Phil Barker's Armies and enemies of imperial Rome

[martin goddard]

For me this book (first edition) and the Punic wars book started my interest in Ancient armies.
I see it as the most enjoyable book on ancient armies available at that time .
Inspirational.

Did it do anythng for you?

Memories?

martin

[Antioch (Bob)]

Great book.... ended up with a carthaginian ancient army as my first figures.....(25mm minifigs imported  were the only figures we had access too). and the philosophy that the only good Roman was a dead one... (In the nicest possible way & strictly limited to the gaming table of course).

Bob

[John Watson]

I bought and used most of the War-games Research Group books. Imperial Rome, Macedonian and Punic Wars, Crusades, Feudal Europe and the later Medieval book. These are still available from Phil Barker. My first army, in the mid 1970s, was a Seleucid army. The figures were mainly 25mm Minifigs (with a few Hinchliffe). I bought them from a war-games shop underneath the arches of Charing Cross station for 7p a figure (Hinchcliffe 8p). Sadly the owner of the shop died some years ago. The shop was about half the size of most people's garages.
John

[Leslie BT]

Never been interested, never seen the book, never read the book.
My only 'old' gaming was Samurai with 5th and 6th edition WRG before Martin produced his Viking range and these are my oldest historical period in 15mm.
I am sure the book had its following and may have been popular.
It may have got Martin into war gaming which is a very good thing, just think where we would be with out the PP ranges and rules. And luckily not a hint of 6th edition.

Its an expensive book now at least £25.00 for the current edition.

[Colonel Kilgore]

The book was great at its time, as it gave a "one-stop shop" for painting, as well as showing what the various troop types from different armies may have looked like (handy in the days when manufacturers didn't always provide photos).

But for me, it was Mr Barker's Airfix Guide to Ancient Wargaming that came first and thus provided the Ancients "spark".

Simon

[martin goddard]

I remember that shop John.
A real "den".

martin

[Noggin]

I can remember my dad taking me on a special trip to that shop back in the 70's when we stayed overnight in London before going on a foreign holiday. It was like Aladdin's cave to someone from North Wales with little access to wargames shops.

[martin goddard]

Those Airfix books were great. They had some good ones on various vehicles too.

martin

[Leslie BT]

In their day and perhaps some volumes are very good starting point for periods.
The war-games stuff in the magazine were very informative and a clever way of making their figures into allsorts of armies.

[Ben Waterhouse]

I used to buy from that shop under the arches when I worked in Whitehall in the late '70s. I am very old...

[martin goddard]

What stuff did you buy Ben?

martin

[Flaminpig0]

For me it was 'Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars'

I have a strong affection for all the old wargame books particularly:

1) The Ancient Wargame
2) Battle
3) Wargame Campaigns

[Leslie BT]

My first metal figures came from the Modellers Den in Bristol Friary Street.

[Ben Waterhouse]

What stuff did you buy Ben?

martin

Minifigs Naps I think, did they do Hinchliffe? My mind wanders from so long ago, there was a very fruity pub opposite I remember....

[martin goddard]

Those Minifigs were great. A coloured box and you can have whatever number you want.
I never had an army of 25mm minifigs, but given the chance I would have built an ECW army in 25mm.
Their figures were predictable, but the casting quality was very good indeed.


martin