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Re-enacting

A Band of Buddies re-enacting something yesterday

[edit] Introduction

Generally perceived to be a sub-group of Walts, the status of the re-enactment walt should be decided by proximity to the modern day AND the eliteness of the unit being walted upon. Biggest walts at the top, smallest walts at the bottom so to speak. The lower the Walt Rating the better, as this becomes living history and is quite respectable - and actually quite interesting.

Feel free to add your favourite walt category into the scale... and think closely since each walt should be a bigger one than the one below. Example: is your favourite Korean period Royal Marine walt bigger than a Waffen SS walt? Is the Iranian Embassy Siege Airsoft Re-enactment Group's tableau too close for comfort?

[edit] Modern SAS

Give me strength

This is the top end of waltdom and practitioners go to enormous lengths to attain total accuracy. Unfortunately, this only applies to their vehicles - the occupants of which are invariably beardy, overweight mongs who still live with their mothers... probably. Note to SAS walts. Desert DPM came out AFTER the Series III Pinkies were retired.

Walt Rating: *****

[edit] Vietnam

Outrageous walting from the sky. Fearless men who drink and lie. Men who don't mean what they say. The walting mongs of the Green Berets

This is becoming quite popular but still rates below the WW2 bunch on the league table. Invariably they've all read Chickenhawk and all the other Vietnam books and know the script to Beefburger Ridge backwards.

Walt Rating: ****

[edit] World War II

[edit] Axis

Fritz re-enacts guarding Auschwitz Birkenau, mit kleine Furry Crocodile

Predominantly 'German' and invariably Waffen SS, these guys are really off the scale (and planet). Some even dress their kids in HJ uniforms - and then drop them off at school (or rather schüle) in daddy's sturmgeschutz. They say it's 'living history'. Maybe so, but there is a disturbing undercurrent with an unsavoury element.

There are some Japanese re-enactors too, but it is believed to amount to just one sad cnut who needs Hiroshima re-enacting on his pathetic arse.

Walt Rating: *****

[edit] Allies

Explaining the P51 to the bank manager was going to be difficult

The good guys. Again, attention to detail is superb. You won't find GI Joe with a Casio watch. The Americans draw more 'recruits' due to their better kit, but there's a burgeoning interest in the British - predictably the airborne.

Walt Rating: ***

[edit] World War I

C'mon Charlie. Let's spend the weekend in a freezing trench

These guys are pretty much top draw. They probably know more about the British Army of the Great War than the blokes who were actually there. They are highly respected by veterans and their expertise has been used on many TV documentries. They spend a lot of time in France and Belgium doing honour guards for remembrance parades and put some serious milage in doing marches to raise money for charidee. Quality.

Walt Rating: *

[edit] Victorian

I am most amused

You've got to love this lot. Quality non-walting at its finest. They even went to South Africa for a spot of Zulu baiting. Quite right too.

Walt Rating: *

[edit] Napoleonic

Some Chosen Men yesterday

Looking at the kit, it's quite frightening to realise that roughly the same time period had elapsed between Wellington's time and the Great War than has done between the Great War and today. This is NOT ancient history.

Like the Great War lot, this bunch don't just 'dress up', they live the era - right down to smallpox, rickets and workhouses for their errant wives and kids whilst they're off over the hills and far away for the weekend. Nothing walty about that.

Walt Rating: *

[edit] English Civil War

Eat powder Royalist scum

Probably the first re-enactment genre to be... erm... re-enacted. This lot are nothing more than a beardy drinking club who like inflicting harm on each other with big sticks and swords. Heavy on the lifestyle too - like not washing and having no teeth. Mad, the lot of 'em and not 'technically' walts.

Walt Rating: *

[edit] Medieval

When they say they're 'gonna git medieval on yo ass', they actually mean it

Like the Sealed Knot and English Civil War Society crowd, this is just a drinking (or rather wassailing) club for people with an armour fetish. 'Egad, thou iseth a cnut and haft spylled mine pynte!' Crazy, but entertaining and no expense spared on the kit either.

Walt Rating: *

[edit] Romans

I am Biggus Dickus. Stwike him woughly Cwentuwion

Enough said.

Walt Rating: *