SWA – The Wargaming Erratic

Sometimes things come together in the most unexpected way.

No sooner had I read the SWA (Solo Wargamers Article) by Brian Cameron than I stumbled across the Renaissance Troll and his post about Napoleonic imaginations and painting a couple of foot soldiers with those early flashy metal helmets boasting giant “bog brush” combs!

In my last post I mentioned I had rediscovered Donald Featherstones’ Advanced Wargames Section 6 Chapter 14 Franco Prussian scenario.

And I recalled that the first time I found this book I only had Airfix Napoleonics remotely usable. And they were duly rolled out to fight the battles. Interestingly I did have Airfix ACW armies – and I probably used them as well except I never used ACW for “imaginations” warfare.

I also never had it in my head that “imaginations” worked with Napoleonics that well either. For one thing then I was consumed by the actual history – no need for imaginations gaming in that period.

my “Imaginations” gaming came from “Charge or how to play Wargames”.

The last chapter 10 – Tailpiece gives some very sensible advice on avoiding multiple period wargaming – pure madness apparently (oh dear).

It also recommends creating “Mythical Powers” (D&D in 1967!) and their armies so as to avoid arguments about uniform accuracy.

So my “imaginations” gaming has been of the tricorne variety.

Zvezda Peter the Great Russians and Swedes in the background

Back to Renaissance Troll who posted that neat little post about “a new miniatures project”. Yes those 4 simple words can either send a shiver down the spine of you average wargamer or create a frision of excitment that must be assuaged.

Yep its both – the anglo saxons have yielded to the inevitable. They now shiver in some dark corner of my wargaming tardis (yes its that bad here – I had to get some more storage options beyond 3D).

And now in the bright uplands there appear some Napoleonics……

Well yes and no.

“Yes” I did get my game using some 1970’s retro rules (post to follow) using a few Napoleonics and “No!”

my painting table now has Strelets Union infantry on it with some

absolutely ghastly other figures on the worktable – boy do they need work.

oh dear oh dear oh dear……………..

Postscript

Renaissance Troll mentioned they were reading David Chandler. I have kept just two books on Napoleonics.

I can recommend the following books if you can track them down.

A Military History and Atlas of the Napoleonic Wars published by AMS Press Inc. It was originally published in 1964 having been compiled for the Department of Military Art and Engineering, The United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y.

Given I have always liked maps this book or rather atlas is an absolute cracker.

The second has an introduction in my copy by David Chandler. It is an adaption by Anne S K Brown of Henry Lachouques’ “Napoleon et la Garde Imperiale”. It is entitled “The Anatomy of Glory”. It is full of glory and is both gripping and draining. The later years of 1812 to 1814 are just relentless.

Enjoy you “imaginations” gaming whatever form it takes!

it was only one article……..

I have had a spate of journals recently including two fine editions. The first, the Hobilar by the the Lance & Longbow Society. Some excellent reads here. Then there is the Arquebusier, journal of the Pike and Shot Society. Again some wonderful looking articles.

But I stopped myself – I am on an Anglo Saxon spree, yes even my current Pictish figure painting is to provide enemy forces for the Anglo Saxons. 2020 has been a fruitful year for my Anglo Saxons and probably the most concerted period project for years.

The BUT arrives…………

And then I received my “E copy” of Lone Warrior published in the USA by the Solo Wargamers Association.

I had a quick look through that and well here were some more interesting articles – not least Rob Morgans one about chessboards and wargames so to speak.

And for some reason I started to read Brian Cameron’s part 2 article on playing solo battles. It was about horse musket warfare (1750-1850 -ish as he says). Well my end period up to 1725 – Great Northern Wars just allows for my interest in the horse and musket era. So this might be interesting I thought. Just an aside of course.

For some reason Brian’s article led me to thinking about the Franco-Prussian War. And specifically page 146 in Donald Featherstones book Advanced Wargames!

I enjoyed Brians article, which being about his imaginations further stoked my thinking. Suddenly I wanted a similar game.

Oh dear – where does this support my “anglo saxons project”or much delayed “normans in the south” for that matter?

In Advanced Wargames, page 146 introduced me to the Franco Prussian war and I was captivated at the time. This was a history I just did not know about back then (1970’s), although when you think about it, it was about 100 years after the events. I better remember the American War of Independence washing through the hobby with more impact back then. Well I never did get into the period. I did mimic the ideas though, with my Airfix Naploeonics and my first metal figures from Warrior and Tradition. Many have been sold along the way yet I have kept some for nostalgic reasons and now use them in my own imaginations games right next to my tricorne wearing Great Northern War Russians and Swedes.

So what to do?

Well obviously start rereading that chapter in Advanced Wargames. You always have to go with the flow. And anyway some reading like this is like “a change is as good as a rest”.

Worringly I am already perusing some possible kepi’s and stove pipe hats on Plastic Soldier Review.

Ok so the Russians are from 1877 which is hardly 1870, 1859 or 1854 let alone 1848 which was another date I had my eye on. And in the midst of all this muskets are out and rifles are in.

I am not looking for 4KTV realism here (you can drench yourself in it and on wikipedia alone – don’t forget to donate – nothing is ever free thats worth keeping). No, I want to get back to the simple ideas in various wargames books of the 1970’s. I want some 1970’s gaming.

So it looks like I have broken my rule of nothing after 1725 nor starting another wargames project before the anglo saxons are complete.

Oh dear oh dear………….

From small acorns sometimes mighty oaks do grow. Right now that looks unlikely for my Anglo Saxons.