 |
| The E.C.W. "Boffins" are
currently working on a new noticeboard
section for the Forum in which
you will be able to post your comments on the site, requests for
opponents and search for information.
Until this is up and running please forward your comments and requests to the Webmaster Email: gec2001@lycos.com |
|
Wargames Journal Hi! |
| Thanks for the info Darren. Wargames journal is an excellent magazine, and despite those who claimed that Forum and Journal were deadly rivals, that really was not the case. I do not know why the Journal has changed to a free format publication, but it has to be good news for gamers, so register soon! |
|
Britcon As those of you who attended will know the BBC made a feature of the
event and filmed throughout Friday and part of Saturday, a mini compilation
of this is already on their web site, and I can assure you that some of |
| I have checked out this report that has a few nice pics. I missed the TV report, but anything that promotes the hobby in a positive way is good news. I was unable to attend the show, but hope to soon include a report of what I understand was an excellent long weekend! |
| To: John Sharples Mike Blake says you are looking for articles on the French Indochina war. May I suggest : - 'The French in Indo-China' by John Pocock and Ted Herbert 'The Foreign Legion', chapter 7 on 'The Pacification of Tonkin', Mayflower/Dell paperback published in 1966 and also 'Black Flags in Vietnam' by H McAleavy, Unwin, 1968. 'Savage and Soldier' has odd bits of info in various issues. I
could give further details if required but it would need quite a search
through the back issues. |
| Thanks for the help Ted |
| Hi John, I feel I have to respond to the comments made by Julian Gardner concerning Partizan, Newark and any claims of either being the 'Home of Wargaming'. At no time has anyone from Partizan ever claimed that Newark is the Home of Wargaming. The only reference to any 'Home' is the tongue in cheek reference on our website to Partizan being the 'Spiritual home of Wargaming' as the venue is a former Theological College. In fact if anyone had bothered to follow this jokey reference to the footnote they would have seen that my co-organiser makes it very clear that it is his home town of Nottingham which is the centre of the wargames world. I gather from Julian's email that this discussion started in the bar of Partizan but I can assure you that neither of the Partizan organisers were involved in the debate or made any such claims for the simple reason that we were both far too busy running the show. So Julian's comments about the 'guys from Newark' were quite simply wrong. We do our own thing and if people choose to attend and enjoy the show then we are very grateful. If not then we will stop doing them and do something else. Julian's mail does, however, open up a wider issue of what shows are for. No one would contest the fact that Salute is the most succesful show in the UK and, apart from possibly Historicon in the States, the most successful in the world. And good luck to them. The Warlords have built up the show over many years and taken more than a few risks to ensure that it does hold the premier slot in the wargames calendar. They deserve the success and have also made a point of supporting other shows such as Partizan in an attempt to ensure that we have an expanding and diverse hobby. But beyond Salute shows tend to fall into particular categories. There are club shows, competition events, trade shows and events designed to act as a showcase for the hobby. Some shows combine more than one of these features and the mythical 'perfect show' would combine all of them in a convention setting. No one has yet succeeded with this and I suspect no one ever will. Partizan was set up specifically to try and fill the last of these categories and it has always been our aim to provide a good looking showcase for the hobby. To do this we need to keep the trade element happy but we also make a great deal of effort to ensure that the games are of a high quality and that the overall experience is good for the visitor. I am the first to admit that on some scores we fail in this. The food and beer at the venue is very poor and problems have begun to develop over the last couple of shows due to the sheer number of people attending. All these problems will be addressed and we hope things will improve. But don't think for moment that we consider the show to be either the best or unneeding of improvement. No one can speak on behalf of Partizan except those who put in the time and organise the thing and we are very clear about where the show stands as regards the hobby as a whole. Personally, as someone who visits a lot of shows around the country looking for games and ideas, I think we do rate fairly highly but then I know from discussions with people on the Wargames clubs list that others justifiably prefer other shows. In the end it is a matter of personal preference and I am the last to try and tell someone how they should enjoy their hobby. cheers Tricks AKA Richard Tyndall (The Partizan Plan Man). |
| Tricks, I think that the points that you make are very sound, Every show I visit, large or small, tends to have something about it that makes it well worth visiting. Equally most shows have something about them that can be simply infuriating. In my humble opinion the Partizan series of shows are amongst the "must visit" events in the Wargames calendar, and the organising committee do an excellent job. I also agree wholeheartedly with your comments regarding Salute, but it is amazing how many folk I meet who have 'nary a good word to say about the show or the organising club. What a strange and diverse hobby ours can be! |
| Hi all, For any of you who are planning to go to Colours on the 13/14 Sept, we've just been notified by the organisers that the VENUE HAS BEEN CHANGED at the last minute! Apparently the Hexagon is closed for repairs (something to do with asbestos!), so the show is moving to the New Stand, NEWBURY RACECOURSE. The show dates remain the same. We are told that the venue is easy to find, the racecourse being very well signed once you get to
the Newbury area. Of course, given that a lot of people have been moaning about
conditions at the Hexagon for years, with the crowds, lack of space, expensive
parking and so on, maybe this move is just what it needs to bring back some |
| Please note this change, and give the new venue a go. I will be there, though only for the Saturday. And I am one of those who has been saying for years that the shoe needs a new venue for all the reasons given above plus others. I wish the organisers all the best with the show |
| Hi, Firstly, great site and always in my favourite list. However, the bring and buy seems to be turning into a free forum for advertising for e bay items. Having sold through both formats I find the bring and buy a great way to sell items quickly when I don't want to sit and wait for the auction to finish. Is there any way we can filter out the adverts? Paul Grimsby Wargames Society |
| Paul, I find this habit annoying as well, and I am in discussion with the proprietors of the site as to how we can improve the service generally. |
 |
| Italian Infantry from Mark Kernan of The One Tree |
| Hi John
I have read your Peninsular journal and I would like to invite you to visit our Web page on the battle of Salamanca. |
| Miguel, thanks very much for your mail. I hope to return every year.... and then family issues always seem to prevent it.... but I will certainly return at some time. I loved the city of Salamanca. I have a last part of the article to post but I have been waiting for some updated pics, hence the delay. I have visited your site on a number of occasions and have enjoyed it very much, and I hope posting your mail in Despatches encourages new visitors. Cheers John |
| Hi John,
Do you sell Russian Civil War IT FIGURES? If not, do you know who does? forceof1 |
| Yes, the range is carried by Lancashire games and details can be accessed via their website. |
| Webmaster,
Do you know where I can get Testors Dullcote from in the UK? |
| Adam,
I did not have any clues myself on this subject so I turned to the helpful folk at wargamesclubs,yahoo groups for their help. Here are a selection of their responses: It would seem that all leads run to nothing on Dullcote. I have been
looking for months now. The best suggestion seems to be they are reluctant to ship aerosols.
