"Your 1st Wargaming Love: WWII Americans!" Topic

You were asked – TMP link

For those of you like me who developed an interest in all things military before the age of 10, what army was your first love?

In the final round of voting:

22% said "WWII Americans"
19% said "Generic Army Men"
15% said "other (explain)"

U.S. cavalry and Indians, and cowboys. My first playset was a Fort Apache…I would love finding one under the Christmas tree again 😏

Yep, 1/72 plastic USMC fighting the Japanese

Yep, 1/72 USMC fighting the Japanese

1/72 Imex AWI and ACW

Airfix Waterloo Farmhouse set; Airfix ACW (both sides); and a fold-up metal castle with knights, in maybe 54mm, all at roughly the same time.

54mm Castle with WWII MPC and Marx Germans and Americans

Well if IIRC … US vs. German – Marx & MPC troops … As well as Airfix with a broad range of forces. US, UK, USSR, Germans, IJFs, etc.

Plastic Airfix ACW armies.

Airfix – first set was the original British 8th Army – dog ate them. Also, the 1/87 Roco tanks and vehicles.

Like Arthur 1815, Airfix ACW for me

Plastic army men. A Cowboy play set. Ruining Britains ACWby shooting that damn piece of lead at them. And of course Airfix British Infantry Combat Group vs the original WW2 Germans. You know the one with the stretcher bearers and funky AT gun.

1/32 Airfix British Paratroops.

Airfix! OO/HO WW2 Brits /Germans… originals with Airfix/Roco tanks… then the better figs. Russians would keep falling over!
Airfix 1/32 US/Japs in the garden… some may still be there!
Earliest attempt at 'painting'… if to be called that… was Airfix ACW. Bare plastic, with blobs of flesh and with GLOSS pale blue for union pants and black rifles, boots/packs and some Confederate hats.! Lol!

Marx Robin Hood & Sheriff of Nottingham playset with the tin Castle. I was 5 years old when I got this for Christmas. Probably why I have painted over the years 3 different time period Armies, for the Barons Wars, 1st Crusades, and Agincourt.

I got into Airfix figures at a very early age (7?) and not knowing much history I just assumed their "Infantry Combat Group" box were Americans :)

Britains 54mm ACW (the metal ones)!

Scottwashburn
They weren't easily recognizable as British troops, we just hoped they were.

Either Marx's 'Blue vs. Grey' set or Airfix ACW, as well as Airfix Napoleonics.

At that age I did not know what they were. Now I know they were mostly Marx 54mm US and Germans, a few Japanese. A Fort Apache set followed by a King Arthur set of Knights in plate armor against pale green Vikings with horns and wings.ACW and AWI followed as well as a few exotic metal figures that did not match anything. Lots of Green Army men of several kinds etc. I remember poring over the Sears Christmas catalog and wanting it all! Those were the days!

I remember buying lots of Airfix plastic figures and models when I was a young man, but buying Rockets, building and launching them at the neighbors was what really got my juices flowing.

Airfix Battle group on my Railway layout .God that's showing my age.

GUNBOAT: I had a Hornby Army Train set! lol.

Not quite an army but my first were Timpo "Wild West" cowboys and what we called Indians but should now call Native Americans.
My brother and I probably had 50 or 60 figures between us and various wagons and buildings. great fun and lots of bright colours.

ScottWashburn
Lionel Tarr used them as Russians. Ive painted them as Israelis, Egyptians, Jordanians and Syrians.

For Late 60s/early 70s you understand. Would be a stretch to use them for WRG 6th edition…

My first army (if I have the sequence right) was Romans in yellow and blue plastic. There were flats by Lucky Toy Company and ordered from a comic book. They even had catapults that fired plastic projectiles and did a good job at knocking over those Romans. I also had a set of generic army men that were likewise flats from Lucky (I think) and included tanks, aircraft, and warships (all out of scale with the infantry).

Later there were Marx play sets, starting with the Blue and Gray, and by the time I was 8 or after visiting a local hobby shop, I discovered Airfix figures -- my first two sets were Afrika Korps and 8th Army.

Airfix WW2 British combat group and German infantry in the boxes with the little plastic window. Followed by their ACW.

My big brother took me to see "The Battle of the Bulge" when it premiered at the Cinerama Dome in Hollywood.

They had a Chaffee tank in the parking lot.

I was hooked. US Army fighting those amazing scary "Tiger" tanks for me. (Also developed a real appreciation for the look of the M47 Patton that I've never shaken. Actual Tigers? Bah I can take 'em or leave 'em, but those M47s are menacing!)

-Mark
(aka: Mk 1)

Fighting 'Hollywood' style can be Fun! VERY basic 'rules' and a D6… no need to get bogged with correct paint and no tables to consult for effect or morale… just get stuck in.

Nowadays, plenty of Chaffees, M47s, M8s and M3 H/Ts around to paint just as you want for whoever you want…