"Today's Gamers are spoiled rotten!" Topic

And to be more pedantic it wasn't Python. it was "At last the 1948 show". John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Tim Brooke Taylor and Marty Feldman.

For those of you who have no idea what they're all on about.

YouTube link

You ad faw yawksimen!

Bloody profligacy tha'

Tell me you ad knife fawk an spoon next!

You lah de dahs make me sick!

Fuzzy Bunny, are you sure those figures are not from the late 1960's-early 70's? 25 years ago was only mid-1980's.

Bob, you are probably correct. My memory isn't what it used to be now that I've aged, …and we've played campaigns in Spain several times already. I think the heads come from some Swedish figures she converted to grenadiers with that funny helmet so she got three different units by swapping heads.

You can see the original source for the head in the picture below. Guys in greatcoats in the column of companies.

Jinny had the knack of being able to convert just about anything for what she needed for a battle. Long before there were figures for dismounted Dragoons or dismouted Light Cavalry she did some pretty dramatic conversions when we needed a specific unit for a game. In the version of CLS the group plays you actually needed figures for dismounted cavalry if you want to occupy buildings or works with them.

In the picture below you can see some Suren and Stadden French Horse Gunners converted to dismounted Hussars.

I'm really glad she's still around to participate in our games.

Here she is at Wagram last year… Will

You had ladies? Hah – Poofs the lot of ya.

Well the only flat surface we had to play on was the big cast iron wood burning stove in the kitchen, about 5' X 3' black and filthy! It was OK most of the time, but was very hard on the Airfix figures right after dinner and any games we had in winter. Cardboard buildings also were hard to keep in good shape! But we liked it!

I think this thread is bereft of life.

I'm sorry this thread should be archived, it's one of the best threads we've had for years…

We never used dirt clods for grenades. We used" un-ripe" pine cones. They look much more grenade textured, and hurt like hell when they hit you! Had a couple dozen pine trees in the back yard, so we'd fill up our pockets and attack the kids on the next street.

Henrix,
It's only the current generation of gamers that's spoiled rotten. Us over 50 types have earned our stripes converting things from the sublime to the ridiculous!

Fuzzy Bunny;

We need more close-ups. Those are great conversions!

Spontoon, here is picture of some of the converted figures. Sorry for the picture quality. Way too much light creating glare.

The two on the left base are Stadden. The left of those two is a Horse Artillery Crew casting and the right is a dismounted command figure casting. Both the original castings are still available.

The two figures on the right hand base are both Suren horse artillery crewmen that I can't find anymore. Will

@ Fuzzy Bunny,

30mm Willie (Edward Suren) miniatures are available from:

link

Bill

Bill, Thanks. I see a horse gun set under Artillery. I'll have to see what they look like. Thanks again, Will

Back in the old days, you have all the time in the world! Who has time nowadays to convert (or even paint)? It's all about the instant gratification baby!

Spoilt!?
1)Everything is more expensive
2)There are no other people of my age (teenager) wargaming nearby, I have to play wargames by myself (which never works because I favour the French in every era so they always win). The only way to play with others is to go to Games Workshop *shudder*. Back in the 70's you wouldn't need the internet or computer because there were more local clubs.
3) Most stuff is bought online (which I'm not allowed to do unless it's by cash)
4) Less time and higher standards of painting.

As for conversions; I recently turned some WWII US Infantry into Franco Prussian War French using some Milliput and plastic card.

Guynemer;

Your complaints sound like standard Canadian wargamer complaints in the 70's! Except it was " mail-order'" not online. Matter of fact, they're still our complaints!

I'm interested in how you managed to convert WWII U.S. Infantry to FPW French! Sounds drastic! Got pictures?

Fuzzy Bunny;

Great shots of great conversions! I've used French Napoleonic Horse artillery as the basis for some of my WAS Voluntaires de Breton.

