The wargame was entering its third hour and the fight for the Waterloo farmhouse was entering a critical phase. To support the three regiments of French Line infantry attacking astride the road that ran from Quatre Bras, past La Belle Alliance to climb up to the village of Mont St. Jean, Napoleon had committed a regiment of the Imperial Guard backed by two horse guns. The three battalions of the Highland Division (Gordon's, Argylls, and Black Watch) were being hard pressed; but the 95th rifles (converted from Airfix American Civil War Union infantry) were stoutly defending the loop-holed walls of the farm and the quarry on the other side of the road. Seeing squadrons of cuirassiers, hussars, and light horse lancers (converted from cuirassiers) beyond the attacking infantry, Wellington ordered up two squadrons of hussars and the Union Brigade (a conversion of which he was particularly proud; made from the top half of the Guard's Band on US cavalry). To indicate his nonchalance at the darkening situation, Wellington remarked, "I suppose the bi-centenary of the American Revolution will arouse interest in wargaming?" Napoleon nodded, "Yes, it appeals to me; battles such as Brandywine, Guilford Courthouse and many of the others are much smaller than these Napoleonic affairs and ideally suited for table top fighting. I would like to fight it!" "So would I, but by the time we have got together armies even big enough to fight those relatively small affairs, the bi-centenary will be over and done with! It took me twelve months to collect, convert, and paint this lot, and you spent just as long." "That's the trouble with wargaming. You get interested in a period, spend all your money and time building up annies, then you read a book that stimulates you towards some other period!" Both wargamers resumed their Napoleonic contest, reflecting on the difficulties of forming armies and fighting in more than one period - unless you have lots of time and money. There are few wargamers who have not, in some form or other, experienced a situation such as this, causing them to believe that the interesting wargames are in periods covered by the latest book they have read and for which they have no armies. This is really only another twist to that well known facet of human nature that considers the grass to always be greener on the other side of the street. Few wargamers are content to restrict their reading solely to books covering a single military period - how can they when history is so full of interesting wars, each with unique facets and incidents? Now consider the frustratingly prolific commercial output of wargames figures and couple this with the already mentioned vagaries of human nature and we may have the inherent weakness of our hobby. But the determined and intelligent wargamer will turn these seemingly detrimental aspects into exciting new wargaming possibilities that are well within the capabilities and the pocket of even the youngest wargamer. Before revealing this "secret formula" for better wargaming, let us consider another seemingly detrimental aspect - the manner in which a box of WHO scale Airfix model soldiers contains an aggravating assortment of figures in a considerable variety of positions, with insufficient number in any one position to form a complete unit. This means that the wargamer building up an army of the American War of Independence, for example, and requiring units each of say 24 figures plus 2 officers, a standard bearer, and a drummer, must buy at least 4 boxes of S39/59 Washington's Army. From this quartet he can make up the following types of units: 24 men standing firing with 1 mounted officer, 1 dismounted officer, 1 standard bearer, and 1 drummer. 24 men advancing with 2 dismounted officers, 1 standard bearer, and 1 drummer. 24 men kneeling firing with 1 mounted officer, 1 standard bearer, and 1 drummer. 16 men crawling and 8 men reloading, 1 standard bearer, I drummer, I mounted officer, and 1 dismounted officer. 16 men lying firing and 8 men reloading with 2 dismounted officers. After this there will be 4 men carrying powder barrels and 4 groups of 2 men assisting a wounded comrade, who will not doubt be usefully converted by ingenious wargamers into useful warriors. With considerable justification, it can be claimed to be reasonably economical to obtain 5 almost complete units for the expenditure of less than I pound, and still have some odd figures remaining. This is not really the point at issue, because the topsy-turvy economics of this day and age cause the wargamer's time to be more valuable than his money. This is worth remembering when reflecting on the precious hours occupied in painting up and converting the figures fiom four 40-piece Airfix boxes. This has a tangible bearing on the incongruous sight of a column of infantry, in a kneeling position, advancing down a road. Or, men stoutly defending the wall of a farmhouse whilst marching steadily forward. How realistic it could be