"You may be interested to know that I have recently had to retire prematurely from my job owing to ill-health and as the prescription is a quiet life with no worries I am now able to spend a lot of my time (but still not enough) at the wargames table. I have been allotted a large room with a complete range of shelves and cupboards. I can get round my 81 x 41 table without gymnastic contortions and can even extend to 12' x 4' if necessary. I have opponents but I also spend a lot of time fighting solo battles and while these tend to lack something of the tension and excitement of a live contest they can provide a fascinating way of spending wet days. Also they sharpen ones wits having something of the elements of a chess problem about them.
I was most interested in your observations in this months ;argamer's Newsletter regarding rules. I think that sometimes the people who seek for a rigid and allencompassing set of rules are defeating their own object of bringing greater reality to the hobby.
I work on a basic set of simple rules closely following those in your "Wargames". Before a game starts special rules are enumerated to cope with special factors which may be involved - terrain, climate and of course, most important of all in my opinion - morale. After that common-sense is invoked and if a situation which is unreal appears it is usually quite easy to resolve it on sensible and equitable lines.
I recently had a case where a unit had performed prodigies of valour suffered only moderate casualties but by that point in the game must have been too exhausted to go on fighting particularly as their written orders had been carried out to the full. It was agreed without demur that any sensible commander able to do so would remove them from the line and send them to rest rather than commit them again (as by the rules he could) to another assault. On another occasion during a night operation it became possible for a force to be switched suddenly to take advantage of a tactical situation but again it was agreed that the Commander would have had to call a meeting of his officers to outline his new tactics and a 'deliberation' pause of one move was imposed.
I once played with an opponent who, at a critical stage in a Napoleonic battle, rode three horsemen to within 2" of the barrels of my cannons and left them there in order to prevent my firing on a really worthwhile infantry target! This was in the days of alternate moves and I lost a move in consequence but personally I would not get any satisfaction from winning a game by "Gamesmanship" methods. As you so rightly say it is only a game and provided it follows reasonably realistic lines and everyone enjoys the contest what more can one ask. We c~Lnlt kid ourselves that it really bears any close relation to the real thing and thank goodness it doesn't. The further we move from the spirit of H.G. Wells in all this the more confounded with argument and controversy the hobby seems to become. As I think you have said in one of your books the game is not for Generals manque but for frustrated Lance-Corporals."
- --A.J.Mitchell of South Croydon.
"The ratio of averages in Board Games is worth looking into, especially in computing melees, I have always leaned towards a "thinking man's game".
Troops in excellent positions, charged by an equal number would rate a higher combat factor, the attacking troops would buck 3 to 1 odds to win. This would not be liked by the "hot dice" boys, too bad, they had their way long enough.
In this situation, a player would have to cut down the defenders by artillery fire, when he thinks the odds favourable charge with double the number, not one stand at a time, hoping for "luck". I say, make your own luck on the table. Still working at this theory - hope I can produce something."
- --Jerry Curran of U.S.A.
"Thank you for a wonderful magazine, always packed with lots of interesting reading. I also have a subscription for Miniature Warfare, but they do not send me the new issues at once, and then only if I write them one or two angry letters, so this year is the first and last that I subscribe to Miniature Warfare. Besides, the contents have a higher degree of interest in Wargamer's Newsletter.
Our Society has reached a total of 13 members and represents all fields of wargaming - Air, Miniature and the Avalon Hill type wargaming. To us in the Society, Wargamer's Newsletter works as a kind of information organ that tells us what is going on around the world in the field of wargaming."
- --Harold Sonesson (of Sweden)
"Just a rather informal note to let you know how much fun you have made the hobby for me over the years. Every time Wargamer's Newsletter comes I am reminded of the rather pleasant train trip and most enjoyable afternoon and evening at your wargaming club (c. July-August 1969).
Your editorials, varied articles, your own rather "fun" approach has done a lot to help us in our small circle to keep our heads. de take our wargaming seriously, mind you, but we cannot take ourselves too seriously - so we call ourselves (I blush when I think of some of the reserved British counterparts) The Royal Bengal "Crouchers" this, from stooping for hours over a wargame table. If ever the "C" becomes a "G" we will probably break up the empire and call it a day. Thanks again for your extra interest that helps as far away as Colorado, U.S.A."
