2020 is a year that I think that I lot of us will be glad to see the back of. On the wargaming front, COW2020 had to be cancelled and replaced by a successful online conference, VCOW2020. I published three wargaming books (THE PORTABLE COLONIAL WARGAME, RESTLESS NATIVES, and THE PORTABLE PIKE & SHOT WARGAME) and finally began the preparation work on my Eastern Front/Great Patriotic War. I also produced a colour version of Eric Knowles's MADASAHATTA map, which was well received by aficionados of Colonial imagi-nations.
My health was all right until I took part in a bowel cancer screening programme. From then on, things moved quite quickly, I am am now cancer free ... at the cost of a large part of my colon, a colostomy bag, and a large scar. I’m slowly recovering ... but I’m told that it will be some time (another six to eight weeks) before I am almost back to normal.
So what plans do I have for the future?
Well, lying in hospital after my operation gave me a lot of time to think ... and I’ve decided that I want to set myself a few goals for 2021, goals that the current pandemic shouldn’t have too great an impact on. These goals include:
- Publishing a PORTABLE MEDIEVAL WARGAME book. (This will be another cooperative effort between myself and at least one other writer.)
- Writing a PORTABLE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR WARGAME book (This will also be a cooperative effort ... and might morph into a PORTABLE AMERICAN WARS WARGAME book covering the American War of Independence to the Spanish-American War).
- Staging a Colonial campaign of some sort. (The inspiration for this has come from David Crook and Archduke Piccolo.)
- Pruning my existing figure collection to a size where I can guarantee each part is used at least once every twelve months. (I have copied this idea from Ross Macfarlane. It seems to work for him, and has enabled him to concentrate in more depth on slightly fewer projects.)
- Revisiting my Eastern Front/Great Patriotic War project with a view to possibly streamlining it.
- Taking part in some more online PORTABLE WARGAME battles with Gary Sheffield and company.
I think that these are realistic goals, and i hope to be able to achieve them by the end of the year.
Your 2021 plans are very exciting - more books for my library! I'm looking forward to seeing the Colonial Campaign too.
ReplyDeleteMaudlin Jack Tar,
DeleteI’ve already begun recruiting writers for the two books, and hope to publish them during the course of the year.
I’m not as yet sure about the size and scope of the Colonial campaign, but I hope to involve several European nations clashing over areas of potential colonial expansion.
All the best,
Bob
Hi BOB,
ReplyDeleteIt is good to hear that you've set some realistic goals for 2021- lots to keep you occupied these coming seasons. I like your idea of staging a Colonial Campaign- this sounds a favorite. Best Wishes. KEV.
Kev Robertson (Kev),
DeleteMy original list of goals was much longer, but prudence (and a bit of common sense) made me realise that I needed to be less ambitious and more realistic.
All the best,
Bob
I'm not sure about pruning the figure collection and the 12 month rule. I've got figures that don't get used for 5 years at a stretch, but then I get them out and use them a lot. A rules development project normally takes me about 6 months, so doing that doesn't leave much time for any of the others.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, let me know what 15mmm SCW stuff you are letting go (grin)
Trebian,
DeleteThe pruning will be gradual and limited ... but as I got rid of some stuff last year that I hadn’t used since 1973, it will not be something new.
If any 15mm SCW bits and pieces come to light, I’ll put you name on them!
All the best,
Bob
An interesting set of goals proposed there. The Medieval period sees some huge shifts in the way war was fought - just think of how the ubiquitous English archer moves from a fire support role to become the main professional troop type in English overseas armies by the mid fifteenth century or the shift from the dominance of mounted combat to predominantly foot combat based armies and then back towards mounted combat.The rise of gunpowder on the battlefield. Just some of the trends in Western Europe, what about how warfare changes and develops in the East......huge topics to cover.
ReplyDeleteThe AWI is another interesting period, if only because when you look at how the war was fought then it becomes obvious that it was the British who did the open order skirmishing while the Continental army was desperate to fight a European style linear war.
Much to look forward to - happy New Year!
Barry Carter,
DeleteThe Medieval rules are going to be written by someone who is much more knowledgeable than me! I’ll be writing a general introduction, a brief history of the period (including changes to tactics and weaponry), a couple of scenarios, and a bibliography.
If I do decide to widen the scope of the American book to cover the AWI, I will use a similar format, relying on wargamers with more experience of the period than me to write the rules.
All the best,
Bob
Good to read your thoughts on the year to come Bob. Since my cancer 'scare' and last years lockdown, I have been re-evaluating my gaming and have decided to focus on core periods and rules, with less Armies, largely by going down the Imagi-Nations route for everything bar WWII. This I have found very liberating as well as allowing me to get more games in:). Sometimes less is more!
ReplyDeleteSteve J.,
DeleteYou’ve pretty well summed up my thinking! My brush with mortality made me re-evaluate what was important to me and what wasn’t ... hence the goals I’ve set for 2021.
