Failed miserably to show this on Zoom this afternoon having spent ages doing it as an iPad equivalent of a power point. Anyway here is some of it-
I first encountered “The Hobbit in first year. The teacher read the first chapter and then dramatically closed the book, telling us that if we wanted to know what happened next we would need to read it ourselves. I did so then bought LOTR en route to or from, can’t recall quite, France on a school trip, from a station book stall in London. That’s me around the time , I am the one in the middle of the back row.
I started to recollect my ME army around 2012- see below
Influences were the DBM army lists .
The rules l played with in the seventies-
These excellent Army lists-
Forward in time to 2023. My collection is based in all sorts of ways. What I want to do is to base in a uniform simple style to allow games to be played using DBM, the SESWC rules by Jim Duncan and maybe 6th edition Wrg.
The first lot rebased, varnished and ready for action…
Plan is to have the whole collection rebased by the end of the year. Watch for updates later…
The figures look great all varnished and based. Looking forward to seeing your collection refreshed.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I am pleased l have gone for the simple look.
DeleteAlan Tradgardland
Excellent pieces of nostalgia! Those Hobbit and LOTR book covers are the ones I remember. We read the Hobbit in school c 1974 or 75 (first or second year). At first I thought "what childish nonsense have you got us reading" but then got completely sucked in.
ReplyDeleteWho says nostalgia isn't what it used to be.
Glad you enjoyed the derive down memory lane.
DeleteAlan Tradgardland
My exposure to Tolkien probably dates to about then and I remember buying some of the Minifigs fantasy figures , sadly long since gone .
ReplyDeleteYour interest in Tolkien remains, that’s probably the most important part. I sometimes wondered what happened to the big box I used for d and d…
DeleteAlan Tradgardland
Great figures, really nice to see your collection. Cracking project!
ReplyDeleteThey are, thanks, watch this space…
DeleteAlan Tradgardland
I've some of those figures too and at my school the Teacher read us the whole of the Hobbit chapter by chapter - he did an excellent Gollum too. I've been hooked on Tolkien since. I look forward to more of your project. I notice Dragon Rampant isn't on your list.
ReplyDeleteStephen
You were most fortunate to have such a talented teacher and to have the whole book read to you. I have plastic GW figures l used for Dragon Rampant quite a few years ago . They were enjoyable games. Also have other figures in the lead mountain for The Hobbit at skirmish level. The Mythical Earth project is purely nostalgia driven and therefore will only use old rules. Thanks for reminding me of DR. I must dig them out for a wee look.
DeleteAlan Tradgardland
As you know, I can’t get into Tolkien and LOTR (maybe it’s my being part of the Star Wars generation?) but these Minifigs are charming figures.
ReplyDelete*
In my sixth form and university days when Tolkien and a love of Heavy Metal went hand in hand, I was listening to the nonsense weirdness of early Genesis and then soon after gave them all away to a friend’s sister.
*
By chance I was tidying up and looking through Phil Barker’s book the Airfix Guide to Ancient Wargaming 1975 yesterday looking at the Airfix Ancient figures and noticed the final short two page ‘chapter’ Campaigns Reconstructions and Fantasy Gaming. Minifigs and other conversions are shown.
I wish you joy and many epic battles of your rebased familiar figures.
Ah , the purple primer, such a lovely book. The fantasy chapter and conversions are so interesting, fun and inspiring. I also liked the chapter recounting the first game they played with the rules and the units running away. I’m afraid my love of Genesis and Prog have continued on …
DeleteYour friend’s sister was most fortunate.
Alan Tradgardland
Excellent display of nostalgia eye candy.
ReplyDeleteWillz.
Thanks. I try😊
DeleteAlan Tradgardland
God Almighty - did we all look the same in 1974? I honestly look at that picture and think "It's taken in front of Montrose Academy and I recognise several of those boys, I just can't remember their names!"
ReplyDeleteI had a friend who got into the Hobbit when we were about 10 or 11 - he tried to explain the attraction to me but like Chris (Nundanket) I thought it sounded childish and I have never read it. I did try LoTR at about the age of 15 (coincidentally I took it on a family caravan trip to France - Brittany in our case) but after about 300 pages, nothing much had happened, and I gave up on it too. Same with the films really - although we did take friends from Scotland who visited us in Auckland to Hobbiton a few years ago, and that was quite a nice day out!
We must have! The school photo is taken in Edinburgh in front of what is now ESMS . Funny how how Tolkien is really one of those love or loath things.
