Orctober and the mighty miniature 200 of the year!!!!

Once again it's Orctober!

A celebration of all thats green and good(?).

I also wanted something special for my 200th miniature for the year and this bloke has always had a special place in my heart. Please indulge an old man and let me ramble!

My first ever miniatures were bought from a hobby shop in Kent. While the rest of my school mates were desperately trying to find a newsagent who would sell them single cigarettes, I wandered into a hobby shop and found a box set of the first GW LOTR, Fellowship of the Ring, miniatures, which was the book I was reading at the time.

I opened them on the coach ride back to Hackney and the rest is history!

Then my Dad (who is a black cab driver) told me of whispered rumours of a shop that sells this kind of stuff on  Tottenam court road in 'The Plaza'.

That weekend I made my first foray to a Games Workshop. At the time Hackney was like the black hole of London, it was 'famous' for being London's poorest borough and our transport links reflected that. It was like no one wanted us to escape!

So after a 15 minute walk to the bus stop, a 60 minute Bus ride to the Strand and then another 30 minute walk past Nelsons Column, the British Gallery, Covent Garden etc. I finally stumbled into 'The plaza', wandered up to the first floor and then WALLOP!!!!!!

I walked into a sea of colour and possibilities!

Up to this point the only painted soldiers I had seen were Lead 'Britians' soldiers and they simply could not hold a candle up to the Golden Demon entries that were on show before me!

AND there was a girl working behind the counter (oh Maxine!!!!).

I pulled out my five quid and bought my first two blister packs. 

On returning home with my horde I pulled a screw driver out of the tool box, grabbed the highly flammable, white spirit and run up to my room. 

I open up my Airfix, enamel paints, pulled out a small paint brush and spent a happy hour slapping paint on my miniatures. Now whether the happy times were due to the painting or spending an hour in an enclosed room with the door and window closed breathing in paint and White spirit fumes I don't know but that was the start of my 28mm hobby. . . . . . .

. . . . . Fast forward 30 years (!) and recently I opened up a metal, Cadbury's, Chocolate fingers box and there he was sitting there. . . . Orcy Chop Chop my first ever painted miniature in all his shiny, enamel, goodness!

With miniature 200 approaching it was fate and I dropped him into the dettol. This morning he was finished and I present Orcy Chop Chop a GW 1985 Orc leader, a treasured lump of lead I have had in my possession for over 30 years.

 Now the numbers. . . .

Miniatures painted / sold this year = 200
Miniatures bought this year =40

468 miniatures to go!