1st January, 2001
UK
- Leisure Games: 91 Ballards Lane, Findhley, London, N3 1XY (Tel: 0208 346 2327). Seems to stock most (if not all) of the RPG stuff and a fair smattering of Clan War stuff.
- Battle Honours: 76 Northgate, Canterbury, Kant, CT1 1BA (Tel: 01227 765807). No idea on the RPG side, but a fair amount of clan war stuff, and attends some of the wargame shows. Open to quantity discount discussion. Excellent mail order.
- GameStation: Angel Row, Nottingham (Part of the Travelling Man Empire). Go upstairs (the downstairs is all computer stuff), and to the front of the shop. Had assorted figures last time I was in, and by now I presume DE sets. RPG stuff too, and cards on the counter.
- Travelling Man: Corn Exchange, Leeds. RPG and Clan War stuff. Not far to walk from the Royal Armouries museum.
- Best Books & Comics: 6-10 Slater Street, Liverpool, L14BT (Tel: 0151 - 709 - 1001)
This is run by my chum "Frosty", who is ever open to a deal if you are spending enough wonga. Has DE boxed set and rulebooks in, and the RPG stuff. Organised the largest Kotei by a game shop at the last CCG storyline tournament I understand. I know he supports the hobby by giving up stock for prizes at conventions, so all I can say is support this man. I've never actually been to the shop so cannot comment on what figures he actually has in stock. Mention OniCrusher/Chris Payne when you ring...
- Waylands Forge: 37 Auchinleck Square, Five Ways Shopping Centre, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 1DU (Tel: 0121 687 0105). Oni No Tim's local shop, and when John Csonka was there in the summer he thought it had the best selection of Clan War figures he had seen. When I was up there in August 2000, they were selling the "official" Clan War armourcast scenery.
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BELGIUM
- La Caverne du Dragon: Rue des Brasseries 6,1300 Wavre, Belgium (Tel: 10 229064).
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GERMANY
Dixon Miniatures: Spring Grove Mills, Linthwaite, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD 7 5QG. (Tel: 01484 846162) www.wargames.co.uk Small in size compared with AEG figures, thev make an extensive range of historical and fantasy (bakemo and oni) Samurai. The later Figures such as the Ronin in my opinion are better than their earlier stuff, which people will probably find of disappointing when compared with AEG figures. Rumours of some new figures. Invaluable for the supply of weapons and sashimo banners for conversions.
Village Green: 17 Rotunda Road, Eastbourne, BN23 6LE. (Tel: 01323 738882). Range of resin samurai scenery (houses, walls, boats, Tori etc), and metal accessories (e.g. maku screens, bamboo stakes, carts). I feel that there figures are a little crude compared with AEG, but an extensive range of civilians.
The Foundry Ltd: Huberts Lane, Off Doyle Rd, St Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands, GY1 1RG. (Tel: 01481 714 241. Small range (42 figures, sold only in fixed packs), but sculpted by the people who do figures for Citadel. No cavalry, and probably smallish by comparison with AEG.
Old Glory Corporation: Institute House, new Kyo, Stanley, Co. Durham- DH 9 7TJ. (Tel: 01207 283332). Range of Samurai figures, sold only in (mixed) bags of 30 foot figures, or 10 cavalry. Infantry figures are not of AEG quality, (but much, much cheaper) and comparable in size to later Dixon and Foundry. I've bought the Ashiguru spearmen (supply your own spears) pack, but have not seen what their cavalry are like yet. (These and Dixon are my source for Ashiguru figures at the moment).
Scheltnun Miniatures: PO Box 10231, Aberdeen, ABU 3TT (Fax: 01224 581311) http://www.crosswinds.net/~modelhome.html Large range of Japanese boats. Not seen any, so unable to comment.
Hovels: 18 Glebe Road, Scartho, Grimsby, N.E. Lines, DN33 2HL (Tel: 01472 750552). Small range of resin scenery (houses, fencing and accessories).
KJ Warren Realistic Modelling Services: 49 Guildford Avenue, Whitfield, Dover, Kent, CT16 3NG. Scenery of various sorts, including the cherry blossom trees I've had specially made - wait for next issue for the photos.
Das Schwartz Auge: (German fantasy range) - has one figure, number 15060 Maraskanian, which is a Samurai style figure with nunchucks.