If I find a source, I will certainly advise. |
| I am trying to track down a copy of an article by Gary
Chalk which appeared in Wargames Illustrated some 18 months ago (Issue 11
I think) The article was the first of 2 parts detailing the building of buildings for use in Wild West games.I have the second part. I think it was called how the west was done, I can confirm the issue number and article title. I have spoken to Stratagem and ordered a back issue some 12 months ago, and having contacted them monthly since, this has not arrived and I find myself giving up. Do you know anyone who may be able to provide a copy of the magazine or the article. any help you could give will be gratefully received. Hinton Chetwood |
| We can but Try Hinton |
| Hi John I read your report on Partizan, some nice pics, maybe I will give the show a go next time. But what is a mongrel, apart from the obvious? M Esnor Cheadle |
| Hi Mark, I am not the best person to
describe the origins or reason d'etre for the Mongrels, as My little
tongue in cheek comment in the Partizan review set one of their number
barking at me, so I asked one of their number to explain
"And so to the Mongrels. Many moons ago there was a list known as the foundry Bitch list which was basically concerned with people who were unhappy with the way Mr Ansell was running the industry. As times changed and Foundry became less of a dominating force in the hobby, the list naturally found itself moving away from complaining about Foundry into a general discussion group about the hobby. As a result Frank, who ran the Foundry Bitch list decided to shut it down and open a new list (The Mongrels) which would be a sort of virtual pub where we could all congregate and let off steam. The new list was founded at Partizan about 2 and a half years ago and most of the main Partizan movers and shakers including myself (Richard Tyndall or Tricks), Laurence Baldwin, Steve Jones and of course Frank were founder members. Mike Siggins was also an early member but also an early casualty. The Mongrels are raucous to say the least. As the group has developed we have picked up a fair few members from the traders some of Dave Thomas's sidekicks, The Battle Honours UK guys, Baccus and others. We are a very heavy use newsgroup with commonly about 30,000 posts a year ranging from wargames topics to every other thing under the sun / in fact Wargames seems to form a minority of the posts a lot of the time. We have a lot of in jokes and a lot of bad language and something of a rite of passage for new members but we are all generally family men and all good guys (honest). There is a lot of close friendship and a lot of sending pressies round the world as we have picked up a lot of members in the States and Australia. On occasion the group does go rather too far with its opinions and it was this that led Mike Siggins to leave. He is by no means a stick in the mud but the group is definitely not PC and when he became unhappy with the tone of some of the postings he left. I left at the same time as I felt he was poorly treated but have since returned. I do trust the Mongrels very much. Their hearts are most definitely in the right place and the sense of generosity and loyalty to the group is exceptional. As the Newark Irregulars is at best a very loose affiliation and almost all the Partizan work falls to Laurence and I with able help from Frank, Tony Ackland and a few others, we have come to rely upon members of the Mongrels for a lot of support and they do consider Partizan to be their home. We have a photo get together at each show and plan a series of games. As I say they are not bad guys if you are in their mind set and most would be mortified to know that they are considered in a poor light." Hope that fully answers your question Mark, those interested in joining this select group should investigate in Yahoo Groups, or contact Me for more info. (JOS) |
| Dear Sir, We just added more pictures to our site.The picture galleries consist of Prussians,Hessian Musketeers,Chasseurs d'afrique,American war of independence, Zulu, Norman Knights, British in Zulu War, French Foreign Legion, U.S.Marines, Polish Hussars, WWII German Paratroopers, Romans, Samurai, Gladiators, Australian Light Horsemen, Gauls, Russian Cavalry,German Sea Battalion, Spanish Cavalry, Maori Warriors and GW figures etc. We thank you for your continuing support and do not hesitate to contact us if you would like any further information on what we can do for you. Comments are welcome! Philip Philgreg Painters website : www.miniatures-philgreg.com email : philgreg@eureka.lk |
| The site is well worth a visit |
| Dear John,
I must admit to being a bit disappointed with your report on Partizan, as I thought you may have mentioned the "debate" in the bar about the "Home of wargaming". There seems to be an idea amongst some that Newark, of all places, is the centre of wargaming in the UK. Admittedly, Partizan, the Irregulars, Wargames Illustrated, Citadel, Foundry and The Bunker are or were all centred around the place, but surely that only proves that there is not much else to do round there? Seriously given the pure volume of those attending, and the International flavour, Salute is the premier show in the country. And what about Reading and Newbury as being the cradle of Wargaming, or Southampton thanks to Mini Figs. Then again there is Birmingham, Nottingham, Mansfield, Sheffield, Huddersfield, Hull or Leeds, and hey what about York. Nope in the end they all have had their influence on the hobby, but no one place can claim a priority influence over any other. To listen
to some of the guys at Newark wargaming would collapse without them. Well
it wouldn't. Partizan is an ok show, but it does not have the atmosphere
and enjoyment of a whole host of others shows up and down the country. |
| To be honest Julian, I regarded the conversation as bar side banter rather than anything serious, although some of the comments tended to show the belief was strongly held that Newark and Nottingham are some sort of Wargames Mecca. personally I do not think it matters |
| Dear Webmaster, I have just read your report on Partizan, and think that you missed one or two gems, though that may not be a surprise as there was so much to see. There was a World War 2 game in the main hall which I think was put on by Leeds Wargames club that was excellent and definitely deserves a mention. You also forgot to mention Wargames Development and their two minute Somme game, small but perfectly formed, just like me!