if regiments were made in triplicates. This would allow troops moving up to the scene of action to be in a marching position; on arrival at the firing line they adopt the firing position, standing, kneeling, or even lying down. Then, to avoid men engaged in a hand-to-hand melee doing so while lying down firing, the unit is replaced by a third version in a suitable combat position, with bayonet-fixed rifles thrust menacingly forward. From the variety of figures available in Airfix boxed sets it is quite possible to provide differing positions, but the time and labor involved in painting them is beyond contemplation. Consider how long it takes to paint up a normal wargames army and then shudder at the idea of painting it up in triplicate! Even so, far from being a handicap, the multiplicity of positions in the average Airfix box is a blessing in disguise. The simple solution for the wargamer who finds himself irresistibly attracted to the policy of fighting battles in a variety of military historical periods is for him to reverse normal procedures. He should fight wargames requiring fewer figures and utilizing the assorted variety of positions to paint sets of three or four figures to provide a man in a suitable action pose for any situation. The variety of figures contained in each set tends itself admirably to this project. The hitherto useless wounded and dead figures now come into their own and can be used to represent the casualties incurred in this new style of wargaming. A "working" title for this type of wargaming can be Miniature Personalized Wargames. The thoughtof wargaming with 10 figures when one is accustomed to 100 may not seem particularly attractive until the project is further investigated. The initial discovery is that Miniature Personalized Wargaming has the aim of really involving wargamer in such a manner that he achieves the near miracle of taking his place in the ranks. A far cry from the usual practice of massing two relatively balanced armies, each containing say 5 line infantry regiments, 1 Guard infantry regiment, 2 squadrons of light cavalry, I squadron of heavy cavalry, 2 horse guns, and 2 field guns. Then, under the all-seeing eyes of a god-like figure towering over the miniature battlefield, they are tactically maneuvered. With the best will in the world, it is quite unrealistic to don the mantle of Wellington or Napoleon and attempt to achieve a sense of realism and personal involvement whilst witnessing every move of the 300 or so miniature figures ludicrously attempting to represent the 300,000 who fought at Waterloo. Nothing can change the fact that, without the aid of a hand, the soldier remains in a state of frozen belligerence until again hand moved, But when Miniature Personalized Wargaming, the smaller numbers and their natural poses undoubtedly lend and air of "being at one with them." A much-used word today is "ambience," denoting a surrounding atmosphere or environment. It is a regrettably true fact that few wargamers give much thought to ambience when designing wargames terrain. Perhaps, having spent so much time amassing, converting, and painting their armies, the desire to hurt them at each other is so great that there is only time to throw up the scantiest of battlefields upon which they maneuver. Thus we have the incongruous situation of miniature armies, dressed and equipped to the highest standards of historical authenticity, demeaning themselves by marching, fighting and dying upon chalked out roads, amid out-ofscale and out-of-period buildings, or climbing stair-stepped hills formed of chipped and badly painted polystyrene ceiling tiles. The pleasures of wargaming are enhanced beyond measure by fighting on a terrain where topographical features such as hills, roads, rivers, woods, and bridges possess a realistic appearance. Model railway enthusiasts can do it even though they are burdened by a multiplicity of mechanical complications mercifully absent in wargaming! Other boons bestowed by Miniature Personalized Wargames lie in the time saved by not painting a multiplicity of figures, being advantageously employed in setting out a truly realistic battlefield. And, using fewer figures permits a smaller terrain, allowing more time to be spent on making the compact battlefield look realistic. One method is to utilize an 18 inch square of chipboard on which is built up a stretch of road, its dusty surface slightly lower than its bordering banks, made from two slabs of polystyrene covered with Polyfilla-soaked hessian or sacking. Ditches are made by running the finger along the edge of the road before the Polyfilla drys and is painted with poster color: lichen-moss hedges can be glued in position when the paint is dry. Make 3 or more similar sections - one bearing a wood (leaving room between the trees for the movement of figures), another with a farm building and broken-down wall, and the last with perhaps the beginnings of a river and a stone bridge. They can be