for their address).By the way, WARGAMES ILLUSTRATED, in a recent issue (somewhere between 113-123) had an excellent article (in two parts) by Thomas Sheperd ENGLISH CIVIL WAR UPDATE: Rules for the advanced use of Artillery, supporting fire, and separate troops/companies for use with 1644 ECW rules by Wargames Foundry. If you like these rules, you have to pick up these issues of WI. FORLORN HOPE by Peter Berry and Ben Wilkins is available from Matchlock Miniatures/CALIVER BOOKS (see earlier address within this article). Bill Protz published WARGAMER'S GUIDE TO THE ENGLISH CIVIL WAR many years ago (1977). Actually, I haven't seen that many sets of rules for the ECW/TYW period. I would appreciate it if MWANers who are aware of other sets would write in about them. There is a four book series on the ECW by Nicholas Carter which is excellent. I have only read one of the four - KING'S MEN GROW - and really enjoyed it. I understand he is a re- enactor and he seems to have a good "feel" for the period. I am going to order the other three as soon as I get a chance to get to the local book store. OSPREY BOOKS have a number of excellent overview books on the TYW/ECW. These include: ELITE SERIES #25 SOLDIERS OF THE ENGLISH CIVIL WAR (1) INFANTRY by Keith Roberts #27 SOLDIERS OF THE ENGLISH CIVIL WAR (2) CAVALRY by John Tincey MEN-AT-ARMS SERIES #188 POLISH ARMIES 1569-1696 (2) by Richard Brzezinski #235 THE ARMY OF GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS (1) INFANTRY by Richard Brzezinski #262 THE ARMY OF GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS (2) CAVALRY by Richard Brzezinski One of my favorite ECW books is THE ENGLISH CIVIL WAR 1642-1651 AN ILLUSTRATED MILITARY HISTORY by Philip Haythornthwaithe (Brandford Press). CROMWELL'S ARMY: A HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH SOLDIER DURING THE CIVIL WARS, THE COMMONWEALTH AND THE PROTECTORATE by C.H. Firth is a classic and provides valuable information. CALIVER BOOKS/PARTIZAN PRESS, 26 Cliffsea Grove, Leigh- On-Sea, Essex, SS9 INQ offers hundreds of ECW titles. I have SCOTS ARMIES OF THE 17TH CENTURY (1) THE ARMY OF THE COVENANT 1639-51 and (3) THE ROYALIST ARMIES 1639-46, both by Stuart Reid and have found them to provide a wealth of information on the Scots. I also have ECW FLAGS AND COLOURS (1) ENGLISH FOOT by Stuart Peachey and Les Prince and OFFICERS AND REGIMENTS OF THE ROYALIST ARMY VOLUME 4 IIS-Z11 by Stuart Reid. They also offer a number of booklets on ECW battles (THE FORLORN HOPE GUIDE series) of which I have Battle of Hopton Heath, Battle of Justice Mills/Aberdeen, and Naseby Fight. All three follow the same format of giving a general overview of the battle with orders of battle which are very helpful. Another outstanding recent book is Brassey's History of Uniforms ENGLISH CIVIL WAR by Philipp J.C. Elliot-Wright. If you want an in-depth work on the ECW, you might try S.R. Gardiner's HISTORY OF THE GREAT CIVIL WAR in four volumes. I still haven't made my way through them, but have enjoyed my reading thus far. The problem that I find with this set is that I have to read it very carefully to understand it and I don't have that kind of time to read. Gardiner covers every facet of the period, political as well as military, and I've been able to learn a lot thus far. I greatly enjoyed reading ROUNDHEAD GENERAL - THE CAMPAIGNS OF SIR WILLIAM WALLER by John Adair (Sutton Publishing) and BATTLES OF THE ENGLISH CIVIL WAR by Austin Woolrych was an interesting overview of Marston Moor, Naseby and Preston. Recent ECW books I've picked up but haven't had time to get to include SIR RICHARD GRENVILLE OF THE CIVIL WAR by Amos C. Miller (Phillimore), THE GREAT REBELLION 1642-1660 by Ivan Roots (Sutton Publishing), THE BATTLE OF NASEBY AND THE FALL OF KING CHARLES I by Maurice Ashley (St. Martin's Press), and FAIRFAX GENERAL OF PARLIAMENT'S FORCES IN THE ENGLISH CIVIL WAR by John Wilson (Franklin Watts). PARITZAN PRESS also publishes ENGLISH CIVIL WAR NOTES & QUERIES, a magazine devoted to the period. A lot of good information is available within this publication. Last, but not least, movies devoted to the ECW/TYW. Well, there aren't many, but one of my favorite movies is THE LAST VALLEY, the story of a small village in the mountains during the Thirty Years War. A small unit of perhaps 40 mercenaries led by Michael Caine (in his first movie, I believe) comes upon the village and makes an arrangement with Omar Shariff to spend the winter there. Excellent movie which portrays the brutality of the period. CROMWELL starring Richard Harris as Oliver Cromwell is one of my least favorite movies. Harris runs about sprouting every significant quotation made by an ECW personality, but it does have a battle scene, actually a "bad" battle scene, but hey, it's a period movie, isn't it? The last movie I am aware of is BY THE SWORD DIVIDED, the English Public Television series which is about nine hours long and tells the story of an English family during the ECW. Good stuff and I've watched it about four times over the years! Written by John Adair. In the wargames press, Charles Grant, in his excellent little book WARGAME TACTICS, has a chapter on "The Advent of Gunpowder" and a subsequent chapter covers a wargames scenario for the ECW "The Battle of Fiddler's Bottom". Our own Donald Featherstone penned WARGAMING PIKE AND SHOT covering battles of the period 1512 to 1658. One of my favorite wargames writers, Stuart Asquith wrote an excellent series of articles for a new deceased wargames publication (I can't recall the name of the publication but it has been gone for twenty or so years; was it BATTLE FOR WARGAMERS?) covering ECW scenarios for Edgehill, The Storming of Brentford, Chalgrove Field, Adwlton Moor, Roundway Down, The First Battle of Newbury, Nantwich, The Relief of Newark, Cropredy Bridge, Marston Moor, The Second Battle of Newbury, Naseby, and Smaller Actions of the ECW including Hopton Heath, Powick Bridge, and Seacroft Moor. All excellently done with orders of battle and scenarios. I am fortunate enough to have them all. Well, there you have it! Virtually everything I know about wargaming products for the ECW/TYW in 15mm! If any MWANers have information on the period as to rules or other figure/accessory lines. I would greatly appreciate hearing about it. Back to MWAN #92 Table of Contents Back to MWAN List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1998 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