The
catering facilities though were awful again, little choice and overpriced,
and the soft drinks were not cooled. Despite all that a good show. |
| Steve, you are correct, unfortunately I lost My notes of the show and had to write the report from memory. Apologies to the clubs mentioned, and any others I missed. (JOS) |
| Sir........ I thoroughly enjoyed the review of the Early Spanish Medieval Range......The figures are indeed most magnificent, and the write-up was most excellent!! However, what marred an otherwise outstanding re-view, was the insertion, by the author, of what is obviously his personal feelings reference Gun Control in general, and Charlton Heston's stance on that subject in particular!!! That was obviously a cheap shot, and the author should have either; a. Kept it to himself, as it has absolutely nothing to do with the subject matter, and is therefore quite definetely superfluous!!!! b. Gone to an appropriate public forum to voice such opinions, as is right and correct! I hazard the above, as I, and probably many others; a. Could care less what his personal opinions on Gun Control are!!! b. Read the reviews for the figures, not the exotic personal elucidations of an author on a particular "off topic" subject!!! Please understand, that I am in no way attacking the author of said review! He writes an otherwise great review !! I simply feel that, if the review is about chickens, write about chickens......not about cows !! Respectfully, Moshe |
| Thanks Moshe, the truth is that I allow the reviewers a fair amount of leeway in the approach that they take in their contributions. If an individual wishes to make a comment, not strictly relevant to the subject, I am tempted to leave it in, so long as it is not illegal, offensive, or obscene. In this case Damian passed a comment on the contemporary role of an individual who is synonymous with early medieval warfare thanks to his film career. I note your objection, and have passed them on (JOS) |
| Dear John, Keep up the good work, Wargames Forum is the best free site on the web. I am looking for information on the War of the Triple Alliance, and I have been told that you published a series of articles on the war some years ago. Have you any details on Brazilian army uniforms, and weapons details for the allies? H Martin Glasgow |
| Thanks Martin, I did indeed produce a series of articles for WI in the early 1990s in the War of the Triple Alliance, or Great Paraguayan War. I have sent you a CD with a copy of the text and a list of sources, also details of the South and Central American Military Historians Society, probably the best reference point for all wars in the area in all periods. The general campaign dress of the Brazilian infantry though was a linen, loose fitting uniform ranging from white to khaki in colour worn with a kepi and havelock or range of straw and broadbrimmed hats. The favoured infantry weapons was the Enfield MLR, although Sharps Rifle, Henry's, Colts, and Dreyses were all used in small quantities. Favoured artillery were British and French rifled field pieces. (JOS) |
| my grand father was in the Royal Army Service Corps in
the 2nd World War, he was mentioned in despatches and I would love to find
out why, if you could give me some idea on how to find this I would be
forever grateful,
regards Miss Julie
Kemp |
| Julie, I have forwarded details of the Public Records Office, Regimental Museum and Association, but if any reader has more info, please contact me |
| Sir, I recently visited your site and thought that you and your readers might be interested to know that four computer wargames of Mr. W. R. Hutsell have been released for free download. They are the VGA Civil War Strategy, EGA Civil War Battleset, Wars of Napoleon, and World War II in Western Europe. You can download them from www.dhq.nu/hutsell/. Respectfully, David Mackey. |
| Thanks David |
| Sir, I am writing with a few comments on the Bring and Buy. First in recent weeks some individuals have posted comments that are not acceptable, and I am glad to see that they were quickly removed. However there are a number of people advertising on the site who are really traders, or who use the site to advertise sales on E bay. That is not what the site is for and can you stop them. M Cartwright London |
| Sorry Mike but the World is full of idiots, the site operates due to the goodwill and proper behaviour of gamers, I find it hard to legislate for the fool. (JOS) |
| Hi I wonder if it would be possible to add my site to your painting service list. I would of course provide a link back. http://www.stormpages.com/oblivion/ Painting service at reasonable prices. 6mm to 25mm & every period covered. Shipped around the world and now accepting Paypal. Thank you for your consideration. Ivan |
| Hello Ivan, I am afraid that it is not possible to simply post an add on the site, we are a commercial venture and charge for advertising, and we aim to support our traders as far as possible, I am happy enough to post a notice in this section. (JOS) |
| Dear John, is there any chance of reviewing any books for the site? Andy |
| Andy, I am always on the look out for reviewers as I find it difficult sometimes to keep up with the volume of review materials I receive. In particular I am looking for folk who are able to paint the review figures too a decent standard and scan the results, rules reviewers who can playtest various periods, and book reviewers. I am afraid that the only recompense you would receive is my grateful thanks and to keep the review materials.It is essential though that the review is dealt with quickly, with 14 days normally (which means UK based usually), which can be a tight timescale. If you think you are up to it I will be glad to hear from you. (JOS) |
| Sir I have just stumbled upon your website by accident. Very impressive indeed. I am new to the delights of the internet but without doubt your website is the best for wargamers that I have found so far. I will certainly visit it regularly in the future. Regards Bob Cater |
| Thanks for the very kind words Bob, we certainly try our best! There are some changes in the pipeline that we hope will improve the services we provide and maintain our position as the foremost wargames site. |
| Sirs,
|
| I would like to thank Mark for his quick and positive response to the letter below from Alan. Mark is faced with a stack of difficulties in organising the Triples bring and buy, ranging from overnight security, handling large amounts of goosd, and on occasion dealing with some rude and obnoxious individuals. I am aware of Mark's personal commitment to the problems of disabled access to shows and I am sure he will look to improve things at Sheffield, and can only hope that others will follow this example. However the behaviour and attitudes that he has witnessed, as have I, are things we must all take responsibility for, and discriminatory, harassing and unacceptable behaviour should be challenged whenever it is encountered for the general good of the hobby.......JOS |
