Siege warfare

This weekend involved a visit to North Berwick, amongst other things playtesting Tony's Napoleonic siege rules.

I''m hoping to do a mini-series of posts on siege wargaming (among which I refere you to an earlier post of a Paddy Griffith article in Minaiture Warfare here)

Meanwhile as an experiment I have set up a slide show from our playtesting.

Jacklex Pancho Villa range - final figures

Peter Johnstone has written that Jack Alexander has completed his work on this range.


PEA 2 (b) American kneeling firing

The figure listed as PEA 2 American Firing is now PEA 2(a)


PEM 9 (b) Mexican Rurale officer
(c) Mexican Rurale Bugler
(d) Mexican Rurale Guidon

The earlier RURALE with sabre listed as PEM 9 is now PEM 9(a).

As before, the figures are available from Peter Johnstone at Spencer Smith Miniatures

Jacklex Pancho Villa range - limbers, Colt machine guns, and motorcycle

Peter Johnstone has sent the following information aboout further releases in this range:

The codings for these figures are:

AMERICANS

PEA 103 COLT MACHINE GUN £1.25
PEA 104 MG CREW (3 FIGS) 1.35
PEA 105 US MOTOR CYCLIST 1.25
PEA 106 LIMBER WITH RIDERS £7.95

MEXICANS

PEM 103 COLT MG £1.25
PEM 104 MG CREW (3 FIGS) 1.35
PEM 105 LIMBER PLUS RIDERS 7.80

There are a few more figures to follow to complete the range for the time being.

Invasion! Instant beach-heads for wargames or dioramas by Arthur North, Almark Modelworld November 1972

Today's second D Day post is again by Arthur North, this time on invasion models for wargaming and dioramas,including waterlining kits and making beach obstacles.

Make your own LCA, by Arthur North, Almark Modelworld September 1972

The first of two D Day posts,this article contained plans for a 1/76 cut out card Assault Landing Craft (LCA). I remember an excellent article in (I think) Military Modelling which had similar plans for making a cut out universal carrier.

Arthur North contributed extensively to Almark Modelworld, with a major series on Military Bridging, and several kit reviews. A draughtsman by trade he served until 1962 in the Royal Navy survey branch, drawing charts. later he worked in local gi=overnment, living in Birmingham. His modelling activitiesincluded ships, aircraft, soldiers, AFVs and railways. His work was also made available through the Bellona Prints series of military drawings.

David Nash: World of Wargaming, #3 Dec 1972

David Nash: World of Wargaming, #2 Oct 1972

David Nash: World of Wargaming, #1 Sep 1972

A forotten pioneer? David Nash and his World of Wargaming

Ah yes, the greats of early British wargame writing - Don Featherstonem, Charles Grant, Terence Wise, Tony Bath, and... David Nash?

Though not as prolific in specifically wargaming titles as some others in the 1970s, David Nash seems oddly neglected. One of the founders of the London Wargames Club, he was maybe better known for his work on the Prussian Army of the Napoleonic Wars and the German Army of the Great War.

Hamlyn all-colour paperbacks published his book Wargames in 1974. It covered three periods, the Napoleonic Wars, the American Civil war, and the Second World War. If you google it you will find Mike Siggins describing it as "seminal".

His book on the Prussian Army 1808-1815 was published in 1972 by Almark. In the same year he started a series of articles in Almark's Modelworld magazine called World of Wargaming, which covered Napoleonic Wargaming and seems to have run to eight instalments between September 1972 and May 1973 (there were no articles in the December 1972 and March 1973 issues). In comparison, Charles Grant's long running series The Napoleonic Wargame had started in Military Modelling early in 1971 ,and was published in book form in 1974.

To redress the balance somewhat, the next post includes the first three articles in David Nash's modelworld series. I do have the others and will post them if there is interest.

The eight articles cover:

ground and figure scales
the line and mixed order
the column
the skirmishing line
the square
cavalry tactics
engineer services
artillery

Jacklex Pancho Villa range - artillery now available

Peter Johnstone of Spencer Smith Miniatures has been in touch again with pictures of the artillery pieces and crews for this range.

He writes:

I am attaching photos of the artillery pieces for this conflict: the Mexican French 75mm gun and crew and, for the Americans, the Erhardt gun and crew.

As it will take a while to update my website, the codes are:

PEA101 ERHARDT GUN £2.50
PEA102 CREW 1.80

PEM101 75MM GUN 2.50
PEM102 CREW 1.80

More bits to follow.

Please pass on my thanks to those stalwart Jacklex customers who are supporting this new range.

Almark plastic British Infantry and Heavy Weapons sets

Over on The Old Metal Detector I posted some information on the Almark metal and plastic WW2 figures sculpted by Charles Stadden.

As it is illustrated by conversions of the British Infantry and Heavy Weapons plastic sets, I thought this article from Almark's Modelworld magazine of January 1974 might sit better here.

In it Bryan Fosten covers British Army Battledress 1939-45, illustrated with figures converted by Don Skinner and Noel Ayliffe-Jones. I don't remember reading this article before - it has something of the feel of John Sandars' 8th Army in the Desert series in Airfix Magazine.

