March Woodland at Fireball

Welcome everyone to my first post for March. The subject of this missive? My first airsoft outing since the arrival of Matthew, our very own little soldier, and a game I have very much been looking forward to, I can tell you

I took myself down to my regular club, Fireball Squadron, on Staurday for the monthly woodland game and had an absolute ball. The game scenarios were written by Nick, aka Blackblood, one of the management team and were mighty challenging if, like me, you happened to be on the Red Team since we were outnumbered by approximately 2 to 1

The game was very well attended, as hopefully you will be able to see from some of the photos included here, and we used the whole site from Area 51 at the one end right the way up to the Drugs Den at the other. The mission objectives involved quite a lot of carrying and escorting of various 'cargo' and 'packages' and we certainly covered some ground. My legs, and to be honest quite a few other pats of my body too, have certainly been feeling the consequences today

The first set of photos are courtesy of yours truly, taken on my i-phone 3 and probably not terribly good quality

Four shots from in and around the safe zone prior to the game and during morning briefing

Members of the Red Team, 'playing' the British Army/SF, trying to look mean , moody and menacing

'Dude' and his ATAC Masada. I'm struggling to decide which is the sexier!

No such problem here. I'm sure Chris won't mind me saying so!

One of the new rules we introduced at the last AGM, implemented for the first time at this game, is Knife Kills, which up until now we haven't allowed. To be accepted as a KK the attacking player has to sneak up on the unsuspecting enemy, tap him or her on the shoulder and physically show the player the knife he is holding, which must, of course, be made of rubber or some other suitably flexible and 'bendy' material. Rubber chickens, however, are not allowed, and you can't simply saunter up to someone and whisper in their ear, unless of course you have something else entirely on your mind!

During the afternoon game I decide to try on one of my latest purchases. Overall, I have to say I was quite pleased with the look, however, I think I had it on a little too tight and before long the top of the mask was really digging in to my forehead. I also think it would probably look better with a helmet or a bandana. The ball cap didn't really sit too comfortably as I couldn't pull the peak down far enough

Having never worn gauze goggles or face masks before I found this a little strange and, if anything, something of a strain on my eyes, but I was pleased with it. It certainly offers good face protection and looks pretty scary into the bargain

The following pictures were taken by Nick, on a fancy looking camera with a big round lense on the front, and as usual there are more to see on our website

'Snippy' the Red Team medic taking a well earned breather

Desperately trying to defend Border Crossing.....

.....we came, we SAWed, but sadly didn't conquer

Shots of members of the Red Team in various states of preparedness

And finally, yours truly in alternative face protection

The following two video clips show the Yellow Team defending Dunlop, one of the sites bases, and the Red Team in the process of escorting a number of VIPs from one end of the site to the other. Not an easy mission





So, that's about it for the March game. There will be another one on the first Saturday in April, not to mention the WW2 Filmsim game later that month, more details of which will appear in a later post

My Very Own Bagpuss

Thanks to TM Terrain or, more properly, Dave from TM Terrain for painting the figures you can see in the photographs below

As well as being a bit of a genius with polystyrene, MDF, resin and goodness knows what else he puts into his stylish terrain features and diorama projects, Dave also offers a figure painting service for wargamers, or anyone else for that matter that wants some figures painted!

Twenty four 'Firelocks' with officer and drummer

Like a lot of wargamers and figure collectors, I have my fair share of unpainted figures lying around in drawers, well one draw actually, the result of making a start on an army, or four, and never quite getting around to finishing them off! One such army for me is my Parliamentarian ECW army which I've had lying around, part painted, for literally years, since the 1980s in fact! I know, I can hardly believe it myself

Over the years I have added to it in a very piecemeal fashion, buying more figures, every now and again painting a few more, or paying someone else to do it for me, and the result is an army that is a) still in need of finishing and b) looks a bit 'hotchpotch', being a mixture of figures from a variety of manufacturers, painted and based by different people and in different styles. It's almost certainly completely unsaleable, a slight exaggeration perhaps, nevertheless, it is a longstanding project of mine and very close to my heart, despite its imperfections. By way of illustration, here are a few images of some of the other troops in the army

A unit of twelve 'Ironsides' absolutely armed to the teeth. These were bought off a certain auction site. All I did was repaint the base edges so that they matched the rest of the figures