Spontoon, Got Pictures? Will

@Guynemer,

1. Weeeeeeel – it's all relative. Back in 19whatever I couldn't afford Scruby, SAE etc and made my Napoleonics out the Airfix Guards Colour party and Cowboys and Indians and bought Spencer Smith plastics for pennies.

2. There were few clubs back in the 60s and they didn't welcome teens either so there's not much change there. In UK I would say that there are more clubs than ever before but it depends where you live I expect but solo wargaming is a perfectly acceptable option. Why not make use of the internet/local newspapers and see if there are any other gamers nearby. Use TMP – you never know who might turn up. Form your own club and advertise it locally. What is wrong with 40K? I'm retired and still do it. No need to be a wargames 'snob' at your age. 40K is perfectly acceptable and good fun too. Space Marines are only foot cuirassiers after all!

3. Yes that could be a problem. Can you not find an adult with a credit card or PayPal who can buy stuff for you if you give them the dosh?

4. OK. You have the rest of your life ahead of you and honestly there are things with a higher priority for you than gaming right now. But life is always a matter of setting priorities and balancing available time. As far as higher standards of painting are concerned, forget it. There are always going to be people who can do it better than you and it really doesn't matter. This hobby is meant to be fun not a competition.

As an old wrinkly with three pensions and lots of time, I can assure you that I would swop places with you any day. To hell with wargaming! All those girls and never enough time……

I should really charge you for this advice but I will waive my fees this time, so enjoy your life – there is a lot of it ahead of you.

Bill (aged 65¾)

PS: My wife has just seen this and removed my modelling knives to a safe place:-)

Guynemer – if its all that tough, Donlowry who posts on the WWII boards a lot does wargaming by email using a digital camera and his tabletop. I think that all you need to participate is an email address, but not sure.

@Spontoon I'll be posting step by step pictures on Benno's Figure Forum soon, but you can also email me at: lebel.kepi@yahoo.com if it's easier since I'm not a supoorting TMP member yet.

XV Brigada; Thanks for the advice! I play Imperial Guard in 40k (French WWI uniform) , but my interest lies mostly in historical games. You're right about painting, I never finish an army and it isn't fun because it takes 3 days a figure and my eyesight is getting worse. Undercoat, basecoat, brown wash on flesh, black wash, 3 highlights per colour, eyes and then sealer.
As for girls, I'm not very popular with them so unless one decides she wants to collect militaria and talk about 1871 all the time, it'll be a very long wait for me.
Your wife took your modelling knives!? I thought only mothers do that ;)

@Grizzlymc That sounds really hard, but if I can find the time amidst all this schoolwork, it'll be worth a try.

Bani (16)

@Bani,

Careful with your eyesight. I use a magnifyer for some modelling work but on the whole all that does for painting is make you try to paint details that you can't see with the naked eye anyway. I guess you are using 15mm or bigger. This might sound odd advice as far as eyesight is concerned but downsize to 6mm. You don't need the detail and large armies are much quicker to paint and cheaper too.

Bill

Guynemer;
I'll check out that site.

40K Imperial Guard are the best army. I have Tau and their vehicles suck!

Fuzzy Bunny;

I think I've got pictures somewhere. But I'm not at home. recuperating from surgery at my girlfriend's home. When I'm next at home I'll look them up, or take new ones!

I must include my Bunny Prince Charlie figure for you!

when I see those hussars that is when I get nostalgic – when painting was for effect, and not over emphasised. they are really nice figures and excellent wargames paint jobs. Lovely to see

All true… but chiefly *new gamers ares still young and we no longer are*: unforgivable!!!!
Jean-Louis (67.33)

Manflesh

I think you'll find its just pining for the fjords.

On the other hand, in the "60 – early "70, we had *hard data* to justify futuristic girlies in mini dress:

YouTube link
YouTube link

(re the current fierce debate: TMP link ).

And for those arguing that 'serious' / 'hard' SF characters wear extrapolations of contemporary garb (re. later Aliens Colonial Marines, now the archetypal model for 'serious' SF miniature soldiers), we had:

Those were the days…
YouTube link