Written in 1913, 'Little Wars' shows Wells, in his cricket whites, scampering around on the lawn, accompanied by such luminaries as Jerome K Jerome amongst others, having a whale of a time playing with 'toy soldiers'. Wells did not invent war-gaming, he simply took figures that were available at the time, his son's, and put together a set of rule suggestions that were cro magnon in simplicity. But combined with wood brick or card buildings, twigs from the garden, match shooting cannon and a few dozen toy men he managed to put myself and many thousands of other grown men back in touch with the naive simplicity and uncluttered joy of playing toy war.

Of course you can hold a toy battle with any figures you choose, but sadly, inexpensive 'toy' style military men haven't been around for some time. You could use old Britains or Johnco figures, sure, but the thought of accidentally damaging what are now antiques, is too much for most people. So Irregular have formed up and marched double quick time to the rescue.

Irregular now produce an ever expanding line of figures and accessories in 42mm, the same size as Britains old 'B' range and also of many contemporary German competitors. Being in this smaller standard scale helps to keep prices way down. Certainly low enough to take away the fret of any metallic decapitation or casualties of war. The soldiers themselves are made in a smoother, simpler style than most over detailed war-game figures and their present range of early 18th century, US Civil War, Franco Prussian, Romans, First World War and British Colonials look just charming striding out with bright pink cheeks and shining gloss paint tunics. Treat yourself to experiencing toy war the way our grandfathers and fathers fought it. Dashing tin cavalry, shining brightly as they gallop past tin explosions, towards a wall of staunch metal guardsmen letting rip with a volley of tin smoke pluming from their freshly painted muskets. Put away the slide rule and calculator, it's time to live 'Little Wars' again.

Andy Partridge