- --Ed Meyers
"As a very new wargamer, perhaps my initial thoughts and comments will be of interest and help to any others about to venture on this fascinating hobby.
Before taking it up, I was always very interested in the Roman period and having decided to be a "General", this period obviously attracted me. I rushed out and bought about 20 boxes of Airfix Romans and the same number of Ancient Britons. What next? I thought. Paint was the glaring answer, and I bought Humbrol enamel in just about every imaginable shade. Then I wrote for your books.
Having read them, I practically started all over again. At the present, I have an "Army" (and I flatter myself) of about 50 fully painted Roman infantry, 20 auxiliaries, mainly slingers, 12 cavalry and about 12 Roman archers. Even with these few figures I have some good fun. The Romans either defend, or for an occasional change, attack an Airfix Mile Fort. I split the forces into Roman Infantry plus archers against the slingers and cavalry. Even my 10 year old daughter can now handle the cavalry, sometimes to my, regrettably apparent, embarrassment.
My latest convert is my wife, who as I write, is busily painting a further 12 archers and 12 slingers so that we can branch out into more "open field" battles."
- --John Rowland (of Essex)
"I read George A. Lord's letter with interest - George is a very interesting fellow! I met him some four years ago, when he came down from the Canadian hinterland where he resides to attend the Lake Geneva Convention. He isn't going to be able to make it this year, due to family commitments, but he plans to stop in here for a day just for a "visit" (and I'll wager that we end up having a battle on the sand table). Anyway, George recently had an adventure more exciting than most. He is an ardent cancer, voyaging far back into the wilderness. Evidently, bad weather taught his party of three this Spring, and they were lost in raging blizzards and trackless forest for a number of days. I do know that he was in a pretty bad condition when they finally managed to get in. I do wish he would recount the experience, for it is like what one sees in the movies -- at least like what one used to see in the movies - but believes never happens to people one knows.
Many thanks to W.T. Thurbon for his comments on bow ranges. We finally settled on 15" for wooden bows (short), 18" for light crossbows and composite horse bows, 21", for both the Longbow and the Turkish bow (although I suspect that 24" would have been more realistic), and 24" for the heavy crossbow. I also read about Mahmoud Effendi loosing an arrow for a distance of 482 yards, and the supposed shots of better than 700 yards, but I discount the latter as legend (at best), while the former was accomplished with a short, light flight arrow and groove, with the wind, as Mr.Thurbon mentioned. The really unfortunate part about this is that there is no way of knowing for certain just what the capabilities of these weapons were, for no originals exist, and the method of making the Turk bow is lost.
Another interesting question pertains to the bow used by the Japanese Samurai, and it was indeed a long bow! From what I have been able to determine, the average length was from 7-8' and arrows from 36-45" were used. The warrior rested one end on the ground when shooting. There have been witnesses to these bows shooting over 120 yards without arching the arrow over 16', for the shots were made down a corridor.
Now, from that one must work out range. At least I won't have to worry about it for some time, as I am much too busy otherwise to start converting figures for Samurai. Then again, when I do I suppose that a rule for the Chinese repeating crossbow, with poisoned arrows, will have to be worked up.
George Gush's comments about using sheet lead on the base of Airfix figures sounds very helpful to those who do not employ a sand table - I have to carefully cut the blasted base off for more "realism". (They also fit in foxholes and trenches better then)."
- --Gary Gygax (of Lake Geneva, U.S.A.)
"I don't know how many letters you receive from us American wargamers but just a note from one in a thousand that I really enjoy the Newsletter and that I am sorry that there is an Ocean separating us with the same general interests."
- --Leonard Krozyaski of N.Y. U.S.A.
"My latest venture is building up a Hunnic army, all cavalry, with an eventual strength of 200 plus figures, and also a Russian Infantry Company, with appropriate support weapons, to use with our infantry rules. Napoleonic as such I will not attempt, too much painting to start from scratch, but I am tempted towards an Indian Prince's army, with a core of Europeans, good artillery, and units of locals, varying from the reasonable to the quite hopeless! 'Twill all take time, of course, but well worth it in the end?"
- --Bob O'Brien of Goring-by-Sea.
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© Copyright 1971 by Donald Featherstone.
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