Reaper Miniatures: (American fantasy range), has a number of Samurai figures in their Daimyo range. They may be being made here now by Minifigs, or shops may have them as (expensive) imports. The cavalry horses I feel are very small, the foot figures are of variable size. Some of the civilian figures appear to be the largest, and most use for role-playing (e.g. monks, priests etc).
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In my opinion, it can always be useful to go and look at the "real" thing. I know of the
following, and any further information welcome.
- Victoria & Albert Museum: London (Admission charge). Four suits of armour on display (Yukinoshita, Domaru x2 and Oyoroi style), some helmet, swords and Netsuke and Tsuba. Other Japanese items in the gallery (Kimonos, lacquer ware etc). (July 1999)
- British Museum: London (Free). On the wall outside the Oriental gallery normally are two cases of Tsuba and/or Netsuke. This appears to have been
temporarily moved/closed to make way for the Gilded Dragons exhibition, treasures of Ancient China.
- Nottingham Castle Museum: Nottingham (free weekdays, weekends and bank holidays £2).
Now rearranged since my youth, and less on display, but made more interesting for children. One suit of armour, one sword and a Japanese temple bell (to touch) (if you go, make sure to read the ringbinder in front of the displays). Fine if free, but hard to recommend if you have to pay £2. The displays indicate that they are part of a large collection, and I am finding out if other stuff is on display elsewhere. (July 1999).
- Royal Albert Museum: Exeter (Free). Has one suit of armour on display (no swords), in their "world culture" section, along with some Ainu items. (July 1999)
- Royal Armouries museum: Leeds (Admission charge). About 10 suits of Japanese armour, assorted swords and other weapons (Yari & Naginata). A shrine to Tokugwara, and a reconstructed mounted archer for a temple tournament. Oddities are the (Japanese) crossbow for house defence, and the Chinese repeating crossbow just down from the Japanese section. (August 1999).
- Snowshill Manor: Gloucestershire (National Trust)(Admission charge). The good side is that it has about (I counted) 27 suits of armour on display, the bad side being that they are displayed as a collection in one room, with limited views. Thev are displayed as part of one man's collecting passion (alongside bicycles, toys, clocks, etc,) with the emphasis on the "collection" rather than individual items. They are thus poorly lit, and hard to see. Hard to recommend unless you are a National Trust member, and thus get in for free, and even then, only if you are in the vicinity - and watch the timed ticket admission policy. A shame really, because there appears to be some excellent stuff within it. (July 1999).
- Tower of London: White Tower, London (Big Admission charge). Only the one suit of armour, a purple laced set made as a gift for James u. Expensive to get into the Tower, I only include it to make sure if you are going for another reason, you ensure you see this, since it is tucked away at the end of a row (July 1999).
- Ivy Wu Gallery: Glasgow
- Birmingham City Art Gallery: Birmingham. 3 Suits of armour, Tsuba and ivories and Jade. Nice suit of armour in black with green lacing that has inspired me for a design for a unit, and another one has a breastplate with a japanese dragon embossed on it, which I would really like to see one day on a figure. Few pictures since I got my Camera settings completely wrong (handheld with no flash is allowed - get your permit at the desk - free if for personal use) (No postcards). (August 2000)
- Pitt Rivers Museum: Oxford
- Museo Stibbert: Florence, Italy. Apparently has a large collection with many of the rarer oddments. Many guidebooks only give it a brief mention, or omit it, since there is so much other stuff in Florence. Also, from what I remember when in Florence it has odd opening hours.
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- Days of Thunder Tournament: well I suppose it's watch AEG's official website. If that's not updated, then you can always contact me - I hear rumours of official tournaments being organised in Essen (Germany), Brussels (Belgium), and Exeter (ME !!!!)(October 18th/19th). I have three spare beds and some floorspace.
- Essen: October 26nd - 29th - Spiel. Hotel is booked, transport arranged. German OniCrusher readers can get the beer in! Only a visitor unfortunately, and here for the boardgames rather than Clan War.
- Dragonmeet: London, November 25th (www.dragonmeet.com). Conway Halls, nr Covent Garden. Yet to see if I'm there in demo mode, or casual visitor. Learning fast the hard side of putting miniatures demo's on. Contact me nearer the date for an update.
- Togashi Bob's player locator: http://home.earthlink/~rzlittle/togashi/
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