I love doing them. It's a nice interlude when painting hordes of figures!
Now...
What's the connection between...
Marcus Hinton (of Hinton Hunt), Ed Suren (Willie figures), Brigadier Peter Young (Charge!) and Lt Col JBR Nicholson (mentioned as one of the players in The Wargame)?
When I joined The Sealed Knot a few years ago, there were howls of derision from some quarters, and many wargamers were very outspoken and negative about the world of re-enacting.
I kept my counsel, smiled, and just got on with it... and have enjoyed it ever since, despite not getting to many musters this year due to a fairly busy schedule.
When the latest copy of my Sealed Knot quarterly magazine, Orders of the Day, came through the post at the weekend, I was immediately drawn to an article previously written by "The Brig" (Peter Young), who founded The Knot back in 1968. The article was reproduced in the current magazine as part of the retrospective in the society's 50th year.
In the article The Brig mentions the involvement right at the outset of Messrs Hinton, Suren, Nicholson, and one Christopher Duffy.
Interesting.
One can't help but wonder that their expertise at sculpting, writing and understanding the military experience of centuries gone by was surely all the better for walking round a field with a pike or a musket over the shoulder. It's all very well holding such weaponry for a few minutes, but after an hour or two even the hardiest soldiers start to feel the weight.
Of course in the modern era, people like the Perry Twins and Dave Andrews' re-enacting exploits are well known. Perhaps that adds to their ability to make such outstanding contributions to the miniatures hobby too.
Marcus Hinton's main area of interested was in uniforms and he was a founder member of both the Sealed Knot and the Southern Skirmish Society. I'm sure all this was reflected in the 20mm wargame figure ranges he produced!
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ReplyDeleteI knew Brig. Peter Young was a founder member of the Sealed Knot, but not the others. Interesting.
ReplyDeleteI agree that re-enactment gives a gamer (and sculptor) an inkling of what it would have been like for the soldier on the ground back in the day. When I took part in French Indian War re-enacting as a member of Fraser's Highlanders over here in the States it gave me a real feel for life in those times. Seeing our company volley fire by platoon as dusk was coming on still remains one of my most enduring images.
I don't re-enact any more - too fond of my home comforts! ;)
Phil, this is fine company indeed.
ReplyDeleteI have always appreciated the input from re-enactors since reading the write-up of Junkelmann's Legionaries in "Slingshot" - IIRC he took a band of post-grad students in full Roman legionary kit on a march through the Alps in the 80's, or something like that. This allowed them to figure out how it was likely that various items of were worn/used from practical necessity...how to carry the shield & helmet, how to use the yoke-pack, etc. And we must remember the contribution of Peter Connelly to the understanding of things from his practical approach.
Speaking of "The Brigadier", I have recently dug out my DVD's of "By the Sword Divided", and see that he was the technical advisor for that series! Stirring stuff...and yep, out come the ECW figures!! :-D
All the best, Rohan.
Thanks again for your comments guys. It's amazing how many of the founding fathers of wargaming were re-enactors, and I'm always dismayed at the readiness of many in the wargaming hobby to deride the "large scale, 1-1" hobby!
ReplyDeleteBest regards
Phil