Saddened to hear of the passing of Stuart Asquith, former wargames magazine editor and author:
http://grandduchyofstollen.blogspot.com/2019/11/stuart-asquith.html
https://battlegames.co.uk/stuart-asquith/
It is often said that a man dies two deaths, once when he physically dies and second when he is past living memory and his name and works are forgotten.
Someone like Stuart Asquith with his magazine columns and books, along with the many figures he painted, will not be forgotten, at least not by a small band of wargamers of a certain age and hopefully younger people who discover his simple approach in his accessible wargaming books.
Beginners will not forget borrowing from branch libraries or now tracking down online his Military Modelling Guide to Wargaming, which had lots of entry level plastic figures and simple rules. I still have and use the local branch library copy that I borrowed as child, picked up cheaply when it was sold off by the library service.
Solo Wargamers will not forget his interesting book on the topic with some innovative solo games mechanisms.
Siege Wargamers will not forget his book on this unusual subject.
I really like his Comfortable Wargaming articles with their laid back, enjoy your games approach with No Units. No Morale Tests: “If you want to shell out around £30 for a set of rules, then feel free, but you know, you really don’t have to – don’t worry about phases or factors, go back to simple enjoyment.”
http://lonewarriorswa.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Comfortable-War-Gaming.pdf
I never met Stuart in person but you feel like you sort of know somebody when you have read and reread their books and magazines for 30 to 40 years.
However in the last couple of years I was fortunate enough to be able to say a small thank you for all that he had done for my hobby.
I heard from Stuart after reprinting some sections of the Brian Carrick article Big Wars on 54mm gaming sections from the Battle For Wargamers Military Modelling Wargames Manual on my blog(s) as part of a discussion on 54mm garden gaming.
https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2017/06/30/brian-carricks-big-wars-article/
https://poundstoreplasticwarriors.wordpress.com/2017/06/30/brian-carricks-big-wars/
Stuart asked if anyone had a spare copy of this Manual magazine / annual as he could not find his own copy. He wanted to see a copy again but there were no second hand copies around. Not wishing to part with the original (a treasured gift from my Dad), I managed to photocopy it all and send it in a presentation folder to him.
It was my small way of saying thanks for all he had done for simplifying and inspiring my hobby over many years. I was happy to have given him a weekend of comfortable wargames nostalgia.
I was trying not to be a total fanboy but Stuart Asquith – the Stuart Asquith – had read my blogs. He left a comment on them and then I had a few emails from him.
Could I have imagined that as an 1970s 1980s Airfix kid pushing my plastic armies around a felt cloth on the dining room table?
The editor of the wargames bits and books from Military Modelling Magazine, Stuart Asquith was a giant in my Airfix boy eyes, along with Donald Featherstone. More important to me than any 1970s or 80s popstar, TV celebrity or footballer. (No, you’re right, that is a bit total fanboy but still …)
I was delighted and not a little surprised to hear that he was still enthusiastic and active in our wonderful hobby, cropping up on some of his regular gaming partners’ blogs. Hope for us all yet …
I received an appreciative email or two back from Stuart, who was also pleased when I let him know that his 15mm Peter Laing Roman Army and Ancient British Celtic armies were in good hands, mine, and still in use. Painted and used by Stuart, they now take pride of place amongst many treasured objects in my games room, still looking good after many years but awaiting rebasing.
They receive a passing mention of these very troops in his Comfortable Wargaming article in the form of Boadicea in her chariot that Peter Laing had specially made for Stuart, one figure that he had not parted with when he started downsizing his figure collection.
Amidst our email conversations, I mentioned the Wargames Manual’s general unavailability secondhand to John Curry of the History of Wargaming Project, who started talking to Stuart about possibly reprinting the Wargames Manual as part of his long to-do list of reprints. John has already reprinted several Stuart Asquith titles. http://www.wargaming.co/recreation/asquithandwise.htm
Thinking back to my first Osprey book written by him to help paint my Pater Laing ECW armies, Stuart’s 2019 reprinted ECW rules book ought to be on my Christmas list.
Tell it to the Bees …
Like bees, when their bee keepers die, I wonder if you have to break it to the tiny tin and lead men very gently that their painter and former (owner) Commander in Chief is no longer with us, gone to that Valhalla in the skies which is a bit like an eternal weekend of the Wargames Holiday Centre.
