Latest 'hot' period?

[Cerdic]

Has anyone else noticed a marked increase in all things 18th Century?

 

On the Horse and Musket boards here, so far 18th Century has nearly double the number of posts that the Napoleonic board has. Yet traditionally Napoleonics has always been one of the BIG periods!

There seems to be an increase in 18th Century posts on other forums, not to mention some high profile new figures, rules etc. French and Indian War in particular stands out for a lot of recent activity.

So is it just me, or has anyone else noticed?

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[Henry Hyde]

Old School Wargaming, imaginations and the like have had a great deal to do with the resurgence in interest in the 18th century. Also there have been some interesting rulesets (Maurice, Black Powder and others – dare I even mention my own Shot, Steel & Stone included in my book) and a host of rather lovely miniatures coming to market in various scales, as well as the persistent affection for (and re-release of) Charles Grant’s “The War Game”, Peter Young’s “Charge!” and all that jazz. Personally, I like the 18th century because it has a certain ‘purity’ in tactical terms, alongside masses of colour and variety, and the emergence of interesting light troops. What’s not to like?

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[willz]

I have noticed more information  being posted over the last year or so, the internet has a lot to do with the availability of information and thus increases interest.

Thankfully the 18th century has has a resurgence of interest,I think it has become more popular over the last few years.

Plus the uniforms are easy and quicker to paint than Napoleonic’s.

[Patrice]

Since a few years the 18th century also attracts skirmish players, for FIW or pirate-related games, and that’s a number of people.

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[Not Connard Sage]

Far more gentlemanly than those nasty Napoleonic upstarts doncha know?

 

 

Obvious contrarian and passive aggressive old prat, who is taken far too seriously by some and not seriously enough by others.

[duc de limbourg]

I think that when you look what sells more, it seems that Napoleonic will beat other 18th century ranges. But as more information becomes available of earlier 18th century, better rules for skirmishing and battles appear and of course great figure ranges in various scales, the  18th century becomes a great period.

What can beat those tricorns??

[Altius]

When did the Carlist War become a thing? I’m not complaining at all, but it seemed a very obscure conflict to me and I see it everywhere now.

Where there is fire, we will carry gasoline

[Henry Hyde]

Altius wrote:

When did the Carlist War become a thing? I’m not complaining at all, but it seemed a very obscure conflict to me and I see it everywhere now.

the moment Alan & Michael Perry started sculpting figures for it and put on a display game at Partizan several years ago!  As you say, it was almost unknown outside Spain before that.

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[melvyn Jenkins-Welch]

Do you think if we ask them nicely the Perrys will rejig their new AWI sprues so we can have plastic SYW figures?

[Henry Hyde]

melvyn Jenkins-Welch wrote:

Do you think if we ask them nicely the Perrys will rejig their new AWI sprues so we can have plastic SYW figures?

I asked them about this ages ago, when I interviewed them for Battlegames. Sadly, they said “No!” It would be opening as big a can of worms as Napoleonics, they said, and couldn’t cope with it.

But that was before they left GW…

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[melvyn Jenkins-Welch]

And since then they might have done one or two Napoleonic sets if I recall correctly…….

perhaps it’s best if they don’t. I’m not sure I’ve got that much willpower.

[Sparker]

Plastic SYW? Oh my!

http://sparkerswargames.blogspot.com.au/
'Blessed are the peacekeepers, for they shall need to be well 'ard'
Matthew 5:9

[willz]

Whilst at Bovington war-game show this year I was talking to the “Warlord games” rep and he said they had plans to release 18th century figures.  Now I am not sure if this is true of just polite sales talk to get me to purchase some of their products but it would be nice.

Strange with the explosion of hard plastic figures that no decent 18th century figures have been produced (sorry “Wargames Factory” but your figures just are the wrong shape) what’s even stranger the only decent 30mm plastic figures are Spencer Smiths (yes I know they are not the best cast, but come on 1960 odd they were produced.  We are in 2014 now).  So please sculptors and figure producers take the bit by the horns and produce some correctly proportioned 28-30mm hard plastic 18th century figures.

[Sparker]

What William said!

http://sparkerswargames.blogspot.com.au/
'Blessed are the peacekeepers, for they shall need to be well 'ard'
Matthew 5:9

[Adam Hayes]

willz wrote:

Whilst at Bovington war-game show this year I was talking to the “Warlord games” rep and he said they had plans to release 18th century figures. Now I am not sure if this is true of just polite sales talk to get me to purchase some of their products but it would be nice. Strange with the explosion of hard plastic figures that no decent 18th century figures have been produced (sorry “Wargames Factory” but your figures just are the wrong shape) what’s even stranger the only decent 30mm plastic figures are Spencer Smiths (yes I know they are not the best cast, but come on 1960 odd they were produced. We are in 2014 now). So please sculptors and figure producers take the bit by the horns and produce some correctly proportioned 28-30mm hard plastic 18th century figures.

