"BATTLEFIELDS" - A scenario Magazine for Wargamers from Partizan Press. Vol 1. #2 Sep 95 reviewed by Kenn Hart.

The first information I received on Battlefields was the review on the Preview Edition done by David Barnes and published in Lone Warrior 112. Stirred my interest and then I was sent a copy of #1 by a member and I was really impressed. So much so that I got in touch with Ben Wilkins, the Editor, and told him how much I had enjoyed the publication (editors' do like to get this sort of feedback). I then received #2 and have read it through about two or three times, thinking I wish we could afford to produce Lone Warrior to this excellent standard.

There is not one photograph of model soldiers in the magazine, but a wealth of illustrations (line drawings, photographs of battle scenes and main participants) which give the correct flavour to each and all of the articles. This is a multi-player magazine but with considerable interest for the solo wargamer and is highly recommended.

Reviews by David Barnes

"The Age of Napoleon" is a magazine actually, and has reached the 19th issue. It's published by Partizan Press at 2.50 pounds. For that one gets 40 pages crammed with interesting articles and features. The first is "Back in the Saddle" by the legendary Dr. David Chandler MA(Oxon), D.Litt, F.R.Hist.S. If anyone hasn't heard of him - where have you been? Here's a run down of the other articles to give you a flavour.

"Wurtemberg Cavalry Standards 1798-l815", good diagrams b/w.
"The French Invasion of Portugal" - a 3-part series by John Grehan subtitled "Wellinglon's Plans for the defence of Portugal".
"How was it for You?', one of a series on what wargamers and re-enactors are trying to recreate. Ian Castle looks at The Museum Village of Niedersulz on thc Marchfeld (Austria).
"The Battle of Teugen-Hausen 19th April 1809" by Grant Elliot - one of the "Terribly Obscure Battles" series. Good maps by Derek Stone - some battlefield photos by Ian Castle and wargame photos by the author.
"Personalitics Of the Wars - General Marceau" by Oliver Schmidt of Heidelburg - Marceau was French Revolutionary General.
"Fields of Glory - the inside story" an interview with Peter Hofschroer about Microprose's computer game "F.O.G.".
"Famous Regiments of the Age of Napoleon - 8th French Hussars 1793-l814" by Cyril Klimczak.
"The Dusty Archive" by Paul Chamberlain. This time the Captain Durant Collection, 145 paintings held by the Hampshire Museum Service done by Durant as a member of the 2nd West Riding Militia between 1800-1815. Also a visit to Elizabeth Castle, Isle of Jersey, lots to see and very good cafeteria!
"Book Reviews"
"Wagram - the 185th Anniversary Re-enactment" by Ian Castle.

AoN is one of a kaleidoscope of military magazines produced by Partizan Press 816-818, London Road, Leigh-On-Sea, Essex, SS9 3NH. Tel/Fax 01702-73986. Back numbers available.

"Civil War Stories" by Ambrose Bierce published in Dover Thrift Editions 95p paperback. 16 unabridged stories from Bierce's, "Collected Works" Vol l & ll first published in 1909 by the Neale Publishing Co, New York, ISBN 0486 280381 (pbk)). Bierce enlisted in the 9th Indiana Volunteers, after a year in the Military Academy in 1861. He took part in some of the bloodiest ACW battles including Chickamagua where 34,000 men died. After the war he began contributing to various periodicals. His writing always showing a sour humour. From 1872-76 he lived in England and wrote for long disappeared magazines. In 1913 he went to Mexico to interview Pancho Villa, the revolutionary leader. As Bierce was very unhappy, divorced and both his sons dead, one from drink, the other in a fight over a girl, he didn't worry. Bierce disappeared in 1914 in Mexico and was never seen again. His stories are gripping and at 95p surprisingly cheap (I got mine from the local library).

Pallas Armata Newsletter. The publications listed in the crammed 10 pages of A4, are photocopied A5 booklets of rare military histories and period memoirs for the members of wargaming societies. For details send a stamped and addressed envelope (SAE), 2 IRCs for Europe and 3 IRCs for further afield, from Gareth Simon, 98 Priory Rd, Tonbridge, Kent, TN9 2BP. There is a bewildering list of titles covering all and ever subject, so if you are interested in widening your wargaming horizons a SAE would be well invested in getting Gareth's lists.

