I am rapidly talking myself into this one, unfortunately. In the very little time I have had this week I have started to paint my eight Warlord Games figures. The Paul Hicks sculpts are very detailed in the Perry style, rather than the chunky Foundry style, which means the details are rather fine but already I am enjoying painting them.
I have now started to order some of the Gary Douglas Kilworth novels off eBay to keep me in the mood and have bought a few reference books. In fact I seem to have bought four books this week. An overall history, Crimea, by Trevor Royle which I managed to get for £4.99 instead of £14.99. Secondly, I picked up the Osprey Essential History as a quick primer. Another book The Thin Red Line, which is based on eyewitness accounts, by Julian Spilsbury has some nice colour illustrations. The Battle of the Alma by Ian Fletcher and Natalia Ishchenko covers the first major battle of the War and has some useful maps.
Finally, while sorting out the books on my shelves to find space for this new Crimea collection, I discovered I had already bought a book on the Crimea in the Isle of Wight in August so I must have been thinking about the period longer than I remember! This was the out of print Uniforms and Weapons of the Crimean War by Robert Wilkinson-Latham which has some great illustrations. I bought this in a funny little second hand bookshop in St Helens on the Isle of Wight which, nevertheless, has a great military history section. In fact, the basis of the whole bookshop business was a huge private colection of military books that the current owner purchased.
Just to give you an idea this photo is of just one of around three sections of military books they have. I always find half a dozen or so books there when I visit, although it is by no mean a cheap bookshop. Expect to pay antiquarian prices for some of the older volumes. I have paid £60 or £70 pounds for nineteenth century accounts of the Sudan Wars.
Further good news from Warlord Games today with the announcement of a splendid mounted officer by Paul Hicks.
Off to Abu Dhabi for a week tomorrow so won't get any painting done this week. I am really hoping that this will be my final overseas trip this year but you never know...
I've always found the Crimea a great "reading War" and have several memeoirs of the conflict- not convinced of it gaming viability though. Those games I have seen never look quite right- usually because the Russian units are too samll. Its one I still fancy though.... one day ... maybe...
ReplyDeleteAs for Antiquarian prices you were lucky to pay a mere £70.00. Some of my collections of Regimental histories weighed in a well over the ton. Mind you I've had a good bundle of bargains in mytime too so no complaints.
Interesting post! You may be interested in this title, then (assuming you don't have it already).
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.de/Cadogans-Calthorpe-Somerset-Luscombe-William/dp/0689110227
More years ago than I care to remember, I picked up a copy of "Cadogan's Crimea", which was an contemporary account by a British officer who also painted a lot of excellent watercolours of what he saw.
A really excellent book; the paintings are very atmospheric, and show a lot of detail as to what they all really wore while on campaign.
A conflict I would be happy to game, if I didn't already have so many other projects that needed finishing. Although I have to admit, it is a French army that I would love to paint up!
Yes I have Cadogan alo Fanny Duberly and The Marcioness of Gordons- With the Guards we shall go . In the JSAHR journal I have a memeoir of an officer in the 91st I think- I'd have to check to be sure.
ReplyDeleteLittle Hodge- about the Heavy Brigadeand Rifle Brigade in the Crimeaas well as the appropriate unifoms books.
Other than the old Minifigs S range I've never found a figure range I really liked except the Tradition 30mm which is far from complete- though the cavalry are stunning.
Old Glory have looked at it from time to time and I run screaming from the financial losses of turning out a proper range- which IMHO would have to include the french .