Continuing on from Wargaming Tomes Collection: Part Two here’s a look at the remaining parts of my classic wargaming books from the 1960’s through to 1990, including some classic book series such as the WRG Armies & Enemies and Tank Battles in Miniature by Don Featherstone & Bruce Quarrie; and some new publications of old material and authors from the classic era by John Curry and his History of Wargaming Project.
Continue reading “Wargaming Tomes Collection: Part Three”Tag: Classic Wargaming
An Interview with Charles Wesencraft
A wargamer and author from that classic era of wargaming who perhaps has not always been recognised as much as the more well known ones (i.e. Donald Featherstone, Charles Grant, Tony Bath, Brigadier Peter Young, Terry Wise and then later George Gush, Stuart Asquith, etc) is Charlie Wesencraft. While many will know him and he probably is better known than Joseph Morschauser and David Nash (see my Wargaming Tomes Collection: Part One post) I for one did not see his books early on in my wargaming career (possibly due to being in New Zealand – although other local gamers here have said they saw them in libraries and such in the 1980’s or very late ’70s). I was interested to recently read an interview with Charlie Wesencraft that reinforces my view that he seems to have contributed more than just his 2 books in the early 1970’s to the classic wargaming era.
Continue reading “An Interview with Charles Wesencraft”Wargaming Tomes Collection: Part Two
One of the amazing things about vintage wargaming books, especially from the classic era (for want of a better term) of the 1960’s through until the early 1980’s, is how they still inspire today (at least in my mind) and in many cases the originality of ideas. As time goes by I have continued to collect more and more of these, and to ‘back fill’ my collection that started in the 1970’s and 1980’s, so continuing on from Part One here’s a look at more of my classic wargaming books from the 1960’s through to 1990, including some of the more obscure book series such Knight’s Battles for Wargamers, Concise Campaigns, Bellona Battles for Wargamers and Background Books for Wargamers and Modellers.
Continue reading “Wargaming Tomes Collection: Part Two”Wargaming Tomes Collection: Part One
I recently moved house (well actually about 10 months ago – but it was inter-city to be fair), and I am only finally getting around to properly starting to unpack and sort my wargaming books, figures and terrain, and my somewhat extensive library of history books. Initially, on the book side, I’m focussing on my wargaming related titles and rulesets as these have the most immediate potential use; and as I have a particular fondness for old classic wargaming books (you know the ones by Donald Featherstone and Charles Grant and the others of their generation) I have quite a few of these; and thought I might post a few lists of titles to jog people’s memories and nostalgia…
Continue reading “Wargaming Tomes Collection: Part One”Miniature Wargaming: The Movie
A new project in the hobby that is underway is Miniature Wargaming The Movie looking to “explore the fascinating world of miniature wargaming; a hobby enjoyed by millions of people across the globe”. This will include “exclusive interviews & stories from industry leaders such as Rick Priestley, Alan & Michael Perry, John Stallard, Paul Sawyer and many more.” Furthermore several key wargaming industry businesses are getting behind this, including Warlord Games, Perry Miniatures, 4Ground, Wargames illustrated, Hawk Games, and more… Continue reading “Miniature Wargaming: The Movie”
Classic Wargamer’s Journal: Vol. I Issue 4
About four weeks ago the latest edition of the Classic Wargamer’s Journal arrived, promptly and quickly after dispatch as usual. There are articles, feedback, and AARs (After Action Reports) covering the WSS, F&IW, SYW, Franco-Prussian War, Colonial Darkest Africa, and World War II. Daryl Haselton continues his series on wargaming the Indian Mutiny in 45mm, and Peter Verduyn concludes his on a Tony Bath “Hyboria” style imagi-nation campaign. Other contributions cover the Wild West in 54mm, and a get together (care of CWJ) of a couple of OSWs (Old School Wargamers) in London.
Also included is more excellent discussion on the character of commanders, and of Charlie Wesencraft – an often overlooked contemporary of Charles Grant, Donald Featherstone, et al – as well as playing ‘floor wars’ (ala H.G. Wells & Robert Louis-Stevenson) with 42mm figures; and an interview with UK wargaming stalwart John Ray. And the issue concludes of course with the Tales of the Golden Head (a Colonial Skirmish ‘comic book’ style serial) and Conrad Kinch’s take on wargaming. As with Issue 3 there’s a pull out sheet with diagrams and instructions, this time for making a “Cardboard Flatpack Bomber” for those impromptu beer ‘n’ pretzels WW2 air wargames (and Issue 4 includes an AAR report of one such game using them)!
Continue reading “Classic Wargamer’s Journal: Vol. I Issue 4”
A Bit Of WW2 Wargaming & Some Nostalgia
A friend of mine recently sent me some pics of some of his WW2 Wargaming terrain – we used to wargame together in the 1980’s and early 1990’s and his stuff has been mainly in storage for the last 15 years – but he’s been cracking it out recently as well as starting to work on some new pieces.
Table Top Teaser Anyone?
