30 Years Of War after 45 Years Of Wargaming

 It's been a while...

The Memsahib has been seriously ill and so, my days have been 'interesting', and to be honest, I've also been doing other things which, have meant I've not had time for the usual number of epistles.

We did make it to Fiasco the other week, having missed T' Other Partizan for the first time in over 20 years (it was either Partizan or 3 nights at the theatre, and as the the theatre meant the Memsahib would not be driving a distance, or having to be on her feet for long, it was the no-brainer choice.

Indeed, she had been out of hospital for a mere 14 hours when we crossed the threshold of Fiasco (and she spent more than I did) for what was a pretty underwhelming show.

We were in and out including two breathers for She Who Absolutely Must Be Obeyed, and lunch, within 2 hours. Fiasco is now on par with Recon in December, and lacks the bring and buy, so I think it will be our last visit to a show I've loved since I was a teenager, schlepping out to Armley Leisure Centre for a day of great shopping, games and a crackinbg bring and buy.

The older shows are feeling tired and not really much more than pop up store fronts for 'Big Box Companies'.

Roy Batty's 'Time To Die' line seems apropos in regards to shows... It will not be long now until all shows are a melange of cupcakes, 3D printed tat and and 'Big Box' rubbish.

My final project is now in hand. I had started in on my ECW, but then it occurred to me that my old friend, Roger, was right in his enthusiastic (it must be right as he does not 'do' enthusiasim since he turned 18) insistence that the 30YW is more fun. I had been resistant as the religion based war attrocities did not sit well with me. But fuck it...

Now, I am a diehard ECW type of guy with well over 40 years on that clock, so I have been resistant. And then, it struck me that he was right 

So, I thinned out the ECW, retaining only officers, civilians, artillery and baggage trains and the stunning vignettes, which many of you will have seen in the Warlord Games 'To Kill A King' book and which look splendidly '30YW' with the scenes of summary execution, bear baiting and whores a plenty. 

After some to-ing and fro-ing, I decided to go with the French phase, being as it is, closest to the ECW in terms of dates and fashions. 

I have obviously gone with French and Bavarian armies, using a mix of Redoubt and 1st Corps, whose helmeted musketeers look splendid in  more 'continental' setting.

My regiments are foot 48 models on a 16x3 figure footprint, thus looking meaty but not unwieldy  and giving a notional 960 men at the traditional 1:20 ratio (Ratios, remember those?) and my cavalry units are 12s.

My figure painter is a happy man as I think I just put another of his kids through university, having sent him 44 regiments of foot and 54 units of horse, plus 4 lots of dragoons, more artillery crew, dismounts etc. It's a massive undertaking, but I'm sure he'll  get it all done.

In fact, hes already delivered the first three Imperialist regiments:

 

 

 The figures are shown here prior to the matt varnish stage, and of course, my pike are now on 2x3 figure elements giving a 32x6cm footprint for an infantry regiment.

The last three fantasy 'armies' are at the bottom of his 'to do' pile and of course my 15mm sci-fi will be being painted by my own talented hand as a retreat into teenage years, of sorts.

It's all paid up in advance. I don't anticipate going to many shows in 2026 as to be honest, I can get more intellectual return from a night at the theatre, or watching a live rock, classical or jazz performance.

Perhaps in 2027, the Fackham Hall Irregulars may decide to wheel ot a display/participation game or two, but unless shows take a step back, look at how they used to thrive and do something to recapture that vibe, we will see that grossly overswollen behemoth that is Salute becoming the only wargames show in the UK - a terrifying thing to even consider.

Feel free to disagree of course. These are just my thoughts and observations based on 45 years and well over 400 shows attended across the decades and indeed across the country. The loss of Triples and Northern Militaire seemed to tip the scales, but I truly hope that the North will rise again, because at present the newer shows which are claiming to be 'replacing' Triples etc are frankly completely and utterly dire.