This year, there's a twist to Fighting 15s' appearance at Claymore on 2 August at Meadowbank Stadium, Edinburgh. Not only do we hope to have Nic Robson of Eureka Miniatures on the stand, but also we will be partnered by Black Hat Miniatures, our usual associate at shows south of the border and our partner in Oozlum Games. This means instead of the usual 6-foot stand, the Fighting 15s and Black Hat empire will spread over 18 feet.
Mike of Black Hat and Ian of Fighting 15s are friends from school, and have been playing games and running various projects together on and off since the 1970s. That, and our link through Oozlum Games, is why we work together at wargames shows, although Fighting 15s and Black Hat themselves are separate businesses. It's a matter of chance that Mike and Ian should both end up running wargames figures businesses.
Background aside, what it means in practical terms is that for the first time, Fighting 15s will have access to a van to take stock up to Scotland, and that therefore we should have a vastly greater range of stock at the show, including Eureka Miniatures, Shadowforge Miniatures, Oddzial Osmy figures, Huzzah! Miniatures, Scale Creep Miniatures and, of course, 15mm AB Napoleonic and ACW figures.
Advance orders are still recommended for customers with particular figure requirements, and are essential if customers wish to buy single figures, but we should have more on offer for the casual browser.
Leading the onslaught of advance releases from Eureka and AB at the show will be the 15mm Eylau Russians in greatcoat from AB Figures. The Russians, which are scheduled for release later in the year, will be available in 1:20 General de Brigade-sized battalion packs - as is most of the Napoleonic range from AB that Fighting 15s takes to shows.
Advance releases from Eureka will, we hope, include the following: Beowulf and retainers, Frog artillery and crew, AWI ragged gun crew, F&I Wars provincial regulars, George Washington and Dogs, Italian Wars Gendarmes, Revolutionary Wars French infantry, and WWII U.S. 'Pulp style' GIs. These figures will be available on a first-come first-served basis, and Fighting 15s regrets that it cannot take advance orders for them.