4D modelshop: What a treasure trove this is! Packed full of the kind of stuff that any self-respecting wargamer or modelmaker will want, 4D back up their tremendous catalogue with a first-class mail order service. Not only were my goods delivered swiftly, but they rang me while packing to check I’d be happy with the specs of part of my order, and when the stuff arrived, I was delighted to see they’d used environmentally-friendly packaging. It’s much easierr to recycle shredded paper and brown paper than bubble wrap and those stupid polystyrene bobbles. Highly recommended.

Quindia Studios: Staggeringly beautiful would seem to be an over-the-top comment to make about any website, but I’m afraid that I’m going to allow myself an excess of praise here. I’ve been sneakily paying visits to Clarence Harrison’s site for some months now, and each time I find something truly inspiring. Clean, elegant, enigmatic: I love the understatement, the precision and of course the fabulous content, with gorgeous photos and some of the best ‘how-to’ articles I’ve seen anywhere, period. Absolutely top drawer.

Duchy of Alzheim: Greg Horne’s magnificent blog, featuring his 18th century armies and a lot more besides. A really informative and entertaining twist on the hobby website, it shows just what can be achieved with a simple ‘journal’ accompanied by high quality photos, a sense of style and a fine wit. Well done Greg, keep it up!

League of Augsburg: good grief. I’ve seen some talent recently, and this site takes the biscuit. If you want inspiration for painting, modelmaking and collecting armies, you’ll find bucketloads of it here. And alongside the fabulous photos, you’ll find loads of interesting articles and a lively forum, Fighting Talk. Brilliant.

The Breitenfeld Blog:
Phil Olley is a man who really knows how to put together a project and follow it through. This blog is building into an impressive place to hang out if you’re a fan of all things 17th century, and fully deserving of our Award for Excellence. Not forgetting…

Classic Wargaming:
another classy entry from Phil Olley, this time giving his own slant on Old School and so-called ‘imagi-nations’ (one of the ghastliest terms invented, in my opinion, in recent years). This plays second fiddle to his Breitenfeld Blog, but there’s plenty here to savour, particularly if you’re a fan of Charge! by Peter Young.

Old School Wargaming:
a discussion group of dedicated fans of the Grant, Featherstone, Hughes era when the spirit of the game was the thing. You’ll be hearing more about these folk… For a couple of years, this group was a force to be reckoned with and their influence can still be felt in the revival of certain types of convivial wargaming.

Der Alte Fritz Journal:
American Jim Purky has an astonishing collection of Seven Years War and Napoleonic miniatures and has the energy not only to paint and base vast numbers of them, but also to maintain a regular blog of his activities. And you thought you could paint quickly…

Campaigns in Germania:
friend and wargaming pard to Jim Purky, the learned Bill Protz is a deeply knowledgeable aficionado of the Seven Years War and a rules writer too. But it’s his infectious enthusiasm and delightful, gentlemanly approach which wins him this accolade. And then…

Campaigns of General William Augustus Pettygree:
by far the most original wargaming blog I’ve ever seen, this one’s a real triumph, showing Bill’s superb imagination and sheer playfulness, rendered in a kind of stop-frame ‘Cinemascope’. These ongoing adventures of the British in a North-West Frontier setting are followed avidly by many wargamers — and rightly so. Simply superb.