Remembering Bryan Ansell & How Citadel Miniatures Began
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 ก.พ. 2024
- Bryan Ansell was a sculptor, artist, games designer, businessman, company founder, and visionary who revolutionised the entire hobby industry. He passed away on December 30th 2023. This is my retrospective on his incredible career, the innovations and developments that he pioneered, and the way that he set the stage for Games Workshop to become a global powerhouse.
After co-founding Citadel Miniatures with Games Workshop owners Steve Jackson and Sir Ian Livingstone Ansell would go on to take over the entire Games Workshop company and completely reimagine how it worked. He commissioned Warhammer, Space Hulk, Blood Bowl, and 40k. It was his obsession with Michael Moorcock that led to Chaos becoming a central feature of every GW game.
Without Bryan Ansell there would be no Warhammer, no Warhammer: 40,000, no Space Marines or Old World or Citadel Miniatures of any kind. He truly changed the world, and this is his story.
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References, Sources, and Links:
[Realm of Chaos 80s: Bryan Ansell's 1st Interview]
realmofchaos80s.blogspot.com/...
[Realm of Chaos 80s: Bryan Ansell's 2nd Interview]
realmofchaos80s.blogspot.com/...
[Realm of Chaos 80s: Tony Ackland Interview]
realmofchaos80s.blogspot.com/...
[Vector Magazine: Freedom in an Owned World]
vectormagazine.co.uk/article....
[Chaosium Statement]
www.chaosium.com/blogvale-bry...
[Warlord Games Statement]
warlord-community.warlordgame...
[The Stuff of Legends]
www.solegends.com/citadel/inde...
[Lost Minis Wiki]
www.miniatures-workshop.com/l...
[Dice Men by Ian Livingstone]
amzn.to/3SHQOlt
[Talking Miniatures by Robin Dews & John Stallard]
amzn.to/4bo4EAY
[Zones of Control: Perspectives on Wargaming]
amzn.to/482X1wT
(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)
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Well said
Warhammer not paying tribute to Ansell illustrates how the bigger an organisation gets the pettier and less legitimate it's leaders become
I’ve always found it odd how he seemed to be vaguely described as a villain because of his business acumen. It’s a delight to see something with a more positive angle.
At the Las Vegas Open this year, there was someone doing a Bryan Ansell cosplay, cutoff tee and mullet.
oh, wow.... cool. :)
Genius rarely comes in neat packages. RIP Bryan.
Thank you for this excellent tribute video Jordan.
And true to character, GW Senior Management, once again, appear to have failed to do the right and proper thing for the company they are paid to manage and so have shamed themselves with their silence, disappointing the Warhammer fans who ultimately are paying their salaries.
Thank you Jordan for taking time to remembering Brian Ansell and creating this tribute to him. I picked up he was unwell from another interview that Robin and John gave about their Talking Miniatures book. Sadly he has tragically left us before you had the opportunity to interview him. My condolences to his family and friends.
A great retrospective for a man that seems to have been a force of nature and to who we all owe a great deal.
I must admit I was genuinely shocked (and a little angry) when GW didn’t even mention his passing… he literally founded Citadel!
Anyway, wonderful work as always Jordan and thank you.
RIP Mr Ansell and thanks for the many hours of hobby time. Legend.
Thank you for the video, Jordan. Great job showcasing a man who has his fingerprints all over what we have today. It's a great shame that GW hasn't publicly honored him after his passing as he is largely their Walt Disney. I'm not sure anyone has had as large an impact on the fantasy genre since Tolkien than Bryan. Cheers, and have a great day. 👍
Dude! You gave me leaky eyes 😢at the end there! Caught me pleasantly by surprise.
A great tribute 😊
RIP Bryan 🌹
RIP Bryan Ansell. A war game legend and visionary.
