I am always surprised by how rich in ideas Donald Featherstone’s original 1962 War Games book proves to be.
Reading through it as I often do, as its my ‘Desert Island Discs’ sort of book, I came across this interesting paragraph on page 46:
On the other hand, a completely mythical campaign is often conducted, using fancifully uniformed troops of imaginary countries and with highly coloured reasons for fighting the war.
It’s what we would now call Imagi-Nations gaming:
This can be fascinating, as ruling houses, petty dukedoms, jealous heirs and dashing princes provide excuses for one state declaring war on another adjacent dukedom, or fir those gaily coloured Hussars to be sent to the distant frontier where they will due gallantly fighting off the hordes of savage tribesmen threatening their country.
This seems almost Game of Thrones stuff!
Whatever the type of campaign, the first essential is a master map … (Page 46)
The only thing Donald Featherstone doesn’t quite describe in War Games is the 1970s rise in science fiction / space / fantasy style gaming. Or does he? Arguably his Ancients rules demonstration game the “Battle of Trimsos” based on Tony Bath’s Hyboria campaign is kind of fantasy wargaming there in embryo also.
Minus the orcs, of course …
This battle was fought in an undefined period of the chequered history of the mythical continent of Hyboria – a vast land mass dreamed up by Tony Bath of Southampton, which contains nations of almost every type of known warrior of our own world from its earliest times.
These countries fight each other on the slightest provocation, make pacts, break pacts, invade, repel and generally carry on much as did our own ancestors in the earliest recorded days of history… (Page 75)
And as Donald says in his opening chapter:
For the player who finds nothing of interest in this list [of wargames periods] there are imaginary campaigns that he may fight without limit. He can form his own imaginary world, with continents and countries each of which will make war on its neighbour on the slightest pretext.
The French find themselves involved in wars with America,the British take on the Russians in period 1900, and great wars take place between countries who, at the actual period in time when the campaign is deemed to be taking place, were the very best of friends in real life!
Therein lies one of the fascinations of war gaming – one can remake history to suit one’s ideas, can alter the complete trend of events by re fighting a major battle such as Waterloo and making the French win it …
Donald Featherstone’s books are always so enthusiastically written with assured knowledge that you will receive genuine pleasure and fulfilment in this solitary or shared hobby:
There is a great deal of satisfaction in making one’s own armies, either in entirety or by conversions …
It’s true what Don Featherstone says. Who could resist such conviction?
Who could resist that ‘Avuncular’ tone of a knowledgeable ‘Uncle’ Donald ?
My copy of War Games is the sold-off ex-library stock hardback copy that I used to borrow and read as a child. Thankfully War Games has been reprinted recently in paperback by John Curry.
I hope you have your own ‘desert island wargames book‘, the one you keep going back to and finding fresh ideas (despite the familiarity) for your own real world or imagi-nations gaming.
War Games is my ‘go (back) to’ book for ideas or just comfort reading. What’s yours?
Happy gaming! Leave comments, explore past blogposts or follow my blog.
More about Imagi-Nations on a previous ‘Tintin’ blogpost:
https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2016/07/18/tintin-and-imagi-nations-games/
And the Brontes got their first …
https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2016/06/12/the-brontes-games-scenarios/
I’m preparing a series of solo skirmish games this winter once I’ve worked out the (confusing) imaginary kingdoms or Bronte 1820s/30s Imagi-nations of Gondal, Gaaldine, Angria and Glass Town, for which a Bronte sketch map exists!
This along with my ‘Generic-an forces’, from my fictional country of Generica, should prove to be an interesting winter’s gaming.
And the Title of the blog post? Imagi – Seven Nation Army?
Check out the fabulous and irresistible sultry ’30s New Orleans sleaze’ / Jazz rendition by singer Haley Reinhart and the U.S. band Postmodern Jukebox of this modern White Stripes number, available on I-Tunes but to view free on YouTube! Just type in Postmodern Jukebox on YouTube and enjoy the many musical styles they play with in their ‘musical time machine’ … Or visit http://postmodernjukebox.com
Happy Listening! Happy Gaming!
Blog posted by Mr MIN, Man of TIN, September 2016.
Man of Tin blog 