Meeting Sunday, May 31

We had a good turn out of Wairarapa gamers on Sunday though only two games were played, one was Medieval and the other Marlburian. Other gamers brought along Ancient, Napoleonic, Dystopian Wars, and 40K figures. 

Craig and Andrew used the Horse Foot and Guns rules and 25mm Russian and British armies from early in the 18th Century. Vince and David played 15mm DBMM (Ancient and Medieval rules) using Nikophorian Byzantines and Post-Mongol Samurai. Rex and Carl brought along the newest additions to their 25mm Napoleonic collections, Jonathan brought along one of his 40K armies and his DBA 15mm Vikings, and Ross brought along one of his Dystopian Wars fleets. James was there of course opening up and having a good yarn about toy soldiers.

A big welcome to Ed who came along after reading about the club in the newspaper and checking out our blog. Ed started playing Ancients with WRG's 3rd edition rules in the early 1970's and is keen to learn the new quick play rules, DBA 3. Vince will organise DBA games at the next club meeting for everyone keen to learn and have a go. All are welcome to join in. The rules are fun and simple.

Rex and Carl are planning to bring some boxes of Napoleonic figures to the next meeting to assemble and paint.
Everyone is welcome at meetings, even if you are not playing. Come and see what and who is there, bring some toy soldiers to show, do some painting, and talk toy soldiers. 

Some pics from the meeting. Unfortunately, Vince left his camera at home so these pics were taken with a phone.

David with his 15mm Post Mongol Samurai. Some rebasing from DBM (that's like last century!) still to be finished!

Welcome Ed on his first visit to the Marauders, seen here checking out Medieval army lists. 

Ross, Craig and Andrew at the Marlburian table.

Some of Craig's figures. They are based for the Horse Foot and Guns rules.

Rex and Carl talking Napoleonics.

Carl's British guns.

Ross's Dystopian Wars fleet. Dystopian Wars are rules for "space punk"- Victorian science fiction. 

Selfie! Vince, Jonathan's glasses, Andrew, Craig, James, Ross, David, Ed, Rex and Carl.

First public pics of massive Gallipoli diorama at The Great War Exhibition

The first public photos have been released of the room-sized diorama of the Battle of Chunuk Bair at The Great War Exhibition in Wellington, populated with five thousand 54mm figures.

The diorama is the brainchild of world-famous movie director and WW1 buff, Sir Peter Jackson. He enlisted the former chief of New Zealand’s defence forces, Lt General (rtd) Rhys Jones, himself a keen wargamer, to lead this official WW100 commemoration project.

Alan and Michael Perry, two of the foremost miniature figure sculptors in the world, were engaged to produce the figures; and leading movie special effects company Weta Workshop to make the massive terrain.

The 5000 miniatures were painted by 140 enthusiastic Kiwi wargamers, including seven from the Wairarapa. So pop on over to the official Mustering The Troops blog for loads of photos of this amazing diorama.

The Great War Exhibition

Yesterday afternoon former Head of Defence Force, Rhys Jones, very kindly took a group of us from the Wairarapa, along with family and friends on a tour of The Great War Exhibition in Wellington. The exhibition is absolutely stunning. It is created to tell a story that educates, gives historical social context, and deliberately makes you feel different emotions. Peter Jackson and Richard Taylor have done an incredible job. My photos do not do it justice. At the moment entry is by guided tour only. If you are in Wellington go and see this exhibition. You will not be disappointed.

A sneak preview of the New Zealand room to open May 2. This is closed to the public until then. Rhys is at the back left behind Mim, and took us through to see the Chunuk Bair diorama many of us worked on. Very emotional and sad.

The first "wow moment". Life-size gun team and French aeroplane. The lighting and sound create a powerful atmosphere.

Life-size tank. The other side is a cut away view of the inside. There is also a trench below the tank..

There are lots more picks on the Mustering the Troops blog http://anzacdiorama.blogspot.co.nz/2015/04/tour-of-great-war-exhibition.html

TVNZ coverage of ANZAC diorama

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/sir-peter-jackson-developing-multi-million-dollar-wwi-exhibition-video-6288901

Meeting Sunday April 12

We had a good turn-out today with 15 people at the club meeting this afternoon. Everyone played either World War 2 or Science Fiction games. Great to see a new face, Alex, and to have Ben, Ed and Jake back after ages away from playing with toy soldiers. Carl brought along his latest painting, Napoleonic dragoons. He, James and Rex are planning a game to show off their figures (toy soldiers, not tummies!).

