Playing favourites

A challenge from Mike at Trouble At T'Mill, a wargamer's confession of your favourite period, manufacturer, etc. I'll keep the challenge chain rolling and  will take the test myself. Eyes closed, deep breath, mind empty... GO!



Period
A tricky one, this is a moving target as any seasoned wargamer knows.
Today? ...

 

... but who knows tomorrow... although I see this looming in the horizon...

 

Scale

Easy one: 28mm

I've been a 20mm fan for many years (an impressive and growing plastic and metal range in this scale) but the combination of a fading sight (a hurdle and a challenge for my painting activty) and how great their larger brothers look on the table, shifted my interest to the 28's some 3 years ago. 

It is also becoming more affordable, thanks to new plastic ranges brougth to the market by the Perry's, Bolt Action's, Victrix's et alt, but in any case I tend to collect now fewer figures than before  because...

Rules

This is a no-brainer, just look at the title of my blog...

How this relate to the previous section on scale?. Well my interest has shifted now from large division-sized battles to platoon-company actions and therefore the need to paint hundresd of figures, AFVs, etc, has been reduced substantially. To be totally honest, TFL is to blame for this change in my gaming interests: it was after reading the first rules sets (Through the Mud & the Blood) that I decided to dedicate my gaming time to smaller sized-ventures, and no the other way round.

My favorite sets are Charlie Don't Surf for Vietnam, Through the Mud and the Blood for WWI and Troops Weapons and Tactics for WWII. Sitting in my (virtual) desk I have now I Ain't Been Shot Mum, also WWII but for company-sized battles.

Figure manufacturer

For WWI, the guys really standing above the crowd are Great War Miniatures probably followed by Scarab 

I use several manfacturers for Vietnam, but I admitt the quality is far behind Great War.

Opponent

Not one but many! Socialising is one of the key attractions that I appreciate in this hobby. My club's gaming group is just great, we tend to play 5-6 persons at a time (difficult to have a one-to-one encounter) and I cannot think anyone specific  better than the rest.

Inspiration

This section is divided in your favourite movie, book... well, you'll probably agree with me that  in the world 2.0 there are so many more options and choices around, and that makes hard to set a one and only target for each category.

How to tackle this section? Thinking about works that have really make an impact in my gaming style, painting or period interest; in other words, looking for really "inspirational" impacts in my life, I would say the following:

Book: "15 Historias de Arquelogía" (15 Archaelogists Storys )  

This is my most cherised book, a birthday gift from my father when I was 12-13 years old (early seventies) with the adventures of the Schliemans, Evanses or Carters. It's so old that (amazingly!) I haven't been able to find even a reference in Internet. But it is one of those books thatmarks one's life, prompted my everlasting interest for ancient history (specially Troy and the Hittites) and a dream of becoming an archaelogist myself... never fulfilled by the way.

I also have tons of history books dealing with the periods that I play or have played in the past, as I cannot separate the wargaming side from the historical investigation and knowledge. The Internet web has opened a new unimaginable front of information, as from your sofa at home you have now access to thousands of contemporary documents that only researchers and scholars had access in the past. 

For WWI aficionados I cannot recommend more Ian Druid's Scribd site, a deep well of original contemporary documents produced before, during and after the conflict. In you fancy Vietnam, then dip your toes in this website offering a wide range of resoruces.

Films: Alien (the first movie only), the Star Wars saga...

Lord of the Rings trilogy (the DVD extended version), Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers series

are my all-time favourites when looking for hobby-related  watching materials.

Blogs:  Interacting and exchanging informations and experiences with fellow gamers across the world is one of the most exciting activities to which I have been introduced recently. There's a LOT of useful information and inspiration to help anyone undertaking whatever project imagined. 

In the right column of this blog you have the latest entries of the 50+ blogs that I follow. I regularly visit them and try to leave feedback an comments, in recognition of the author efforts. All provide information and/or inpiration, and therefore I will not rank them (otherwise, a useless exercise as each one is a jewel on its own). Nonetheless,  Roundwood's World stands out as a key pieces in nurturing my interest in WWI.

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End of my confession, your turn now...