| Dear John,
I have just read your report on Alumwell, and I was really pleased to see that you took note of my difficulty in manoeuvering my chair through the show. The main hall was not too difficult except the narrow passage left between traders on one side that developed into a log jam. I was able eventually to get to the Bring and Buy, though it took a lot of time and effort, and trying to move from room to room upstairs was difficult, although the show organisers were very willing to help when they saw me in trouble. Which was so unlike Sheffield Triples. The show is a nightmare to get around for anyone with mobility problems anyway, but the Bring and Buy was impossible. This was stationed in the basement, along a narrow corridor blocked with queues of potential sellers, tables and punters. It took me almost 40 mins to get into the room and reach a table. The goods were spread out deeply on two table widths and it was impossible for me to even see what was on show. A couple of the staff gave me pitying looks, although some buyers almost growled at Me for blocking their shopping. But I could not move, I was stuck, and had to wait until the crowd settled until I could get out of the room, having only been smacked in the face twice by rucksacks. I just gave up on trying to buy anything and retreated to the main show. Wargaming is difficult enough when limited by your wheels, but this was too much. Organisers need to consider these things better. Not just because I say so, but also because the law says so. I have checked with the Disability Rights Committee today, and they tell me that the Bring and Buy was illegal in terms of the Disability Discrimination Act, and that I could take action against the stallholders and organisers of the show, I have no intention of doing that, but others might. John, thanks for taking an interest in my problems and the invitation to get it off my chest. Your site is great, and I am a regular visitor, and especially like the reviews which have helped me decide on how to spend my dosh a few times. Also have you noticed how Wargames Illustrated have bucked their ideas up since you started posting regular reviews with photos? Great stuff! Yours Sincerely Alan Barker Tutbury
|
| Alan,
Thanks for taking the time to send in details of the problems you have encountered. As a Union Rep I spend a lot of my time dealing Disability Discrimination issues, and show organisers are no placing enough emphasis on their legal responsibilities in this area. It is not enough for the venue to be DDA (Disability Discrimination Act) compliant, but also any alterations or limitations arising from the layout must also comply to stay within the law. Wargaming is not an easy hobby for folk in wheelchairs, or unable to stand , so show organisers must do more to make the wider aspects of the hobby accessible to all. |
| Dear Sir, Subject: Re: Article by the Perry Twins on Khalsa Sikh Soldiers
|
| The article appeared in Wargames Illustrated, does anyone know the issue number, and perhaps have a copy available for sale? |
| Hi,
I'm 13 years old in Virginia, US. I've been interested in wargaming for some time and I was wondering where to get some good, cheap, and painted 25mm figures for AWI wargames. I need them painted because I can't paint anything good. Thanks. |
| I understand the feeling. Your best bet is to keep an eye on the Bring and Buy, and on E Bay (but you will need an adult to register and bid for you). In the meantime if anyone has any cheap figures to offer, let me know |
 |
|
Nicely painted 6mm |
| Dear John If you want to let people know via the site, IT Miniatures are now being imported to the US via Tin Dictator. See ya soon! Allan |
| Hi, I just contacting you to let you know that I replied to one of your Bring and Buy adverts. This is it below. GREEK DBA CASTINGS 15MM UNPAINTED AS NEW 15MM CASTINGS BY XYSTRON. AS NEW, MOST STILL IN PACKS. I'VE ENOUGH TO MAKE UP SEVERAL DIFFERENT DBA ARMIES. SUBMIT YOUR WANTS FOR PRICE. I WILL POST TO ALMOST ANYWHERE Brianthejig@aol.com I was
phoned by Brian, who told me he was a trader. He told me that packs of
15mm figs were £2.50. P@P 10% up to £50 over £50 post free. A 5% discount
on orders of over £50 was offered and I was told he held the full range
at present and hoped to update as new releases appear. As
you can see, the add was misleading and he is not a member of the public
selling second hand figures and is using the Bring and Buy forum for
advertising. I don't know what your policy is on this sort of thing,
but surely Name and address notified |
| This is just one of a series of complaints I have received recently about bogus ads on the Bring and Buy. There are a number of points to make. Traders should not be using the facility, so do not encourage them by buying their goods. The terms of the service are clearly displayed, breaching them is fraud. If we find the facility being abused we can and do take appropriate legal action. Of course a small trader is welcome to advertise legitimately on the site, and our service is remarkably cheap, and effective with thousands of visitors to the site each day. |
| My dad Dick Alphonse Questier was a Royal Engineer
during WW2 and was mentioned in despatches. He rarely talked about the war
and never about what he did to earn the oak leaf. I would love to know, he
was extremely proud to be a Royal Engineer and I guess that some act of
bravery was involved to have receive this award. I would to know. Can you
help or steer me towards someone who can? I would be delighted. Thank
You,
Pat
Smith |
| I have directed Pat to the Regimental Museum and Association, but if anyone has any other suggestions or information please let me know. |
 |
| Dear Webmaster, We've added more new images to the on-line catalogue at http://www.artizandesigns.com , including the very first pack of our brand new Italian Infantry. SWW202 Italian Infantry with Rifles kitted out in sun helmets is now available to buy and view on the website, and that's not all! There are images of SWW008 Deutches Afrika Korps Riflemen III, SWW009 Deutches Afrika Korps Casualties and SWW020 German Riflemen in Greatcoats (suitable for many theatres of war) in the German section of our catalogue, plus SWW111 British Commandos with LMGs and SWW119 S.A.S. Saboteurs (some pretty cool figures with satchel charges and cutters) in the British section of the catalogue. Point your
mouse at http://www.artizandesigns.com now to see all these great new
figures, and don't forget that you can order on-line using Paypal direct
from Artizan Designs right now! |
