I have recently taken part in a rather more energetic project than wargamings though wargaming was the cause. My wargames partner and I hiked Hadrians Wall last April, this was something I have always wanted to do, since it is a rare occasion when I can combine my two hobbies of wargaming and fell-walking. (I do not recommend it for someone who has been painting figures all winter, or for those who can't even read a campaign map.) We started training last June and continued right through the winter (even in snow). However the central part of the Wall around Housesteads is not too bad for a car bound man with off-spring trailing behind (though it seemed they all decided to turn up when we were there!) We spent all but two nights under canvas (the two nights in question were spent at a Youth Hostel with the unlikely name of "Once Brewed", the pub 150 yards down the vallum had a name which described the condition we were in by closing time, "Twice Brewed"!). We had one really wicked night, camped in a paddock belonging to a farm called "High House", it earned its name. We actually camped on the site of one of the turf-wall mile castles, MC50(TW). As the rain, sleet, hail and whatever else the elements could chuck at us, beat on the canvas I not only thought of the grumbling Roman Auxilia, but what stuff the Barbarians must have been made of. One of the main conclusions drawn from our observations was, don't try and use the Wall on the wargames table in a tactical role. It existed as a strategic line, a base for future campaigns and a sort of D.E.W. line in the terminology of today. The most photographed part, from Carvoran along the Nine Nicks of Thirwell and the Great Win Sill must have been impregnable enough to a frontal attack, but this only represents about one quarter of its length. Without very large cavalry patrols, tactical surprise would be dead easy. Even from the highest point on this central part (1230 ft) near MC40 about 1 1/2 to 2 miles north there is a large fold in the ground (and I mean large) and behind this are the vast Park and Kielder Forest. The Ancient Research Group rules reckon on a speed of about 5 1/2 mph for light infantry, which means they could move up to the wall from cover in under 20 minutes, this is a time which is short for strategic moves, but on the table it represents 40 moves. I must emphasise that, particularly on the East side, cover is much closer than 1 1/2 miles. Clearly these vast forests should be patrolled, but I would pity any cavalry in such an area (even lights), it seems specially made for ambushes. Germanics might have some luck though, being used to this type of country. Having said all this I must admit that, particularly in the central part, the last 400 odd yards up to the wall would be dodgy going even for a light barbarian, I noticed a distinct lack of dead ground on the foot and near vertical slopes of the sill, and elsewhere where the Wall ran along tops of hills. Unlike, for example, the experiences of British troops climbing Kopies in the Boer Jar. After reading through what 1 have just written I must add that this is Darke the wargamer talking conditions 1800 years ago were most probably very different, and, having decided the pacification of Scotland was out of the question there was no better site. Though I still doubt that Eastern end ....... Back to Table of Contents -- Wargamer's Newsletter # 112 To Wargamer's Newsletter List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1971 by Donald Featherstone. This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com