The title says it all. The Total Wargame Weekend has finally arrived
herein the United States. Many of you are already aware of the Wargaming
Vacations that Peter Guilder hosts at the Enchanted Cottage in England. Any
of you who may have been fortunate enough to attend one of these holidays
already knows what it means to have this available closer to home.
The Wargame Weekend is a truly unique experience. For the first time, in this country there is a place to go for a 'getaway weekend' of just wargaming. When I say wargaming, of course I mean historical miniatures. This is being hosted by none other than Duke Seifried, who is perhaps somewhat of a legend in his own time.
The setting is Duke's beautiful home at Fox Hollow, a wooded country estate in Clinton, Wisconsin. But don't let yourself be fooled, this relaxed atmosphere and very scenic surroundings are the setting for some of many famous, and not so famous, battles to be recreated with you as a participant. The battles will befought all through the weekend on a tapestry of museum quality battlefield terrain. You will command armies of hand crafted miniature figures, many custom made for these scenarios, painted to prize winning standards. The excitement and color of what has been called a 'total wargame experience' is enough to dazzle the eye and stimulate the senses.
The gaming rules themselves have mechanics that are easy to learn combined with tactics that are a challenge to master. in the end it will be your strategy that makes the difference. There is also the comraderie of being among friends who are devoted to and share the same interests. Plenty of time for discussion of the latest advances made in the hobby, or new ideas and opinions over dinner and dessert. There is also much that can be learned of the craft of wargaming. Terrain, figure painting, rules, scenarios, organization and tactics are all valid topics that can and do come up for discussion, to name but a few. Truly, if there is a war college for wargamers, then this may be it.
Duke Seifried has over 20 years' experience in wargaming (how much over 20 years he won't say!) and was among the first to begin gaming with miniatures in this country. He has designed and developed games and rules systems, sculpted and animated miniature figures, created modular terrain pieces for gaming that have the touch of a master modeller and invented painting techniques and styles that have been adoptcl by the hobby at large.
In the industry itself he has also been active in product and packaging design,salesand marketing concepts and innovative approaches that bring our hobby to more people. He has always been active both on the local level with clubs and gamers in his area as well as nationally with conventions. There probably is no one else in this country who is as qualified as Duke is for this type of project.
The weekend starts on Friday evening after about 6:00 p.m. as up to a maximum of 8 guests begin arriving and checking into pre-scheduled nearby motels. A bus is available from O'Hare Airport in Chicago or personalized service can be arranged in advance. Our motel will not become a familiar place this weekend though, as most of our waking hours will be spent at Fox Hollow.
Shortly after 8:00 p.m. on Friday night all guests are brought to Fox Hollow for an introductory session including description of the weekend's games and alignments accompanied by light refreshments. About 9:00 p.m. a professional quality painting seminar is given by Duke followed by demonstrations and discussions of a variety of topics including epoxy sculpturing of figures, soldering to modify or convert miniatures, and construction of scenic terrain features.
By 10:00 p.m. it is time to make final preparations for the battle to be fought on the morrow. Troop dispositions and commands are organized and allocated so that by the time we leave for the motel at 11:00 p.m., 'the game is afoot', so to speak, allowing all commanders involved to sleep on it and ponder the day of decision to come.
Saturday dawns bright and early with all participants being brought to Fox Hollow at 9:00 a.m. to enjoy a continental breakfast as we prepare for battle. By 9:30 a.m. the Main Event is ready to begin. The stage has already been set the evening before with preliminary discussions and advanced planning.
Now it is time to see if we will stand up under fire in a true test of combat with the enemy. Not only are we treated to a great looking battlefield with all of the woods, gullies, rivers, roads and villages looking as realistic as they do from the second story windows in the war room, but the sounds of battle are here too.
Duke has spared no expense to set the scene in an effort to put us on the battlefield and give the feeling that we are really there. The sounds of marching troops and background military music all create an aura in the room that makes it a complete wargaming experience. Our host is also a major part of the feeling. Duke is a game master par excellence. He is able to provide information and briefings about the people in the towns and the history of the area which are all factors that may enter into the scenario. The entire game is an intricate tapestry of rich details woven together to provide an entertaining and challenging game that stimulates our thinking. This is truly the Ultimate Wargame.
The rules are not overly complex or tricky. The game is designed so that the rules fade into the background and do not clutter the history that is being made on the table. It will be a true test of your battle plans and ability to adapt to the situation when you meet the enemy on the field. The unexpected is also a factor and can drastically alter your assessment of the situation at the least opportune times.
As the morning grows into afternoon a pleasant interruption in the form of lunch is served. None too soon, but all are eager to return to the field where things are really starting to happen. More reinforcements are arriving and the enemy's plans are finally being revealed in all their audacity. The reserves stand ready to meet the challenge they may be committed to while both sides' commanders fight on. The action is continuous and the ever present game master is applying pressure to make difficult decisions, to learn from mistakes so far, to observe what you can see of the situation and give it our best shot. The passage of time is hardly noticed, and before long the battle is temporarily halted once again for dinner.
