How it all started for me - Part One

I just thought that I would tell you about how I ever got into the wargaming hobby and what I have collected over the years as a gamer.

So far back as I can remember I have always loved playing with toy soldiers. When I was very young I started to collect the Timpo plastic figures 54mm scale ranging from The Crusaders/Knights/Romans, Cow Boys and Indians through to the American Civil War and to the British Guards for the Queen’s Birthday parade. I had nearly 100 of all sorts of periods and as you do when you are little, had big battles with each and every one taking part on our front room floor or hall way. We did not have any green fields or rivers to march across and what were trees and bushes. We had slippers and table/chair legs for cover then.

Then by pure chance one Christmas in 1962 I had a couple of Airfix 1/72 box soldiers of the ACW Union and Confederate infantry sets. I can remember in the summer months of making battlefields in my Dad’s flower beds making sure that I did not kill any of his beloved flowers which he grew with pride. To this I then followed with the Artillery set and then in 1965 the Union Cavalry set.

It’s hard to imagine back then but Airfix was the only company producing HO/1/72^nd scale models at the time. I must admit that at that time of my life, I did not know how Airfix would affect my youth into manhood.