Miniature worlds that became a big business
WARLORD GAMES CHIEF’S PROFITABLE PASSION
THE wargames industry has allowed millions of people the chance to harmlessly unleash their inner Napoleon or Julius Caesar and attracts new fans every day.
But while not all of us fantasise about using military strategy to conquer all before us, turning a passion into a way of making a living is something most of us do dream about – and that is what John Stallard, founder and chief executive of Warlord Games, has done.
John created Lenton-based historical miniatures company Warlord Games 16 years ago, having had decades of experience in the industry, including as sales director for Games Workshop, best-known for the legendary Warhammer and also based in Lenton.
Having worked in a niche industry that has found global success, John co-authored a book – Talking Miniatures – about his time at Games Workshop, giving unprecedented insight into the rise of one of Nottingham’s most famous businesses.
“Nottingham is subtitled in gaming terms as the lead belt,” said John. “I can think of 12 different companies within a mile founded by people who used to work at Games Workshop and opened up their own model soldier companies.
“I think it’s fair to say that Nottingham and Nottinghamshire are almost the centre of the global fantasy and miniature gaming.”
For staff, sculpting the one-inchtall miniatures is “very labour-intensive work, but great fun”, says John.
But while the business is observing “good growth” and “doing very nicely” at the moment, it has overcome a number of hurdles in recent years.
Most recently, John thought the business might have to close during the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said: “Getting through Covid was terrible. We employed about 95 people and suddenly we thought we might have to close the whole business if the factory couldn’t carry on working. But we found a safe way around it in the end.”
Talking Miniatures is required reading for gaming fans. About six years ago, John and his “partner in crime” Robin Dews, former editor of Games Workshop’s in-house maga zine, White Dwarf, were sitting in John’s garden having tea and thinking of all their experiences in the wargames industry.
Robin, who retired in 2014 and also used to work as a studio manager at Games Workshop, said: “We thought somebody should write this stuff down before we’re too old and decrepit.
“We decided to go out and interview lots of our old work colleagues and friends who worked in the company and were very influential.”
The 492-page book, published last summer, features a series of interviews with designers, sculptors, and artists who have worked for Games Workshop.
The two authors worked for the company for more than 50 years between them, starting in the early 1980s. Through the book, they wanted to capture the “fantastic Nottingham success story” that is Games Workshop, which is now worth £3bn. Robin said: “It grew up in East Midlands, moving from Newark to Eastwood, and then to Lenton Lane. “The conversations we had with everyone then became a series of chapters that we titled Talking Miniatures, telling the story of Games Workshop and Citadel Miniatures in the words of the people who were there at the time. It’s not a big management, topdown view, it’s the bottom-up view by people who are actually doing stuff.” John added: “I think over the years, Games Workshop and Citadel Miniatures have touched the lives of millions of people who have collected and painted and gamed with their miniatures. “These people still feel very connected and warm and positive about that business. But the history hadn’t really been captured in the way we decided we wanted to capture it.
“In some ways, there’s kind of a nostalgia market and we thought a book about Games Workshop as a hobby company, apart from wanting to tell our own stories and the stories of people that we worked with, would be of interest to fans and enthusiasts of Games Workshop.” Talking Miniatures can be purchased from the Warlord Games website, as well as from Amazon, priced £55.