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Monday 21 December 2009

Callan the Wargamer: Part 1

I managed to spend an hour this afternoon relaxing and watching a DVD recording of ACT OF KINDNESS, which is my favourite episode of CALLAN.

During the episode David Callan fights a series of wargames against Heathcote Land, and the following stills are from these battles.

The first battle is fought at a wargames convention, where Callan commands a small French Napoleonic army and Land commands the British.

Heathcote Land's British Royal Horse Artillery prepare to open fire on Callan's French Infantry.

The French Infantry have formed square because of the presence of British Cavalry, but this makes them a prime target for Land's Royal Horse Artillery and they suffer casualties as a result.

Another view of Land's British Royal Horse Artillery.

The British Cavalry finish the job, and charge into the already damaged French Infantry squares.

As the British Cavalry hit the French Infantry squares they become aware of the presence of French Artillery and Cavalry. This causes them to turn away and return to the main body of the British army.

This timely retreat is not enough to save the British Cavalry, who are chased from the battlefield by Callan's French Cavalry.

The second battle is fought as part of a short campaign set in Southern France that Land suggests that he and Callan should fight. The first move of the battle was shown as a series of stills that were linked together to form a sort of animation.

The French Cavalry advance, forcing the British Infantry to form square.

The tension rises as the advancing French Cavalry are getting closer to the as yet unformed British square.

It is now obvious that the French Cavalry are going to reach the British Infantry before their square will be fully formed.

The French Cavalry hit the unformed British Infantry square, which disintegrated as a result. However Land had stationed his Artillery behind the Infantry, and he opened fire on the French Cavalry with devastating results.

I hope to have enough time to watch CALLAN: THE MOVIE tomorrow, and if it is possible I will try to get some stills from the American Civil War Battle of Gettysburg that Callan fights with Schneider.

6 comments:

  1. Thanks for the images, they bring back memories,

    All the best for Xmas and the new year

    Will

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  2. Fire at Will,

    I am pleased that you liked them.

    I hope to add similar images from CALLAN: THE MOVIE sometime tomorrow. I have just watched it again and I have managed to 'capture' some really excellent images of the terrain and the figures.

    Seasons greetings and all the best to you for the New Year,

    Bob

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  3. Great stuff - i've yet to track down DVDs of the series so it's great to see these. Incidentally, I was planning to feature some stills from the movie as well, but it sounds like you'll save me the bother. Cheers.

    ReplyDelete
  4. DC,

    I bought my copies of the DVDs from Amazon UK. In fact I have discovered today that they have a DVD set of the last series (which I currently don't have) available via Australia(!) and will be selling a DVD of the surviving black and white episodes - including the pilot show, A MAGNUM FOR SCHNEIDER - in February.

    You might not like the selection of images that I have 'captured' from the movie, so please don't feel that you cannot feature your own versions!

    All the best,

    Bob

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  5. Excellent stuff - thanks for posting! My main memories of Callan are of the old black & white episodes so I'll be looking out for that DVD.

    Those hills and woods look just the right style to fit in with my own project - food for thought.

    Ian

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  6. Stryker,

    I am glad that you enjoyed seeing the images, especially if they have sparked off some ideas.

    You might well enjoy the latest blog entry I have made. This features images from CALLAN: THE MOVIE.

    All the best,

    Bob

    ReplyDelete

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