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.
5 comments:
I remember this issue! I believe I ordered some 20mm ACW from the resulting ad for Pax Britannica...just as I was studying for my A levels as I recall!
I was in Year 10 at High School here in Australia and went out and bought some IRCs to purchase 4 French Infantry, 2 Lorraine Grenadiers, Two Mounted Officers and a couple of Indians and a Highland Piper.
The fees on the IRCs were more than the value of the purchase!
More than a few hours have been spent poring over that particular MM cover, let me tell you!
What a wonderful setup; I recall wondering where the French NCO and British Loading figures were in the catalogue, though..!
Regards,
Greg
I've said this on numerous blogs...the old format of MM was truely inspiring todays 'heres a tank kit costing £50 & this is how we added £100 worth of resin & brass details to it' ...is not
I haven't bought a copy of MM in years (maybe the occassional issue 10+ years ago) - i switched to Mini Wargs as soon as it appeared - so this issue must have been one of the last i bought. Unfortunately i didn't keep the mag - only the cover.
I remember PB figures seeming quite expensive at the time (a whole 50p each IIRC!) and i never did get round to buying any - all my cash went to Frank Hinchliffe back then.
Cheers all.
I have always like the conversion of the British musketeer kneeling and loading from the kneeling firing pose, and the standing NCO that is converted from the firing standing pose. I tried to do these too, but failed miserably.
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