Monday, July 11, 2016

Oldenhammer in Toronto in Wales


Loyal readers will have noticed that I've been silent for a few weeks. That's because I was in Wales on vacation with Mrs. Oldenhammer plus two of my best friends (two composers from New York). The main purpose of our trip was to walk the coastal path that circles the Isle of Anglesey. However, as usual, I couldn't help but view certain aspects of the journey through the eyes of a wargamer.

My wargaming self first came to life when I was in transit in London before heading out for Wales. We stopped by the Tate Modern and I saw a work of modern art that seemed more like a gaming table than anything else.



This is Untitled (Ghardaïa), 2009 by the French artist Kader Attia (born 1970). It represents a scale model of the ancient city Ghardaïa in the M’zab Valley in Algeria. Interestingly, the "sand" on the table is made out of couscous -- a choice of materials that's both original and delicious. The buildings, on the other hand, seem to be carved from the light foam blocks and hemispheres that you can find in any craft store. 

As a model, it's a pretty simple affair -- I think any modeler worth his salt could have banged together a much more arresting portrayal of this city. But, of course, the Tate doesn't feature wargaming tables. Works like this always make me wish that there was more interchange between the world of hobbyists and the world of "high art". Professional artists like Attia sometimes scrape the surface of miniature painting and model making, but their techniques are generally primitive. And, on the flipside of the coin, truly talented modelers/miniature painters rarely break out into the mainstream art world. Nick Bibby, who started out sculpting for Citadel in the 1980's and is now a celebrated fine artist, is the only exception that memory can dredge. Wouldn't you like to see someone like Jess Rich in an art gallery?

Well, on to Wales! 



Above is the map I drew of our journey while on the plane back to Toronto. It is entirely from memory and therefore insults the actual geography of the island quite a bit. But you can make out the various pubs where we slept and drank: the Liverpool Arms, the Black Lion, the Penrhos Arms, the Prince Llewelyn, et cetera.



Beaumaris Castle


Perhaps the most exciting part of the trip for me was visiting Beaumaris Castle. This was the most castley castle that I've ever seen. Concentric walls? Check. Symmetrical design? Check. Moat? Check. Gatehouse? Check. Perhaps the most striking thing about Beaumaris Castle is that it's built on perfectly level ground, giving it the crisp appearance of a floor-plan or a game of Stronghold. In sum, it looks like the archetypal castle that you saw in drawings but never seemed to find in reality.

A tight fit at Beaumaris
Walking inside the walls of Beaumaris seemed to conjure up every dungeon and castle adventure I've ever played in D&D and Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay. The one thing that truly struck me is how narrow the passages inside a castle really are. It would be impossible for two men to fight abreast, to maneuver or to even to run. So figure out your marching order!

Another wonderful site was Penmon Priory: a small medieval monastary that seems primed for a game of Saga (Indeed, it was burned by Vikings in 971 ce). 

While exploring the church, I ran across the banner photographed below. To me, it looks like a great inspiration for a battle standard. It's worth noting, however that the Welsh inscription "Undeb Y Mamau" means "Mother's Union". Take that, you Viking Bastards - the mummies are coming for you!

A banner from Penmon Priory


Anglesey is a place of such supernatural beauty that it seems to be a fantasy world unto itself. The vegetation is so lush that it glows green. Standing stones, ruins, towers and ancient churches are everywhere. This visit will fuel my imagination for a long time to come.





13 comments:

  1. Most enjoyable post. I haven't been on the island since I went on holiday as a boy for the day from Llandudno.

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    1. Does that mean your Welsh, TGM?
      Well, in any case, I suspect that most of the island hasn't changed so much since you were a boy.

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  2. It's very easy to view trips through the eyes of a wargamer, we're surrounded by inspiration, near and far away. I was on a short cycle ride yesterday and passed by a pool of fetid water, perfect inspiration for a nurgle base! A fantastic post, thanks for sharing and I hope you enjoy the rest of your trip.

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    1. I love it! I find myself staring at rust a lot. I stare at garbage trucks and old garages and think to myself "How can I replicate that corrosion?"

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  3. You know before I even began to read you post I saw that first pic and thought to myself "that's a pretty clever & original wargaming table" :)

    I like your holiday idea a lot! Sounds like it would be a very enjoyable and rewarding experience.

    Cheers :)

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    1. Thanks Le Un! It was a great holiday indeed. The walking was interspersed with a lot of drinking/eating/drinking.

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  4. Wales is cool. And rainy.

    Regarding 'fine art' - The Chapman Bros. whose work references diorama model-making and painting in a direct way, well worth looking at if you haven't done so already, especially Fucking Hell. Jim Caulty (formerly of the KLF) Riot in a Jam Jar series is also on point.

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    1. As I was writing the portion on art and modelling, I was thinking to myself, "I hope Zhu comments on this post, because I suspect he's already thought quite a bit about this issue." I will indeed check out the Chapmans (Chapmen?) and Caulty. Thanks!

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  5. Hmmm, quite inspiring post. I thought the first pic was a gaming board too! Now that I know it isn't... Well,somebody has to make it! The banner and the castle are just beautiful and eye-catching. Glad you enjoyed the trip, thanks for the pics :)

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    1. Thanks Suber!
      When I saw that table at the Tate, I thought -- where's my ruler and dice?!

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  6. Great share Sully,
    I've only had the pleasure of visiting once, your photos are great and very inspiring, we need that castle in 1/32 scale

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    1. One of my projects for the fall is to create a medium-sized battle board with an in-built dark ages castle. Not quite Beaumaris, but it's a start.

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  7. Glad you enjoyed our fair if rather deluded country. For castley castles I should point out that a stones throw away from Tate Modern is the Tower, very castley. If you made it to Tower Bridge chances are you saw it.

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