I have received a selection of 30mm and 25mm figures from Warrior Metal Miniatures (see advert in this issue). The 30mm range includes a good selection of Napoleonics; some Ancients and English Civil War whilst the 25mm range has a good selection of 16th and 1?th century infantry and cavalry; British, French and Bavarian Napoleonics; Romans; Gauls and Greeks. There are artillery and artillerymen in both scales. A full range of 30mm figures has long been needed and it is a pity that with such a reasonable variety, these figures are really 40mm and not 30mm, just a the 25mm's are by my reckonings 30mm's. Those figures that I have seen look well painted up but are cast in a very soft metal which bends very easily although the maker points out that the figures he has sent are hand moulded and are not quite up to the standard of the machine-moulded ones which are in the process of being developed. The price of these figures has been reduced and they are now 30mm - 10p for infantry, 25p for cavalry; 25mm - 5p for infantry, 12p for cavalry.
From the famous French firm of model soldier makers Segom, 50 Boulevard Malesherbes, Paris 8. France, I have received a large number of samples of their new 30 plastic Napoleonic infantry and cavalry. By my standards, a true 30mm scale, the -im are beautiful figures with all the clear definition that one has come to expect from plastic castings. In cream plastic, they should paint up beautifully and there is a wide range of positions (samples at the top of this page). The cavalry horses come in two parts that can be stuck together so as to form a variety of positions whilst the cavalrymen themselves are cast with alternative "arms" so that alternative positions can be obtained by clipping off the limb that is not required. Artillery is also available together with gunners and the prices appear to work out at about 6p each for infantry, artillerymen and dismounted cavalry; horses about 10p; cavalry with horses about 18p, guns about 45p. Boxes of infantry, cavalry, guns and gunners can also be obtained. I find these a very intriguing addition to the present range of wargaming figures, particularly because they are in 30mm scale, in an easily convertible yet unbreakable plastic and because of the immensely high standard of production and original master-model making.
Incidentally, they fit in ideally with the new Hinchliffe Napoleonic figures and quite well with the figures produced by Miniature Figurines.
Still on figures - some most exciting news just dropped into the letterbox as I was writing this in the form of a letter from the Sales Manager of Airfix Hobby and Toy Sales Limited who tells me that "...under separate cover we are sending you our latest additions to our range. These are the British Grenadiers Series 1 and Waterloo French Infantry Series." This may be a delirious gift to wargamers because, although we knew of the British Grenadiers (to accompany the American Revolutionary figures recently put out) no previous information had been given regarding the likelihood of a Waterloo French Infantry set. A full report on both boxes will be given in our next issue.
This is a great month for excitement and here is a bit of news that will appeal to veteran wargamers and should also be closely studied by the less enlightened. Jack Scruby the American pioneer of wargaming, is again going to publish his famous magazine WAR GAME DIGEST. The first and probably the most stimulating publication connected with our hobby, this magazine went out of production nine years ago but Jack now feels that he has the time to revive it and he intends to put out about three issues a year without any particular deadline so that advance information will be given by means of advertisements when they are available. This is something that no one should miss so I suggest that you send $2.00 (about 50P with conversion charge.) to the Scruby Publishing Company, P.O.Box 144, Visalia, Calif. 93277, U.S.A. to obtain the 40-page Autumn War Game Digest that will be available in September.
Readers will be aware that the famous Bellona battle game scenery and landscape models are now being made by Micro-Mold Plastics of 1 Unifax, Woods Way, Goring-by. Sea, Sussex. These latest models are Rvl three span riverbridge at 17 1/2p and D7 a diorama "Ambush" (with removeable parts to cover up shell holes and make traps, etc) 57 1/2 p. These are both very nice little pieces of terrain, particularly the bridge which is a most realistic affair and how can you go wrong at so low a price. Both of these pieces fitted onto hardboard and blended into a terrain "Square" would embellish any wargames table and are strongly recommended.,
The English Games Manufacturers John Waddington have recently put out a board wargame called "CAMPAIGN" which is based on the Napoleonic Wars. It is played by 2, 3 or 4 players and costs £ 2.50. They have also re-issued that excellent pirate game "BUCCANEER" which has the great recommendation of being played without dice and in which the players have a great amount of scope for initiative since they have to amass treasure by any or all of three ways of trading, fighting or visiting Treasure Island.
Elsewhere in this issue is an advert for a range of cardboard cut-out Dutch buildings being imported by Magpie Models, 146 Harrogate Road, Leeds 7, Yorkshire. Having made up a lot of these following a visit to Amsterdam some years ago, I can testify to their simplicity, colour and effectiveness. When mounted on a board as a village or inn, etc,, and suitably decorated with bushes, roads, ivy and then "weathered" they are well worth fighting around. More than that, they fill a crying need for buildings suitable for wargaming in any period from the mid-17th century.
The latest Bellona Military Print is now available at 25p and gives detailed plan views in 1:76 and 1:48 scales. Series 25 includes the Soviet T-34/76A Medium Tank; the Churchill Bridgelayer; Armoured Car T18E2 and "Boarhound". These are invaluable and highly authoritative sources of reference for wargamers interested in the modern period as are the Bellona Military Vehicle Data also obtainable from Model and Allied Publications Ltd., Hemel Hempstead, Herts, Number 7, the latest of these contains photographs, scale drawings and complete details of Bedford QL Portee and Fire; Albion BY1 General Service; A.E.C. 0854 Refueller; Ford F60L Armoured Lorry; Dennis Max Mk.1 General Service; Morris CS8 Office; Dodge T215 Pickup; Austin K3 General Service and Ford WOT.2H Office.
I hear from Steve Curtis of 10 Hurle Crescent, Clifton, Bristol, Bs8 2TA, the originator of the Western Gunfight Wargame Rules, that the second edition of these rules will be appearing in time for the individual Championships at the Birmingham Convention in September - they cost 50p including postage in the U.K. only. This second edition features rules covering the use of shotguns, bows and arrows, muskets, canoes, hand-to-hand fighting and"canon'(?). The heart of the rules centres on the classic gunfighter and cowboy of the 1870's and 80's with the addition of Indian raids, cavalry and mountain men. Using the new rules to cover the chosen part of the Old dest. Even Napoleonic skirmishes or even Colonial fights are covered by the new musket rules. As before 54mm figures are utilised giving each man a different characteristic so resulting in a highly personalised, detailed fun-game.
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© Copyright 1971 by Donald Featherstone.
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