By Hal Thinglum - GEOFFREY PARKER'S THE THIRTY YEARS' WAR - I had heard of this book for some time and was browsing in BORDERS BOOKSTORE yesterday and ran across it (2nd Edition 1997, 316 pages, Routledge, first published in 1980; $25. 00). 1 haven't had a chance to read it yet, of course, however, here are the chapter headings: Europe Between War and Peace 1555-1618; The Indecisive War 1618-1629; The Hapsburgs Victorious; Total War; Countdown to Peace, The War in Myth, Legend and History. The book jacket states that the second edition has been "thoroughly revised" and that "it continues to provide the definitive narrative and analytical account of the war. I am looking forward to having the time to sit down and read this one!
By Hal Thinglum - HERBERT LANGER'S THE THIRTY YEARS' WAR -Wow, how about this; I found two books on my favorite period (at the moment!) within three days! I was at THE EMPEROR'S HEADQUARTERS and ran across this gem. It is "coffee-table" sized publication of 245 pages with many, many color and black & white illustrations (Dorset Press; Translated from the German, 1978; second English edition 1990; $25.00). The chapter headings are: Unstable Rule and Approaching War, Glory and Misery of the Free Mercenaries, Peasant and Soldier; Profiteers and Technicians of the War; Science, Poetry and Art in Time of War; Newspapers, War of the Pens, the Voice of the People, Peace: Achieved at Last, Lauded, Doubted Again, I'm looking greatly forward to reading this book in depth; the etiologies and dynamics of the Thirty Years' War are incredibly complex and I feel these two books will assist me greatly in understanding it more.
By Hal Thinglum - BATTLE HONORS 25MM WWII BY 19TH CENTURY MINIATURES Although I have been fixated by, first of all, the English Civil War, followed by the Thirty Years' War, and currently the Malburian Period, I still think of periods which I have completed or almost completed (have any of us ever really "completed" a period?). While at THE EMPEROR'S HEADQUARTERS in Chicago, I ran across the Battle Honors 25mm vehicles put out by 19th CENTURY MINIATURES, 13595 Green Street, Grand Haven, Michigan, 49417 (616-837- 7045) and couldn't resist them. I have several plastic kits assembled, though I had been wondering what the Battle Honors metal/resin vehicles would be like and I don't think I will be disappointed. I picked up four of them: XRMV4 Soviet T34/85; XGMV8 STUG III, 75mm/150 with full zimmerit; XRMV9 USSR KVI; and XGMVI I Tiger I, full zimmerit. Each was $30.00 - yeh, costly, but I suspect the plastic kits for this scale will cost you at least $20.00! Well, the main body of the vehicles is in resin while all other parts are metal. I didn't try to assemble them yet so I can't really tell you about this aspect. However, they are beautiful looking vehicles and will make a welcome addition to my 25mm WWII German-Russian project! Also picked up GR25-7 German anti-tank and artillery crew there are fifteen figures in five positions: four are holding an artillery shell while four others are also holding shells, however, they do not have bases(?). There are two standing figures with their hands over their ears; four officers(?) Kneeling with right hand up-, and one figure kneeling over a box. They are all wearing steel helmets. Nice figures; flash is easily removed. Cost is $15.00. The "Steves" (both are named Steve) from 19th Century Miniatures are great to deal with; I've known them for years. highly recommended for the 25mm WWII gamer or for the modeler, as well!
By Hal Thinglum - 6MM HOVELS BUILDINGS --Also at THE EMPEROR'S HEADQUARTERS I picked up some 6mm Hovels buildings as I am considering doing a 6mm project: either SYW or Napoleonics! These are little gems! I don't have a listing of the names of the buildings, but will do my best to describe them to you. First of all, I wanted structures which would fit either of the two periods fisted above. 6EE300 ($6.99) is a three storey building with wings jutting out from each of the four sides-, 4R300 ($5.99) is a one piece farm complex with barn, cottage, and wall sections (very nicely done!); 8R.300 ($8.99) is a very large three-storey "government' building; 7R.300 ($8.99) could be used as a railway building or large barn; and IR300 ($3.59) is a very well done stone bridge with two viaducts going underneath it. All are cast in resin and very attractive. Highly recommended!