The Green regiment of pike and shot from my army. You may be able to recognise figures from Hinchcliffe, Essex, Wargames Foundry and Bicorne all represented in this unit

A close-up of the pike block made up mainly of Hinchcliffe and Essex figures, simply and naively painted by yours truly. All I can say in my defense is a) I painted them in the 80s and b) my painting has improved since then. You may also notice that they have been re-based fairly recently to help give the army a little more coherence

One of the sub-units of musketeers, painted by a chap named Stephen Porter

A devoutly Puritan sergeant putting fire into the bellies of his men. Once again, the musketeers he accompanies and the rear rank of pike are the work of Stephen Porter

So, there you have it, a somewhat motley crew, as they so often would have been in real life of course. One of my 'ongoing projects' that I am determined to see through to the end and, with Dave's help, I might just do it. One day.....

Hot Under The Collar

The 'Final Word' feature in Issue 38 of 'Toy Soldier Collector' caught my eye this month. I have reproduced the article here and hopefully a) the author, David Dunmore, won't mind and b) you will be able to read it should you be sufficiently interested

It concerns a review that was printed in the previous issue, issue 37, about a product by the Collector's Showcase depicting the inside of Hitler's wartime office, complete with Hitler and his cronies and a rather prominent Swastika as a backdrop

According to the author, during a conversation with a group of fellow collectors at the London show in December, a discussion developed about the relative merits of including such an article in the magazine, especially as the 'crooked cross of infamy' featured so prominently in the accompanying photographs. Whether Third Reich figures should be made in the first place was also discussed, apparently

For my part, I am in agreement with David, that such figures a) should be made and b) should certainly be featured in a magazine written by collectors, for collectors, one that reflects the breadth and diversity of the hobby, both in terms of the figures available and the collecting themes that enthusiasts are interested in and inspired by

David is honest about his own position and I applaud that. He has no interest in collecting Third Reich figures or themed models and dislikes the subject matter. However, as he most eloquently points out, this hobby of ours is about history, and the Third Reich is a very important part of that. As such, it absolutely has a place in our hobby as a collecting theme

Early on in the article David admits to wondering, in an idle moment, just how extensive the market is for such figures? He also admits to thinking that collectors and manufacturers alike might be a little reluctant to answer that question honestly. Now, I must confess, I'm not entirely certain precisely what David is thinking about when he uses the term 'Third Reich figures'. Is he referring solely to figures and models depicting Hitler, his cronies, and the paramilitary organisations within Nazi Germany, or is he also talking about all those figures and models depicting the fighting men and vehicles of the various armed forces? Either way, I have no such qualms when it comes to admitting my love of collecting Third Reich figures, and I'm clearly not the only one with such a passion

If, as David 'suspects', collectors and manufacturers may be reluctant to answer such a question, then they oughtn't to be. I would venture to suggest that the market for 'such figures' [whatever that may be, precisely] is very extensive indeed. As David himself writes, 'the commercial reality that these figures sell' cannot be denied. I have been collecting toy soldiers now for approximately five years, (yes, I am a veritable babe in arms.....no pun intended) and got into the hobby having seen a display of K+C Berlin '38 figures in a glass case in a local Ian Allen bookshop. In that relatively short time, a number of ranges have come and gone, but Berlin '38 remains a constant feature of K+C's formidable output, and the series is still being added to. It is one of their best sellers, and they are not alone. I may have to stand corrected here, but every major toy soldier manufacturer I can think of produces something that could be described as a Third Reich figure

Manufacturers of plastic kits make more German kits than anything else. The same can be said for manufacturers of 1/72nd scale ready made vehicles for collectors and wargamers, and 1/6th scale action figures. There is most definitely a market out there, and it's huge

My point? Well, there are those, in my opinion a minority, who think that such figures should not be made, or if they are made, that they have no place being featured in a major magazine aimed at collectors. They are entitled to their point of view and, although I don't agree with it, I would be willing to die for their right to express it freely and openly, and I would like to think they would be prepared to defend my right to collect the toy soldiers I love without being thought of as in any way glamourising or condoning the historical regime they represent

A Weighty Issue

There can be no doubting the quality of First Legion figures. Sculpted and master painted in Russia, and then manufactured in China, Matt Pavone and his team have brought us connoisseur quality figures at reasonably affordable prices

Having set such a high standard with his figures, the challenge has been to produce equally spectacular vehicles and scenic items. There are currently 5 vehicles in the Stalingrad range, two versions of the Stug III, the SdKfz 232 in field grey, and two versions of the Panzer III, Ausf. J, one in field grey and the other in winter camouflage, with more in the pipeline, and a sensational scene stealer in the shape of a massive building facade!