| 78 Harcourt Street Newark Notts NG24 1RF 01636 651876 'THE BUNKER - THE WORLD'S MOST WORTHY, WITTY & WONDEROUS WARGAMES' I am pleased to inform you that THE BUNKER is re-opening in Newark, Nottinghamshire. The program of games that I will be offering include some of the old favourites such as The Eagle has Landed, 633 Squadron, Spartacus etc. In addition the premiere games I will set in motion this forthcoming year include Planet of the Apes, Indian Mutiny and Brother vs Brother scenarios. THE BUNKER is now located in my cellar which consists of a games room, figure store and a shop area - so you may gather that the walls are still lined with lead in case of nuclear strike. I do hope THE BUNKER will be of interest to all keen enthusiasts within the hobby, who are able to participate in the lively, atmospheric and forever memorable games I known to orchestrate. Please telephone or cotact me at the abovce address for pricing details and to arrange bookings. Yours Shaun. |
| Sir, I am starting to look for 25mm figures for a late 15th Century Imperialist army. The Front Rank War of the Roses and Hundred Years Wars ranges have been recommended to me. However, I would like to look at a few of the figures before placing an order. Do you know where I might find some pictures of these figures? I looked on the Front Rank web site through the link on your site, but I can only find figure lists with no pictures. Sincerely Peter Collett |
| Peter,
My apologies this was an oversight on my part that I am happy to put right. The Front Rank pages now have full colour illustrations of the Medieval ranges, an example of which is shown below. |
 |
| Dear John
Thanks for your offer of help, here are two photos of the 15mm figure I am trying to identify, I think he is ancient Spanish. (See the pics below) Does anyone
recognise the manufacturer, and know the listing description of this 15mm
figure? Any help at all is appreciated. |
 |
 |
| Hi, excellent site, just been reading about the teacher who has had a sudden influx of new members to his school club. We had a similar experience at Deal Wargames last year when, in the space of three weeks, we had a 15 member increase because all the 9-15yr olds in the area found out they could play Warhammer+40K+LotR in a club environment. It had massive ramifications for the club, the result of which I was elected chairman and we now have to have two sessions ( due to space restrictions ), one for the youngsters and one for us "old foagies", not to mention insurance etc. The thing is, and forgive me for rambling, but the club has now gone from strength to strength. The junior membership has it's core of regulars, with a few occasional visitors ( they still have to do their homework after all), and whilst some have disappeared over the last year, others have taken their place. We now have a solid base on which to carry on the club for years to come - hopefully The additional bonus is that they are also now becoming aware of life after Games Workshop. They still collect and play their 40K etc, but now they also play Napoleonic, Ancients and one which they all enjoy, WW2. They may not have started buying the figures, but time will tell. It's interesting to see how many of them and their parents are gobsmacked when you show them a box of 50 Napoleonic plastic figures from Italeri that cost £3, or the fact than you can have a 15mm skeleton army for a fraction of the cost of other "larger" manufacturers. Games Workshop, despite all the criticism they attract for whatever reason, are highly pro-active in recruiting new members to the hobby. I can't get to grips with Fantasy myself, but I do paint the figures, and I co-exist peacefully amongst those who don't "do" historical. Tolerance is a virtue. Once again, superb site. Keep up the good work! Adrian |
| Thanks Adrian, feedback is always welcome especially positive comments. May I return the compliment and say thanks to you for the effort that you have put in to maintaining your club and the encouragement that you are giving to these newcomers to wargames. |
 |
|
Pure quality from Front Rank |
| Hallo Webmaster I have a big problem! I saw Front Rank miniatures in your traders list and it says they a accept mail orders but there is no E-mail address. Do you know the address or is it not possible to E-mail them? thanks Harold de Visser, Netherlands |
| Hi Harold,
At the moment Front Rank do not have a direct E mail address, but orders and communications can be sent via webmaster@wargames.co.uk or gec2001@lycos.com |
| Hi we are a new company manufacturing 28mm sci-fi and fantasy miniatures and games systems, could you please include our website in your list of traders. our site will be up and running by the end of the month. www.apocalypseminiatures.com thanks Stuart Hamilton managing director |
| Hi Stuart,
The Forum is a commercial site (no really!) that has some of the cheapest advertising rates available, anywhere. During the year to March 2003, we enjoyed almost 4 million hits with over 200,000 regular visitors. I can only, in fairness to the other traders, include companies in our Traders List if they pay the normal fees. I am happy to post your notice here in the despatches section. |
| Dear Webmaster,
I have been a wargamer for over 30 years, and a teacher for 20 during which time I have tried to get children involved in the hobby by using wargames as part of history lessons, and figure painting in craft. I have run lunchtime and after school wargames clubs, that have always had nothing more than a small if loyal following. It was a request from two of the children some four years ago that led to the introduction of Warhammer into our activities, and the group became larger. However since the release of the Lord of the Rings films, and the figures from Games Workshop to accompany them the club has been overwhelmed with players. Kids who could not be crowbarred from their X Boxes are now regular gamers. More importantly, they are preparing and painting their own armies, and helping each other in planning, designing and collecting their armies and terrain. Then last week The Lord Of The Rings fortnightly battle gaming magazine, supported by Games Workshop. was released. I have been overwhelmed by the response from the children, with huge numbers asking for help in painting the models and wanting to join the club. My point is, having followed the debate about historical versus Fantasy in your excellent site (easily the best on the Web, so please keep it up!!) that it is clear to me that fantasy is not only here to stay, but has taken the whole wargaming hobby to a new level. It remains to be seen whether the "traditional" wargaming community will be able to react positively to this flood of interest. To help and encourage these newcomers to the hobby, and by taking an inclusive approach bring much needed new blood into the historical gaming arena. A Coffin, West Mids |
| Thanks for this report Allan,
and congratulations for keeping the school club going through the thin
times, that sort of encouragement for youngsters is excellent. I am
currently preparing a Random Shots on the Lord of the Rings phenomena, and
will return to some of the points you make.
