June 29 meeting

Another good turn out with 10 people coming along to play and talk toy soldiers. Craig and Ross brought along some of their Dystopian Wars fleets (Victorian science fiction or "steampunk") and John and Warrren joined in for a multiplayer game. Rex brought along some of his English and French Napoleonic figures and James brought the Sharpe Practice rules. Recent history was repeated, the French qualified for the round of 16 and the English took an early trip home (sorry, football humour ;-). Jonathan brought along his Space Hulk board game, which he and Vince played a couple of times alternating who had Space Marines and Gene Stealers. David and Neil came around to see what was going down at the Masterton Croquet Club.

Neil watching as Jonathan manoeuvres Space Marines in a Space Hulk.

James cutting out cards before he and Rex get their Napoleonic game underway.

Sharpe Practice. 

Ross and John concentrate as Admiral Craig gets the Dystopian Wars fleets organised.

Craig and Warren on the other side of the Dystopian Wars table

Look carefully and you will see V for Victory ;-)

June 8, 2014 meeting

Ten of da boyz came along to play toy soldiers today, and here they are.

Rex (sitting and probably wondering "what the hell have I got myself into?"), Warren, Vince, Neil, Andrew, Gary, Ross, James, David and Craig.

Craig and David brought along boxes of armies for simple, quick play Fantasy and Science Fiction rules, Hordes of the Things (HoTT). Everyone had a go, except Vince and Andrew who played the deciding third game in their current series of Ancient games. The HoTT armies included Martians, Lizardmen, several from the Lord of the Rings, and 1920's gangsters with Al Capone as a sorcerer, he makes people disappear ;-)

Rex and David getting to grips with a pair of Lord of the Rings armies. David's Horsemen of Rohan and Craig's bad boyz from Mordor.

Warren had not played HoTT before, James has played DBA, which are Ancients rules similar to HoTT, and Craig, who has about 24 HoTT armies.

Some of Craig's Lizardmen. Click on the pic to see how cute these beasties are.

Ross, Gary strengthening his bones, Neil and James.

Ross, being cheered on by his dad t-shirt ("Ross, I am your father"), with Gary and Neil. 

Neil and Ross getting into action.

Vince's Medieval Polish invaded Wales. Vince and Andrew were playing 15mm Ancients using DBMM 200, which are rules for half-sized games.

Inaugural Wairarapa ODI

Story in Times-Age, Monday March 31

A big thank you to all our visitors from Palmerston North, Dannevirke, the Hutt Valley, and Wellington, it was great to see you at our place. Seventeen gamers played, with Scott and David Z. being a tag team.

The following was posted by Allen Yaxley of Upper Hutt on the New Zealand Wargaming Discussion Group:

Sat was spent playing 2 games in Masterton at a new event organised by Vince Cholewa. Started the day by meeting up at the Corner Cafe (Phil’s Place) with several other starving wargamers. Dirk's rather Large bowl of coffee & Peters minimal size plate laden with hash browns ,bacon, sausies, toast ,eggs & mushrooms. Dam good start. I was good & stayed with the bacon & eggs & 2 coffees.

Then on to Chanel College.

Game one was 450AP DBR. My New Model Parliamentarians V Drew’s 30 YRS War Swedish. A draw over 4 hours with Drew having lost 30.0 ME out of the 30.5 required for me to get a win. Great fun was had by all. His SH(f) having no luck.

Game two was Dirka Dirka's Arabs v my Post Mongol Samurai , DBMM 400AP. Dirk’s vastly superior numbers of cavalry & light horse were slowly but surely rolling up my flank while my blade toddled off through the centre for a stroll & managed a few wins. i was about to tip over the great Abyss into darkness when I managed a 4th attempted go at his CnC. Got Him.....

Great game & could have been a victory to the Arabs but for the grace of Allah. It was at this point that we both remembered the game weather conditions actually had wind & the possibility of rain ....dah.

Called it a draw and went to the White Swan for a pint.....or 2. I think John was on his 4^th & cursing he ordered the Pizza instead of the fish n chips like Gary had.

Thanks Vince, nice day for gaming.

The Chanel College hall on Friday night. Thank you Jacob ;-)

The hall on Saturday morning.

My second opponent, John van den Hoeven. John used 16th century Valois French against my 17th century Polish.

My first opponent, Paul Graham. Two varieties of Persians - my Seleucids and Paul's Sassanids.
In 1979, a little before my 17th birthday, I rocked up to the Wellington Warlords and Paul took me under his wing, encouraged me, lent me rules, and involved me in games of toy soldiers. He recognised me but I did not recognise him. He had been at school with my brother who is eight years older than me. 