The Road to Osaka - set of Samurai Skirmish rules 1100-1620 from Daisho Publications and available from 2 Dragons Productions (brought to your attention by Kenn Hart)

A most impressive publication but I have not yet had the time to play with them and so cannot comment on the rules content. The booklet is A4 in size and are 32 pages long of which 5 pages are excellent black and white drawings by Mark Stacey of samurai warriors. A further 4 pages show in coloured graphics the turning circles of mounted samurai at the Trot, Canter and Gallop; no turning on a dime (was going to say sixpence but that would give my age away!) here. A page shows the command structure from the Samurai Lord down to the lowly ashigaru bowman, and it appears players must adhere strictly to this chain of command, but more of that later.

The Quick Play Sheet is laminated and is therefore probably "wagamer proof" and on one side contains the information you would expect and on the other is the command structure. Tim Hallam informs me that there are scenario booklets in the pipeline and both Martin Jones and himself are very keen to get feedback from wargamers who try out these rules. The refreshing thing I found when reading through the rules was the fact that the authors have taken the unprecedented step of explaining the reasoning behind the individual rules, so a newcomer to the hobby could understand the wargames structure. I would have liked to see a sample Record Chart included but these will be published later, possibly laminated to coincide with the scenario booklets I am informed.

Practical Wargamer Jan/Feb 96 by David Barnes. A Nexus publication at 2.40 pounds. An "American Wars Special issue" - (but lots of other periods too). A full rules set comes with it "Red Indian Uprising". Where did I put my Spencer Smith aboriginal Americans now?? This is the only "unglossie" I subscribe to nowadays and it takes some beating. There's a 1920's Chicago Gangster scenario, "1860 Battle of Volturno" - (last issue had the first part of this - Italia! Italia!!), "Fort Sumpter 1861" - history and model - "How to model period fencing". With the Feel Good Factor coming back - NOT! Do-it yourself in the buildings etc. Line can be very useful. Worth a good deal more than the cover price if you can really use this magazine.

"The Campaign of Garibaldi" by Capt C.S. Forbes RN (found 2nd hand). Awarded as a prize by Patrick Free Church School, June 21st 1866 [Congratulations David!] The recipient only cut the pages of the first chapter. It's about Garibaldi's campaign in The Two Sicilies with maps of the battles - including Volturno! Keep your eyes open, you never know what you'll find.

"The Age Of Napoleon Army Guides" No 1 "The French Imperial Guard" (No18 - UK 4.99 pounds, USA $12.00. France 50FF). Alain Juppe could do with this lot about now if the "unrest" gets any worse in not so gay Paris! Partizan Press Publication. For the money you get 60pp of facts and pictures - lots in colour - of this elite body. Richard Partridge has pulled together some good information for would be "Grognards". Some items:- Organisation and Composition, The Imperial Guard at War; Uniforms and equipment etc... Young, Middle, Old Guard, Marines, Artillery, Sapeurs, Marmlukes, Garde D'Honneur, even Lithuanian Tartars. Where the illustrations are not by Knotel and traditional prints there are lively evocations of various troops by Ian Storer.

MacDonald of the 42nd by Donald Featherstone. Re-read by Kenn Hart. I stumbled over this book when searching for something completely different in what I jokingly call my "library". Having not read it for some years, having bought it when it first came out in 1972 (this was my "anything that Don wrote I immediately bought" period) at the outrageous price of 30p, decided to have a delve into the Crimea. For those not into this period and I am one of them, I can recommend this book for the realism of war that Don brings to the reader. For those who write rules this should be compulsory reading, especially the details of the Battle of Alma where the British Infantry did lay down on the open slope under Russian artillery fire and the description of the general advance brings more than a few wargaming points to the fore. Any wargamer will benefit from reading this book irrespective of his/her particular period. It seems Hector MacDonald and his comrades had similar high level of logistic support that appears to have been the lot of the SAS in the Gulf War, if you believe what you read and see on the TV. A wargamers grading of commanders could be seriously effected having read this book. ISBN 450-01242-5, I believe and highly recommended.