The hall being set up. There are 13 in the pic because Carl had not arrived yet and Vince (me!) was taking the photos.

Five of Da boyz setting up a multiplayer 40K game.

Ed, Jake, Jonathan, Alex and Alex. Black was the colour of choice!

Neil, Peter and Rex setting up a game of Axis and Allies. Vince also played. Berlin fell to the British, Moscow fell to the Germans and the Japanese and United States gave each other lots of trouble.

Part way through the game.

Ben, Ceilidh and Harley played Science Fiction skirmish game, Deadzone.

Carl's very cool French dragoons. The figures are 28mm Perry Miniatures.

Ross, Carl and Craig getting up close and personal playing the World War 2 version of Wings of War.

Update on ANZAC diorama and tour of the Great War Exhibition

The Perry twins, Sir Peter Jackson and some of the Turks

Rhys Jones has passed on his thanks and praise for our club's contribution to the ANZAC diorama - he is most grateful for the painting done by, in alphabetical order, Ben, Ceilidh, David, Harley, Neil, Rex and Vince.

Rhys has offered to personally take anyone who wants to visit the Great War Exhibition in Wellington on a tour of the displays. This is not just the painters but others from the club and also families. There will be the diorama, of course, and much more. We are looking at the morning of Monday April 27, which is the "Mondayised" ANZAC Day holiday. If interested, please get in touch with Vince Cholewa on toysoldiers111@gmail.com or 027 344 1073.

The Perry twins on the diorama base!

Updating work on the diorama, the figure designers, Alan and Michael Perry, arrived from the UK at Easter to oversee the installation of the 5,003 ANZAC and Turkish figures on the giant diorama. The diorama has been built at Weta Workshop, will be transported to the old Dominion Museum this week, and the finishing touches will be made. It will be formally opened on April 18.

Lots more pics at http://anzacdiorama.blogspot.co.nz/
Also check out https://www.facebook.com/perryminiatures?fref=ts

The crew who worked over Easter at Weta Workshop. Sir Peter Jackson is the dude with no shoes. The Perry twins are kneeling in front second left and first from the right. In front, second from the right is Kapiti coast wargamer, Roly Hermans, who runs the official Mustering the Troops blog. Standing back right, with no hair, is Wellington wargamer Rhys Jones, who is former head of New Zealand Defence Force and has been organising the painting. 

The Perry twins, shocked and amazed at the quantity and quality of painting!

Sunday March 29

Yesterday's meeting turned into something of a "show and tell" with Alex bringing the 1/72nd scale Lancaster bomber he is working on and other, finished models, Carl brought along some of his large and growing 28mmm Napoleonic collection, and, in alphabetical order, Ben, Ceilidh, David, Harley and Rex brought along the 54mm ANZAC diorama figures they had been painting. Neil and Vince have also been painting ANZAC figures. Good to see James at the meeting too, especially as he had the keys!

Games played were: Craig and Andrew playing a Marlburian battle using the Horse, Foot and Guns rules; Ceilidh, Harley and Vince played using the quick play ancient and medieval rules, DBA 3; and Ross and Vince played the card game Mythos.

Alex working on his 1/72nd scale Lancaster bomber

Alex and Rex talking turkey :-)

Rex finishing off the last of his 54mm Turks for the  ANZAC diorama

David, Ceilidh and Rex with some of the 80 54mm ANZAC diorama figures painted in the Wairarapa.

Carl's boxes of 28mm Napoleonics being checked out by David, Andrew and Craig.  Carl and Rex are planning to play using the Playable Napoleonic Wargames rules.

Some of Carl's boxes of Napoleonics.

French hussars.

Polish lancers.

Napoleon and friends.

Ceilidh and Harley getting a game of DBA 3 underway. Early Byzantines vs Sub-Roman British. 

View from the Byzantine table edge.

View from the Sub-Roman British table edge.

Ceilidh doing it!

Ross getting Mythos organised. 

Andrew  and Craig getting their Marlburian game under way. Horse, Foot and Guns work at a very large scale, each element or stand of figures is a brigade.  

Some of Craig's figures.

A view of the meeting. James, Ben and Vince are not in this pic.