That Classic Mil Mod Cover

I remember being transfixed by this Hezzlewood and Ray created FIW set piece pretty much from the moment i collected the magazine from the local newsagent. Neither Suren nor Stadden figures were on my radar at the time so seeing such finely sculpted figures for the SYW was a revelation (Spencer Smith's these were not, and, although i liked Gilder's SYW cavalry, the infantry he did for Hinchliffe were a bit too chunky for my liking).

I guess this cover was arranged to coincide with the launch of Hezzlewood's Pax Britannica range (ads for which appeared in early editions of Miniature Wargames, which places them in 1983 or '84), and the majority of the figures featured appear to be standard PB castings. Apparently John Ray painted the British, and Hezzlewood the French (and rumour has it he didn't bother painting the legs of the chaps defending the stockade). The buildings look suspiciously like the creations of the late Ian Weekley of Battlements fame.

Nearly 30 years on this remains an inspirational image and one of my all time classics.

Hezzlewood Writes..

Not content with merely being possibly the finest sculptor to ever grace our little hobby the late Steve Hezzlewood was also capable of writing engaging and informative articles. The article featured here comes from the Battle for wargamers 'Wargames Manual' of 1983 and is an account of a FIW skirmish game with John Ray. The article is illustrated with some of Hezzlewood's early designs - instantly recognisable to fans of his Pax Britannica and Hinchliffe figures no doubt.

As far as i know Hezzlewood had only two other articles published in the mainstream wargames press - 'Table-top Movement' and 'The Melee in Wargames' both of which appeared in Issue 6 of Miniature Wargames (which should still be available as a hard copy or PDF from the publishers, so i won't be posting those articles).

That same year the Hezzlewood and Ray partnership was also responsible for one of the great Mil Mod covers - of which more anon.

Clash of the Titans

Two of the big cheeses of the '70s scene lock horns - John Braithwaite (of Garrison Miniatures fame) takes on Peter Gilder during the filming of the Waterloo episode of Battleground.

This image was taken from the Battle for wargamers 'Wargames Manual' of 1983.