JOS |
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|
AB Figures super detail in 15mm |
| The following is a mailing part of an
exchange taking place in the pages of wargamesclubs@yahoogroups.com
The subject is the number of traders who are increasingly absent from
shows. I thought this an interesting subject and response worthy of wider
circulation. However I would urge others to join the
yahoogroup. I know from talking to traders that there is a general feeling that there are just too many shows out there for them to support them all. This is not to say that clubs should not organise shows, my feeling is the more the merrier particularly if they can encourage other clubs to provide games for them. Anything that increases the public access to the hobby is good. But perhaps more of these shows should consider following the line of the Durham club where their show is more of an open day to show what they do. If this were the case then they could get local traders in, both 'large' and 'small' but would perhaps not expect traders to travel long distances. A trader has to make money. That is why they are in the business and when you add up the transport costs on top of the stand cost etc it quickly becomes clear that some shows just are not viable for a trader traveling any distance. Some shows,
like Salute or Derby, will always be able to attract traders as they are,
at least on one level, shopping malls where gamers know they will be able
to get everything they need. But others, particularly in areas |
| John Have just read your account of our Recon adventures. ref: On the next table a group of gamers quietly played "Die Siedler von catan"...whatever that is. To be honest they seemed so engrossed in the game that I did not dare ask. So if anyone would care to enlighten me, please send an E mail. I can tell you about Siedlers (translates Settlers of Catan). It is a very successful German board/strategy game, which is a fairly simple economic planning game. It has a very strong following, and has generated numerous expansions/variants - e.g. ancient versions, space versions. Best Wishes & God Bless Tim Cockitt |
|
Thanks for the heads up Tim, and to those other Forum regulars who mailed me with this info. See.... you learn something new every day! |
| Dear John,
I wanted to write to say thanks for all the help you gave me in tracking down figures for the Paraguayan War. Your site is the best of the various wargame sites on the web. I check it out every week, and usually find something new each time, and that takes some doing. Is there are chance of you posting the last part of the Spanish battlefields article which was great. Thanks to Bob Black for his shorts, I have found them very interesting, and to your reviewers who I have found to be very accurate in their comments. I attended Fiasco in November, and I agree with you about the venue. It is a pity that the main hall was poorly laid out and the games could not be seen properly. While the upstairs room was a dead loss, too cramped, crowded, and with bloody awful lighting. The organisers really need to rethink the layout to improve a goot show into a great one. Have a great Christmas and New Year Steve Oaks |
| Thanks Steve, it was a pleasure to help someone with such obvious good taste and critical insight |
 |
| Hi there, Keep up the good work on the website. Here is some information for you. IT figures are now available from the following suppliers: 20mm WW1 - Lancashire Games (big thanks to Alan Lumley for his very prompt replies to my emails) 20mm WW2 - S & A Scenics regards Stuart Insch President, Aberdeen Wargames Club |
| Thanks Stuart, I thought I had changed all the relevant page entries but I missed one. Yes the IT WW1 range is now available from Lancashire Games, and check out the review of the new Senussi Revolt range |
| I wonder if you could help. My grandfather, Frank Mallelieu Hamer, was mentioned in Despatches due to his service in the Italian campaign in WW2. I am trying to find the associated press clipping. Is there any way you can help. Thanks Mark Taylor |
| I can certainly try
Mark!
If anyone out there can help trace this information please mail me at gec2001@lycos.com |
| Hi John.
I am not sure if you remember me , but we had a long discussion at Warfare about display games at shows. I am concerned at the increasing number of games that are sponsored by manufacturers. They look really good I now, and show off their products to the best advantage, but is this really what the hobby is about. Surely the games put on by clubs and individuals reflect the real state of the hobby. Graham Hamilton |
| I remember the discussion well, and at the time we were standing between two of the best displays of the show...both sponsored by a manufacturer. I would not like to see displays turn into solely trade exhibits, but I think that is unlikely to happen.....but what do YOU think? |
 |
| Dear Webmaster,
I have just discovered your brilliant site by following a link from another part of the web. I was wondering why you do not have a links page. I am sure that most sites would be more than happy to include a link to the Wargames Forum, because of it's high quality and professionalism (something missing on most of the others). So come on add an extra page for those links! R.L. (Leeds) |
| Hmm, there are a few problem with Links pages, not least the fact that the sites to which they take you are all too often closed and unavailable. Maintaining a good Links page is a full time job, and I already have two besides editing the Forum. The other point is that, though it may not always seem it, the Forum is a commercial venture that is supported by returns from advertising. Many links on club pages and on webrings belong to traders....or potential advertisers on this site. If the Forum is to remaon viable I need to attract more paying advertisers, not likely if I provide free links. |
| Dear Webmaster,
I just wanted to let you know that I thought your comments on the rules supplement Shieldwall are spot on. Although the publication is very attractive and contains some really great photographs the real wargames information is very sparse indeed. The rules themselves are very good, and give a great game, but I would suggest buying one set for your club library and spending the rest of the money on new figures. Howard Sutcliffe, Boston, Mass |
| Thanks Howard, nice to know we get it right sometimes! |
| Dear Sir,
I was interested to read the article about 6mm wargaming on the site, as some years ago I made, what was the, a major investment in Heroics and Ros 6mm figures, all of which ended up being sold on at a huge loss simply because I could not paint the things to look like anything other than blobs of painted metal. there was no detail or character to the figures. The article though shows how far this scale has come on since then and I have to say that I am now reconsidering my long ambition to refight Borodino....this time in 6mm. Yours R Cooke - Leeds |
|
Help wanted I receive a number of letters and mails from folk requesting help of one sort or another. If anyone can help with the queries below please mail me at gec2001@lycos.com, thanks for your help. JOS |
| Dear Sir, I was interested in your piece on your French-Indian wars games. I've also been collecting plenty of figures for this era- both for the Seven Year's War as a whole, the American campaigns and the American War of Independence. I am however, having trouble finding a set of small scale rules to use (company level or skirmish) - are there any you can recommend. Also, do you know of any manufacturers who make American/Canadian native indians in 20mm scale. They would need to fit roughly in size with 20mm plastics. Thanks, R Yaxley My son (9)
has some soldiers and is interested in playing structured battles with
these. |
 |