interchanged so that, by placing different edges against each other, a variety of permutations are possible. On this 3-foot square terrain, a couple dozen combatants, in appropriate and interchangeable poses as the situation demands, can provide hours of enjoyable wargaming. Using small numbers of troops, the practical aspects of interchangeable positions is a most satisfying but relatively simple chore. Let us assume that Ben Battle, on of Burgoyne's British Grenadiers (from Airfix box number S40) has a fighting date with some rather ill-trained although patriotic Virginia militiamen (from Airfix box number S39 "Washington's Army"). When first we encounter Ben Battle, he is one of a patrol of six men marching along a road bordered by a stone wall (there are six marching grenadiers in this box). On being fired upon by the militia hiding behind the wall, the six men quite naturally do not continue marching but, being brave regular soldiers, adopt an advancing position and move towards the wall (conveniently, there are six advancing men in each box). The militia, not being trained to stand and fight, turn and run across the grassy field that stretches to the nearby woods. Reaching the wall, Ben and two of his comrades adopt a standing position resting their muskets on the top of the wall and fire; their three comrades take up a kneeling position at a point where the wall is broken and similarly resting their muskets on the stonework, each fires at the backs of the departing militia (thus are used the firing positions from the figures in the box). Next, the party clambers over the wall and, again in an advancing pose, moves across the field after the running American militiamen. Every one of the positions taken up by Ben Battle and his comrades can be achieved without any conversion whatsoever from the available range of figures in Box S40, British Grenadiers. But why was this British patrol moving up that road at that time? And how did it come about that the American militia was waiting in ambush for them? Like the dreams of our sleeping hours, wargames situations have a tendency to begin abruptly as if the wargamer suddenly winds up and starts a clock of historical time. Much more interesting and authentic is to have our inanimate warriors following the unreeling of a credible narrative. Now we are back to the fashionable word "ambience" because, even more than a terrain that is realistic in appearance, the narrative of the events played out by our painted warriors provides an authentic atmosphere adding immeasurably to the pleasure of the wargame. One does not need the literary ability of George MacDonald Fraser, Flashman's creator, nor to be William Clive writing on Rifleman Dando to be able to write a modest background narrative as can be indicated by the following simple story that provided the background to a highly enjoyable evening of Miniature Personalized wargaming between five wargamers maneuvering about 60 Airfix figures. It is May 1776 and the small town of Bennington, Vermont is in a turmoil as Colonel Elias Weaver hastily forms up 10 men of his Bennington Militia in the town square. Less than half an hour ago, Jed Leak, the local drunk, came reeling in with a garbled story of seeing a patrol of Hessian infantry marching towards the town from the direction of Albany. (Needless to say, the Bennington Militia is obtained from the Washington's Army box.) With the excitement at its height, into the town rides the famous Colonel "Light Horse" Harry Lee with five of his men, on the way from Rochester to Marlborough, where he has been ordered to report to George Washington as soon as possible. "What the hell is going on?" says the dashing cavalry leader. The Colonel implores Harry to join him, and Lee, although aware that Washington is impatiently waiting for him, cannot resist a chance of getting at the hated Hessians. At that moment, into the square comes roistering Harry Mainwaring, a wealthy American landowner who has been drinking with four of the rough, tough Blue Mountain boys (this wild lot are converted without too much difficulty from the Airfix Cowboys box 0 1707-7 and the High Chaparral Cowboys 01738-1). Even before Colonel Weaver has a chance to invite them, they insist on having a piece of the action, announcing that they will only take orders from Harry Mainwaring, who immediately promotes himself to Colonel! More than ever, making Bennington resemble Wembley on Cup Final day, into the square marches a small party of 10 fusiliers of the famous French Royal Roussillon Regiment under Colonel Etienne Duval. They are on their way to intercept the same Hessians as Colonel Weaver seeks to ambush, his excellent spy system having informed Colonel Duval that the Hessians, far from advancing on Bennington, are marching on another road ten miles to the north. Distrustful of the drunken ravings of Jed Leak, the French politely decline to assist Colonel Weaver's militia and continue on their way. (With tails