Deadlier than the male......

Steve the Wargames blog highligths an interesting point here http://steve-the-wargamer.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/that-more-intelligent-sort-of-girl-who.html, IMHO ther article in the times misses the point. But then again it doesn't as the point- in this case is to fill the paper and for the journo to get paid. Anything else is a bonus.

That being said it strikes me that some chaps are afraid to grasp the nettle lest they be thought misogynistic beasts in these so called enlightened times. Now for myself I have not and have never had any objection to female wargmers or lady wargamers as we used to call 'em back in the Dark Ages of the 1980s. In my ECW re-enactment days Female musketeers were far from unknown. I once had command of an entirely female gun crew at one event.- I led the Royalists that day. Even the odd female pikeman was encountered- though this was rare and unusual . In those days a pike push was a punch-up with sticks- bruising was common and blood injuries far from unknown , not to mention the occasional exploding musketeer. Yet no-one thought that the girls should not do these things if they wished or simply be "wenches" if they wished. That was almost 25 years ago so its not new. When it comes to miniature Wargaming- as distinct from the full size sort outlined above- then ladies, women , Females or " wimmin" are thinner on the ground but not unknown- I've played with girls... (badly put that but sometimes you just have to) . Steve's blog covers the salient points so no need to repeat. However I do tend to find the idea of a separate Wargames Group for Women a little bit offensive- in these days of supposed diversity and equality. I'd find a Wargames group for Black people just as offensive or indeed to cite my own case one for the poorly sighted- you could shove THAT where the sun does not shine and I'd help by pushing very hard.... No where such pigeonholing is not necessary for safety or equal competition - such as many- but not all physical sports then its just daft and divisive. I accept that both men and women may feel more comfortable separated in this way  and to be sure  in our group some of  Jimbo more "robust" humour  wouldn't suit mixed company- to be old fashioned about it but then I remember a time when I did a lot of bar work when certain hen parties not only made me blush  but made me worry for my moral well beingand yes that was 25years ago too.

 After all if I set up a Man only group I'd be accused of sexism .

Nice one... Henry.

Recieved my copy of MW362 the other day- the second issue under new mangagement and to be honest I was pleasantly surprised. Especially after the patchiness of the previous issue. There is actually stuff to read in it. Indeed from a personal point of view there was more in this issue than all the BGs I have put together. To be sure the layout is a bit annoying with the Front cover in white looking a bit like an Essex slappers high heels and the strapline at the top of each page with its little red highlight label to remind you you are reading a feature or a column- as if to imply that you can't tell by reading the actual article..... However that being said the articles were useful and interesting - A nice ECW campaign a couple of useful think pieces the Whose History one being particulary interesting- though I'm not sure the analogy bewteen modern historical art and Game design holds water the basic premise does in that Game designers are far more abstract and need to give much more info...show your working lad- as my maths teacher would have said. Mind you I did giggle- there is a picture of 10 rulesets- all Napoleonic or ACW. I own 2 of them - niether of which are my favouites- the rest I've never seen or only marginally heard of..certainly never played. Perhaps I'm just not as obcessed with rules as some of the blikes out there. Hate reading 'em can't see the point of many of 'em - other than to earn a few bob for the writer. However i used to tinker- much more than I do now and would dispute that a game designer knows more automatically about a given period than I do . Now don't get me wrong I know bog all about Ancient Chinese Warfareand precious little about several other periods. The author opines that gamers hate debates about accuracy and that all they want is (here it comes thinks I ) FUN(yep there is that dread word again) Debate of course can also be FUN discussion is what greases the whells - at least I hope so. The other think piece was equally thought provoking- though as someone who has used the "holistic" appraoch since before the term was coined there wasn't that much new there- except for the 12 points at the end- not so much the points themselves but the way they were stated. My argument would be - well I simply don't get into a period that way Rules first perish the thought.

So just for the recoerd here is how I usually get into a period.