By Hal Thinglum - UNIFORMOLOGY I received some very fine color drawings from Uniformology, Box 81, Weatherford, TX 76086 (1-888-806-2196; http://www.uniformology.com). These are the famous Knotel's prints which cover most of the armies of the Napoleonic Wars. There are 18 sets available, each for $11.95 (a few at $9.95/$12.95) and each has 16 color prints within. Sent for mention within this column was 16 prints of The Imperial Guard of Napoleon I of France. They included color prints of The Old Guard 1806, Marines, Grenadiers a Cheval, Chaseurs a Cheval, Dragoons, Polish Chevauleger, 1st Lancers, 1st Polish Lancers, 2nd Dutch Lancers, Elite Gendarmes, Imperial Guard 1810, Mamelukes, Lithuanian Tartars, Honor Guards, Foot Artillery, and Engineers. These are 5 1/2" X 8 1/2" sized plates-, most have two to five figures of that particular unit. Included is a three page description of the plates. The other 17 sets cover the English Army, more French units, Brunswick, Denmark & Poland, Hanover, Italy & Naples, Holland, Austria, Prussia, Russia, Spain, Batavian Republic and Sweden. These are excellent color guides and could even be put in a frame to grace your wargames room. Recommended!
By Hal Thinglum - New 25mm FRONTIER RELEASES FROM MODELERS MART Modelers Mart, 1555 Sunshine Drive, Clearwater, FL 33765 has released some new 25mm figures from the FRONTIER line. I was very familiar with this line when Atley Turner was producing it. Haven't heard from him in years! Anyway, I was surprised to find that they were adding to the line though I knew they were carrying it. I had many of their French Foreign Legion figures in my collection as well as some French-Indian War figures and thought they were good. They are more of a "true" 25mm size. From their Italian Colonials in North Africa 1890-1941 line comes a number of useful figures for the Colonial gainer: Italian Bersaglieri advancing, standing/kneeling firing, advancing, charging/standing, and prone/kneeling/standing firing. Thirty figures for $19.95 and all packs contain command. They are wearing the plumed hat and are very nice figures! Also in this range are Cacciatorre infantry with vulture plume sun helmet standing/advancing and kneeling/standing firing with command. Although not included for review are Askaris advancing and firing as well as dismounted and mounted Bedouins w/command and Dervish infantry/camelmen attacking. These figures would be very useful for the North African wargamer! Also included were F0342 Gaslight era figures with six different figures: Scotland Yard detective, his sidekick, English gentlemen and Mistress, lady in gown, and Gunga Din look alike. These figures are always useful for scenarios and I always liked to have a number of civilians in my games! F2018 North European Barbarians: with standard (cast to figure), bowmen, slinger, and spearmen.; from the Ancients line they have added OP029 Scythian mounted bowmen; OP030 mounted armored Scythians - OP031 Macedonian slingers/bowmen/spearmen; and finally F2017 gladiators and Praetorian Guard - there are six different gladiators. Ten horsemen/30 foot for $19.95. If you own Frontier armies, you'll want to take this chance to add to your collections. Recommended!