One of my enduring memories of wargaming as a teenager was getting my copy of Military Modelling and looking to see if there was a new “Table Top Teaser” by C. S. Grant (Charles Stewart Grant, the son of the author of “Battle – Practical Wargaming” and the single most inspiring wargaming book ever “The War Game”; Charles Grant); these ‘Teasers’ were a highlight of each issue (when present), and I used to imagine all sorts of ways to play them with the limited troops and resources I had at the time. It was especially trying waiting for the following issue with Part 2 of each Teaser, where the scenario was played out and an After Action Report (AAR) provided! While they only appeared over the five-year period 1978-1982 (there were 17 in total) they seemed to go on forever and always provided inspiration and a catalyst for ideas for future games. I had always planned to drag my old Military Modelling and Battle magazines out and scan these all into PDF or similar electronic format for my personal use, so I could more easily go through them when looking for inspiration or planning a new game.
Classic Wargamer’s Journal: Vol. I Issue 3
Once again it arrived promptly and quickly, and the Classic Wargamer’s Journal is a refreshing read, bringing back a simplicity and fun element of a bygone era. This issue includes a reprint of a Tony Bath Mini-Ancient Campaign & Battle (the forerunner of his famous Hyboria), from the WGD, Book II, Volume 1 dated March 1958. There are several succinct AARs (After Action Reports) of games utilising scenarios from the 3 previous CWJ issues; several discussions of of old-school style gaming and/or imagi-nation projects (The Great Northern War in 40mm Prinz August’s, Indian Mutiny with 45mm Deutsche Homage’s, 1890’s Germany & Russia in the Baltic with 28mm Hinterland’s); and a particularly unusual and relatively extensive (for the CWJ) AAR of a Napoleonic game. Ray Caddy concludes his very interesting 2-part series on the Catalan War of 1713-1714; and there is an especially excellent F&IW (French & Indian War) piece with Scenario & AAR and inspired by Charles Wesencraft’s “Practical Wargaming” (a contemporary of, and under-appreciated author equal to, Grant, Featherstone, Young, Bath, Wise, and co…).
Continue reading “Classic Wargamer’s Journal: Vol. I Issue 3”
Charles Grant’s ‘Battle’ Meccano Magazine Series
Charles Grant’s “Battle – Practical Wargaming” is one of the classics of the old school who were the original ‘modern-era’ wargaming generation – but what a lot of people don’t realise is that it was actually first published as a serialised account in Meccano Magazine, in 32 parts over 3 years from Mid-1968 until December 1970, with the more well known book version being printed in late 1970 while the magazine series was still being published. The Magazine series offers a chance to get “Battle” with extras, as it featured several parts that aren’t featured in the book, the latter only cover Parts I-XXVI (the Magazine series culminates in Part XXXII, the finale of a 1/32nd scale Wargame in the backyard)! In fact it was these Meccano articles (in my Father’s magazines) that were how I first discovered Charles Grant’s “Battle” in the mid-1970’s, long before I even knew there was book version! This was one of my very first classic wargaming publications that hooked me on the hobby as an early-teen.
Just recently I discovered that Meccano Magazine has put virtually their entire catalogue (dating back to September 1916) on line and it is possible to download individual pages from every issue…
Continue reading “Charles Grant’s ‘Battle’ Meccano Magazine Series”Classic Wargamer’s Journal: Vol. I Issue 2
It arrived here in the Antipodes just 4 days after posting in the UK, and once again the Classic Wargamer’s Journal is a refreshing read, bringing back memories of those glorious days in the 60’s & 70’s when names like Don Featherstone, Charles Grant, Brig. Peter Young, Terry Wise, Paddy Griffiths, and others inspired the masses of Baby Boomer & Generation X budding wargamers! I find I particularly enjoy CWJ simply for its style and format, which brings back many memories of my wargaming childhood, and also many of the articles which relate or allude to those classic publications by the personages above during that time.
Issue 2 of Volume 1 includes a brief letter from Don Featherstone, still getting along at 93, albeit sans all his wargaming armies that have long since gone to new homes. He’s certainly been an inspirational chap and as I commented on Phil Olley’s Blog, must surely just about be the last of those assorted venerable gentlemen I alluded to above that is still with us…
Continue reading “Classic Wargamer’s Journal: Vol. I Issue 2”
Classic Wargamer’s Journal: Vol. I Issue 1
Following on from the Pilot Issue (The Classic Wargamer’s Journal: First Impressions) the first regular issue of CWJ is here – and continues on in the vein of the pilot issue. A poignant point by the editor, Phil Olley, is the modern ‘habit’ of talking about playing ‘rules’ (e.g. we say we are off to play Flames of War, not World War II, or do you want to play FoG instead of Ancients), and this embeds a subconscious mindset of playing ‘rules’ rather than ‘periods’ – perhaps a sign of the commercialisation of the hobby?
This issue’s Game Reports & Scenarios include Battles in the Blast Valley: The action at Spurlash Down; Part 2 of the Fireraisers Scenario & Report (from the pilot issue); and Advanced Guard – A Refight of a Charles S. Grant Table-Top Teaser from “Battle for Wargamers” Magazine (from June & July 1978).
Continue reading “Classic Wargamer’s Journal: Vol. I Issue 1”