68 is no age. Very sad.
cant wait to finish my old world chaos army and get a photo like bryan absolute legend
An absolute awesome character and GW wouldn't be where they are today without his drive. It's disgusting that GW haven't recognised his passing. RIP Bryan
Just by chance I found out about Bryan's passing a few weeks ago, probably about early to mid january, by a random post on a facebook group. I was really baffled that this tragic event passed by without much notice. Though I collect and play GW games since the mid 80s, I don't know much if the parting of Bryan with the company involved any bad blood. Be it as it may, not making at least some kind of official message or condolences doesn't really show GW in a positive light.
So I'm glad that you mentioned Bryan's passing here, so that it doesn't go totally unnoticed.
My belated condolences to Bryan's family.
I imagine that video took a bit of making Jordan, but you did an absolutely fantastic job. RIP Bryan, thanks for all the fun.
That was a lovely and very fitting explanation of the impact that Bryan Ansell has had and tribute to him. I found it more touching than I expected, too.
The true vibe setter for the defining Warhammer culture. The avenging lord of chaos, RIP
'Difficult...hard to work for' is what they said about Disney too. Ansell is in good company. Vision is everything for these individuals and having the teams to support that, endorse and pursue those visions is just so important too.
An excellent tribute! The Moorcock influence on what Bryan conceived for Warhammer should never be forgotten &, as you say, reaches far & wide!
Games Workshop needs to recognize this man as a the visionary wizard he was and in many ways still is even now, they should honor his birthday as a special tribute to all the classics he was involved with and make a range of models based from the original designs he helped get started
Great video as always, your contribute is tremendous! I am constantly amazed that most of the history of our beloved hobby was driven by such strong and difficult characters. These were more difficult times and without such personal qualities, Warhammer and Citadel Minuatures would probably not be as great as they are now and in our memories. The photo of Brian with his Chaos army is forever imprinted in my memory after watched one particular issue of White Dwarf, where this photo was present.
A mighty tribute to a very great human being.
Excellent work Jordan. When you started doing interviews with the GW folks, I hoped we could get an interview with the legend. Thank you for this video. Cheers to the Bryan, may he rest in peace.
I'm really, really happy you did this. I entered the hobby at the opposite end of things -f eyes being opened to the world of miniatures by reading a magazine featuring an Assyrian siege made up of Foundry miniatures at a dentists office. I would eventually walk into the world of warhammer, but Ansell was a gateway right off the bat into a wider world of miniatures and historical curiosity about all sorts of cultures and historical periods around the world for me by virtue of having Foundry, and that shaped me a lot. It's a real shame GW hasn't honored him.
That said, I'm highlly amused the despite of all of his forward vision and innovation in the world of miniatures his hair styles are the opposite of timeless - each picture seeming to cement him totally and unashamedly in the world of the 1980's. It's rather amazing - and while amusing, it's not a diss. I feel like that hair actually helps convey a sense of him better than a lot of other tings might.
A fantastic video, mate. Really good to hear about such an influential man.
So sad to see that GW didn't put out an official statement. We all stand on the shoulders of giants and it's quite arrogant of them to not acknowledge that.
A really great episode 👍. I heartily agree with you regarding Bryan’s importance and influence on our hobby. Long may he be remembered.
Thanks for making this Jordan. So much is lost when grew up a casual fan. As an adult now knowing this history behind games I loved but was ultimately clueless about means a lot to me.
o7 Mr. Ansell.
So long, and thanks for all the games.
im glad someone else has done a video on the man the legend
Most iconic mullet in the business
RIP Bryan. So much would not have existed without this man.
I love learning about the history of our hobby so much. 😊 Thank you for walking us through it. It's amazing how much one individual can truly accomplish sometimes.
Very touching and fantastic video. Thank you Jordan and thank you Bryan!
Fantastic insight Jordan. Knew none of this. Loved the reflective. I've wallowed in my war games since the 1970's, unaware much of it was influenced by Ansell (huge Foundry fan, as well as a GW tragic). Thanks mate.
The man, the mullet, the legend
Really good tribute - well done.
That photo from Warhammer Armies still makes me laugh. It did at the time though I don't think it necessarily registered with a 12 year old me that it was actually a picture of the boss!