By Hal Thinglum - 25MM REDOUBT ENTERPRISES NEW RELEASES - Redoubt Enterprises, 49 Channel View Rd., Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN22 7LN, UK (phone 01323-738022; FAX 01323-738032) continues to add to their ACW and Napoleonic lines in 25mm with some great figures! First of all, there are four sets of ACW firing artillery crews in the usual shirtsleeves, shell jacket, sack coat and frock coat: these consist of six different poses - all with separate heads. Very well done! The figures within each pack are differently poses than the other packs, thus you have 24 differently posed crew members! They also released four packs (same uniforms as above) of battlefield casualties falling wounded, crawling, etc. Again, these are all differently posed giving you 24 different casualty figures - as you know, these are very helpful figures to use as game aids (you can use a falling figure to denote a morale check while kneeling wounded and dead can denote various types of morale) and if you add a few falling wounded within your unit, it really spices it up! Six figure packs sell for 3.60 pounds. They also added ACW wounded heads with kepi and slouch hat. Also new are skirmish commands ACW85 Confederate and ACW86 Union. Each has two skirmish sets of command consisting of an officer, sergeant and bugler-, one set is in shell jacket while the second is on frock coat. All have separate heads and each set has some separate arm figures; three in one set and two in the other. They are kneeling and advancing-, great poses! ACW sets 87 through 90 are in the usual four different uniforms and contain battlefield dead and wounded: these are all prone face up or face down. Again, very useful for game markers. From their Napoleonic range they have released British foot artillery in shako consisting of five crew members including an officer. Also within this range (all British) is PX1 61b gun, PX2 91b, PX3 5.5" howitzer, PX4 limber, and PX5 ammo cart (all are 3.50 pds each). All are beautifully cast and make my mouth water! I am sorely tempted to either do some skirmish gaming with them or to have some units painted up for the Peninsula! Good work, Peter! Very highly recommended!
By Hal Thinglum - GUERNSEY FOUNDRY 28MM PIMATES AND DARKEST AFRICA RELEASES - This company continues to release high quality figures. Pirates seem to be the rage within the wargaming hobby as of late. Vince Clyant called me yesterday and reported he had found some very nice 25mm plastic pirate ships in the Kay-Bee toy stores which also had plastic pirates. GF has released additional pirates for their "Cutthroats" line consisting of Cut2 Henry Morgan's crew (seven figures including a drummer boy and figure blowing a long horn) and Cut3 Cutthroat characters (seven differently posed figures in action poses). From their Darkest Africa tine comes DA46Mmixed weapons with a large variety of clubs, spears, and machetes; DA52 African Tribal Warchiefs seven different poses of which four require weapons to be added; one has a musket. They are in a variety of different clothing. Lastly is DA56 African Tribal Spearmen characters consisting of seven poses of which six require separate weapons. The seventh has a head mounted on top of his spear and is wearing a captured sun helmet! Another has a European jacket. All highly recommended!
By Hal Thinglum - C&O EQUIPMENT CO 20MM WWI FIGURES - This new company, which supports MWAN via advertising, has a very interesting line of 20mm WWI figures for Afiica and the Middle East. C&Q Equipment Co., 11521 S.W. 60th Ter. Miami, FL 33173 (305- 598-1007) has British, South African, Australian, Nigerians, Turks, Germans (including askaris) and Indians. I had never seen the figures before and must admit that I am very impressed with the quality! I am looking at a German Askaris two man Maxim MG with two crew members - one sitting and the other prone loading. This is a very well done set! They also offer cavalry and one cavalrymen and horse (Turk) was submitted; nicely done indeed! The figures have an officer, advancing, firing, and kneeling for all countries except for Germany which has only an officer, which would go with the Askaris. All have machine gun teams (Vickers and Maxims, which are very well cast, I would add). Poses are good and figures have no discernable flash. Foot are .70; MG teams $1.90 and cavalry are $1.90. They also offer, fisted on their ad, five types of resin vehicles. Highly recommended items!
By Hal Thinglum - DONALD FEATHERSTONE'S "THE BATTLEFIELD WALKFR HANDBOOK" - Specialty Press, 11481 Kost Dam Rd., North Branch, MN 55056 has released Donald's latest book, THE BATTLEFIELD WALKER'S HANDBOOK ($32.95 with an additional $4.50 for postage/handling; phone 800-895-4585 or 651-583-3239). This is a hardcover book of 352 pages, with 39 maps and 87 photographs. The chapters are as follows: Battlefield Walking, France The Hundred Years War, Belgium - Waterloo, Portugal and Spain - the Peninsular War, South Africa - The Zulu War, South Africa - The First Boer War, South Africa - The Second Boer War, USA American War of Independence, USA - War of 1812, and USA - American Civil War. Each chapter contains sections on the course of the war and Donald selects one battle from the war and discusses the historical aspect as well as providing nicely done maps which will be helpful for wargamers to recreate the scenario and then discusses how the battlefield looks today. He ends up with "Mini Memories of Walking the Battlefields" of that period. This, I think, is the best of Donald's recent books and would be very helpful to the wargamer! Congratulations, Donald! Highly recommended!
