As a result of my recent blog entry about WAR-CHESS I had a comment from Brian Carrick that this appeared to be a forerunner of a German wargame that was published in 1934 and called FRIEGUR.
Since then Nigel and Ian Drury (both long-term members of Wargame Developments) have been in contact about a copy of FRIEGUR that came onto the auction market some time ago. Apparently is was expected that it would reach a price of anything up to 4,000 Euros (!), but having seen the condition of the game in the copy of the catalogue that Ian Drury emailed to me, I can see why!
It would seem to me that it would not be very difficult to reproduce the board or playing pieces ... and had I the time, I might be tempted to do so ... but as later blog entries will indicate, I have something else I am trying to do at present.
Since then Nigel and Ian Drury (both long-term members of Wargame Developments) have been in contact about a copy of FRIEGUR that came onto the auction market some time ago. Apparently is was expected that it would reach a price of anything up to 4,000 Euros (!), but having seen the condition of the game in the copy of the catalogue that Ian Drury emailed to me, I can see why!
It would seem to me that it would not be very difficult to reproduce the board or playing pieces ... and had I the time, I might be tempted to do so ... but as later blog entries will indicate, I have something else I am trying to do at present.
Nice find.
ReplyDeleteOne wonders if the black pieces are allowed to beat up the red pieces while they are still in the box.
Of course in the yet to be discovered Russian version, the red pieces would be sending some of the black pawns off for "re-education".
;)
Pat G,
ReplyDeleteVery amusing ... and I wonder if the choice of colours was deliberate or just made by chance?
All the best,
Bob
Looks like your Portable Wargame! Just not as good.
ReplyDeletePhil Broeders,
ReplyDeleteThey do have some similarities ... but I hope that PW is just a little more aesthetically pleasing to look at.
All the best,
Bob
Fascinating looking game set - and the condition of the box, pieces and board is amazing considering its age. Definitely a collectors' item. I wonder how the game played?
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Ion
Archduke Piccolo (Ion),
ReplyDeleteFor something that is nearly 80 years old it was in remarkiably good condition.
As to how it played ... well if WAR-CHESS is anything to go by, the rules must have been quite simple. The complexity would have come from the different tactics employed by each player.
All the best,
Bob
My dad has an original Friegur game and would like to sell it. Is this something you would be interested in?
ReplyDeleteThiefMaster,
DeleteHow much does he want to sell it for?
All the best,
Bob
1150 EUR
DeleteThiefMaster,
DeleteA reasonable price, if it is in good condition, but more than I can afford. I’ll mention the sale and price on my blog.
All the best,
Bob
Sure, that's amazing! I uploaded some photos he took here: https://imgur.com/a/qpKKD9W
ReplyDeleteWe're from Germany btw, so shipping outside Europe may be pricy depending on the country.
ThiefMaster,
DeleteThanks for the link. The photographs will be very helpful.
All the best,
Bob
Some details he sent me:
ReplyDeletePawns made of tin
Painted in colors
Spare pawns included
Game board very well-preserved
Original player's guide and setup plan
One flag replaced (aluminum, no Nazi symbols)
Case lid has some damage
from around 1937
ThiefMaster,
DeleteThanks for the additional information.
All the best,
Bob
This has prompted me to dig out my old game of Tri-tactics.
ReplyDeleteWhiskers,
DeleteI can see why. There is certainly a resemblance between the two boards.
All the best,
Bob