The TALKING PICTURES TV channel has recently been showing episodes from the CALLAN TV series, including the one entitled AN ACT OF KINDNESS. It featured a visit to a wargame convention, the former TRADITION shop in Piccadilly, and two (and a bit) wargames.
I happen to have a copy of the May 1970 issue of MINIATURE WARFARE which covered the making of this particular episode, and the following are scans of the relevant pages of that issue. (Clicking on each image will enlarge them and make them easier to see.)
I happen to have a copy of the May 1970 issue of MINIATURE WARFARE which covered the making of this particular episode, and the following are scans of the relevant pages of that issue. (Clicking on each image will enlarge them and make them easier to see.)
The cover, showing Callan (actor Edward Woodward) in pensive mood.
The top photograph shows the initial confrontation between Heathcote Land (actor Anthony Nichols) and Callan at the wargame convention. The bottom photograph shows Heathcote Land with his British Napoleonic troops laid out in preparation for his final battle with Callan. These figures were provided by the late John Davis, an early member of Wargame Developments.
The top photograph shows Heathcote Land and Callan discussing how their first battle in Lands wargames room is progressing. The bottom photograph shows the scene being set up. The figure on the right is Peter Beton, who was an actor and a wargamer, and who acted as a wargame adviser for this TV programme. He also appeared in it as the shop assistant in TRADITION.
This remains my favourite episode of Callan, and I understand that it is available to view on YouTube as well as being shown on the TALKING PICTURES TV channel.The editorial of the May 1970 issue was written by Peter Beton, who described his experience working on this episode of Callan.
Watched this episode - brought back memories of my early wargaming years , wargaming shows SHOULD be like the one in the programme , sadly not ! , the nearest I think was the Napoleonic Fair event in London .
ReplyDeleteThe Good Soldier Svjeck,
DeleteIt brought back lots of memories for me as well.
The wargaming scene at the convention was so unlike a modern wargame show. There were no fat and/or scruffy and/or smelly wargamers with backpacks and smart phones crowding around the table or parking themselves in the narrowest part of the gangways to have a chat.
All the best,
Bob
The images from the wargames show on Callan were how I always imagined the shows to be. Of course I was wrong on so many levels. Still one could always dream of such an event. As has been said, I once attended the Napoleonic Fair in London which had a great feel about it and was probably the nearest to the Callan ideal.Mind it did have Colonel Elting and Christoper Duffy doing a brilliant double act.
ReplyDeleteRobbie Rodiss,
DeleteI'm sure that going to a wargame convention would be a far nicer experience if it were like the one shown in CALLAN. Nowadays they seem more like a rugby scrum than a genteel gathering of people who share a hobby interest.
Seeing Elting and Duffy in action together must have been something worth seeing! I met Christopher Duffy many years ago when I was invited to attend a wargame at Sandhurst, and he was very erudite and terrifyingly knowledgeable.
All the best,
Bob
Thanks for the magazine images. Sadly shows now seem more about buying stuff, with the actual games barely getting a look in in comparison.
ReplyDeleteSteve J.,
DeleteThe convention scene in the TV programme makes it clear that both Callan and Land are competitors in a knock-out competition. I must admit that it is an area of the hobby that has never appealed to me ... and from what I've seen of modern wargame competitions, I doubt if I'll ever change my mind.
SALUTE will be taking place in less than a fortnight, and if I go - which is in doubt at present - I'll probably not buy anything whilst I am there. I know that this is unusual, but I go to shows to see the games and to talk to the players and to other attendees rather than to shop ... which I can do online.
All the best,
Bob
Is it just me or do the buildings on the table look much smaller scale than the figures? As a 54mm wargamer the use of smaller scale buildings and terrain is a necessity on the table but I'm surprised to see this with 25mm? figures.
ReplyDeleteBrian Carrick,
DeleteThe buildings and figures are definitely not the same scale, and this was - and from my experience still is - quite a common practice, and for the reasons you state.
All the best,
Bob
Brian, Bob,
DeletePersonally I think buildings at least one scale down from the scale of the figures being used makes for a more realistic footprint on the gaming table and actually looks better.
Cheers
Anthony
Anthony Morton (Anthony),
DeleteI regularly use at least 'one scale down' from my figure scale for my buildings. For example, a lot of my World War II battles are fought with 20mm-scale (1:87th-,1:76th-, and 1:72nd-scale) figures and vehicles on terrain that contains 15mm-scale (1:100th-scale) and N-gauge (1:120th-scale) buildings. It seems to work all right for me.
All the best,
Bob
I recall the Callan series, of which I had a very high opinion. But this episode was one of the few I missed, so never discovered for a few more years that miniatures war games was an actual 'thing'.
ReplyDeleteArchduke Piccolo,
DeleteCallan is shown painting military miniatures in passing in one or two earlier episodes, and took part in a wargame with Schneider in the pilot episode, A MAGNUM FOR SCHNEIDER. The latter became the basis of the film CALLAN.
All the best,
Bob
I do recall the military painting, and even a little solo(?) game on a small table, something to do with fighting in 'difficult terrain.' But I figured at the that it was more a kind of diorama than a game as such.
DeleteArchduke Piccolo,
DeleteCallan did appear to be fighting a small-scale solo wargame over difficult terrain in one episode, but he was interrupted and all we (i.e. the viewers) had was a quick glimpse of the tabletop and figures.
All the best,
Bob
Thank you! I very much enjoyed the episode on Youtube. I wish they would have been able to show more of the Tradition shop.
ReplyDeleteLoved the map kriegspeil before the battle began but the conditional orders gave me flashback willies: Charge if charged except when ...
William Stewart,
DeleteI always enjoyed my visits to TRADITION in Piccadilly, especially as Hatchards bookshop was almost next door.
I never liked written orders, especially those that were full of 'if ... then ... ' statements. Far too many variables for my liking.
All the best,
Bob
Great post, Bob. I got into Callan a bit when I discovered the whole Callan, Woodward, Battleground thing, some while back. But I don't think I saw this particular episode. I shall seek it out on YouTube right away! Thanks for the info/tip off. Cheers, Seb
ReplyDeleteSeb Palmer (Seb),
DeleteWatching episodes of CALLAN can be quite addictive! I've been watching some of the very early episodes on YouTube ... and discovered several that I don't remember seeing before.
All the best,
Bob