Rampant Days Event 27th April Wargames Illustrated

Wargames Illustrated magazine held their Rampant Ages event in Nottingham last weekend. The idea was to combine the Osprey blue book rulesets into a short campaign based around Lion Rampant, Dragon Rampant and Pikeman's Lament. We were each partnered with another player in a different period or setting and points (in the form of Gold or Manna) would be placed into a team pot. After each game you both had the option of spending from the pot to buy extra units or perks, or just saving the points in the hope you would come out with the most at the end. I was distinctly lucky in the fact that my team mate was an absolute monster, and by the end of the first game he'd already won us seven points to my paltry two!

As you can see from the photos I decided on an early English medieval retinue, and brought along my Simon de Montfort figures I'd used at Evesham and Salute. I'd added a unit of archers, as it was imperative in Lion Rampant to have a ranged/missile element. They're excellent for hiding in terrain and taking shots at heavier units. Just don't leave them exposed to charges as they can be swept away easily. My crucial mistake on the day was using two units of Mounted Men at Arms. They're devastating in attack, but activating them takes a 7+ on 2d6. This let me down significantly in the first two games and they spent much of their turn sitting on their horses and looking pretty. Next time I'll take mounted Serjeants I think - less armour but easier to activate.

I have to make mention of one of my opponents lovely figures (see photo above). They are Claymore Castings Medieval Scots. They really do look superb and I'm considering ordering a few very soon.

Additional to my retinue was a group of religious figures I decided to bring along for fun! They didn't play any active part in the game, but I thought they looked great and fitted in nicely with the theme. It was a bit like saying "God is on my side!". Which as it turns out he certainly wasn't because much of my dice rolling was awful.

I won't go into great detail about the three scenarios we played, but I'll say that it was a really nice afternoon. The Rose and Crown pub in Lenton where it was held allowed us to use their big function room upstairs. Wargames Illustrated supplied tea and snacks as well as a hearty lunch. I'm not overly bothered that I lost (badly) in the campaign, as I had the chance to meet and chat with lots of other wargamers from all over the country. A total highlight of the weekend I think.

15mm Napoleonic King's German Legion

I bought these chaps last year from the Hammerhead show bring n buy. They were a bargain at £8 for what turned out to be a whole brigade of unpainted Old Glory figures. It was intended to be a Christmas project while I'd been too ill to go out very much. It was speed painted in batches because I'd found taking ages on cuffs, collars, buttons and god knows what would mean I'd probably never get them completed. I also took note of the late great Donald Featherstone's feelings on this matter, which was something along the lines of 'get some paint on them and get them on the table!'. Further to this the sharp eyed amongst you may have also noticed I use gloss varnish. The reason for this is several. They don't chip easily - I've already dropped a stand twice onto a concrete floor with nothing more serious than a couple of bent bayonets. Also I absolutely adore the old school look of glossy painted armies. Which to me holds great charm.

Spirit Games Burton on Trent UK

Over the Bank Holiday myself and Robin took advantage of the barmy weather to pay a visit to Spirit Games in Burton on Trent. I had never been before but heard great things about its Aladdin's Cave type quality and stockist of old school wargaming gems. 

The shop is deceptively large and stretches into a back area along a corridor of hundreds of fantasy Reaper Miniatures figures (a popular choice apparently). In the 'Wargaming Room' I found what I was looking in for in the shape of hundreds or possibly thousands of 15mm Essex miniatures and others. After standing a bit bug eyed for ten minutes I dived in and found boxes of Seven Years War and AWI stuff I needed. Although a problem came about when it was revealed by a helpful store assistant that I needed to scrabble around with a pen and cross off my purchases from a stock list contained in each box. Also seeking out specific figures involved cross referencing them against a pile of catalogues on the side ("what?? No electronic stock system??" I grumbled to myself). After informing Robin I may be sometime I jumped back into things to get what I needed. For me, this sort of delving brings out all kinds of rewards if you persist long enough. Literally hidden underneath a set of draws were several trays of lovely old Hinchliffe models that immediately filled me with heady nostalgia and an urge to get out my credit card.

After sorting out my 15mm armies I then let myself wander a bit around the room, randomly rooting in boxes and peering up at shelves. Robin came back with his Reaper Minis and immediately pointed upwards to a couple of boxes of aircraft and exclaimed "bloody hell, they were deleted years ago!". We both laughed when we also noted that the prices hadn't been changed to reflect their current collectability.

If you're passing through Burton on Trent (the brewery is a tourist hot spot if you're into that) Spirit Games is worth poking around in. However, if you're expecting orderly stock and consumer ease then it's probably not your thing. Especially if you've got a bad back or a dust allergy. Speaking on my own behalf I loved it!! 

Holiday Model Shop Discovery!

Last week I returned to Belfast for a couple of days to visit old university friends. During the short plane journey I had lamented the recent loss of The Modellers Nook which I'd frequented often over the years, deciding that a trawl round the secondhand book stores along Botanic Avenue was the only shopping I was likely to do. It was much to my delight I instead found a new (to me anyway) model shop at the indoor Smithfield Market called My Old Toy Box. 

The premises are a fair size with two floors. The ground floor is stuffed with shelf upon shelf of Diecast models, but towards the back is an excellent stock of HaT plastic figures plus a decent sized section of Warlord and Perry Miniatures. I was really tempted with the HaT 1/72 Napoleonics, as I'd had a box of French Light Infantry a few years back and they were lovely to paint (and really cheap. One 'Army Box' was £9.95 for 90 figures!!!). Along with Naps were a lot of Colonial Anglo Zulu War etc. If I wasn't so heavily invested in 15mm and 28mm right now I would have been coming home with a few. Upstairs is primarily dedicated to Airfix, but my eyes did fall on a pile of old magazines and some wargaming magazines from the 80's many of which were in very good condition for their age. All priced at £1 each!! I dug through and came away with several early issues of Practical Wargamer and Wargames Illustrated. When I got back to my residence later I made a big mug of tea and lay on the bed for a couple of hours lost in a nostalgic paradise of old school wargaming.

If you find yourself in Belfast you should definitely check this place out.