The first thing you notice about their vehicles when you buy one is their weight. If, like me, you are used to the offerings produced by the likes of K+C and the Collectors' Showcase you will be surprised, nay shocked, by their weight, or rather lack of it. I distinctly remember feeling somewhat disappointed when I picked up the box holding my own Stug III. 'Have I really just spent £260 of hard earned on something so insubstantial?' Then I opened the box, and my disappointment soon turned to delight

In one, very real and unmistakable sense, they are lightweight and the reason for this is simple. First Legion have deliberately shunned the use of the industry standard polystone and elected instead to construct their vehicles from a combination of resin, different types of plastic, photo etched steel and other metals. The result? Highly detailed, superior quality models, much more akin to professionally built and painted 1/35th scale kits. In another, also very real and unmistakable sense, they are heavyweight contenders in the competition for collectors' cash

At £260 each they are by no means inexpensive but, as with so many things in life, you get what you pay for, and what you get with these vehicles is something a little bit special: vehicles constructed from over 100 separate pieces, realistic looking and 'feeling' track and wheel setups, fully rotating turrets with positional guns, movable ball-mounted hull machine guns, opening hatches, antennas that can be lowered, a variety of removable, and re-positionable, stowage items, full-bodied crew figures that can be displayed equally well inside or outside the vehicle, and in the case of the winter version of the Panzer III the only vehicle in this scale to have been produced with Winterketten extensions to the normal tracks. Oh, and yes, I very nearly forgot, an unparalleled level of painting depicting battle-worn and weathered 'heavy metal', with an attention to detail that is quite frankly second to none

The SdKfz 232 eight wheeler complete with its characteristic 'bedstead' aerial and various removable extras, including the swastika flag draped across the antenna for recognition from the air

The beautifully detailed undercarriage of the 232.....

.....and a close up showing some of the detail that's gone into the execution of the paintwork

   

Two pictures of the field grey version of the Panzer III, shown here with tank riders [sold separately]. You can clearly see the opening hatches, the MG34 mounted as an AA weapon and the full-bodied crew figure deployed outside of the vehicle

Spectacular close up detail of the turret of the winter version of the Panzer III

A full frontal of the winter version. You can clearly see the Winterketten extensions to the normal tracks

This tank has clearly been put through the wringer! This version of the Panzer III represents vehicles from the famed 'Leaping Horseman' unit, the 24th Panzer Division which was annihilated, along with the rest of the 6th Army, fighting for Stalingrad

The one I don't [as yet] own. The 'upgunned' version of the Stug III, with L48, welded on armour and Ostketten extensions to its tracks

This is the one I do own, and I'm very, very pleased with it indeed!

Roll up! Roll up! Support your desperate comrades

A Stug III acting as support to advancing infantry, shown displayed alongside a background poster from John Gittins and custom made terrain from TM Terrain

Weather worn and rusty, but still packing a punch! The towing cables on this model aren't fixed in place, so you can display the vehicle towing, or being towed, should you care to

To complement the figures and the vehicles, First Legion have produced a quite sensational building facade depicting the battered and crumbling remains of the railway station terminal building located a few hundred yards away from the famous Stalingrad Tractor Factory, or STZ, which during the war was re-tooled to produce equipment for the Red Army, most notably the T-34 

The building comes with a central entrance way supported by four columns, standing proud of  two additional side pieces, and is made of intricately sculpted and expertly painted polystone. This is a truly massive piece with an overall length of 31 inches and weighing in at a hefty 23lbs!! Putting it on a glass shelf would probably be ill advised, but it would look wonderful on a bookcase and even better as the centre piece of an even bigger display, on top of some cobbled matting, strewn with debris. Figures can be displayed behind the windows, in between the columns, and out front, and there is plenty of room on top for even more figures and/or the odd support weapon. What a corker!!

The Swastika flag is removable

German armour and an observation team 'spotting' from the top of the ruins

Pictures courtesy of First Legion from whose website more details can, as always, be obtained