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Wednesday 12 June 2019

Other people's Portable Wargame battle reports: Nick Nascati's American Civil War battle

About a week ago Nick Nascati sent me a number of photographs of a recent American Civil War battle that he fought using the nineteenth century rules that are included in THE PORTABLE WARGAME book.

In an accompanying email he gave me the following information:
  • The grid uses 2-inch squares
  • The figure scale is 10mm
  • Infantry figures are based on 1.25-inch mini dominoes
  • Cavalry and artillery figures are based on a pair of 1.25-inch mini dominoes
  • Figures are manufactured by from GHQ
  • The buildings from range supplied by The Wargame Company







Please note that the photographs featured above are © Nick Nascati.

18 comments:

  1. Hello Bob,
    10mm ACW looks very good in these photos from Nick...often thought about 10mm at times - had seen a rather splendid 'Battle of Dorking' using 10mm.Just today I'm thinking that I'd like to have a go at doing Dorking though instead using 15mm Essex figures which I intend to have a closer look at tonight and see what it may cost from the UK. ( I've been enticed into 15mm by your previous post showing your Colonial Essex 15mm). Thanks for posting Nick's PWG. Regards. KEV.

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    Replies
    1. Kev Robertson (Kev),

      Nick's armies do look great on the tabletop.

      I have some 10mm figures (courtesy of Jim Duncan) waiting to be painted. They do look very attractive, but I somehow think that I'll end up sticking with 15mm.

      Essex Miniatures do some very nice Prussian figures that would be suitable for a Battle of Dorking game, but the British are in Foreign Service uniforms. Personally that wouldn't bother me, but other wargamer might object.

      All the best,

      Bob

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    2. Bob,
      Yes- agree- the British Foreign Service Essex 15mm from their Zulu War range would do for a Battle of Dorking Game..even with white pith helmets it would not be to off-putting. I've looked at ESSEX prices tonight for the British and Prussians...our dollar isn't trading all that well- though this is usual...I've a good amount to spend on the Dorking Project so I need to work out in the next few days exactly what I need in the way of numbers of Troops required. Regards. KEV.

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    3. Kev Robertson (Kev),

      You might cast your eye over the range of figures sold by Irregular Miniatures. They are competitively priced and their service is second to none.

      All the best,

      Bob

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    4. Bob,
      Thanks for the suggestion for IRREGULAR Miniatures- I will check out their range in the 15mm category. Cheers. KEV.

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    5. Kev Robertson (Kev),

      I have quite a few Irregular Miniatures figures in my collection, and they seem to match the Essex Miniatures figures reasonably well.

      All the best,

      Bob

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    6. Bob,
      Have looked at IRREGULAR 15mm - do like the WW1 Figures for the capped British and early Germans...could advance The Battle of Dorking into a later time frame...such as 1910 or so? At 80 cents per figure this is a possible future option- what do you think Bob?. Cheers. KEV.

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    7. Kev Robertson (Kev),

      If you want to move the time-frame slightly later, then a German landing on the coast of East Anglia (as outlined in Erskine Childer's THE RIDDLE OF THE SANDS) is the sort of scenario that would work. The area is relatively flat, with direct road and rail links to London. It's certainly something worth looking at in more detail.

      All the best,

      Bob

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    8. Bob,
      Yes 'The Riddle of the Sands' Movie staring Michael York is certainly one not to miss out on- great movie and well recommended- I've watched it more than once and enjoy it greatly. The more I think about the German Landing using IRREGULAR WW1 figures is certainly very appealing...I do have a 6mm Project to complete first- then my attention can move onto the German landing on the East Anglia Coast -as you have so wisely suggested. Very exciting. Cheers. KEV.

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    9. Kev Robertson (Kev),

      Some years ago my wife and I spent time staying near the north Norfolk coast, which was one of the likely landing sites. The beaches are relatively flat, with roads and rail links just inland. Furthermore, Sandringham - the Royal family's winter holiday residence - is only a few miles from the coast, and would be the sort of place a German cavalry raid might aim to capture ... especially if one or more of the Royals were there. There are very few coastal defences along that stretch of the North Sea, although an army camp was built near Sheringham. (It is now a tank museum.)

      All the best,

      Bob

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  2. Simple and attractive - and looks very portable.

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    Replies
    1. Archduke Piccolo,

      I totally agree. It shows how simple and elegant the PW can look.

      All the best,

      Bob

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  3. Bob,
    Nick's game is, indeed, simple but attractive - and has the benefit of a larger number of squares offering more freedom of manoeuvre. The green colour and the unobtrusive grid lines work well. I wonder how he deals with high ground?
    Best wishes,
    Arthur

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    Replies
    1. Arthur1815 (Arthur),

      The larger board does make it easier to fight large actions as well as giving players more space in which to manoeuvre. I'm not sure how Nick shows hills etc., but hopefully he will do so in future photographs.

      All the best,

      Bob

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  4. 'The Battle of Dorking' is a new one on me - and just the thing for my own 19th Century Imagi-Nations (setting c.1880). Unfortunately my Azurians (BLUE) are more cognate to French than German. Maybe I should start building a Grauheim Army, after all...?

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    Replies
    1. Archduke Piccolo,

      THE BATTLE OF DORKING is one of a number of books written during the latter part of the nineteenth/early part of the twentieth century that looked at what might happen if Britain was invaded, and is - in my opinion - the best well written of the lot. Chesney is a much better writer than William Le Queux, although the latter's THE GREAT WAR IN ENGLAND IN 1897 would work with your Azurians as it is about a joint French/Russian invasion. (In his INVASION OF 1910 the enemy has changed to be German.) It would certainly be an interesting project to pursue.

      All the best,

      Bob

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