So before our WW1 game (the closest game ever) on Saturday I put 15 hobby related questions to him and here's what he said......
1. Why Postie?
A. I was a postman for 15 years but due to ill health I had to leave......(more on this with Q15).
2. How long have you been wargaming?
A. Properly since 1977 but really since I was even younger with plastic soldiers.....
3. Favourite period and scale?
A. AWI (American War of Independence 1775-1783) and 28mm scale, it gives a good mix of 7 years war and Napoleonic wargaming.
4.How many periods do you do, how many figures?
A. 40,000+ figures I believe, 3,000 books, 30 periods (12 of those are ancients) and a lot of scenery!
5. Favourite historical movie?
A. Waterloo (1970), inspired the wargaming lust!
6. Living next door to Ray, what's that been like? (Postie thought about this question for 15 seconds!)
A. Hell, I suffer every day living next door to him!
7. Biggest change in hobby?
A. Off the shelve terrain all ready painted and table ready, used to have to make everything myself!
8. What are you working on now?
A. Russo-Japanese War 1904-5 in 15mm......
9. Umpiring or Playing Wargames?
A. Umpiring as I like to be a crafty, nasty git!
10. Favourite figure manufacturer if money no object?
A. Perry Miniatures.
11.Favourite rules system for wargaming?
A. Fire and Fury ACW rules because of the reaction people have to them mid game.....
12. Greatest historical general or military leader?
A. Alexander the Great, organisational skills, for the time he accomplished so much and conquered so much area!
13. Favourite blogger? (Postie does not own a computer but uses Ray's to view our blogs and order stuff due to his ill health).
A. The Angry Lurker (Postie originally chose Ray's but changed his mind about 4 hours later when he thought about how selfish Ray was!).
14. Ray as a painter?
A. His pricing is fair but the quality is faeces and it's getting worse!
15. Your illness ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis) also known as CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome) and it's affect on you and your hobby?
A. I was diagnosed with it in 2001 (ended his postal career), I describe it as having flu all the time, it affects my painting, watching TV, using a computer, wargaming, shows ( the worst effect he said), everyday life. The hobby has helped me get out of bed every day otherwise I wouldn't bother, the information I read comes into my brain but then get's muddled so I end up reading something a lot of times for it to make sense (the Rejects have seen this sometimes at games with the reading of his rules...)
The Presidente and Dictator for life in action last Saturday........