Down That Red-Coated Road To Perdition, And Farewell Otto Von Pivka and Digby Smith

 When I get my teeth into something, it's usually a good sign for my gaming output.

For over 40 years now, I have actively resisted the call of Napoleonic wargaming (and let me be frank here - or Colin, if you prefer) due to the stuffy snobbery of those playing it and an almost cultish hanging-on to the words of the late David Chandler (I always suspected there were those who kept little fetisho-masturbory shrines in their gaming rooms).

I mean look, even Digby Smith dropped the 'Otto Von Pivka' schtick. By the way, he passed away only 10 days ago.

I confess that I did enjoy reading his articles in Miniature Wargames etc, because they gave you something to get your teeth into for your monthly pennies, unlike today's magazines which make Hustler look like an academic journal.

But, as usual, I digress.

I will confess, that despite my opening comments, I have always had a sordid little lust when it came (no pun intended) to Peninsular War armies. The lovely, shiny, bright units featured in Miniature Wargames, painted by Peter Gilder, caught my attention. I think it was the nicer look of British troops in stovepipe shako and officers in fore and aft hat that appealed to me. To this day, I recoil when I see a Belgic shako... It looks so... Well, so 'Continental'. The simplicity of the stovepipe however is a thing of brutal beauty.

I also like the fact that there are many wonderful units and uniforms, without the seeming endless feel of the mainland European campaigns. You have little pockets of whimsy to divert you without derailing your project.

And let's face it, the battles are more suited to the average gaming session, with the added bonus of there being lots of lovely pantiled roof buildings to have a wa... I mean drool over.

The other day, having watched my wife take delivery of a truckload of books on the French, I shelled out £45 on the excellent Carl Franklin book 'British Napoleonic Uniforms' with it's modeller focussed plates which are - lets not be coy here - worth a wank or two.

This is the kind of uniform book I like, regardles of period. It's beautiful, it's lovely quality and - despite the Belgic abominations on the cover - a real joy to pour over. With a page per regiment for the plates, it really does give bang for the buck, and I confess, it has me looking at a slightly larger collection than I had first planned.

I will be collecting the 5th and Light Divisions at Salamanca, along with the majority of the cavalry. Rifles, Light Infantry, Portuguese regiments and a nice mix of cavalry uniforms will therefore be at my command, hopefully allowing for a varied play experience all set against a heady mix of top end scenery. Just the thing for my retirement alongside the Frankenstein's creature that my fantasy collection has become and the ECW 'skirmish' collection which is rapidly looking more like an army, by the month, were it not for the varied mix of troops and uniforms.

So, I guess an old dog, can learn new tricks...

TTFN