I don't 'do' heroes really , I think the word has become somewhat devalued by the modern media when everybody is a 'hero' whatever they are doing . I don't doubt they exist nowadays but a couple of characters stand out from the past for me - Ernest Shakelton and Garibaldi . Garibaldi was described by AJP Taylor as ' the only wholly admirable figure in modern history' , of course I have him in 25mm as part of my Italian Wars of Independence collection , but when I found that Imperial Miniatures did a 54mm mounted figure I had to get one . I've just been gluing the three parts of the model together and am looking forward to painting him - in the 'toy soldier' manner - who knows he may be appearing in the ranks of 'Red Army' eventually .
Nice find. He'll look splendid glossed up.
ReplyDeleteYes hope to get him done this week .
DeleteTotally agree with you abou the use of the word hero...our nurses and ambulance officers are heroes...well, no, they aren't really...unless they crawl into a burning vehicle to get an injured person out. Just turning up and using their knowledge and skill to save a life isn't heroic, it's their job! Garibaldi is a slightly unusual choice but apart from the biscuits, I know virtually nothing about him, so I can't comment on AJP Taylor's view....and he was likely to know what he was talking about!
ReplyDeleteHero is a word that does a lot of work nowadays . Garibaldi who was not without his faults I find a fascinating chap .
DeleteI follow the Warhammer idea of having hero figures, They can join and leave units at will except when a melee ensues. They enable a unit to use the hero's leadership value provided he is in the front rank. Heroes generally have multiple attacks and wounds. In the Warhammer rules the owner of the hero usually gets to leave the hero to last when removing casualties from shooting. An alternative method is to use a different colored dice, once a unit has got down to significant losses and the different die represents the hero to show if he is wounded. In combat the hero fights whichever figure he is facing so he may be killed/wounded but his initiative is usually higher enabling him to go first in combat. In campaign games a hero or character who loses all his wounds is 'unconscious' and can't be in the next battle. If he was in enemy captured ground he is a prisoner or may be executed by certain enemies. if his loyalty quota is not high he might even change sides! My heroes get a certain number of 'lives' so they can be rejuvenated only so many battles. Of course, if the character is the leader it is not always a good idea to commit him to combat as his loss might result in the retreat of the army or at least a halt to forward movement until a new leader is chosen.
ReplyDeleteHeroes add colour to our games .
DeleteShakelton? Now I have Al Stewart's Antarctica playing in my head!
ReplyDeleteGaribaldi will be a nice addition to your forces. Nothing wrong with a few heroic characters, they tend to raise the tone a little.
Read a book about Shakelton as a boy and he's stuck with me since , a great man(hero) in adversity .
DeleteI do believe that Garibaldi definitely qualifies as a hero Tony! Anyone that could unify Italy and spearhead its independence is a very special person indeed! Your figure is quite impressive and I look forward to seeing it after you have painted it in your wonderful style!
ReplyDeleteYes he was not without his faults but a very interesting chap .
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