First its a matter of inspiration- this most usually is a good book or sometimes one of those now despised "taster articles" in one of the glossies- rare now these.. I might be a range of figures or even a game. What it won't be is a set of bloody rules. The Ilkley lads game at Triples may make me dig out my Landknects. A book called "Target Basra certainly started off my Modern armies last July . Peter Young and HCB Rogers and a few years reenactinf did the ECW for me. and so on and so forth . I ALWAYS do both sides one army is as much use as 1 beer- how do you get a proer taste? However the point about overcrowded tables is well made I've seen it time and time again likewise nice painting and crap basing. I've always thought that the so called "Holistic" approach is the only way to go but nevertheless the piece was well put together and too the point.

There was also a nice piece on paintin MASSES of Swis pikemen. In 15mm yetand without black undercoat. There is life out there... and hopefully not to sound patronising by a female writer well done Miss Piper. - Bloody good painjobs too - me I'd have packed it in after abnout 50 .

All in all a good mag.

New modern Masters

Well here I sit waiting for a shipment from the USA and Lo - its not here- to be delivered tomorrow say UPS-some kind of admin cock-up doubtless- the shipment was actually in Donnington when the computer said Gateshead... So to while away a wasted afternoon here are a few pics of the soon to be released new 15mm Modern vehicles.

these3 pictures show Jackal (4 wheels) Coyote(6 wheels0- and A Toyota Hilux- for the up and coming insurgent!!

These will of course have 50cals and GPMG added where appropriate

Shinyloo 2 - diversion again.

Back in the Shine or What a load of Shine!!!

Back in July last year I wrote a post called Shinyloo and showed some retro figures deliberately painted in a retro style. I maintained at the time that this was an "occaisional diversion" . So it proved, other stuff , not least my 15mm moderns project- of which I had almost nothing back in July - has mushroomed into 2 forces fitt for the table. So fit in fact that THIS year we, that is the TWATS, will be using them at the Durham show.

However I digree , back to the point. Here therefore are a few more Shiny Dudes

Here we see the Emperor Napoleon Shinyparte and a couple of his staff. Stadden and Willie figues .

These 6 are old Hincliffe Nassauers- so will fight on the Allied side

"Missed Me you Bounder! Wille Officer Stadden Old Guard and Minot British wounded figure.

Close up of the British Officer- Sir Ronseal Yatch-Varnish. Very suitable for a chap so SHINY

I've set myself a few rules for this project- which of course I'll bend or break when it suits me.

1/. Figures should be 30mm or thereabouts- no matter what it says on the packet.

2/. Out of production figures are used where possible. So waiting in the wings I have a bundle of Minots.

All figures to be based singly on round bases. For this project I want a retro look but of a better standard than many of the games from that time.

Nevertheless its still simply a small diversion from the main periodsand I paint 'em this way not because its a fashion or because I'm a memebr of the OFW set but simply becausev it amuses me to do so. Right now back to those 15mm Moderns...

All Fur Coat and No Knicker- part two.

One size knickers fits all.... NOT

The recent discussions on Steve the Wargamers anf Robbie Roddiss' blog have highlighted a darkeness at the heart of our hobby. Not that this is new. Such minor cheating has been around for years. Buying a trphy is not new. Should we be surprised? I'm not after all this kind of low level skulduggery is endemic in real life- Politicians do it all the time- likewise soccer clubs, pop stars - most of those in the public eye. Why should we expect that wargamers are paragons of virtue whern the real world is not.?

Further I'd ask doea it matter?. It leaves a nasty taste in the mouth sure but does it matter. The playwright David Hare tells us that "Morality is not about telling others how to behave but about how you behave yourself". To me this is self evident but apparently not so to others who live in the Warhol world of "Famous for 15 minutes" . Even at such a minor level as ours this I'm afraid obtains.. I'm still not sure that it matters. We might OOH and Aaah at the pretty toys but don't actually care. For myself I don't give a bugger. I've done enough display games in my time and won enough prizesandbeen beaten to know that throwing money at it does work as in all thjeatres of endevour but not doing it yourself is less than satisfactory- at least for me. Now I can and do use painters- less so now than in the past- but still prefer my own stuff.

Now on to the scales thing.

