How Many Is Too Many?

After the last few days of frenzied acquisition of Britain's 54mm figure sets along with the return to work after a quiet but restful Christmas, I'd sworn off buying any more.

After all, I think I'd bought something like 48 sets and really needed to let them all arrive, sort them into two box regiments for the infantry and see what cavalry there was... You know, sort of returning to barracks to regroup and allow the finances to recover for a few weeks.

So, at 7:30 this morning as the memsahib lay abed after a fitful night, I lay in a bath, judiciously sprinkled with Epsom salts, coffee at my side and the latest ambient music podcast from Ultima Thule playing as I relaxed in Triton's embrace as it were, reading a 1970 facsimile edition of H.G Wells'  'Little Wars' by Arms & Armour Press.

I was in heaven.

Look, if you haven't actually read that book and you are a warmer, then you really ought to, because you are missing a gem, written by a wry wit and raconteur, the likes of which our hobby lacks these days.

Now, I would have enjoyed the book even more, if Richard Axe Books had sent the advertised hardcover edition for the £30 price tag and not the paperback edition. I have not seen fit to place a warmer's curse upon them, but they will not get another penny from me, let me tell you.

That aside, it's a really interesting and fun read, and Wells seemed to capture the essence of warfare in the ays of empire rather nicely in that way that Wise, Asquith, Grant etc emulated when I was a lad.

I'm beginning to take the view that all I really want to do is play Smith little lead dollies of varying shapes and themes and have fun in so doing.

I am sure that many of my contemporaries 'came up' the same way, on a diet of magazine published rules, Airfix guides and the words of those men of renown who, were even then silvering at the temples, yet possessed of the powers to come up with a tactically challenging game in a few pages and do so with style and aplomb. It was fun!

And so, why not recapture that fun eh?

Now, I have dabbled previously in 54mm, so having enjoyed that toe-dip which came just before my rather acrimonious split with Sheffield Wargames Society, I thought it was time to return to the subject even if I am as welcome as pork roll in an Israeli ration pack at my gaming alma mater.

This time, having been tempted by Howard Whitehouse's 'A Gentleman's War' Facebook page, I set a few rules:

1. All figures must if humanly possible be metal.

2. They should be painted.

3. They should be Britains or a similar high quality traditional manufacturer.

4. They should be prettily attired.

5. No strict adherence to a specific conflict was to be observed, as long as the collection oozed atmosphere and a yearning for the days of empire. 'My armies - My rules' was the maxim.

6. Price was no obstruction but, I should try to get the models as cheaply as possible

And so, there I was, stripping out the conservatory and moving a bloody great 'American' fridge-freezer this afternoon, taking a tea break with an amaretti biscuit as I checked out what bargains I was missing, when I noticed that 4 more boxed sets, which were priced at a stupidly low £28 each were being listed on eBay as I watched. I noticed that potential buyers were being offered the chance to make a 'best offer' so I offered £104 on the 4 lots and the offer was accepted.

And there went my promise to myself, as the collection went smartly over the 50 set mark.

I bagged:

The Royal Engineers
Royal Marine Light Infantry
A second set of the Ox and Bucks Light Infantry
The Gloucestershire Regiment

I also picked up a nice 2nd ed copy of the Ghostbusters RPG from a charity seller, for £70 which was eye watering (being originally £90, which just wasn't cricket). Still, £70 of my money has gone to the aid of the homeless rather than a cut throat dealer, so it's all good.

Now, I just have to convince myself that I am really going to take a break from 54mm toy soldier hunting for a few weeks.

We shall see...


TTFN