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Wednesday 1 June 2011

More photos from old COWs

After a longer look through the large box of photographs I 'found' yesterday, I discovered some more photographs of COW (Conference of Wargamers) sessions from years ago.

A young Trebian taking part in a session that actually featured terrain and figures! Despite stories to the contrary, this was – and is – by far the most common form of wargame fought at a COW.

Tim Gow taking part in the NQM (NOT QUITE MECHANISED) session that he recently featured on his blog. Chris Kemp's arms and leg can be seen – just – on the right of the picture.

Phil Barker getting ready for a game of BOOTS AND BRANDY. Did he really eat all those Cadbury's Flakes just so that he had the right size storage boxes? What lengths this man will go to for the development of wargaming!

Phil Barker (again!), this time showing one of the early versions of HORDES OF THE THINGS.

The late Paddy Griffith, alongside John Armatys, test firing artillery for his game SCIENCE vs. LUCK.

Young Trebian (again!) firing his chosen artillery piece during SCIENCE vs. LUCK. The photograph captures the moment when the projectile – a cocktail stick! – is just leaving the barrel of the cannon.

The late Paddy Griffith setting up the 'targets' on the artillery test firing range for his game SCIENCE vs. LUCK. I think that the aim of the game was for competing armaments companies to sell their wares to a team of players who represented the arms purchasing commissions of different countries ... but I think that most of the players just liked firing things at toy soldiers!

18 comments:

  1. Thanks for these images of some well-known figures.


    -- Jeff

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  2. Marvelous photographs. Thank you for putting names to some of the faces.

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  3. Bluebeard Jeff,

    It was a pleasure! Looking through all the photos brought back lots of fond memories.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  4. Ross Mac,

    I wish that I could name all the people in the photographs, but for a variety of reasons (i.e. old age and poor memory!) I cannot.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  5. Bob,
    Science Versus Luck was actually written by Jim Wallman, and can still be downloaded from his free rules page.
    But I remember Paddy was very happy to fire projectiles at toy soldiers in HG Wells style.
    Arthur

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  6. I just love old wargaming photos - fills me with nostalgia !

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  7. Arthur1815,

    I stand corrected!

    It is a typical Wallman game, and I can imagine Paddy enjoying himself tremendously firing projectiles at tyo soldiers.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  8. Mosstrooper,

    I was amazed to see how thin and hirsute we all were ... and hardly a touch of grey hair in sight!

    Nostalgia ain't what is used to be.

    All the best,

    Bob

    PS. You will notice that I do not feature in any of the photos; not point in distressing the ladies and the horses too much by having my ugly mug on show!

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  9. Any information on the Boots and Brandy rules? Any time I see a wargame on a small table it always gets my attention.

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  10. That must be about 1990, I would guess.

    I'm barely unchanged, except for a slightly smaller pair of glasses.

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  11. Jhnptrqn,

    I think (but I am not 100% sure) that they might have been a forerunner of 'Horse, Foot, and Guns'.

    Sorry that I cannot be of any more help.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  12. Trebian,

    Twenty or so years ago? That sounds about right, and the clothes certainly look right for that period.

    Actually, you probably are one of the few people featured in the photographs to whom the passage of years have been kind.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  13. Bob,

    You are quite correct: Boots and Brandy developed into Horse, Foot and Guns, which can be downloaded from Phil's page at
    http://www.wrg.me.uk/WRG/wrgindex.html

    together with army lists.

    HFG is still very much a work in progress, constantly being tweaked, and is written in Phil Barker's extremely precise, but legalistic style.

    People who enjoy your Portable Wargame rules will, IMHO, not find HFG nearly so congenial to read or play...

    Arthur

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  14. Arthur1815,

    Thanks for confirming what I thought ... and for the link to Phil Barker's website.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  15. Thank you for the info. I have a MAC computer and can't seem to download HFG. However, based on what Authur1815 said and having read DBA, maybe I'll try out the Portable Wargame rules instead, when I can get ink for my printer.

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  16. Jhnptrqn,

    I did not realise that Mac computers could not download files like HFG from Phil Barker's website. Is it because it is a .doc file?

    If you do try my rules, please let me know how you get on. Feedback is always helpful.

    All the best,

    Bob

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