By Hal Thinglum - ECW RULES FOR GOD. KING AND COUNTRY, A Guidebook to the English Civil Wars m Bruce McFarlane and the CANADIAN WARGAMERS GROUP have done it again! I think this is his seventh set of rules and I am impressed with all of them as they take an approach which I can really appreciate in publishing rules- Bruce not only presents the rules, but also the historical background, uniform information and organization, strategy and tactics, scenarios, and usually a campaign game, all within the same publication giving you a lot for your money! This is a 66 page rules book ($20 to Canadian Wargamers Group, Box 1725, Station 'M', Calgary, Alberta, Canada T21 2L7; include $3.00 for postage). The rules themselves are six pages long. There are five phases within a turn; movement is a little slow with infantry moving from 2" - 4" and horse moving from 5" - 9"; each turn equals 15 minutes; each figure represents 50 men; and each inch equals 50 yards. Bruce reports that the rules can also be used to recreate battles of The Thirty Years' War. There are ten scenarios for the ECW, including two for Montrose, and they cover all three parts of the ECW conflict. In addition, there is a scenario for Lutzen of the TYW! Scenarios include a briefing, army strengths, deployment, victory conditions, special rules, a well done map, and information to the commanders. The campaign game is five pages long with two pages of army lists and a map of England and Scotland (take it to your local copy shop and have it enlarged). There are nine phases within each campaign turn. Unit counters can be photocopied. Very useful set of campaign rules and quite simple, which is very nice! There is a one page section dealing with using THE KING'S WAR (by Clash of Arms) boardgame with miniatures which I found very interesting and helpful as I have this boardgame! Highly recommended - see Bruce's designer's notes within this issue!
By Hal Thinglum - HOPLITE RESEARCH'S CORPS COMMAND: Conquest & Diplomacy in the Age of Napoleon 1792-1915 - A Complete Campaign System Hoplite Research, PO Box 24762, Oakland, CA 94623 (Web site www.hoplite-research.com) has released an interesting rules book for the Napoleonic Wars. It is a massive 176 pages (price info not included) publication with three cardstock "cheat sheets" and a cardstock campaign map of Europe designed by Manny Granillo H. The rules are written for 25/30mm figures; each foot battalion has 12 castings (representing 600-1100 men) while horse have eight (representing 300-600)- an artillery battery represents 50- 100 men. Basing information is provided. The author reports that & rules are designed to "complete a 50,000 man battle in four to six hours with a clear decision". The rules section is about 30 pages long. Idantry in march column move 15"/Cavalry move 30" in same formation. The game features command control and rates corps/army commanders within eight different categories (Superior to Unreliable). The rules appear to be well written and defined with many illustrations. There is a section on National Characteristics for many nations as well as a campaign system of 26 pages (worthwhile if only for this type of information re campaigns!); and a section on "Special Agreements and Political Organizations" which provides much campaign information on each country in the rules. In addition, they provide a set of Naval Rules "Line of Battle!", which is 16 pages long, as well as a three page set of "fast play" naval and land rules. There are two scenarios (Rivoli and Saalfeld) and six campaign scenarios as well as a seventh ("Grand Campaign") encompassing the period 1792-1816! They also have a 24 page section devoted to questions, clarifications and answers. A very helpful rules book for the Napoleonic garner; even if you aren't interested in this period, the campaign information is always helpful! Highly recommended!