I sometimes wonder if the glossies have any contact at all with the Grass Roots. Its pretty obvious that WI doesn't MW - the new one- not sure yet perhaps "selective contact" with knarly OFW trees. WSS again selective contact - but more widespread- WSS does operate a letter column on its website as I've used it. To be sure technology has changed the face of "Letters to the Editor" so despite Robbies remarks you wonder if such are relevant anymore when the bloggersphere exists.

BUT and its a sizeable but this 28mm only in the mags thing is becoming a little out of date.. The other sizes are alive and well - as was noted in WSS a couple of issues back . Of the glossies WI is the most guilty of "Scale snobbery" in the same way as it is most guilty of "figure Fascism ", but, frankly thats to be expected as its little more than a house organ for the Nottingham Mafia none of whom are interested in sizes other than those they produce.

Now out here on the thin lead line its veryt different. Isell figures in many sizes 40mm 25/8mm/30mm 15/18mm and 10mm and of course I'm far from alone- I don't do 20mm - others do nor do I do 6mm others do . Now speaking only for myself here ALL of the sizes I sell SELL, otherwise why would I offer them 15mm sells at least as well as 25/8/30 sometimes better. A good half of our Salute sales were Bluemoon 15/18mm yet working in this size barely gets a mention in the glossies- certainly not in WI Can't speak to new MW yet but WSS has had a go or two. Steve may be right about the dash for plastic having something to do with this - many younger chaps can't work in metal and seemingly would rather fart about sticking arms on than drinking beer or meeting girls(or boys or sheep or hamsters Whatever blows your skirt up Dude!)

The separation of the grass Roots from the glossies is now pretty total and in a sense there is a smaller separation from the Bloggersphere. Many chaps don't blog, a good many read the blogs but never comment. I'm always gratified at shows when a chap says - read your blog the other day- or somesuch sop the gap is smaller. Yet the GRs carry on doing what they do and enjoying it- or why would they still buy soldiers? . I've become of the opinion that this happens in spite of the glossy magazines and that most peole still buy em for the adverts - plus ca change !!!

All Fur Coat and No Knickers....

Amongst the Bloggerati of this hobby you find many opinions about almost anything. Many are well informed and erudite others narrow and purely personal.

For myself I have little choice but to approach what I ramble on about on at least 2 levels.

1/. The Business view.

2/. The Personal View.

It's no surprise that sometimes these do not coincide.

Take Magazines for example. There are now 3 glossies on our newstand shelves. On a professional level that means 3 chances to advertise my wares.3 chances to enviegle your hard -earned into my sky- rocket in exchange for soldiers.I can choose which of these mags I advertise in - which best suits my product profile or which is probably the most read by my probable customer base.. On the business level the actual content is of only marginal interest sufficing perhaps to sway me a little but not , on the whole, too much

Paper advertising isn't what it once was, the internet has changed all that quite dramatically.Yet it still has a place. Its still IMHO pretty essential to have some magazine presence..

Now to the more personal level. Most wargames mags have little of direct interest. After all its all been said before many many times.

I have before me a selection of recent magazines. The New MW , The most recent WI and recent copies of WSS- my latest one of this last has not yet arrived.

However to begin - the most obvious target is WI so I'll begin there. Big Glossy and full of pretty pictures by companies or rich middle class gits- probably retired early on a civil service pension(Yes I'm being waspish again) which comparativly few of us can match. What this mag does teach is the obvious- you too can do this if you throw enough money at it

Yet having said that there were actually a couple of articles worth reading. One on the Frnch assault on Jersey in the Channel Is during the AWI- tells us about the action but gave us no French OB- perhaps its not known. The article then descend sharply downward as it groans on about "Sharpe Practice" and presents 2 scenarios for that system but still better than nothing. The second article is about the Partitions of Poland again of some interest. Finally an article on early armoured trains and cars by Nick Buxey. Now Nick knows his stuff but this is not my area of interest so I'll not comment further except to say that there were many pics of models I'd have prefered pics of the real thing is available.

