The Warlords was still at the smaller Barry Road Club Hall.

Salute was, of course at Kensington town hall and starting it's second decade there.

Practical Wargamer (a magazine I used to write a column for and which has long since ceased production [and not before time…]) was still up for the occasional non-historical article and, in consequence, Stingray the wargame was born.

Stingray is, of course, based on the Gerry Anderson show of the same name. Purportedly a kids show (huh - what did they know…), Stingray features the eponymous submarine fighting undersea menaces or humanity on behalf of the WASPs - the World Aquanaught Security Patrol.

Jim Wallman (then a club member), with input from Pete Merritt and myself, adapted a set of Mig and Phantom jet fighter rules to re-create the feel of underwater bizarreness typified by the TV show.

I painted the models (most of which I can still find) and built some scenery.

This part of the site reflects the fact that I have a renewed interest in the subject - I recently purchased the series on DVD and found the hats that my mother had made for the Stingray crews to wear. Plus, a couple of years ago, some toys were released after the last - seemingly cyclical - re-interest from the public. In consequence you can still buy Stingray and Terror fish toys by Matchbox, ready painted at boot fairs, though getting them new is becoming slightly problematic. Along with these are an assortment of other items, including a Marineville model which makes a nice prop (and my six year old nephew has a Stingray uniform, but that's another story - if only it had fitted me…).

Stand by for Battlestations!

John Treadaway
2003