I'm missing my Orks books and Slaves to Darkness now (my mum threw them out along with my White Dwarf collection when she moved house), Waagh the Orks and Freebooterz were an absolute hoot, great fun. Sounds like Bryan Ansell was maybe a little disappointed with the direction 40K was taken in after that, wonder if he said much more about that at all?
Fantastic episode. Thank you Jordon.
Solid! Rest easy brother!!
A lovely tribute. Thank you
Shame you never got to interview him, I would have been awesome
inspiration, love and dedication = creation...Bryan Ansell the true Pioneer...✨
Great tribute mate! 🙌
Great one man, such an important dude for the hobby scene.
A fitting tribute sir! As you say...thanks Bryan.
Brilliant video Jordan
RIP, thank you for everything sir
I met him at warhammer world, at a thank you day for helping out at games day. Alas, i was young and had no clue who he was. Many regrets and now can't even apologise for my ignorance
Thank you Bryan. Without your Genius, your enthusiasm and your team, my hobby life would be boring. Thanks for all the good times you have given me with my friend and children. Our game today in your honour. Rest easy my friend.
Thank you so much for doing this video. RIP Bryan.
Sitting building Warhammer 40k terrain with a strong feeling of sadness. Well done Jordan on a very poignant and powerful homage to a great leader and visionary
Excellent video Jordan. RIP, Bryan Ansell.
James Workshop himself
Thanks Bryan! Fascinating to hear about all this early GW history, there is so much I never knew about it
On the walls of my master bathroom, I have framed photos of my inspirational figures. And between Neil Gaiman and Clark Ashton Smith is a photo of Bryan Ansell. I wasn't around for his tenure, but I absolutely love the guy; who he was and what he accomplished. He created what we have today. It was my sincere wish to have met him or see him return to modern day GW. Unfortunately, neither of those happened. So in its place, I hope that modern GW will honor and remember him for who he actually was and what he did for them. Bryan, if you can receive messages from this side, many of us will never forget what you did and what an amazing creativity you shared.
Great video, thank you for making it. It helped me understand the early days of "the business" a lot more. Fans hate the business side of things and we just want to have fun with the hobby, but we can't forget that it took a genius businessman to push the growth of a "we are comfortable where we are" market to become what we know and love today.
insanely well done bro
Glad you made this video! Bryan was a true visionary.
Classy as always, Jordan
Bravo.
Brian was a true renaissance man! Sculpt, casting, business, hobby smithing? Let's be more like Brian.
This was very very good, interesting, informative, and entertaining as always, but also very respectfully done.
I have many... many Asgard miniatures... then Citadel and the rest. Long story. Thanks Bryan - an era never replicated by you and those others you promoted to the industry. There wont be another like you, nor the era. 👍🙏
Great tribute Mr Sorcery. He is the greatest rockstar fantasy war gaming has and perhaps ever will. His skill for attracting talented creators is as important as the products and industry he created.
Please do see if you can find Mr Orlygg(?) from Realm of Chaos 80s, I think it would be a great interview. I think he did much good in looking at the origins of "the" hobby and inspired many to dust off their old minis and tomes to find the wonder and imagination they can now appreciate again.
Great job man!
Lovely video. Thank you 🙏
Great video Jordan well done. Shame on GW for not putting anything out about Brian.
Congrats on a brilliant tribute.
Thanks Iain
Best haircut in Valhalla. RIP, ye Mighty Winged Avenger ✊️
Well, last time met him his hair was..... lacking
A fantastic tribute to an absolute legend. Terrific and thorough work as ever!
Great video man
Such a legend. And he'd still be a legend even if his only contribution had been that photo😂
Great video and great tribute to the Great Man.
An excellent summation of Bryan's contribution to the industry. thank You Bryan.
Great video and tribute!
It seems he really had a drive to push this industry to new levels. I am glad yourself and others are documenting the history now of Warhammer and GW so he gets his dues. My awareness of him really was working at GW and beign told he gets sent a copy everything, confirmed more recently by the insta he and Diane had showing finds from the Ansells Attic (hopefully I've worded that correctly so it doesn't delete my comment this time).
