Behind the Lines with Wargames Illustrated

Earlier this morning Dan Faulconbridge, the owner/editor of Wargames Illustrated, motored over from Nottingham for a photo session here in GHQ. The task we had set ourselves was to take a number of photographs of my Indian Mutiny collection to accompany an article I had written at the end of last year, which will be appearing in the early spring probably ~ such is the lead in time in terms of the production of the hobby's leading magazine. As you will have seen in my previous Blog entry, Phil and I played an Indian Mutiny game in GHQ on Monday this week, so the bones of a table layout just needed extra dressing for the camera.

The figures in my Indian Mutiny collection are almost exclusively from Wargames Foundry, supplemented by guns and a handful of character figures from the now dormant Mutineer Miniatures. There are figures for the Mutiny from Old Glory of course, but their style has never really appealed to me or suited my limited painting style. Gamers coming new to the period can now also choose a new range by Iron Duke, although I feel their active style more suited to assembling forces at the figure fiddling end of the hobby, for Sharp Practice or The Men Who Would Be Kings. As my regular reader will know, although I do play such games as Bolt Action and Astounding Tales, my main focus has always been on the traditional war game with decent sized armies. But, enough background, on to the day's action! Lights! Camera! Action!

No plan survives first contact with the enemy: a well known military maxim which perfectly suits the experience of having one of your collections photographed for inclusion in the magazine.

Can you spot what has moved from my carefully laid out tablescape? Of course you can! The buildings which make up the most important residence in the Bhyklabad games ( and the British Residency in Rhanzlistan) have moved from one end of the table to the other for a close up shot. When you consider the 124 pictures which were taken, for perhaps 10 to find their way into the magazine, it's an effort of several hours in composing, lighting, discussing, holding up the sky, and then photographing the subject! How many readers even think about the process and time investment when they skip through the magazine? We are really lucky I think to have not one, but three magazines to support our little niche hobby, though I remain a Wargames Illustrated man through and through. 

I couldn't resist ending with this General shot taken on my iPad while my table was lit by the lights. The colours really do stand out and look much more like they do when the figures are in front of us during a game. For now though, it's time to pack the armies into their boxes. Next up here in GHQ should be a return to Rhanzlistan and the further exploits of that military incompetent, Brigadier 'Tubby' Bykleigh as he battles the latest incursion of Commrade General Robinski and his S.P.I.F.F.