Historical Games, a year in review and a look ahead

[Primarch]

I think I have a copy of the Chain of Command rules somewhere, so I'll take a look over them when I get some free time. I figure I can manage a platoon of grenadiers, russians or GIs without too much trouble. I do like BA's army building system for adding support units to your force as the standard TO&E for platoons didn't always represent the reality on the battlefield after a few days of combat. However, using an accurate platoon as a basis for your force is a good way to keep things honest.

At some point I plan to pick up a copy of Lion Rampant and some Perrys plastics as it does sound interesting. A full on medieval game of HC sounds good as well, but building armies at that size does take a lot of time and effort, so LR might be a good first step in that direction. Similarly Saga looks like a fun way to play Dark Ages without needing to build and paint 300 vikings in one go.

So many options, so little time, money and space.

[Lovejoy]

There are a few inspiring anniversaries this year and excuses to get a historical project on the go. I thought of a couple by accident and uncovered a few more.

1815, June 18th, 200 year anniversary of Waterloo
1415, Oct 25th - 600 years since Agincourt
1485, August 22nd - 530 years since Battle of Bosworth
1015 - Viking Invasion of England by some Cnut (some call him Canute), allegedly begain Summer 1000 years ago
1315 - 700 years ago, Robert the Bruce beseiged Carlisle in summer, a rather dreary city near which I spent most of my formative years. Regretfully he didn't wipe it from the face of the earth. Carlisle Castle is probably the most beseiged city and Castle in the UK.
And VE day, 70 years ago.

[Primarch]

Technically, there are anniversaries every year, though I guess nice round numbers are more aesthetically appealing.
As I said before, I'd like to work towards an actual refight rather than what if style scenarios. Finding an action isn't a problem, but doing a specific game on an important anniversary would be fun. Sadly I don't think any of us have the forces available to do anything justice.

[Lovejoy]

I meant aesthetically pleasing numbers naturally
Yes, gutting that we can't sensibly do Agincourt or Bosworth full scale..but if LR works out, ultra scaled down, celebratory skirmishes for these two could be possible. For Bosworth for example, I think a skirmish focusing on the fate of Richard III in which one player tries to do away with him, whilst he attempts to hold out or escape, could fit the bill in terms of numbers and narrative.

[ashmie]

Now that we have swapped old stories of what everyones forebearers did in the war lets get back to killing each other with toy soldiers. Happy New Year
Cheers Gentlemen. Seriously though much appreciated insights into the real theatre of what went on.

[job]

Actually, I was going to jump in and tell war stories about my Pop Pop, but maybe I am a little late. I'll just say he served in the 8th Air Force, was shot down in 1943, was one of 3 or 4 survivors of his plane, served out the rest of the war in a German POW camp, worked in the post office there smuggling goods sent through the mail, and spent another year in France afterwards as they fattened him up. I guess even though he survived the war and was able to raise a family and have a career, in the end he passed away from intestinal cancer that killed many other survivors from his camp. I suppose now we know it was probably caused by the poor nutrition and bacteria that could infect them.

There are a lot of details that were passed by my Dad and my Grandmother from my Pop Pop. The stories of both my grandmothers and grandfathers really filled out an epic tale of that generation. I guess whenever I play FoW or BA, or read a history of that period, it really makes me reflect on their lives, and how fortunate ours have been.

Anyway, as Ashmie wrote, lets get back to enjoying blasting our plastic soldier away.

As for this year, this is one of the actions I want to recreate:
June 18, 1815 19:30
The Greatest Assemblage of Hats.

[The Other Dave]

OK, this is me officially promising to buy Warlord's 1000-point German army for BA next time I get a couple man to spare - probably my summer bonus, but I might get lucky with a translation gig earlier.

[YellowStreak]

OK, this is me officially promising to buy Warlord's 1000-point German army for BA next time I get a couple man to spare - probably my summer bonus, but I might get lucky with a translation gig earlier.

Excellent!

[YellowStreak]

The way I see it, so long as what I do on the tabletop recreates the actions that took place and not the massacres, so long as it is done in good taste and so long as we don't forget that these were real events, there is no shame or recrimination in having an interest in any period, collecting plastic or metal soldiers or in pushing them around a table, rolling dice and having a good time with friends.

+1

I had a grandad in the Australian Army, a sergeant in a searchlight/AA gun unit on one side and a grandad in the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force on the other...guess it's lucky they never met *during* the war...

[komura]

Thank you for inviting me at historical game in last year. I very enjoyed every occasion
even I lost the game.
In this year I'll continue playing BA at Italy and BP at Austrian.
Both Italy and Austrian will expand little by little.
I interest another period game like ECW or war of the roses. But I don't have
enough knowledge to build own collection.
About Napoleonic 100 day, it's tempting one. To join this, I guess I should prepare
Prussian landwehr. At Warlord website, this plastic model is out of stock.
Do anyone have disused landwehr models?