Minifigs 25mm buildings take 2

Advertisement from Almark Modelworld August 1973

Minifigs 15mm strips and 25mm buildings

Advertisement from Almark Modelworld Sepyember 1973

Jacklex Pancho Villa range - the guns and equipment

Peter Johnstone at Spencer Smith Miniatures has let me know that the artillery, machine guns and equipment for this range are now out and available to order. They are listed below (order details as in previous post):


PUNITIVE EXPEDITION IN MEXICO

AMERICANS

ARTILLERY

PEA101 ERHARDT GUN £2.50
PEA102 CREW (4 figs) £1.80
PEA103 COLT MACHINE GUN £1.25
PEA 104 MG CREW (3 FIGS) £1.35
PEA 105 US MOTOR CYCLE PLUS RIDER £1.25

MEXICANS

ARTILLERY

PEM101 75MM GUN £2.50
PEM102 CREW (4) £1.80
PEM103 COLT MG £1.25
PEM104 MG CREW £1.35

Bob O' Brien

I was sad to hear today of the death of Bob O Brien, one of the movers behind the Wargames Research Group.

Thanks to Dave for permission to reproduce here a post he made elsewhere:

Bob O'Brien died this morning peacefully in his sleep after a short illness and a fall. He was 92.

He was one of those responsible for WRG and many Airfix Magazine article of converting soft plastic figures; articles that have influenced many of us even if we still have no idea where to get Banana oil!

Bob intoduced me to wargaming Seven Years War using the WRG 1685-1845 set (naturally) with a raft of home mods so was my first opponent. A couple of weeks ago when a friend umpired an Russo-Japanese war naval game, which I lost badly, I had the honour of being his last wargame opponent.

Bob's interests covered wargaming from earliest recorded history onwards and on land or sea and in the air. His impact on the hobby has yet to be fully assessed but he will be missed. As a veteran of WWII both with the BEF in 1941 and later in North Africa his store of ancedotes could both enlighten and distract. When telling him about our BattleAxe game 2 years ago I mentioned Halfaya Pass, his response 'I know it well'. Few men have driven the along the whole of the coast from the southern border of Turkey to Tunis. Much of it more than once.

Gentlemen if you knew or were influenced by him then, at your leisure, raise a glass to what Bob described as the wargamer's toast: 'Confusion!'

Dave.

In tribute here is one of his many articles on modifying Airfix plastic figures for wargames, this time from Military Modelling October 1972.

Red letter day for Jacklex fans - new range, 35 years on

You may (or may not) recall a previous post here about some Pancho Villa figures Jack Alexander had made for his private wargaming use.

I am delighted to announce that these are now being made commercially available through Peter Johnstone at Spencer Smith Miniatures.

Peter writes:

Following earlier postings on this blog regarding Jack Alexander's new range of 'Pancho Villa'(1917) war figures or the American Punitive expedition into Mexico, I am pleased to say that the infantry and cavalry figures are now ready for sale and I am pleased to attached a list of available figures. The artillery pieces: erhardt gun, French 75mm gun, motor cyclist and a US colt machine gun plus limbers will be due very shortly. Jack points out that the Japanese WW1 infantry double nicely as the Mexican regular army figures and the Boer war range of mounted figures are useful extra figures for the American cavalry. Pictures should be up on our website very soon, but you already have some very nice pictures on your blog. Hope you can make mention of this new range. A bit unique, I think. How many soldier makers leave it 35 years before bringing out new figures? I will let you know when I have the rest of the range.

Please ask your members to contact me directly for further information or to place orders via phone/post or website in the usual way.

Peter's Spencer Smith Miniatures web site can be found here




PUNITIVE EXPEDITION IN MEXICO

AMERICANS



INFANTRY

PEA1 ADVANCING
PEA2 FIRING
PEA3 STANDARD BEARER
PEA4 BUGLER, PLUS SEPARATE RIFLE
PEA5 OFFICER FIRING PISTOL
PEA5(a) OFFICER STANDING WITH BINOCULARS

CAVALRY

PEA6 OFFICER WITH PISTOL
PEA7 TROOPER WITH PISTOL
PEA8 TROOPER WITH BUGLE
PEA9 TROOPER, STANDARD BEARER
PEA10 HORSE AT TROT WITH SWORD AND CARBINE TO ATTACH

(All figures cost 45p each except PEA10 which costs 50p)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------MEXICANS


INFANTRY

PEM1 ADVANCING
PEM2 STANDING FIRING
PEM3 KNEELING FIRING
PEM4 FLAG BEARER
PEM5 OFFICER

CAVALRY/ARTILLERY

PEM6 CAVALRY FIRING FROM SADDLE
PEM7 CAVALRY WITH RIFLE
PEM8 FLAG BEARER
PEM9 RURALE (MEXICAN POLICE) WITH SABRE
PEM10 CAVALRY OFFICER WITH PISTOL
PEM11 HORSE (CHARGING)
PEM12 HORSE (TROTTING)

(All figures cost 45p each)





As I have just been painting some Jacklex Russo-Japanese War Japanese infantry I can endorse Peter and Jack's comments on the suitability of these figures to expand the options available.

John C Candler

I'm glad to say John C Candler has made a comment on one of the posts about his rules here - as this post was some time ago I thought I'd draw attention to it for anyone who is interested. It would be intriguing to see a revised version of these rules.

Robert Louis Stevenson's Ideal House

Quoted by Don Featherstone in War Games Digest (British issue) September 1960

The past is another country...

More from the British issue of War Games Digest, September 1960.



How stylish is that?

One year on

After 231 posts, 40,700 visits, and with 86 followers to date, Vintage Wargaming reaches the advanced age of one year old today. I still have a pile of (hopefully) interesting stuff unposted, so aim to continue, although possibly at a slightly more sedate pace.

Thanks to everyone who has read, followed, commented, or otherwise interacted with it. And special thanks here to Harry and Tony for their recent invaluable help - some of you may have an inkling of what with ...