| Hello! http://www.igorlab.com Soldiers of Empires High-detalized turn-based wargame. 1941, East Front. Stalin or Hitler? USSR or Germany? Features: a.. Big map (360*300 cells). b.. Max - 1490 units. c.. 145 types division and brigades. d.. 363 real models combat vehicles of WWII. e.. High AI. f.. Easy controlled production of combat vehicles. g.. Really historical correlation of power. h.. Possibility of use trophy combat vehicles. System requirements: a.. Pentium-II 333MHz or higher. b.. 64mb RAM (128mb recommended). c.. Windows 95/98/ME/2000/XP d.. DirectX 5 or higher. June, 22 , 1941. In Your hands - a fate of war on the East front. Nazis tanks, to thunder caterpillars on paving stone before the Kremlin? Or russian soldiers, drinking vodka on ruined of Berlin? All depends from Your talent only... Sincerely yours, Igor Kulakov (ik@igorlab.com) IgorLab Software http://www.igorlab.com - wargame "Soldiers of Empires" |
| The Despatches section is not
really for the use of Traders to advertise their wares, The Forum the
cheapest commercial advertising rates in the hobby and one of the largest
readerships. I have also introduced Random Shorts where traders can inform
us of upcoming new releases and special offers. So Igor is the first and
last (in the spirit of international agreement) whose mail will appear in
this section
JOS |
| Dear John, I have just spent 2 hours on your web page and had a really enjoyable time..feel enthused to do a diorama of 7th Cavalry at the Big Horn or Battle of Towton. Loved the wargame convention photos and this letters page, with poor Mr Charleton losing the plot...I did think the idea of wargames was to have fun...I left the wargame scene in 1980 as far too serious and people picking on little details .....such as the colour of Rommels dogs eyes (these were folk from the gun club) and then when in Oz 1989..I decided again to wargame, I joined the ACW of Queensland and the 1st Sunday morning was treated to more lunacy...great models and terrain...but again folk of such immaturity shouting the odds about what unit/regt would do what and why, I questioned this..was this not supposed to be enjoyment? And then I shown to library in house with walls full of ACW vidoes....showing people, just walking over ACW battlefields and doing a running commentary...very scary (and boring)...has anyone read 'Confederates in the Attic'? these guys were the real deal in OZ!!! all very blinkered.....I found I was driven away to PC games such as Warcraft and Medal of Honor. But wargames was just large size chess? I enjoyed the painting and historical research and finding the illustrations (Osprey and Children's history books) to see how my soldiers fitted in and the best was the advice from the older wargamers, on painting and research. I agree with John, one does go thru stages in wargame life but to treat the younger wargamers, like Mr Charleton has...does he want wargames just to be done at West Point, Duntroon and Sandhurst? or worse a museum setting, such as the Imperial War Museum? Young folk are the life blood of wargaming...they have the most money it seems!! Thank you again for a brilliant read Ashley Tasmania |
| Thanks Ashley, it seems then that Wargames purism is an international phenomena! |
| Hi John,
I thought I would mail you as I have just discovered your site. I was actually looking for another on line magazine that I had been told about and stumbled on yours, and I have to say that it is great, and the content is of a very high standard. And on top of all that its free! The other site will be subscriber only it seems and at £28 a year seems a bit of a gamble as these things don't usually last. Keep up the good work! Patrick Kelly, Dublin |
| Thanks Patrick
I have seen the adverts for the Journal and visited the site, which looks good and hopefully will develop over the coming months. The Forum site is funded from two sources, Trader advertising and the goodwill and deep pockets of the site owners. The stats for the site show that we are well on our way to having 2 million hits this year, with a daily average of 10,000 hits. Over 48,000 of you visit the site on a regular (weekly) basis, which is why I try and add new pages at least twice a week. Our advertising rates are the lowest in the hobby, but it is important that when you respond to Trader you mention this site so we retain their custom. The success of the site depends on the in put and loyalty of the readers as much as the work I do. JOS |
 |
| Dear Sir,
I have written a review of the Gothic Horror rules from West Wind. Would you be interested in seeing them. Thank you, and thank you for the Forum which I think is great. D Gent, Accrington |
| David, thanks for your offer,
and the answer is yes. I am always on the look out for articles, reviews,
show reports, wargaming ideas, painting and modelling tips etc etc to fill
the pages of the Forum, so thanks for the offer.
JOS. 11/10/02 |
| Webmaster,
I have been a fan of your site for some years now, and it is so much better since you became editor and reinvigorated it. But.... there is always a but....some of your Traders adverts are so out of date that prices are wrong and goods are not longer in stock. Can you do something about it? Phil Myatt |
| Why is there always a
.....But?
Ok, you have a point, and one that I find frustrating as well. The truth is I do not have time to continually review every page of adverts to ensure that details are up to date, I am dependent on the trader to inform me when things change, and many of them simply do not. Others keep me very well informed, and you may have noted a major overhaul of the Front Rank pages recently. Please if you have any problems mail me and I will try and put them right. JOS 10/10/02 |
| Webmaster I have just read the review on the latest Warhammer publication, Shieldwall, and I would just like to compliment you on a very accurate description and summation. The book is very slick, and obviously designed to appeal to the younger end of the hobby market. The army lists are fun, if not altogether historical, and will no doubt produce some good games. The price though is silly money. The rules themselves cost £15, so why a small additional volume of army lists should cost the same I can't say. Certainly I have spoken to a printer friend who feels that £10 would have more than covered all costs and still left a very tidy profit. The colour pics in the book are very pretty but add nothing to the information. In all a pretty expensive disappointment. Karl Infantino Smethwick |
| Thanks for your comments Karl....would anyone like to take up the cudgels on behalf of the publishers? |
| Dear Webmaster, thank you very much for the advice you sent about medieval figures. In the end I decided to buy a selection of the Front Rank models and they are superb. Thanks as well for the details of the books on Heraldry and I have ordered them through the Library loan service and that will save me a bomb. You mentioned a medieval society that would have more information, but I have not been able to track them down have you got a contact number. Thanks Allan Ross Fife |
| Allan, the Society is The Lance and Longbow Society, who specialise in warfare during the period 1040-1526. They produce a regular newsletter for members that includes items on research and articles on the period. Dave Lanchester the Secretary can be contacted on LandLSOC@aol.com , and the society has a website at www.lanceandlongbow.com , hope this info helps. |
 |
|
Kentucky Mounted Rifles from the talented brush of Pete Rowley |
| Dear Webmaster, for those looking for Russian made 1/72 figures might I suggest the following dealer: - Harfields,32 Saint Winifreds Road, Biggin Hill, Westerham, Kent. As a 20mm gamer I have dealt with him for many years and he has always proved reliable. only recently found your web site and have really enjoyed going through it keep up the good work. Cheers John Cunningham North Wales |
| You certainly may John, thanks for the tip and the positive comments |
|
Bring and Buy
Sorry for going on for so long with this problem and thank you for all your assistance. |
| The Bring and Buy is one of the
most popular pages on the site, and is one of the most popular and
successful market places available for the disposal of your excess figures
or for you to obtain some genuine bargains.
