Just over a week ago, I promised that I’d feature the list of sessions that will form the programme of the forthcoming Conference of Wargamers 2022 (COW2022) which will take place from 8th to 10th July.
WHAT IF? – THE PLENARY GAME
Teams will be given some ‘what if’ situations and must entertain us all with the short or long-term consequences.
RAVEN 2 IS DOWN
The summer of '69, SE Asia: an American pilot has been shot down over Vietnam and the 8th Special Operations Squadron is scrambled to rescue him. In their vintage prop-driven 'Spads' they must suppress enemy AAA and ground troops to enable the helicopters to lift the pilot to safety. They will be supported by every 'fast mover' available, the action coordinated by an experienced Forward Air Controller. But they must move fast, as our man came down near Na Xtan in the heart of NVA territory. (It's hot in there sir, that's where we lost McDonald).
A lawn game featuring 1/72 aircraft and 1/32 figures.
IF A SINGLE SHOT IS FIRED
A game of Soviet special purpose forces in Afghanistan, featuring teams from Zenit, Alfa, the VDV, and others who lack their warmth and generosity of spirit. The game will use 6mm toy soldiers and the Soviet version of the ‘Guts Enough To Try’ rules.
THE BLOOD OF SAN GENNARO
Liberated Naples, 1943: British intelligence officers hunt for leading Fascists in an ancient, starving city rife with vendettas, prostitution, and other, darker secrets. A role-playing game covering bleak ground and with some adult themes.
THE BATTLE FOR VILLA ENCOGIDA JAMON
Love it or hate it, another variation on the original Muskets and Tomahawks rules. This time we are in South West Texas/ North East Mexico during the Texan Revolution. A cast of thousands (well dozens) including Santa Anna, Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie and the Lords of the Southern Plains. Plus Cactus ... lots of Cactus!
SPARTANS AND SUCCESSORS
Fast-ish play rules for ancients. Based on Rapid Raphia from several years ago. 12 units a side, all driven by playing cards. Refight ancient battles from the Hellenic period without your dice roiling on the floor.
THE BATTLE OF MAHARAJPUR
A refight of General Sir Henry Havelock’s crowning victory on the road to Cawnpore. Can he defeat the Nana Sahib’s army and free the hostages before vile deeds are done? The game will use the ‘Indian Mutine-era’ variant of the ‘Taiping era’ rules with the added joy of 25mm figures. Yes! Revel in the nostalgia of late 1970’s Minifigs and that Hinchcliffe elephant limber. Launch bayonet charges in the face of massed Sepoy musketry! Or, if you are on the other side fight heroically to send the European invader back home! Join the life and death struggle for the soul of a (sub) continent.
SPI DALLAS
The 1980 Dallas (as in ‘Who shot JR?’) franchise tie-in with owning TV production company Lorimar is a notorious episode of the past history of SPI, often being quoted as one of the main causes of the death of SPI. The game is a hybrid of an after-dinner game, an RPG, a matrix game where the ‘three arguments’ routine is replaced by a simple conflict mechanism, and a sort of Illuminati-style game where minor characters can exercise power on behalf of the main character.
PETROGRAD NIGHTS
The Russian Revolution. Failed in 1905. Failed in 1917. Succeeded in 1917. Be ready to play out an attempt at the revolution or counter it – with all of the uncertainty of circumstance and success the leaders went into it with. A combination of political game and toy soldier game with subtle links between the parts, a heavy dose of mutual player interaction ranging from comradeship to open hostility, and the threat of exclusion and strikes. Deals will be made, and deals will be broken. Talk – or fight.
WATERLOO 1815
A small little known 1815 Napoleonic battle in France with Corsican Corporal against a Sepoy General with the battle being named after a train station. It will be a collective decision-making game with the fate of Europe handing in the balance.
TAKE THAT HILL
British Army Fight Club Wargame Primer. A platoon assault on a defended hill-top. Team of three NCO's and Leader.
SHILOH
An American Civil War toy soldier game for half a dozen players on a small table. Some of the mechanisms will be familiar, others perhaps less so. Some appropriate hats will be available.
