Last summer's blockbuster movie was Toy Story 3. The result was a toy invasion the like of which has never been seen before. According to Panjiva shipments of Toy Story 'stuff' to the US were 4 times greater than their nearest rival. The 'toy story' was similar all over Europe...
This summer WiP (Walkerloo information & Propaganda) present a film by myTHself and Laura Camera Wife telling just a small piece of that toy story... .. Walkerloo Toy Soldier Story. Coming soon.
As of May, a new 1:35 Walkerloo Print-fantry regiment is ready for download and DIY manufacture at WargameVault. Painted after the 1st Silesian Landwehr who were in action against Napoleons Guard Infantry at Plancenoit at Waterloo. Although I'm not yet selling 1:20 scale Prussians I may send out A4 pdf's for DIY construction to personal e-mail requests so you can add them to your battles.
Last weekend Walkerloo went on campaign. We tore through France and across the Alps into Italy to array our forces before the public in a hill town called Cherasco. In 1796 commanding his first army Napoleon fought a series of battles forcing the signing of an armistice on the Sardinian/Piedmontese Army in Cherasco whilst pushing the Austrian army further east.
As well as Walkerloo the town invited over 500 historic reenactors who bivouacked about the town and waged a spectacular pretend battle through the streets for several hours - the last time I came so close to horseman charging across pavements was outside 10 Downing Street on the Criminal Justice Bill march of 1994!
My real pretend war is different from the reenactors pretend real war but we do share an intention of promoting history though the creation of an entertaining spectacle and I think we all hope to achieve some meaning by the spectacles creation.
I deployed several hundred toys soldiers in the Piedmont region and estimate to have enabled a further 50 'you-walkerloo' photo conscripts in photo albums etc.
Campaign Tactics. For over a year we have been hosting 'couch surfers' at our home base in Normandy. Our Italian Campaign was the first time we became 'hosted' couch-surfers the experience was fascinating, warm and rewarding. In each of our host's homes I left behind a small garrison of toy soldiers. I also know there are already several 'Full Walkerloo's' with collectors in Italy - Grazie per tutto - the real pretend war begins in Italy!
Walkerloo friend and ally Artiste-Ouvrier has recently had a book published on his paintings. For the past two years he has taken the battle of Walkerloo to the streets, to the art galleries and now les libraries du France, Amazon and the world! You can buy the book here, on amazon.fr, it's a little gem. Since my declaration of war we have been working ever closer in the fight with the mega corp toys.
A large toy soldier force is newly deployed in the Halifax Citadel. It gives Walkerloo a vital strong point on the North Eastern Coast of the Americas. The Fort over looks and protects the port town and is known as the 'Warden Of the North'. With Black Watch Infantry, French 5th Lancers and RHA 9lbers it has aggressive capability. Although perspective can distort the scale of things over long distances this picture has some accuracy.
Walkerloo deployment to TreeFrog Treasures in Minnesota is on hold although a forum presence is being quietly maintained, I think of it as a Midwest consulate.
A small Walkerloo force has also been sent to the Musée Militiare du Périgord in the Dordogne.
The war against the Mega Corp toys continues. Intelligence photos below show a battle which was fought between Walkerloo Toy Soldiers and StarWars Lego around a little boys bedroom in the North of England. No further information is so far available.
An historic battle was fought this weekend in Caen, Normandy. A great strategic victory for Walkerloo Toy Soldiers was the result. A total of 10 cornflakes boxes were captured, but not regular cornflakes boxes, they were 'carrefour' cornflake boxes. 'Carrefour' meaning 'crossroads' in French gives the victory even greater strategic importance. The epic event was captured on film, details will follow.
The phoney pretend war is well under way, the real pretend action is not far behind. I present this short film by myTHself: Christopher Director, Christopher Editor, Christopher Actor etc. for WIP (Walkerloo Information and Propaganda). Witness how much action and fun my armies can inspire even in training - and thanks to my wife for putting up with my front of camera direction.
I liked the toy story movies - right through to number three... But a good movie is no excuse for the continents of plastic pap the films characters were attached to - they are licensed to overkill. Ever since StarWars the bond between movies and the manufacture of 'toy' merchandise has been thickening, now it is one leviathanic beast writhing and gorging through popular culture. It has vanished the manufacture of it's suffocating spume to far off slave factories, we profit from it's mass retail and consume it like a poor religion.
My army of ethically constructed paper soldiers are a spear head that I thrust deep into the belly of this beast. History is the copyright-free romantic narrative, and through its exploration and interpretation we gain self knowledge!
I understand with the spread of industry there comes the promise of the spread of wealth. And we must be maintained. My Walkerloo die cut card army is not yet independent. Napoleon showed the best way to maintain a massive army is in the field - but mostly in the fields of your allies and enemies. My army would also benefit from wider deployment in the fields of allies and enemies. Become my ally! or even become my enemy... buy my toy soldiers or make them up your self for free but play battle with them!!
I have begun painting re-enforcements. The battle of Walkerloo is spreading to new genres. Painting takes time, in buying my army you help doubly in the cause - I am freed from painting houses to make more pictures and the army is deployed to new theatres and areas of fun play operation!
The provider for myTHself is currently Christopher Worker. He's a skilled and reliable house and office decorator - He can paint in the regular 'modernist' style and work with you on subtle colour selection. For the inspired client he's also happy to 'mural-ify'... believing abstract expressionism to be wasted in bank foyers and public galleries Christopher Worker enjoys exploring the decorative and complex effects of 'action painting' in homes. Ornament isn't a crime says Christopher Worker, its a more interesting proposition than painting a wall white.
For too long the imagination of children has been held captive by the calculating naratives of Film and TV. We must smash the links between the corporate dream factories in the West and the slave driving plastic toy factories in the East. Using history as inspiration I throw myself into the romantic conflict to set imagination free! WIP. WalkerlooInformation&Propaganda.2010.
