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Friday, 25 January 2019

Ian Dury's Portable Wargame board

Whilst attending SALUTE in April 2012 (Is it really that long ago?), I came across Ian Dury's specially made board for playing the PORTABLE WARGAME on.

The setup he had on show featured part of his collection of 15mm-scale Peter Laing figures and the terrain was all homemade, mainly using different coloured pieces of carpet tile.

Ian Dury's PORTABLE WARGAME board and terrain.
I am not sure if Ian still uses his board (I hope that he does!), but every time I look at it, I start to think about making something similar. I don't need to, as I already own a large amount of Hexon II and Heroscape hexes as well as several cloths that are marked in squares ... but it is so attractive that owning something like it appeals to me.

Perhaps one day I'll get around to making a similar board, but in the meantime, looking at it never ceases to inspire me.

22 comments:

  1. I don't 'need' any more hoplites, got hundreds of the things. Which is why I'm painting up another 72 of the things.Because 'need' doesn't matter. It's 'want'. I like the things, I like lining hundreds of them up on a wargames table. Harry Pearson (and he said he got it from someone else) said 'You can never have too much of something you didn't need in the first place.' Quite right.,

    So, if you like it, it doesn't take a ridiculous amount of time to make, and you would have your own to look at...

    Why not make one for yourself anyway? It's a hobby!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "What he said"

      Besides it would be a change which is of course as good as a rest.

      Delete
    2. Rob Young,

      I am very tempted ... but I have one or two other things to finish first ... although they could wait ...

      All the best,

      Bob

      Delete
    3. Ross Mac,

      It a very tempting project ...

      All the best,

      Bob

      Delete
  2. I, literally,have just made one using some leftover carpet tiles and some additional bought ones.

    It is four foot square and each square is six inches.

    I am planning to use it with my 10mm medievals using To the Strongest rules.

    It could equally be used with any of the Portable rulesets.

    I also have tons of Heroscape tiles as well as Hexon II hexes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jim Duncan,

      What a coincidence!

      I'd like to see what your game board looks like. If I make one, it's likely an 8 x 8 grid that uses 3 or 4-inch squares.

      All the best,

      Bob

      Delete
  3. That board was partly the inspiration for my own layout in laser cut MDF...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mike Lewis,

      I had not realised that! Your layout is also very impressive, and reminds me very much of the terrain Joseph Morschauser used.

      All the best,

      Bob

      Delete
    2. Jim Duncan,

      Mike's blog can be found at http://mikelewis.info/littlewars/

      All the best,

      Bob

      Delete
  4. Just out of curiosity, what period is depicted on the board? I can't tell from what I see on my screen.

    Thanks,

    Chris Johnson

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The nearer figures look Russian or Prussian.

      The far figures don't look like red coats so my guess would be Franco-Prussian war and not the Crimean war.

      Delete
    2. Chris (Chris Johndon),

      I think that is a Franco-Prussian War battle ... although I know that Ian Dury has a large collection of Peter Laing figures that includes Crimean and Colonial figures.

      All the best,

      Bob

      Delete
    3. Jim Duncan,

      I think that they are Prussian figures ... but I cannot be 100% sure.

      All the best,

      Bob

      Delete
    4. For Peter Laing figures it depends on how you paint them.

      Delete
    5. Jim Duncan,

      That was one of the joys of Peter Laing's figures. They could be used to represent pretty well anything you wanted with the right paint job.

      All the best,

      Bob

      Delete
    6. They are Prussians (nearer the camera) and Bavarians for the 1866 campaign in South Germany

      Delete
    7. Ian Dury,

      Thanks for letting us know what the figures are.

      All the best,

      Bob

      Delete
  5. Bob - thanks for the kind comments about my Portable Wargame board - but you are making me blush!
    Yes, it still gets used, though not for the last year, purely as all the toys are in store after we moved house last February. Hopefully this year we will have the building work done that allows me to start gaming again

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ian Dury,

      Its good to know that the board is still in use and awaiting an outing sometime soon-ish.

      You might be interested to know that at the time of writing this comment, this blog entry attracted over 350 'hits', and has been the most popular one over that past fortnight.

      All the best,

      Bob

      Delete

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