1812 – THE ROAD TO MOSCOW
Command Napoleon’s Grande Armée on its march on Moscow. Get the Russians to sue for peace or see the army melt away in the snows of Winter. A single player map-based game using toy soldiers. This game has served as the WD North demonstration game at recent wargame shows. This will run several times.
COMMANDO RAID
A chance to try Donald Featherstone’s World War Two commando rules (from Donald Featherstone’s Wargaming Commando Operations and Reflections on Wargaming, Lost Tales Volume 2, edited by John and Michael Curry, History of Wargaming Project, 2013). The game has been modernised for the 21st Century by replacing the 20mm Airfix figures with 15mm metal ones and substituting a home-made MTB and Dory for the landing craft. Participants in possession of caps, comforter or berets, green are welcome to wear them.
THERE’S SOMETHING WRONG WITH OUR WARGAMES TODAY
Wargaming has an outstanding record of modelling historical conflicts; from moving Caesar’s legions around the battlefield to running the Vietnam War. However, when it comes to modelling future conflicts, our wargames are terrible. This lecture and discussion will demonstrate examples of these errors and will offer the first tentative suggestions about how to improve games about future conflicts. Health warning: anyone who has confidence in professional wargaming will probably get annoyed.
UKRAINE 2022
A map-based game about the Russian invasion of the Ukraine. The game was designed and played prior to the war. This will involve discussion about how the game model compares to the actual reality of the conflict.
ANOTHER BLOODY NORMANDY BOOK
People can play at any time – another game in the Diary of a Ball series.
PADDY GRIFFITH’S GENERALSHIP GAME
From Paddy’s Napoleonic Wargaming book. I prepared this game years ago but haven’t played it. It may be a genuine wargame development as I’d not sure if anyone has actually played the full version!
CHRISTMAS IN HELL v1.1
A counter and zoned map game of the great Canadian WW2 battle for the town of Ortona during Christmas 1943. The game will be a modified version of High-Flying Dice Games ‘Christmas in Hell’ with (hopefully) a new map, some rules tweaks and an evolving narrative. The game will be followed by a discussion of how well it represents urban combat and a summary of the real operation.
SPACE JACK
A fairly light-hearted sci-fi skirmish game.
BATTLE OF BLORE HEATH
Illustrated talk on the battle of Blore Heath (23rd September 1459). The second battle of the Wars of the Roses. It has a number of unusual features.
OPERATION BLUE TIGER
The players are the Computer Emergency Response Team of a large UK organisation. They will be tasked with responding to a cybersecurity incident. Some specific roles will be assigned during the briefing. No knowledge of IT or cybersecurity is required (but might be beneficial …)
BANDERA II
'Vladimir Putin – how the hell do I get out of this alive', a Matrix Game about the Ukraine and Russian futures.
SCOUT BASE 947
A home brew RPG adventure set in a backward and almost abandoned system on the edge of civilised space.
DUCK HUNTING
A home brew RPG designed for British Army Reservist Training in Lockdown. You are recently mobilised Ukrainian Reservists, called to a tattered old Army Base north of Kiev, as Russia is threatening to invade.
THE EMIR CALLS A MEETING
This black committee game explores the options and possible complications of a terrorist organisation acquiring a WMD. Players will be given a brief to follow and will decide on what to do with the WMD once it is their possession. Inspired by a journal article and adapted to the committee game format. The game will be followed by a discussion on the themes raised.
WARS OF THE ROSES
Using Bloody Barons rules. A chance to play with lots of 15mm figures. This session will run twice.
PIECES OF EIGHT
Pirate land raid. Quite a quick game and on a small 2 x 3 foot table too. Probably play twice or more in a session. This session will run twice.
LOGISTICS, LOGISTICS, LOGISTICS
A fun look at how railroads influenced the outcome of the American Civil War.
COYLE'S BEST
An update of Avalon Hill's solitaire WW2 tank game Patton's Best, set in a 1985 WW3 inspired by the novel Team Yankee by Harold Coyle. Each player will command an M1 Abrams tank in a company-sized team through several enemy encounters. After the gameplay there will be a discussion of this and other similar narrative games.
COW2022 TIMETABLE
The conference is a 'closed' event and is only open to members of Wargame Developments.
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