A sumptuous European gourmet dinner is served in the dining room. Careful not to speak too openly of strategems and reserves here lest the enemy benefit by it. But wargaming is an honorable profession and there is no harm in sharing a table with your adversaries. Officers and gentlemen then retire for dessert, coffee and cordials to prepare themselves for the final round.
As the evening goes on the conclusion of the battle comes near. The reserves are now involved. The final push has started. The last men available for the defense have been committed. As the hour grows late a decision is reached and the battle draws to a close. The commanders, all by now suffering from varying degrees of a very enjoyable combat fatigue discuss the events of the day.
The day has been a long one. it is brought to a close with awards for meritorious conduct during the battle, including the exercising of patience and restraint! As you return to your motel it is close to midnight and your mind is filled with visions of the battle just fought and anticipation for what Sunday will bring.
Sunday starts with an early continental breakfast at Fox Hollow. The briefing is held immediately so that the battle may begin as soon as possible. The field today is from a different part of the world and a different era altogether. Perhaps the colorful troops are somewhat unfamiliar at first, but it will not take long to understand them once they are in action. Today's action promises to be briefer than the preceding battle, but no less intense. Plans are made and once again the myriad details of the scenario are expounded by Duke. No time is wasted, and before you know it the armies are deploying. It is exactly the same as yesterday, but completely different too. The excitement, the color, and the involvement are all there.
The battle pauses momentarily for brunch at 1:00 p.m. Soon the action is underway again with things rapidly drawing to conclusion. All too soon, it seems, 4:00 comes and the battle draws to a close. Officers replace the cards, dice and movement sticks of war with some new found friendships and respect for the enemy. The game is discussed and analyzed. Perfect hindsight will soon become the order of the day. The reasons and strategems behind the moves are now made clear to us. But we must let the armchair generals of history take over now as it is almost time to go.
Duke presents all of the participants with a unique commemorative figurine and by 5:00 p.m. Sunday you are on your way home taking a weekend full of memories with you.
If you are relatively new to the hobby this is an ideal learning experience. you will be able to pick up knowledge that it normally takes the average gamer years to discover on his own. Duke is glad to answer questions and give you tips on the best ways to get started. He has been doing that kind of thing for years and is an excellent guide for someone to follow. You will be able to see, right from the start of your involvement in the hobby, what the ultimate wargame can be like. It will give you a wealth of information and ideas as well as a goal to shoot for in your own gaming.
Maybe you have played wargames for a few years now and don't really know what a Wargame Weekend has to offer. Having some background in the hobby already will serve you well indeed when you go. The ideas and information to be gained about every aspect of gaming will perhaps advance your thinking far beyond the gaming you do now.
A good scenario is an art in itself that only comes with practice -- you will learn how it is done. The mechanics of the game should stimulate your thinking on how they might be adapted to the type of games you already play. And of course, you will have a thoroughly enjoyable weekend of gaming.
Finally, we come to the gamer who has been at it a long time. I fall into this category and I have to say that every time I have been to Duke's it has been an education. A good wargamer can pick up ideas from just about anywhere, but there is no better place than here for seeing some really great ideas in action.
If you are still willing to learn, Duke has a few tricks and techniques that you probably haven't seen yet. You will most likely have something to contribute as well, and all will be ready to listen and discuss your ideas. A getaway weekend for just wargaming is also something that you have probably rarely been able to achieve, much less one with someone else doing all of the work involved in making it happen. You owe it to yourself, if you have been involved in the hobby for any length of time, to check this out and see what Duke has to offer. You won't be disappointed.
Presently the Wargame Weekend is featuring FIRE AND SWORD IN THE SUDAN (1883-1885). On the 100th Anniversary, the City of Khartoum, El Obeid, The Mahdi, Gordon, Poor Billy Hicks, well over a thousand Dervishes, hundreds of Fuzzy Wuzzies, Slatin, beleaguered garrisons of Egyptians, British Relief Columns, Native Dhows, Gordon's Steamers, Bazingers all come to life in a feast for the eyes with exciting mass-combat colonial rules.
Also featured at present is the AMERICAN REVOLUTION (1776-1779) with Johnson's Royal Greens, Butler's Rangers and Joseph Brant's Mohawks opening the action supported by a host of Redcoats and Hessians. Patriot Militia, State Regiments and Continental Line defend their homes in a fury of action! Intriguing battle-skirmish rules.
In Wargame Weekends to come the following subjects will be available: Napoleonic (15mm), American Civil War (15mm), Dark Ages Medieval (25mm), Renaissance (15mm), Tolkien Fantasy (25mm), Zulu Colonial (25mm), Northwest Frontier Colonial (25mm), Boer War (25mm), World War II European Theater (15mm), Greek and Persian Wars (25mm) and Punic Wars (15mm).
The Courier Dispatch News of the hobby.
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