Unfortunately a small number of advertisers can bring the rest into disrepute as the example above show. However I have to say it seems to me that most of the problems arise from a lack of consideration and professionalism, than any attempt to be dishonest. The proprietors of the site maintain a record of every advertisement placed on the site so we can identify disputed adverts and those acting as traders. However it really is a matter of buyer beware, and we would advise always using due caution, such as making payment by cheque, using recorded delivery, keeping copies of all correspondence etc. In the event of problems arising we will provide what help we can, but accept no liability for losses arising from the transaction. We would remind both parties that breach of contract can be pursued through the courts, and that repeated sellers may be designated small traders and subject to the relevant trading legislation. The Inland Revenue are also interested in identifying undisclosed small traders. And of course attempting to obtain money under false pretenses is a criminal offence. Because of the problems faced by some buyers, a minority though it is, we are having to consider changes to the way that the Bring and Buy is operated. These may include a register of authorised users who would pay a small fee to use the service. We would like to know what you think about this, and other ways in which the service could be improved, so please drop me a mail. JOS |
 |
| John we met at Phalanx, St Helens, you invited me to
e-mail you regarding my problems with Age of Warfare. Having been a
previous user of the system ( Hard Pounding ) I decided to invest in the
full blown version.
When it arrived it was loaded and I set to work inputting army lists. When I tried to print off the OBs my computer just froze, oh dear I thought a glitch, no problem I'll speak to the nice people from ECW, they will help me. I sent off an e-mail and received reply from Dave Millward try a,b,c etc. all to no avail, sent another e-mail, sorry Dave no joy, reply back try another printer, (confused look on my face) my computer is brand new all singing all dancing, my printer is brand new Lexmark X83, I do not have another printer. E-mail sent again, reply back, if none of that has worked sorry can't help you, tough !!! Not very businesslike I thought, my hard earned cash wasted. Still a duff disc is no good to me so it was consigned to the bin. I doubt if
I will be compensated for this, but I felt I had to tell someone, it has
taught me never to invest my cash on a company who are only interested in
monetary gain, NOT customer service |
|
Phil, I am sorry that you have had such problems with an ECW product. I have to admit, I have met a similar problem in that my printer does not seem to recognise the information given to it. Having said that, the rest of the programme is fine and perfectly playable. Still I am passing your comments on and we will see what response is forthcoming. JOS |
| Good morning good sir :-) My name is Frank Hammond and I am a member of the Newark Irregulars club, which hosts the Partizan Shows at Kelham. I have just read your review of our latest show and would like to thank you for your kind comments. I had to laugh though, when I came to the review of the Waterloo game hosted by the Cultural Cowards (giggle) and I am sure they will love your comments too, except for the fact that they are actually the CALTISHALL COWARDS wargames club, based in . . . yes you guessed it . . Caltishall :-)). An easy mistake to make I grant you and of course this would be remedied by having some sort of display board or plaque to identify themselves. I hope you don't mind me dropping you this line, but I just couldn't resist :-)) Best wishes and keep up the good work on the site, as I am a regular visitor and enjoy it very much Sincerely Frank Hammond |
|
DOH!!! Thanks Frank. I can only blame my growing deafness, old age, and the deep richness of the Norfolk accent for the error. Still it is amusing really. |
 |
| Dear Webmaster Re: SODS Skirmish review On behalf of my club and as duly appointed organiser of the above show, thank you very much for your review, the choice of venue was a little bit last minute but it seems to have worked out not too badly, and was a definite improvement on the West Bromwich site. My own show (Wargamer -previously at Aston Villa Leisure Centre, Birmingham) would have benefited from such a review. This years new venue, (changed as a result of the new leisure centre Managers deciding to make Sundays a sport only day at Aston) I know will feel a little cramped after the massive Aston's hall. If one of your reviewers does make it there I hope they will bear this in mind. I will work on the white directional signs Thanks Paul Broadhurst |
| Thanks Paul. I try and attend as many shows as I can
for The Forum, but with a young family and a wife in the last year of a
degree course My time is limited. Paul Kay is based in the Midlands and so
is able to make a few more, and he will be at Colours, while I am hoping
to cover Warfare in November as well as Fiasco at the Royal Armouries,
Recon and Marcher.....well that is what I hope. I welcome input from Forum
fans which included their own reports on their favourite...or local shows,
I would especially like to receive reports of shows from outside the UK as
I know we are achieving a growing number of visitors from the America's,
Africa, and Australasia.
JOS |
 |
|
Vendal Miniatures Fantasy and Hovels hovel |
| John,
Just a note to say thank you very much for the help and advice you gave me. I found just the figures I was looking for, and bought them from Front Rank and Old Glory. Both of them filled my order very quickly which was great. Thanks for pointing me in their direction, that is what I call customer service M Walsh |
| My pleasure Martin! |
 |
|
Deutches Afrika Korps Hanomag |
| Dear Webmaster,
I have just discovered your site, and would like to say how great it is. I think it is the best wargames site I have found so far. Darla Allen , Phoenix |
| Thanks Darla, keep looking and if you find a better one please let me know, so I can grab some of their ideas. JOS |
| Did you know that the Excalibur pages aren't working?
I've tried and tried to access them but to no avail. Can you have a look
at them please? Thanks Jayne Chaplin |
| Jayne,
thanks for your interest. At the moment the pages are closed while the programme and campaign are undergoing various imporovements, but I will ask Dave Millward to get a move on! |
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Simon Norburn working tirelessly for ECW |
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The idea behind the new Home Page is simple. All the old links are still there, and accessible through the list on the left. The pictures in the centre of the page highlight recently changed pages, and should reflect the respective links from the list, If that's not the case, then it's our mistake, please tell us. The trouble with the old page was that although it had lots of pictures, they didn't reflect changes in the site. So the page always looked the same. If an image in the lower half of the page changed, people didn't always notice it. The new page is simply an attempt to give the site more currency. Dave Millward Web Director | |||
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