By Hal Thinglum - THE THIRD EDITION OF THE SWORD AND THE FLAME Lany Brom has released his famous rules set, THE SWORD AND THE FLAME in a boxed set (And That's The Way It Was, 213 3rd St, NE, Hickory, NC 28601 - 1oribrom@interpath.com) - see ordering information for different types of orders in Larry's ai on page 156 of this issue. I bit my "Colonial teeth" on this rules set and really enjoyed it. Other Colonial rules sets have come along since that time, however, TSATF is a fast moving, fun game to play! The boxed set I received has a 53 page rule book (3rd edition) containing "A combined revised set of original and supplemental rules for the conduct of colonial warfare". Larry provides information on the British, Pathans, Zulus, Boers, Egyptians, Dervish, Boxers, FFL, and French-Indian War. Rule modifications are offered for the French-Indian War, Boxer Rebellion, and French Foreign Legion. In addition, one scenario is offered. There are eight cardstock gaming aids included and two copies of each are provided - a nice touch! My set also included a set of plastic coated playing cards, a D6 and D 10, fifty plastic British and fifty Zulus in 20mm scale. I like the game box because it provides me with easy storage. Most highly recommended to the Colonial Garner! Actually, every wargamer should have a copy of this rules set on their wargames shelfl.
From Michael Adams - OLD GLORY 25MM ANCIENTS - Old Glory (Box 20, Calumet PA 15621; phone 724-423-3580) has released an exciting new Ancient Army for Achaemenid Persians in 25mm! Now you can refight the Battle of Thermopyle, Alexander's Battles, Issos, Gaugamela, etc. There are 13 bags, each of which includes 30 foot/10 horse for $24.00 or King's Chariot and two horse chariots (3 for $27.00) and Heavy four horse chariots (two for $27). The list is as follows: Persian King in 2-horse chariot; Persian 4-horse scythed chariot- packs of Persian Spearmen, javlinmen, bowmen, heavy infantry, slingers, light cavalry, heavy caval;;, extra heavy cavalry; as well as Immortals; Phrygian axemen; and 2-horse chariot with bowmen. Packs I reviewed include: PPP5 Bowmen, PPP4 Javilinmen, light cavalry, and PPPI I heavy cavalry: the figures are 28mm high, well detailed, and excellently done! Also remember that each bag has different poses so you should have a good looking Persian army! Another great job done by Old Glory. Also in the pipeline are 15mm Ancients for you jealous 15mm gamers. By the time you read this, the Boxer Rebellion will be released at Cold Wars with buildings in 25mm. They will also add bags of 25mm Gauls for the Carthaginian range (new poses) and Ancient personalities by the summertime. Great job again, Russ, Connie and staff.
By Hal Thonglum - SKIRMISH LINE PAINTING SERVICES - Charles VanNorman, 347 N. Maple Ave., Green Bay, Wise 54303 (920-435-6337) offers a painting service and I have utilized his services a number of times, all for 20mm items, namely ACW. This time, I found myself with far more "forlorn hope" 15mm ECW musketeers than I needed. My ECW/TYW regiments are 27 figures strong with three stands. The pike stand has eight pike and a standard bearer, while the two musketeer stands have nine musketeers each. On one of the m.sketeer stands, I have a foot officer, drummer, and sergeant. I counted up my "extra" painted musketeers, added unpainted command figures and pikemen, and sent the three regiments off to Charles for painting. I included single painted samples for each of the three regiments. I also included several 12-figure regiments of Polish horse from the Thirty Years War. Charles did his usual fine job with them; I must admit that I was more impressed with these 15mm figures than I was with the 20mm ACW I had sent him, though it must be admitted that ACW uniforms are pretty drab in comparison to TYW/ECW uniforms! The colors were matched perfectly with the painted samples I had included; Charles also followed my instructions by using the same coat color within regiments but changing the color of the trousers/hat/etc so that all of the figures are not the same color completely. I much prefer this approach! Painting detail is very good in this scale for Charles; collars are painted on; one of the foot regiments was a Scottish unit and the officer I included had a tartan skirt which was well painted in green and black. The figures were Essex, and as such, have cast on flags, which I like. Charles did two of them in plain colors, which I had requested, but did the Scots flag with a nicely done yellow, outlined in black, on a blue background, cross. I'd also sent him 17 artillerymen which he did in a variety of colors. On all figures, belts are outlined in black, a r--e touch, and detail is good. The two units of Polish TYW horse were well done; the horses were especially nice as they were outlined in black which gave them a very nice look! The slung carbines were detailed well with metal as were the belts holding the carbines. A very good job and highly recommended! 15mm foot are'.75 while mounted figures (horse/rider) are $1.25.
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