1. In last month's issue, I spoke of my thoughts concerning a set of science-fiction rules developed for the kiddies, to be presented at HISTORICON, the HMGS summer convention. Bob Coggins, Program Manager of HISTORICON, telephoned: "Are you sure you want to present a science-fiction game?" I was sure. Bob is sensitive to the desires of the pure, blue-blooded, ever-faithful historical miniaturists who want to keep all HMGS conventions free of any taint of fantasy, science-fiction and the like. Their thought is that an HMGS convention is the perfect place to introduce the kiddies to historical miniatures wargaming. My thought is that the kids couldn't care less if the toy soldiers they push around on the table represent a battalion of Napoleonic Grenadiers or an Assault Group from the planet Zgorblim. Nor would they be attuned to appreciate the differences involved when told either of the following: The unit of Napoleonic Grenadiers, when firing, hits its target on a 10-sided die roll of 8, 9 or 10. The Zgorbliminian Assault Group, when firing, hits its target on a 10-sided die roll of 8, 9 or 10. The subtle nuances here are indeed difficult to grasp. 2. Bill McHarg, one of the STONE MOUNTAIN crew, fell asleep a couple of months ago, and permitted his subscription to expire. He recently came to his senses (relatively speaking), sent in his $12, and with it a note that will make Bob Coggins, the author of NAPOLEON'S BATTLES, chortle with joy and gladness: We've been playing a lot of NAPOLEON'S BATTLES lately. As a matter of fact, we rebased all our EMPIRE-based figures. We really like these rules. Not willing to leave well enough alone, Bill continued: Wally, have you trashed these rules in the REVIEW yet? I mean, they do have some modifiers that aren't + or - 1, so I know you won't like them. It is obvious that McHarg eez wan tough hombre... but I'm tougher. Bob Coggins has nothing to fear... I'm going to resist the temptation to "trash" (as Young William so elegantly phrases it) NAPOLEON'S BATTLES, and instead, I'm going to pick on an even tougher opponent, as you'll see in the next section. 2.Tom Elsworth sent me a hot-off -the-press copy of Phil Barker's latest WRG ancients effort: DE BELLIS ANTIQUITATIS (DBA). In the 20 page booklet, there are three pages of rules... all the rest is backup. 'Twas in my hands less than 24 hours when I brought it to a PW meeting and engaged in a series of 4-count 'em-4 battles... the longest lasting 20 minutes. Four quicky, enjoyable games. DBA specifies that each side has 12 fighting elements, i.e., units; victory occurs when one side loses 4 of the 12. Combat is quick and to the point: there are only two results... either you recoil or you're destroyed. In short, the rules are fine, but what grates on the nerve endings is the introductory section titled "Design Philosophy". Here, as always with the line of rules WRG publishes, we're thrown into-the pit of "realism" again, as the authors go into their usual song and dance about how "realistic" their rules are. I note that as the series of WRG Ancients rules progresses, the scale gets larger and larger, and, according to the authors, the game more and more realistic. I believe the WRG 6th Edition used a scale of one figure to 20 men, WRG 7th's scale was one figure to 50 men, while the scale in DBA is so large as to remain a mystery... the topic is avoided. The section on basing gives guidance for mounting figures in 25mm, 15mm and 6mm scale. Reference to the WRG 7th mounting is made, and specific frontages for each range of figure are tabulated, but the discussion centers on unit "elements": All figures must be combined into elements... on a rectangular base... Base size is not critical provided that all bases have the same frontage... The definition of an element is not to be found; for that matter, nowhere is it mentioned as to how many elements make up a unit. The conclusion may be drawn, therefore, that one plays the game with single stand elements, i.e., single stand units. Do not ask why the booklet doesn't come out with this in direct fashion instead of skirting the issue... perhaps because the WRG staff, in breaking new ground, doesn't wish to offend its present audience of historical wargamers. Despite this, however, a bite is taken at the WRG 7th devotee. The 7th, published in early 1986, referenced in its introduction "... a huge improvement in... realism" over past editions. "Hogwash!" says this NEW set of rules, "Forget all the garbage about realism that we previously told you!", and the authors wave the NEW DBA rules in your face. The Design Philosophy section states: Wargamers usually pay much more attention to often theoretical differences between weapons than did* ancient commanders and troops... Surviving Hellenistic and Roman manuals... in effect... (define troops) ... by their function rather than armament. We have done the same in these rules, and were surprised to find overall realism did not seem appreciably reduced. Morale and training distinctions have also been discarded as linked with function... ... a real general does not know that a unit has lost a certain number of men... Wargames rules that tell players losses suffered and inflicted during play are therefore inherently unrealistic. "Hogwash!", sez I... a game is a game is a game... if you've got a good, playable set of rules, why muddy the waters with a lot of crappola concerning "realism". Why, indeed. 4.A couple of months ago, I described the Paddy Griffith game in which we got a chance to sink the Tirpitz. Paddy has since written in; he thinks I went too lightly on the technical details of the scenario. In this issue, therefore, he reveals all the nitty-gritty, behind-the-scenes goings-on. It's interesting reading, and what's even more interesting is that most of it is new to me!! Yet, I was THERE! Well, at least I thought I was there. Back to PW Review June 1990 Table of Contents Back to PW Review List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1990 Wally Simon This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com