There, Stuart Asquith and Donald Featherstone, H.G. Wells and many of the wargames pioneers who are no longer with us are, I hope, having good natured arguments about wargaming in the afterlife and rolling the odd dice together …
Thank you Stuart Asquith, not forgotten, whenever and wherever a simple comfortable wargame is played and enjoyed.
I remain proud to lead his tiny legions and tribes into battle with his blessing as their new Commander.
Blog posted by Asquith fanboy Mark Man of TIN, 4/5 November 2019
B.P.S. Blog Post Script:
The Muffled Drum of the title is common at soldiers’ funerals as in this Victorian poem by Anne S. Bushby, minor poet and Victorian translator of Hans Christian Andersen http://ojs.ub.gu.se/ojs/index.php/njes/article/download/240/237
http://www.blackcatpoems.com/b/the_soldiers_funeral.html
Man of Tin blog 
What a lovely post. I’ll let Stuart’s son Tom know about this – he’ll be delighted.
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Thank you, Henry. Tom has left a lovely message.
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Dear Mark,
Thank you for your lovely words, Stuart was also a hero of mine, but more importantly… he was my father.
Me, my sisters and my mother are all so touched by the kind stories wargamers are sharing on various forums. Dad would have been so surprised and humbled by your kind words.
He will be laid to rest on 18th November 2019 and will be very much missed. Please raise a glass to him.
Kind regards,
Tom.
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Thank you very much Tom, we share a tiny tiny part of your loss. Your father is not only fondly and widely remembered but will not be forgotten. What a gent!
As Tony Kitchen one of the other gamers said, on the 18th we’ll all raise a glass to your father and your family and hopefully a swift read of an Asquith title or get a short game in. No finer, more appropriate tribute!
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Well said, Mark.
Rest In Peace Mr. Stuart Asquith
And Thank You.
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Well said, Doug. Raise a glass and / or get a game in for him on the 18th.
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Sad to hear of another of the ‘Old Guard’ of wargaming passing on his simple philosophy about the hobby will be missed . I’m going to get some shinny toy soldiers out and play a game in his memory.
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No finer tribute, Tony, no finer tribute.
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A very sweet tribute, Mark. I’ve got a copy of his “big battles” 54mm rules that I’ll have to try out round about the 18th…
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A fine scale and have fun with this fitting Big Wars tribute, aducknamedjoe. I wasn’t aware of his Big Wars rules until now.
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A lovely and fitting tribute to Stuart. Thanks for sharing your memories and figures. A giant of the hobby he will be sorely missed.
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As you say, a giant amongst tiny tin men (and some small plastic ones too).
Hope that you get in a game and raise a glass in his honour on the 18th.
We can also drink a toast to him also at the Big Wars that is the Woking weekend.
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A fine tribute indeed.
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It has been really interesting so far reading people’s memories and varied connections with Stuart Asquith.
I curled up this evening with a couple of his books Solo Wargaming Guide and his introductory Mil Mod Guide to Wargaming, looking at the plastic figures featured that I had when I first read these. Esci etc. Like Donald Featherstone, he was no snob about plastic figures, despite the many beautiful metal figures that he had access to in his magazine editorial capacity.
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You know, it has occured to me that I do have his Military Modelling Guide to Wargaming in my possession and must have had it since the 1980s.
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I was surprised when Bob Cordery started listing Asquith book titles just how many books he had written or coauthored, not counting articles and editorials …
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A wonderful tribute. My condolences to his family. I hope that he was fondly remembered by so many is of some comfort.
Regards,
Pete.
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Pete,
We are all so so pleased to read everyones kind kind words on here.
Thank you all so so much.
Tom, Stuart’s son.
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Pete
His family have mentioned on Bob Cordery’s Wargaming Miscellany blog and in a comment on mine that they are very touched and surprised by the many warm tributes and comments about Stuart.
Like you, I hope that these comments are some small comfort in their loss, knowing that many of his gaming friends and loyal readers will raise a glass and hopefully get in a short game in his honour on or around the day of his funeral on the 18th November.
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[…] was suggested, in comments over on Man of Tin, that a way to honor Stuart’s memory would be to play a wargame on or around November 18th, […]
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[…] this year, Man of Tin blog, The Grand Duchy of Stollen and others paid tribute and mourned the passing of a deeply respected […]
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