OLD BRITISH MODEL SOLDIERS 1893-1918
by L.W.Richards (Arms and Armour Press 30s. 60 photographic plates). This pleasant little volume should have a subtitle "Nostalgia Unlimited" because every page and every picture brought back to me some long forgotten memory of my boyhood. I have already spent hours looking at each figure and recalling "I had that set for Christmas when I war. eight' or "I remember having a box of those Hussars bought for me when I had some teeth out once."' It would seem from all these thoughts that I must have had a hell of a collection of 54mm figures when I was a lad - I wonder whatever happened to them all? In addition to all these photos is a very informative text together with a most comprehensive list of model soldiers made by William Britain and Sons Limited and a number of other makers of the period. Not only will the wargamer find this book of the greatest interest but it is absolutely indispensable to the true collector. It can be obtained either direct from Arms and Armour Press or through this magazine at 30s. -d. plus is.6d. postage and packing.
UNIFORM OF THE SCOTTISH INFANTRY 1740 to 1900
by W.A.Thorburn (Scottish United Services Museum HMSO/Edinburgh 1970. 4 coloured plates; 28 pages; 29 black and white illustrations). By the well-known Keeper of the Scottish United Services Museum, this little volume contains illustrations and details of all the Scottish regiments when they were dressed in their real finery. The photographs and drawings are clear and most illustrative and the details of uniform and equipment, together with historical information will be of the greatest value to wargamers and collectors.
SCOTTISH REGIMENTS 1660-1914
by A.H.Bowling (Almarks Publications - Uniform Series. 12s.6d. 4 coloured cover pages and 24 pages packed with black and white photographs and illustrations). It is both a coincidence and a pity that two books should come out on Scottish uniforms at one and the same time because it would be most unfair to either to injure the sales of its competitor. This booklet has interesting innovation of countless little figures rather like model soldiers, coloured in most cases, to illustrate the differences in dress, In its pages are many photographs of the greatest historical interest together with line drawings of colours, equipment, etc. The text contains a great deal of the most valuable information concerning the histories of the units concerned and details of their uniforms and equipment. If you are interested in having accurate Highland Regiments on your wargames table then you must have one or ideally both of these books. For the small sum of about a pound it is possible to obtain practically every bit of information you will ever need on Scottish units and uniforms.
MILITARY VEHICLE DATA-- Number One
(Bellona. 58. plus 4d. postage; 14 photographs; 24 line drawings). This new publication, similar in format to their Military Vehicle Prints is designed as a companion volume covering the military transport of the armies of the world. Each booklet contains information on nine vehicles with full photographic coverage, technical details and side and front view drawings to a scale of 4mm to 1ft. No. 1 contains the Ford Portee; the Leyland Hippo GS; the Dodge Water Tank; the Dennis Tipper; the Guy FBAX direless; the Dodge T 214 Weapons Carrier; theChevrolet (C60L) Office; the MorrisCS8 dater and the GMC DUK4 Amphibian.
WESTERN GUNFIGHT WARGAME RULES
by Steve Curtis, Ian Colwill and Mike Blake. (Steve Curtis, 10 Hurle Crescent, Clifton, Bristol BS8 2TA. 4s. 27 pages plus loose tables and specifications) This is a most interesting innovation in that neglected but fascinating field of one-man-on-the-table-representing-one-man-in-real-life style of wargaming. For a few shillings it is possible to obtain 54mm cowboys and the buildings can be bought or made. If you want to do it on the cheap then use Airfix figures. The rules cover street fights in the West in the 1870's and they give a highly ingenious simulations most eventful period.
Its authors are to be congratulated on some extremely good ideas. In addition, the booklet contains a whole lot of information about the West and the gunfighters and is probably about the beat four shillings worth you will obtain anywhere in this day and age.
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© Copyright 1970 by Donald Featherstone.
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