SE London Wargames Group Annual Event South East London Wargames Group are presenting their annual event to be held at the Grove Park Youth Club, Marvels Lane, Grove Park, London S.E.12, on Sunday, 28th September from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. You will see on display over fourteen classes of painting competitions, including classes for Dioramas wargame figures, single figure and even an under fourteen competition. Wargames demonstrations will include most periods ranging from Ancients through Modern Day and even to fantasy, both by S.E.L.W.G. members and visiting clubs, The Model Armour Group who regularly demonstrate their radio controlled tanks will be presenting an outdoor battle reconstruction (complete with live explosions!) For further information either contact Chris Hurren on 01-857-7264, or write to Sec. George Willoughby at Grove Park Youth Club, Marvels Lane, Grove Park, London S.E.12 Ilford Sword and Board Society "A meeting is to be held on Friday evening the 26th September between 7 and 9.30 p.m., to form the Ilford Sword and Board Society. We aim to encourage people to join our Society at the meeting. We hope to have an Ancient, Modern and Naval wargame in progress at the meeting. Also a Skirmish wargame boardgames and a game of Diplomacy going on. Refreshments will be provided free and no admission charge will be made. Many figures and models will be on show. The meeting is to be held at Barkings Methodist Church in Fremantle Road, Barkingside, Ilford, in the large hall. Everyone is welcome." J.R.Sharman, Acting Society Secretary THE BIG BATTLE LEAGUE On the weekend of 18th-19th October at Barton Green Hall in New Malden, Surrey the massed infantry and armour of the WAR DEPARTMENT CLUB (20mm Modern Miniature Warfare Group will be invading a hostile 48ft coast (1050 sq.ft) defended by fighting units of an Alliance formed by The North Londo Warlords; The South London Warlords; The Whitehall Warlords; The Wandsworth Wargames Club; The Hampto Wargames Club; The Highgate School Wargames Club and two individual wargamers. Over 3,000 men and 500 AFVs and vehicles, aircraft and naval vessels and some 100 landing craft will be involved. Based on an actual area of South Wales, entire cliffs, beaches and hill ranges are being prepared, 50 buildings, 150 feet of hedging and landscape items. The Big Battle League involves the use of a large battle area, using the floor space of a public hall some 24' x 48', and conducting a campaign over a full weekend or longer. With a pooling of landscape and terrain, a vast new arena is presented, still scaled-down, but allowing the use of medium artillery, tactics, airstrikes and naval movements. Transport, scouting and supply being to take their rightful place with the reality the wargamer has always sought. Why Modern? This is purely accidental. The War Department just grew up that way, and we believ in keeping abreast of modern international affairs and the world around us today. Believing that current diplomacy and military thinking, important to us all, are as exciting and relevant as campaig gone by. And, of course, much World War II men and equipment is at least representative of the prese day, topped up with the latest additions from Airfix, Matchbox, Minitank, Hasegawa, etc. Each side of the Big Battle League conflict has around 5-7 Fighting Units which fight independenly with a commander and replacement new or junior commander to take over at periods during the 2-day battle. Air forces, naval forces, and divisional medium artillery (and a supply unit if agreed) all act as independent units, under a General Control responsible for objectives and strategy. Any Club or Individual can contribute to any degree as the affair is conceived so that not only eager Club buf and individuals can contribute their skills, but any interested friends who would like to give it a try without heavy regular commitment. Rules suitable for a large arena have been developed, which are relative between particular item of equipment, so that no contributor need be excluded because his vehicles are outdated or not quite suitable. Therefore a main battle-tank is a main battle-tank; a lorry, a lorry; a light-tank a light tank. Detailed variations can be introduced by common agreement, therefore only minimum modern additions or adaptions are necessary. Back to Table of Contents -- Wargamer's Newsletter # 162 To Wargamer's Newsletter List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1975 by Donald Featherstone. 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