DeleteAlan Tradgardland
I seem to recall some controversy when Wargamers Newsletter included a fantasy battle report by Gary Gygax. I dabbled in SF when Minifigs brought out their SF range because my mate Dave Rotor (who later ran Adventure Worlds in Victoria) was keen but although I've long read SF I'm still mainly a historical gamer. I did have some fantasy figures when we ran the Sorcorer's Cave boardgame as a participation game at shows. Another mate, Richard Burgin, arranged three sections of chipboard one above the other so as you went down you did so on the boards. People loved it and I must admit it was good fun to run. I rather liked your flocked bases...
ReplyDeleteSorry about the flock removal ☹️ The Sorcerer’s Cave game with figures sound great. I had quite a few of the Minifigs Science Fiction figures back in the day. I was intrigued by their weirdness but never quite got it. I wonder if l just missed an explanation somewhere along the line…
DeleteAlan Tradgardland
Excellent stuff and lovely to see all those old ME Minifigs enjoying a new lease of life! I suspect Tolkien set many of us on a path towards fantasy wargames: I still have my copy of that edition of LOTR; it's a bit battered though!
ReplyDeleteMy copy is very battered too. By the way are you making the orc archer figure you made commercially available? If so I would be most interested.
DeleteAlan Tradgardland
Warlord Games cast that up for me and have the mould - I'd suggest you drop a line to their customer services and ask if they can run the mould for you. It turned out a little flat compared to my original - but it was fun doing it! Been a long time since I made a toy soldier.
DeleteThanks Rick!
DeleteAlan Tradgardland
The last time Jim Duncan was round we were chatting about Slim Mumford's medieval rules. He mentioned that he, Jim, had done a fantasy adaption and was wondering whether you use them!
ReplyDeleteSlim Mumford, there’s a name . I am sure l have seen him around shows recently. I do use Jim’s rules and terrific fun they are too. I don’t think I had a copy of the ancient rules…
DeleteThe project will be useable with elements based rules as well as older style, as the mood takes me.
Alan Tradgardland
Tradgardmastare,
ReplyDeleteI never bought any of the Minifig LOTR figures … but seeing them painted and based has made me realise that I missed out.
I look forward to seeing more of your figures as your collection expands.
All the best,
Bob
Thanks! They are classics and stand the test of time imho.
DeleteAlan Tradgardland
Genesis and Mythical Earth figures - my early teens in a nutshell!!
ReplyDeleteWonderful stuff for a Sunday afternoon Alan
My pleasure. Can’t go wrong with such a heady brew as Tolkien and Genesis!
DeleteAlan Tradgardland
Looking at the Mythical Earth catalog page, I bought quite a few of the #13 figures. I was going to make 2 separate clans with them. I dug them out a few days ago as possible opponents for my Skull & Crown Killer rabbits.
ReplyDeleteNow’s that a splendid project. I look forward to seeing this take place. A great idea indeed.
ReplyDeleteAlan Tradgardland
Ah 1973, what a year. I attended Reading Blues festival that summer, hitching from the North East to sleep rough at the festival. Headlining? The late great Rory Gallagher, The Faces playing their last gig before leaving to live abroad due to the Wealth Tax of 93% and Genesis with Peter Gabrial in full costume and all for the princely sum of £4.40p.And wargaming? I was collecting a mish mash of Mini Figs, Hinchliffe and all figures in between, what a wonderful time to be alive.
ReplyDeleteThat was some line up! Oh to see PG dressed as a flower. I came to gigs later in life and/or I am a little younger than you so have only seen the latter Genesis live and the latter Peter Gabriel on his own also.
ReplyDeleteWhat I did enjoy was Steve Hackett live back in the day. I saw him a year or so back in Edinburgh in concert and he was absolutely terrific. The audience was similar to the queues you find outside Wargames Shows. A mish mash sounds great fun re figure buying.
Alan Tradgardland
I think we had a very similar journey, especially with Tolkien. I discovered him just as I started High School and became pretty obsessed. I didn't have any of the ME range of figures but a friend has spent years amassing a scary amount of them.
ReplyDeleteIncidentally the Genesis tribute act The Musical Box are about to tour Selling England By the Pound... I have my ticket for next March
Does your friend still have his armies btw? I was tempted by The Musical Box but haven’t got a ticket yet, perhaps now is the time to seize the day…
DeleteAlan Tradgardland
Yes, a huge collection!
Delete