Through playing with toy soldiers I am still in contact with men I met going back over 35 years. Pretty cool, eh?

A fine body of men. From left: John Zittersteijn, Andrew Brazendale Peter Noble, Kelly Gay, Phil Gates, Chris Wheeler, Alastair Duncan, Gary Lewis, David McLachlan, a peak of Allen Yaxley's head, Drew Fortune, Paul Graham. Scott Neilsen, Vince Cholewa, John van den Hoeven, Doug Smith, David Kintzet, Dirk Heinsius.

Media release to Times-Age

Armies march on Wairarapa

More than 20 armies from all over the ancient (and some from the renaissance) world are marching on the Wairarapa.

On Saturday, March 29 thousands of toy soldiers will be battling it out at Chanel College. Local wargaming club, the Masterton Marauders, is hosting the inaugural Wairarapa One Day International (ODI) for ancient and renaissance armies.

Sixteen gamers from Palmerston North, Dannevirke, Wairarapa, the Hutt Valley and Wellington are bringing their armies for a day of gaming.

It is well-known that an army marches on its stomach, so the day is starting with breakfast at the Corner Café in Greytown. Gaming starts at 9am in the Chanel College Hall, stops for lunch at 1pm and resumes at 1:30pm.

A photographer is most welcome to attend.

Media contacts

For information about the inaugural Wairarapa ODI:

Vince Cholewa

(w) 04 495 6835

(h) 06 379 6107

(m) 027 344 1073

For information about the Masterton Marauders

James Trotman

(m) 022 691 6511

mastertonmarauders@gmail.com

www.mastertonmarauders.blogspot.co.nz

The Masterton Marauders meet regularly at the Masterton Croquet club at Queen Elizabeth Park on the second and last Sunday of each month, 1pm to 5pm.

Click on the images below for pictures of some of Vince's collection

My toy soldier cabinet

Thracian peltasts from about 400 BC. The Thracian tribes lived in what is now northern Greece, european Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania.

A Greek mercenary general from my Thracian army. Greek mercenaries were highly regarded by the Thracians. Xenophon was one of the most famous mercenary commanders.

Late 17th Century Polish winged hussars.

Late 17th Century Polish reiter (pistoliers).

First meeting of 2014, January 26

Our first meeting of the year had lots of people coming through talking toy soldiers and showing off what they have been working on. Two tables were used for games. 

Vince and Ross played a couple of games Hordes of the Things. These are WRG's classic quick play rules. Games last about an hour and are great fun. The rules are hugely adaptable for all sorts of fantasy periods. We used Imperial Guard and Catachans. If you know WRG rules, they are pat of the DBx series, and are similar to DBA.

Neil and Jonathan played GW Fantasy Battle using Brettonians and High Elves. They are too far to show up well  in this photo but the buildings used are gorgeous.

Craig brought along some of his Dystopian Wars fleets. These are for Victorian "steam punk". Ben, Warren, Rex and Warren also came along.  Rex brought along the Napoleonic figures he has been painting over the last few weeks. 

December 8, last meeting for 2014

Our last meeting of the year saw three tables being used and a lot of people dropping. Great to meet Rex, who has a growing collection of 1/72nd scale Napoleonics, and Connor who came along to see what playing toy soldiers is all about.

Connor, Ross and Gary getting organised for a Wings of War World War 2 dog fight.

Craig and Neil were planes that passed in the night! Wings of War, World War 1 version.

Warren and Vince played DBA, quick play Ancients. Connor was keen.

October 27 meeting

The October 27 meeting was quite small, with only two games being played. Both were historical match ups, though not refights of actual battles.

Andrew and Craig played a 15mm Napoleonic game, using the Napoleon's Battles rules. Each had a corps from the French invasion of Russia in 1812 . Andrew used Russians, and  used Saxons Napoleon's army.

David and

Vince (in ethnic t-shirt)  played 15mm Ancients.

This is part of David's army, Macedonians, with Philip II as King and some boy, his son, Alexi, Alexapov, something like that, commanding the Companions and other cavalry. Vince used Thebans. The Kingdom of Macedonia and  the city state of Thebes and her allies were chief protagonists in the wars that eventually ended the independence of Greek city states and established Macdonia as the dominant power in the balkans. Philip did not live long after his victory. He was assassinated, probably by one of his household guard, and "the boy"eventually  followed his father as king.