Perrys’ AWI figures are the exception I would have to say. Almost make me want to do an imagi-nation just to have a use for them!

[willz]

Adam Hayes wrote” 

Perrys’ AWI figures are the exception I would have to say. Almost make me want to do an imagi-nation just to have a use for them!

I do not disagree with the quality of the Perry figures but they are AWI figures and I don’t want to spend an age to convert them back 30 -40 years to be French 1730 – 1760.

[grizzlymc]

I put it down to tricornes.  I would also +1 those who advocate petit guerre for 18C

 

But Grizz likes his Wellingtonics

[James (olicana) Roach]

I think it is because 18C uniforms are easier to paint. The period lends itself to ‘rigid formation’ war gaming very well. The period had much smaller battles (on the whole) that are, unlike many Napoleonic battles, within the scope of a war gamer’s dreams. 18th C war game pedants are still able to laugh at themselves rather than those who MIGHT know less than they do. Tricornes are very funny head wear – everyone wore them, everyone was game for a laugh. Discipline was very, very strict (I need an emoticon for this).

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[Matthew Grove]

For me, I have to say that the Perry figures are what got me into AWI.  I kept saying no.  I was already gaming FIW using the wonderful John Jenkins 60mm range and I also play ACW.  Then the tipping point came when Fife and Drum released their figures.  While a bit more slender than the Perry figures, they painted up so nicely that I have to dive I to the era.  I still have lots of painting to do, but they have been a lot of fun to paint.

Matthew

[poniatowski]

I think a good point has been touched upon…

Availability of miniatures and more importantly, possibly.. the scale of said miniatures. Traditionally, Napoleonics is really suited to smaller scaled figures because of the sheer numbe rneeded. Yes, lots of folks use 25mm too, but lots of 18th century stuff can be done in 25mm with a good ground scale and figure scale. And as was pointed out.. lots of folks doing skirmish games now a days!

 

[repiqueone]

I think one of the reasons I love the WSS/GNW is the clarity and formality of the warfare.  The period is in nature, scale,  and style a perfect match for wargaming with miniatures.  It doesn’t hurt that the uniforms and flags are so colorful, the personalities so memorable, and cavalry still has a sizeable role on the battlefield.   The armies of the various combatants are well matched and there are no superweapons.  It has all the richness of Napoleonics with none of the baggage.  Even in historical applications there is plenty of room for “creative” events and the effects of personality and circumstance.  The units fairly cry out for dramatic histories on the tabletop, which a wise gamer will make every effort to create for them and elaborate upon.

And the miniatures that are now available!!!!

[Glenn Pearce]

It looks to me that Napoleonic has a larger activity here, I certainly don’t see a larger 18th century posting. What numbers are you referring to? I think there has always been a fairly active 18th century in our hobby.  I would however, agree that over the last 10 years or so there does seem to be an upswing in interest, rules and figures. But, I think the hobby in general has been in a very, very slow growth period for the last 5 years, following in the foot steps of some 20 years of decline.

[grizzlymc]

Glenn

 

I think it is always dangerous to imagine that your perspective is the hobby.

I hardly wargamed at all for nearly a quarter century and just assumed that trends that I saw in the eighties had been going on till the naughties.  Imagine my surprise at 28mm, 15-28mm WWII, easy to learn and quick play rules, 2D air wargaming and a host f other stuff.

I think the hobby has never been bigger or more dynamic, although not nec in the areas that interest me.  I would say that either GW or BF is bigger than wargaming was in my teens.

One trend that I note is that people never seem to have time for a game but they make exquisite scenery and paint up gorgeous looking 28s to a standard which I couldn’t match on a 54.

[Luddite]

Ultimatlely, the reason 18c is hot is down to Henry. His fantastic enthusiasmn for it has been picked up on by the wider hobby.

[Glenn Pearce]

Hello grizzleymc!

 

I do too, but what else have I got?

 

Best regards,

 

Glenn

[AmerInd]

I’m from the skirmish pool, long rifle, muskets and mohawks,, black powder, donnybrook, …. There is almost more new rulesets out there than Ospreys! 😉

The minis are also exploding in range and scope.  I can easily comb through several manufacturers now and make 60 man Ranger and French Marine forces without any repeats of models in any scale I choose!

…and Tricorns are cool! 😉

[grizzlymc]

Luddite wrote:

Ultimatlely, the reason 18c is hot is down to Henry. His fantastic enthusiasmn for it has been picked up on by the wider hobby.

 

Yes, I think you are right.  No one deserves more blame for tricorne mania since Charles Grant’s The Wargame.

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