added to tunics, the Gallic warriors are suitably painted members of the Airfix Washington's Army box.) Colonel Weaver and his ten militiamen take up a position some two miles down the road, hiding in bushes with a comforting stone wall between them and the road. Light Horse Harry Lee, on the other side of the road, conceals his small band in a clump of trees. "Colonel" Harry Mainwaring takes his rough-tough gang through the woods north of the road, above where the cavalry are hiding. It might seem as though the small patrol of 6 Hessians (figures from Washington's Army box painted in the appropriate uniform) are in for an unpleasant surprise. Captain Kniphausen at their head is not particularly happy at being set up as a target/decoy although, marching 400 yards behind them on the winding wall-bordered road, is a comforting (if small force) of 10 British Grenadiers under Captain William Leaper. In charge of the entire force marching to Gloucester via Benninton, he has been warned to expect trouble on the way. As the Hessian mercenaries have the reputation of being a trifle unreliable, Leaper sends them ahead and if they get into trouble, his strong patrol will be on hand to aid them. Just as the British force is setting out at dawn, from the woods to join them steals Lieutenant Wallinford with 6 light infantry (converted from the British Grenadiers box) and Brant with ten of his savage Mohawk Indians (needless to say, from Airfix box number 0 1708-0). Captain Leaper sends half of the scouts through the woods on the left of the road, which (although they do not know this) will eventually bring them up in the rear of the ambushing militia party. The other half vanish in the thick undergrowth on the right of the road, unknowingly bringing them on a collision course with Harry Mainwaring and his Blue Mountain boys. No one can deny that there are the ingredients for a most stimulating, if small, engagement. Each wargamer was told nothing but the actual knowledge he would have possessed at the time, having to act on his own initiative as events occur. Thus, Colonel Elias Weaver, Light Horse Harry Lee, and "Colonel" Harry Mainwaring are leading men of vastly differing calibers, who are sufficiently individualistic to do their own thing whatever the others do. Knowing nothing of the British Grenadiers, neither were they aware of Wallingford's light infantry and Brant's indians. None of the British party had any idea of what or who they were up against. The overriding principle of the game being that no figure be placed on the table if it could not actually be seen, with early movements taking place on a scaled-down map of the terrain. The rules controlling this stimulating little affair were a Southampton home-brew, but any reasonably authentic rules for this period will be adequate and the "Individual" rules available from Skirmish Wargames, 13 St. Decuman's Road, Watchet TA23 OHR, Somerset, need very little adapting to cope with slightly larger numbers. In a sense it is highly anomalous that the writer should own some 12,000 wargames figures in periods ranging from Ancient Rome to World War 11, yet embark upon skirmishes involving less than a hundred men. It is entirely due to the genuine pleasure and appeal of these pleasing figures, with their lifelike faculty for assuming an action position for any eventuality. Being mounted on panoramic sheet-lead bases, they remain on their feet whatever the terrain. Airfix also produce a range of larger 1:32 scale model soldiers finely detailed in various combat positions, ideal for Miniature Personalized wargames with fewer figures but on a full size terrain table. The range includes World War 11 paratroopers, German infantry, American infantry, Russian infantry, British commandos, Japanese infantry, 8'h Army, Afrika Korps, Australian, and British infantry support group. In the colorful Napoleonic era are French Grenadiers of the Imperial Guard, Waterloo British infantry, Waterloo Highland infantry, Waterloo French line infantry. Recently, the magazine Wargamer's Newsletter featured an illustrated report on a minor "side- action" at Waterloo using these figures that was considered highly stimulating. It is worth mentioning that there is also a box of footballers in this scale that are ideal for converting. Mike Blake (of Skirmish Wargames) has turned them into entrancing saloon girls! The 1:32 scale Airfix buildings, Desert Outpost, Wrecked House, and Bamboo House, fit superbly with these figures. The bamboo house provides an inspiration for a stimulating small scale action between Lieutenant Ben Oakley and his Australian diggers as they try to winkle out Sergeant Fujiyama's suicide squad hidden in and around the building. Give this new system a try, and revel in the time and money that you save. Back to MWAN #102 Table of Contents Back to MWAN List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1999 Hal Thinglum This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com