Wargamers Island Books
|
Don "The Don" McHugh, probably the last ever UK DBM Champion, and living proof the 25mm game is just as hard as the 15mm one, jumps between the Napoleonic and Second World wars for his collection.
Like many wargamers I played with toy soldiers when I was younger. The earliest record of this is a picture of me at my Grandmothers carrying a wooden box of Britains lead soldiers at the age of three. It was not until my late teens that I discovered metal figures and Wargames Research Group rules. I had joined the Sealed Knot as a Roundhead and some of the members in ‘Foxes Foote’ introduced me to metal figures. In my quest to find a local source of such figures, I discovered ‘Thornton’s Model Shop’ in Harbourne, Birmingham. During one of my many visits to this shop I met Doug Mason (great painter). He told me of the Birmingham Wargames Club at Ladywood and invited me along. The club meet every other Sunday and it was not long before I became a regular member.
I don’t remember the year, but I attended the National Championships at Sheffield, to lend my support to the Birmingham team. I remember being completely blown away by the number of trade stands. I had not realised that all these manufactures existed, let alone how many different ranges they made. Back in those days mail order was very risky, you had no idea half the time what you were buying. I also found myself following the fortunes of Peter Gilder and falling in love with his 25mm Sassanid Persians. So much so that it became my first all metal wargaming army. I got to know Peter a little some years later, when I spent many happy hours at his two holiday centres..
My 25mm Sassanid Persians have remained my favourite army over the years and. while I have repainted most of the original figures in my army, I do still see some of my original figures in the hands of 6th Edition players. I am hopeful that with the new Osprey AoW rules my Sassanids may once again grace the wargames table The Don's 10 favorite books are listed below. The links go directly to the UK or US Amazon pages where you can find out more about each one.
|
| Amazon UK | Amazon US | |
|
DISCOVERING WARGAMES, John
Tunstill. Shire Publications, Tring, Herts. Second edition April 1972.
This was my first published set of rules. I used the Napoleonic rules within this book to play some of my first proper wargames. Most of my figures were converted Airfix plastics.
|
|
|
|
HOW TO GO COLLECTING MODEL
SOLDIERS, Henry Harris. Patrick Stephens, London. First edition August 1969
This shows my other major interest, modelling and painting. I spend more hours making and painting my wargames armies than I do playing. I have a small collection of traditional toy soldiers.
|
||
| ACHTUNG
SCHWEINEHUND, Harry Pearson This could so easily have been written by many of us about our wargames lives. Unlike Harry I have progressed to modern designed larger figures. But my collection does include many older toy soldier style figures. I also now have a copy of the Waddington game ‘The Battle of the Little Big Horn’, that gave me so much pleasure at the age of ten.
|
||
| BAND OF
BROTHERS, Stephen E. Ambrose. Pocket Books, London 2001.
Much has been made of the unique
bond between men brought together by the needs of war. This book
explains how this bond is forged between the men of the E company, 506th.
So much so that you find yourself elated by the highs and saddened by
the lows of war with this band of men. I found the chapters on the
actions around Bastogne particularly moving.
|
||
| THE LORDS OF
THE NORTH, Bernard Cornwall. Harper Collins, London 2006.
I first discovered Bernard Cornwall through his Sharpe novels, which I think have now run their course. This third book in the series follows the exploits of Uhtred during the time of Alfred’s England. Some of Cornwall’s best work. The other two are The Last Kingdom and The Pale Horseman. |
||
| AN ACT OF
COURAGE, Allan Mallinson. Bantham Press London 2005. This is number seven in the series of eight. The books follow the exploits of Matthew Hervey of the 6th Light Dragoons from his part in the battle of Waterloo onwards. This book covers his time in Spain during 1826/7 and is full of memories of his ‘Peninsular’ years
|
||
| FREDERICK
THE GREAT, A MILITARY LIFE, Christopher Duffy. Routledge London 1988.
Just one of my many Duffy books. I once had the privilege to go on a Severn Year War battlefield tour with him. What a fascinating man and a great period of history.
|
||
| HIS BRITANNIC
MAJESTY’S ARMY IN GERMANY During the Seven Years War, Sir Reginald
Savory. Clarendon Press London 1966. From the early disaster under Cumberland to one of the British armies’ finest victories at ‘Minden’.
|
||
| ARMAGEDDON, Max
Hastings. Pan Books London 2005.
A very balanced view of the last years
of the war. Not all facts, very easy reading.
|
||
| IT NEVER SNOWS IN
SEPTEMBER, Robert J Kershaw, Crowood Press 1990. The German view of the battle for Arnhem. How close did we really come to capturing the famous bridge? |
| Can't find a book (or a price you want to pay!) on your local Amazon? Try searching Abe Books - worldwide |
|
If you wish to submit a book list and answer the Big Three Questions please feel free to submit them to me to be considered for inclusion via this link Maroon Me Now Please Mr Madaxeman! and I will try and publish as many as I can (although I do have a real job to do as well, so it may take some time!). back to the Wargamers Island Homepage
|
View Traffic to Wargamers Island