Something that stands out hearing about him from others, as I have been around it myself, is that either he had an amazing eye for talent, and/or, was able to develop it in raw new employees - you don't just get lucky in hiring all the early talent GW had - especially mostly from one geographical region. Mostly putting trust in people and giving them a freedom, but still guiding it and keeping them aligned to a goal.
Tbabks so much for this
A moving retrospective of a man we didn't deserve. Great video.
I still have all my Laser Burn books and figures, plus in this game the first mention of the word 'Bolt Gun'... Asgard mini's and laser burn are still available from Alternative armies as they are re-furbing the moulds to bring them all back. Long live the best gamer of all time Mr. Ansell.
Well done, if a bit late.
That said another great video.
Great video thanks
Great tribute, really well done video. I considered writing a tribute to him like I did with Colin Dixon, but thought I wasn't as suited for that due to various reasons.
Oook... I didn't realize all the man did, I though he was just a good business man not knowing a thing about his work on minis and writing. After the video I doawnloaded and quickly read passages of Realm of Chaos Slaves to Darkness and it settled so many things... awesome work there.
Wtf GW? This should be brought up at a public event.
Agree 100% about GW not acknowledging his passing. Very poor show on their side. Great video and a great tribute.
This man is the reason Nottingham became the hub of England’s “lead belt”. What a bizarre world it would be if Warhammer World were in London.
How much easier it would be for myself as a Londoner then I would be in the city and still not go to any of their events because I dislike how they run their business now.
@@user-qi1jc1yn3onot sure if you know what you're saying mate; it is in fact easier for you to avoid them now, should you so choose, since you're a couple hundred kilometers away 😂.
@@jamesv.7041 it’s because I have been mostly a Blood Bowl player since 3rd edition and because of GW not supporting the game I, like many other players, would only be able to play the Jervis Johnson game with the support of 3rd party companies that produced the miniatures that GW will not allow in their own tournament because they didn’t make them I have been disinterested in attending GW events as a consequence, something I am sure will make the company cry themselves to sleep over 😂 thankfully the Blood Bowl community is what kept the game alive before they picked up the game again and made it more like a computer game instead of as playable as it was previously but I am old and remember what it once was when it was playable besides I have so many teams that are better designed than the £35 for six miniatures where the 3rd party team’s are a collection of up to 24 miniatures so I hope you can appreciate my perspective on it; even if they were in London I am unsure if I would visit them, besides the Blood Bowl events they run have uninteresting builds because it is as if they don’t understand the game as they see it as an IP only which is sad.
Nice one. Even when I don't especially care about the subject you're enjoyable to listen to.
Edit lol does that sound like I don't care about a fellow human in Bryan Ansell? I just meant I didn't get the brain tickles waiting to catch this one.
26:40 As horrible as GW has been over the last decade at acknowledging the individuals who have created and continue to create the brand, this has felt exceptionally cold even for them. I genuinely suspect that the suits have deranged concerns that they'd undermine the marketing value of their fictional founder figure James W.
RIME ISLE FROST-GIANT[GEANT DU GIVRE] ADVENTURERS IN NEHWON.WHAT A MUST .
Can you please do a video about the development of the lore of 40k, such as who developed the factions
It’s definitely something I’d like to cover more in the future
Thanks Jordan. A truly befitting video for Bryan's passing. Awesome work mate.
Rip o7
I have some beastmen from Foundry. One has a sculpted human corpse at its feet. I am pretty sure they based that corpse on Brian Ansell. @ me if you can confirm!
26:53 "And I think that's unfortunate, unnecessary and disappointing." Ahhh, I see you've met my bad boyfriend GW ;)
Ok channel man.
Did GW ever acknowledge his passing and contribution?
I'm disgusted that GW haven't made any statements or acknowledged his accomplishments in leading the way for their company as they are now.
GW run by pathetic men in grey suits. Great video and a well earned sub :)
Christ Jordan. I was fine with all of this until the bit about taking a moment to salute the legendary general and now I’m a fuckin’ mess
Warcraft (Blizzard) owes him a lot as well. Warhammer > Warcraft.
Typical GW disrespect