All the best,
Bob
Bob,
ReplyDeleteWhile I did not get to do what I would have wished with miniature wargaming (as my gaming space was taken up by family due to COVID), I was inspired over the course of the year, through many of your posts here, and also the Pike and Shot book. I've gone over, again and again, the rules I want to use at the tactical level for my imagi-nations campaign, and I have decided on a modification to The Portable Wargame, with a mixture of Hail Caesar and Black Powder thrown into the mix.
This inspiration has also invigorated me to dust off my own blog, which was long neglected due to ...busy with life... and I am working towards being constantly consistent with it, for as long as I am able.
I can tell you that the Medieval book will be very much a timely publication, as my own project spans the breadth of human conflict, and anything inspiring will be of great help, whether or not its content fits my needs 100% or 0%.
Justin Penwith,
DeleteI am glad to read that my blog (and my books) have helped to inspire you during what ha been a very trying time for so many of us. Ill be interested to see how you manage to meld bits from my rules with concepts and mechanisms from other rules ... and if you do resurrect your blog, it will be easier for me to follow what you are doing.
I hope to begin work on the books once I have fully recovered from my operation. This might take until the end of February, but I have learned not to try to rush things.
All the best,
Bob
Bob,
Deletehttp://royalistroundhead.blogspot.com/
I've already a few more days of posts ready to go, but I do not want to overwhelm my small audience.
Of course, everything is a WIP, but these most recent posts reflect my thought processes as I am working through to creating a workable system.
Don't rush. Recover first. Write after.
Justin Penwith,
DeleteThanks for the link to your blog, which I’ve now added to those that I follow,
I look forward to reading your blog posts as your project develops.
Stay safe and stay well,
Bob
Bob,
DeleteWell, gee. My thanks, good sir!
I guess I now have even more motivation to keep grinding away until the diamond is revealed.
Best Wishes and prayer for an excellent recovery,
Justin
Justin Penwith (Justin),
DeleteI’ve read your latest blog posts with interest, and it looks as if you are taking my basic rules in an interesting direction.
Thanks for your best wishes for my recovery. They are much appreciated.
All the best,
Bob
Please, when release the Medieval rulebook, don't forget the north crusade with Teutonic Knights and Baltic Pagans!
ReplyDeleteStorm,
DeleteThanks for the suggestion. I’ll certainly try to include in some way.
All the best,
Bob
It looks as if I shall have to be making room in my bookcase during the coming year. Obviously you have a long way to go in your recovery but the fact that you feel interested in making these plans is a good sign and working on them would, I guess, aid your recovery. Best wishes. Jim
ReplyDeleteJim Walkley (Jim),
DeleteThanks very much for your best wishes. I really appreciate them.
I had little do whilst I was in hospital other than read and think. (I did have access to TV, but it was positioned so that you could only watch if you were lying in bed ... and I was encouraged to sit in a chair and walk about as much as I could.)
All the best,
Bob
I’m glad to hear you are on the mend comrade Cordery. The new book projects sound very exciting and look forward to seeing them. All the best for the coming year.
ReplyDeleteSteve8,
DeleteI am certainly getting better ... slowly! I’m hoping that planning for the books will help keep my mind alert and assist my recovery.
All the best,
Bob
Best wishes for both you health and your plans!
ReplyDeleteRoss Mac,
DeleteCheers, old chap!
All the best,
Bob
Hi Bob -
ReplyDeleteLooks as though you'll be providing me with plenty of reading material this coming year on your blog alone! I'm still occasionally checking out the availability of the Pike and Shot book for delivery to this country; and look forward to see what you have in mind for the Mediaeval volume. I have a feeling you and your co-author will find this one a challenge, as there is a lot of ground to cover there! (I always found the WRG rule sets problematic in that regard).
All the best for your continued recovery and a productive New Year,
Cheers,
Ion
Archduke Piccolo (Ion),
DeleteThanks for your best wishes. I am recovering slowly, but I’m hoping that by the end of January I’ll be almost back to what passes for normal.
I am arranging for a copy of PP&SW to be sent to you, but it may take some time due to the current pandemic.
The Medieval period is quite long, and I may have to limit the coverage to just part of the period ... but that’s a decision I’ll make as the book comes together.
All the best,
Bob
Good stuff Bob!
ReplyDeleteGeordie an Exiled FoG,
DeleteIt’s a plan ... and I’ve learned that having one helps!
All the best,
Bob
Good to see the plan. Are you still considering a WW2 book with rules for different levels up to Operational?
DeleteCheers
Simon
Simon,
DeleteFunnily enough, I realised that I had not included anything about WW2 - other than my Eastern Front/Great Patriotic War project - on my list, even though it is something that I am considering doing. I’m certainly going to update my current OPERATIONAL ART rules ... but when I will do so is uncertain.
All the best,
Bob