Hello,

My name is John and I collect model soldiers and wargame. I would like to write a guide for those of you with similar interests. Over many years I have accumulated some knowledge and opinions on our hobby. I hope I encourage fellow gamers and collectors to add to this body of experience and knowledge.My guide is a story of how my interest has evolved.

I collect 25 and 28mm figures. I have always had a love for the Napoleonic period in particular the French and their allies (the many German states fascinate me also). The Napoleonic era is long enough ago for there to be no survivors or close relatives from this period. Also this period is before the khaki and camouflage era where many uniforms look very much the same. The Napoleonic era was when bright flamboyant uniforms were created and a broad range of individual cuts of uniform were very evident. Unique helmets and varied uniform combinations interest me very much. It is a period where the three arms of troops-artillery, cavalry and infantry have equal importance. When playing wargames it tests ones skills and manipulation of situations using each arm to its optimum efficiency. I am always learning and trying new ideas. This period of history never bores me.

In my collecting, painting and amassing large numbers of troops (he who dies with the most lead in their cupboard WINS! You never have too many figures.Rule 1 of wargaming lol) I have seen manufacturers come and go, as all businesses do. Early in my gaming I collected 'Minifigs'. Try ebaying this type of troop and you end up with a huge list of 'Lego' figures. The ones I collected came from Southampton in the UK. This company still produces a very broad range of figures. It was this extensive range that initially attracted me to their products.I liked the 25mm white alloy figures. I remember a shop on the other side of town that stocked many of their figures. I chose the French because two of my mates had British, Russian and Prussians. If I built French we could battle. So I did. My first figures were Old Guard and I remember painting them in my parents living room at a card table. My first attempts were ordinary and took much time.BUT....... I was started and hooked on this hobby.

I painted collected and gradually built an army. My friends were at a club that used 'Bruce Quarrie's Napoleon's Campaign in Miniature'.I used to read that book like a bible and highlight points of interest. One needed a great memory and constitution when playing those rules. Later on my peers used 'Empire Third edition'. An even more complex list of rules and examples. Being a wargames 'solicitor' became the gamer's challenge. To me I just wanted to play and a bucket of dice and one page rules were enough (and probably still are).

Then something that every gamer has happen, from time to time. Life got in the way of my Wargaming! I was married with children and now every waking moment was doing something for or with the kids. Life was on hold for a while and the pieces of lead went into storage in the garage for some years.

Like waking from a dream, one day I decided to dust off  my figures and resume my hobby. One realises you have a real hobby when you can continue 10 years or so on from where you left. The one hiccup were the rules. Nobody that I now saw was into Napoleonics. So I did what most would do. I started painting 15mm Ancients, just because everyone had these armies and I could get a game. The 'WRG 7th edition' was the go so once again the highlighter was in action and the wargames lawyer was in flight. I built an Aztec army using 'Tin Soldier' figures a Palmyran army using my mates home moulds (no name no packdrill) and a Late Roman army again from home moulds.Later on I built an English 100 year army and I had enough to game with. I went to Canberra, Cancon for a couple of years and really enjoyed the mateship with the guys from Mulgrave Wargames club. They still remain guys that I like and enjoy their company.

Then came along another interval in the hobby and I returned to my real love of Napoleonics. Over time manufacturers had really improved their figures and many are a joy to paint. The swing to slightly larger 28mm figures had begun and figures made by 'Essex', 'Frontline' and 'Perry Bros.' were works of art. Another big development whilst in wargaming limbo was of course the Internet. This allowed me to order from around the world. Ebay became my addiction and little postal deliveries regular excitement. I have also over the years collected 'Hinchliffe' figures. Sometimes skinny and incompatible with other figures but at times chunky and interesting I have lots of Hinchliffe figures. Hinchliffe is also a UK (now defunct company) taken over by another company and still have available a broad range of figures. Probably the best figures I have seen of late are Calpe figures. A bouitique type provider who has moulded some exceptionally lovely Prussian figures.Getting his figures is expensive and time consuming. Obviously figure making is not extremely lucrative and this is still a hobby type industry for some.

I currently wargame with the Nunawading Wargames group and once again play with some really nice guys. That , of course, is why I still game! I am learning some new rules,'Cold Steel' written by my clever friend.  

I stutter and shiver to add this penultimate section but I think I need to. Collecting white metal, alloy figures is expensive. One can spend many $ on lumps of lead and when times are tough you have to think twice about shelling out the hard earned cash. Staying with my wife has a high priority too. So, I will take a deep breath now.............plastic figures are very attractive as an alternative. Many brands such as Airfix, the very old smaller 20mm, 'Italeri' and 'HAT' offer an alternative and still allow one to game. Cheaper, usually, and offering quite an extensive range they are possibly the future of the hobby. Now, Perry bros., have a range of harder plastic figures that are compatible in size to their metal figures, give excellent detail but are not cheap. These paint up beautifully. With the exchange rate as it is at the moment the Perry Bros. are not as cheap as some metal figures.

I have just put in an order with 'Warrior Miniatures', in Scotland, who have a special on that includes postage (seamail) and is 20 pounds for 100 piece army pack, 25/28mm metal figs. I am crossing my fingers on this deal and hope they are ok. The photos look good and the cavalry, in particular look interesting. I keep looking and enjoy my hobby. I hope you have enjoyed some of the things I have written about and maybe you can relate to my journey.Thanks for reading up to here!

HAPPY GAMING TO YOU ALL! Thanks to my friends that I share my hobby with.

ALl the best, John