The Bryan Ansell collection: the "Travelling Players" (Citadel Miniatures C46 Villagers)

The "Travelling Players," sculpted by Mark Copplestone, were a subset of the Citadel Miniatures C46 Villagers range. They are in much demand today by collectors, particularly those who collect old Empire figures. Orclord gives a good summary of the range on his Stuff of Legends page:

The Travelling Players were never designed to be a special set, according to Bryan Ansell, they were just a collection of new c46 sculpts thrown into a particular mail order offer. They have, however, become extremely collectable. There are 2 illustrations of the range, one in White Dwarf 96, page 64 which shows 22 pieces and the other in an October 1987 mail order flyer which shows 25, additionally including the Lute Hero, Flake and the Loudmouth. The names on the ads and on the slottabase tabs are in some cases different, the Flake, Loudmouth, Ruffian and Thug all being marked Gypsy on their tabs. Several of them were slightly modifed and re-appeared in the 1988 Townsfolk release.

Here are the White Dwarf advert and mail order flyer in question (scans courtesy of Tony Mansfield):

The Bryan Ansell collection: Marauder Miniatures Empire Fighters and Flagellants

I love these figures! So much character and they look great lined up in units on the battlefield. Bryan Ansell has a good deal of the original painted figures from the following ranges in his collection:

- MM60 Fighters
- MM61 Fighter Command
- MM65 Heroes of the Empire - Reiksgard
- MM65 Empire Flagellants

Here are a selection of the actual painted figures released between 1988 and 1991 and appeared in the White Dwarf ads of the time. Oddly, I've noticed that some of them do not seem to have the same shields that they had in White Dwarf, although they are definitely the same figures...

Who shall stem the tide of chaos?

I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down, but it is not this day. This day we fight! For all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West!

 (Quote attributed to some bloke in shiny armour on a horse)

The forces of chaos are gathering for the march on Nottingham this Summer, and if reports are to be believed in their wake come all manner of foulness; Dark Elf, Orc and Goblin. So who will stem this tide of evil...

The time of the Elves is over, my people are leaving these shores. Who will you look to when we've gone? The Dwarves? They toil away in caverns, seeking riches. They care nothing for the troubles of others.

It is in Men that we must place our hope.

But where are the men? The real men? OK, perhaps not the real men, but at least they're 25/28mm equivalent? Remember those great table battle scenes of old, when it was the forces of men that held back the tide of chaos? In today's game we have the forces of Khorne allied to those of Slaanesh and I've even heard it said that elves can bind chaos demons to their will. What has the world come to? Let us dispense with this blasphemy and return to a golden age when it was clear where battle lines were drawn, and it was men that drew them! Some of my favourite battle scenes from old issues of White Dwarf and the early editions of Warhammer featured humans vs chaos: