The War-Game Library

Volumes 5-7

Reviewed by Jim Arnold

Volumes 5-7 from Bill Leeson's The War-Game Library are in print and are soon to be distributed by THE COURIER. Number 5, "1872 Rules for the Conduct of the War-Game", is an English translation of the Prussian Kriegsspiel. The Kriegsspiel served to train Prussian officers in the art of war. Thus this volume has some historical interest, particularly with the resurgence of interest in the European wars of the 1860s and 1870s. Such data as field artillery trotting at 600 paces per move while it walks at only 200 can be grafted onto any set of wargame rules. This volume is chock full of such detail. In addition, the wargamer may find the method used by Prussian wargamejudgesto beof interest. For example, if a judge is faced with the decision "whether guns can move up into action in the presence of infantry firing at 300 paces", the rules explain how to determine the answer. A bonus: should a rules lawyer argue, he will have to answer to the precise professionalism of the Prussian General Staff!

Volumes 6 and 7 may have a more limited appeal (although they actually were more interesting to me). Both are texts relating to "British Minor Expeditions". Six is Copenhagen 1807 and Bergen-Op-Zoom 1813-1814. Seven is devoted tothe ill-fated Walcheren Expedition. For the enterprising reader, there is enough information and adequate maps to design some entertaining, and different, campaigns. Another volume is devoted to the remarkable British campaign against the Spanish in South America. Here also is the stuft for an exotic campaign.

I've left the best for last and am almost reluctant to mention it in public. I'm convinced that if I keep it to myself I will have the neatest campaigns of anyone I know. Alas, I must do my duty and tell you War-Game Library Maps Issue 3 is a gem. intended as the campaign field for the Kriegsspiel and published in 1825, these maps readily lend themselves to virtually any period from ancients to moderns. The two master maps have 12 grid squares about half a mile square. These show all important terrain features and should serve as the campaign map. Individual maps provide a detail map for each of the grids. Here is the terrain for the table top, complete with ditches, treelines, walls, etc. To my mind what these maps solve is the troublesorn~e problem of relating the tabletop terrain to campaign map terrain. No longer do I have to use "Arnold's Random Terrain Generator". These maps take care of it. While the graphics are not great, I'm impressed. This week the Russo-Prussian Army advances through the 'Wilclunger Forest' in B1 probing for the French somewhere around 'Kipgringen' in C3. Thanks to Mr. Leeson a splendid game is anticipated.

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