Vintage Wargaming: July 2010

Thursday, 29 July 2010

An English Civil War Encounter, by David Barnes, Wargamer's Newsletter #184 July 1977

The earlier posts about Bill Holmes' campaign diary and Ed Saunders' commissioning of water colours from his table top battles put me in mind of this lovingly illustrated battle report by David Barnes from Wargamer's Newsletter July 1977.

Saturday, 24 July 2010

Another Spanish Windmill...

This set of cut out buildings for the Peninsular War, a windmill, village church and large farm, identified as Sheet One, appeared in the inside back cover of Miniature Warfare & Model Soldiers of January 1974. Partly an advert and partly accessories for Heroics (later Heroics & Ros) 1/300 figures. The reference to individually cast Napoleonic figures is no doubt designed to contrast them with the Minifigs 5mm figure blocks.

Thursday, 22 July 2010

Mystery Napoleonics take 3

These are Clive N's photos of the figures in his possession.

Mystery Napoleonics take 2

I've dug my mystery horseman out from the loft and here he is - clearly of the same manufacture as the RHG figure in the previous post, again with wire reins and soldered on to a sheet metal base. The photo seems to have blanched out some of the colour of the uniform coat, which is sky blue.

Tuesday, 20 July 2010

Mystery Napoleonics

I've been sent this picture of two Napoleonic figures and I was wondering if anyone could help identify the manufacturers. The suspicion is that the Royal Horse Guards figure could be very early Greenwood and Ball - can anyone confirm this? or provide an alternative identification? Also struggling on the rocketeer. No visible markings on either figure.

Saturday, 17 July 2010

Linka

Yes I know it's by George Erik again but actually this post is about Linka. The article "Now You Too Can Learn to Linka" was published in Wargamer's Newslett #208 in July 1979.

After a period when it was hard to find Linka is available again. The LinkaWorld web site contains information on supppliers for the UK, US, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Australia and Soutn Africa.

Saturday, 10 July 2010

Spanish Windmill by George Erik, Wargamer's Newsletter #202 January 1979

Neatly making the connection between Bill Holmes and George Erik is this windmill, commissioned by Dick Tennant from the latter, featured on the cover and inside Wargamer's Newsletter from January 1979.

And now that's enough George Erik for now... (Ed).

Thursday, 1 July 2010

And then there was George Erik...

DC's comment on the last but one post anticipated the next character in this mini series, George Erik, who ran Miniature Warfare Ltd, out of 18b the Pantiles, Tunbridge Wells.

A heavy advartiser in Wargamer's Newsletter, he also penned the memorable two-part George Erik story for the magazine.

Bill Holmes: Don Featherstone's tribute in Wargamer's Newsletter 98 May 1970

I've now noticed Don Featherstone's Editorial from Wargamer's Newsletter 98 (the one with the pictorial tribute to Bill Holmes) also included this obituary.

I'm told by John Preece (see comment on previous post) that the BIll Holmes building pictured in Charge! is the octagonal roofed one, I assume from the Battle of Sittangbad - I hope these are the right pictures:

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