The rst of the mag were simply photo essays . No reviews(thats unstandable being that a minis company owns the mag) No opinion No colums .- All fur coat and only a very small pair of Knickers. It will quite probably be a good while before I buy another copy - but at least I'll keep an eye on it. In terms of personal taste its style is simply too narrow for me.

Next the new MW- well first impressions were not good but having said that its a bit like the curates egg. Its pretty obvious that Henry Hydes Editorship will be much more heavy handed than Andrew Hubbacks was. Its pretty clear from the Editorial that its all Henry's show- mind you the idea of not Ghettoising Fantasy and Sci- Fi is a good one after all Dwarf-fiddlers are people too!! . As for articles only one took my interest- that on the Armada campaign but the colunms and reviews are there in strength so whilst the artilce lack a certain something- and most are very BG in style- the columns and reviews do go some way to redressing the balance. I also learned why I 'll stick to my metal 15mm WW2 and not go plastic- It will be a COLD DAY IN HELL before I stick bloody arms on 15mm figures. Also -assuming I understand correctly- these littlec sods are no cheaper than metal.

. This leaves WSS- a bi-monthly as the "other mag" . To address it this way is to do it an injustice. It holds its head up in the others company . Indeed the more I see of it the better I like it. Again its the reviews and columns that stand out rather tan the samey-gamey stuff which seem to be meant and drink to some. Yet having said that the style of the articles seems to me a tad more in depth than the other mags. There is more "how to" here than in the other mags- though MW is not devoid of this- now I don't need how to - well not much - been there done that - several times but you can still pick up a wrinkle ot two. Unlike the others it doesn't patronise.

Now to be fair we've only seen one issue of the "new" MW but on this evidence MW is almost dead but there are other issues to come One mag is hardly a fair judgement.

All in all then currently my favourite mag is WSS with MW - being a monthly giving me a bit better bang for my advertising buck. On a personal level there simply isn't a lot in mags for a chap who isn't a rules junky- and I'd rather drink flat lager - other than the opinion pieces. There are no new ideas- an example- there is an article on hidden movement in WI- nothing wrong with it except that its all been said before by Featherstone or Asquith or Grant senior and others. This time it was said shinier and with computers but who cares if you have a brain

One thing I have noticed is that- Some WSS articles notwithstanding Narrow is the word. Scales- mostly "28mm" unless its WW2 or after. Litlle on minority scales or periods- thogh a brief and incomplete gallop though ariel games does appear in WI- . The assumption that "It's only a Game" is now the norm- though Neil Shucks voice cries faintly otherwise in MW. What I find odd is the idea of the "Corporate Game players" that you don't need to know anything other than that with which they spoon feed you.

Cobblers.

Perhaps I shouldn't be surprised after all the indutry has passed into the "professional phase" so its all about the loot. Frankly -even though I'm in the biz I hope I have more respect for my customers than that.

Salute- The view from behind the counter......

Well thats another Salute done. what was good or bad- ask Robbie at the Independent Wargames group blog or indeed Steve the Wargamer... . Me -I was working fopr a living so all I saw was the sea of faces waving money at me and- just once- the gents which was by this time a tad insalubrious- indeed some fella- Hmm I wonder who it muight have been uttered in a stage whisper

"Gawd it smells like a S***house in here"

Games I saw none. Other Traders I only saw the idle ones - and not many of those- wandering about near the end. As for "drift" - never noticed we were grafting away until at least 4 O'clock. Tell you how busy it was. When we arrived I sent one of the crew for tea and wads- I finished by Breakfast sandwich at about 3 O'clock . Jimbo was the same. Sellers- well almost everything really Bluemoon 15mm of couirse but I'd sold out of my new 15mm Taliban Motorbikes and Command packs by about 11 O'clock. It didn't take long for the pack train and some of the weapons packs to go the same way. Bluemoon 15mm Fiw range was simply marching out of the door closely followed by the ACW range in 25/28mm The most popular on the day were Landsknects and Swiss - which I'm now very low on. As I type this I'm stealing time from making up my next order to the USA so I'll have some soldiers for Triples in about a months time, So - as they say I'd better get my finger out and do some work... Not rest for the wicked...

If you can't take a joke youshouldn't have joined.