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The First Rule of Wargaming and the Spirit of the Wargame
The First Rule:
‘Nothing can be done contrary to what could or would be done in actual war.'
- From 'The Rules of the Naval War Game' by Fred T Jane
The Spirit of the Wargame:
‘Wargames are played, for the most part, without the supervision of an umpire. The game relies on the integrity of the individual players to show consideration for other players and to abide by the rules. All players should conduct themselves in a disciplined manner, demonstrating courtesy and sportsmanship at all times, irrespective of how competitive they may be. This is the spirit of the wargame.’
- Adapted from 'The Spirit of the Game' in 'The Rules of Golf' as published by the R&A Ltd.
Progress sitrep - teaser for a parade
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Work on the army of the Grand Duchy of Waldow for the Soldier King project
has progressed. The figures have been painted and varnished and are
awaiting f...
Somewhere in Flanders, 1793
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My 1793/94 Flanders campaign armies having spent most of the last 3 years
in Brittany, the West Indies and Egypt, I thought they might want to head
back ...
Though your ship be sturdy, no mercy has the Sea
-
The Illyrian invasion of Messaline has come to an end (dice determined)
with both sides glaring at each other across the original border. Losses on
both...
CSS Atlanta: Ready for Action!
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*Finally got the Spar Torpedo fitted. A simple construction although the
original had a much more complex system for lowering the spar boom.*
First of...
Ingolstadt Campaign – Day Six
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*Campaign Map*
*17 August 1813 – Southern Germany – Day 6 *
French attack Ingolstadt and retreat to Lauf
7th French army – retreat to Lauf
8th French ar...
Some New Additional Buildings.
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I made a Grain Elevator from cardboard which suits my needs for the Grain
Siding. Also I put together a Walthers Cape Cod house kit- a very
satisfying mo...
Happy Easter !
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Happy Easter from all at the Duchy of Tradgardland .
Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!
Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia!
Who did once, ...
Operation Compass - Beda Fomm, 6th February 1941
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This is the third and final battle in my mini campaign covering Operation
Compass. If I hadn't been away I would have run it in February 2025, but as
i...
Gunfight Teaser
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A quick teaser photos of the setup of tonight's game of What A Cowboy.
'Scar' Johnson's gang are holed up in La Hacienda Bonita with a haul of
valuable ...
Wargaming as Therapy
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I have on a number of occasions had cause to visit a friend or two in
hospital following serious illness. I have made a point of taking my
foldable DBA b...
Playing with hills
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Spent some time today playing with hills and how I want the hex terrain to
work with flowing hills rather than occasional lumps on the battlefield.
I...
Work in Progress ... or Projected
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Just to keep this blog spot ticking over for the time being. I'm hoping to
gat at least one battle in over the long weekend. It has been a long while.
...
Salute 2025
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Last Saturday, 12th April was by all accounts the warmest day of the year
so far in the UK, so how did I spend it? Yes of course, indoors - wandering
aro...
First Alamein – Mersa Matruh FSO Game
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The orbats for Mersa Matruh are posted on the campaign page. It was
immediately obvious that a 10 x 18 square table was full on the north south
axis using ...
Hawker Demon
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Sorry it's been a while since my last post - busy with work and other
stuff, meaning lots of screen time and a resulting disinclination to write
blog pos...
Woking Games Day 2025
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Last Saturday a small band of the faithful from the Little Wars Revisited
group assembled in Woking for this years Games Day. The event was hosted
by M...
Red Metal: Nearly there...
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I have managed further work on the rules, lots of tidying up and
simplifications. I have now completed the counters for the play test. The
pic above is ...
New Bear Range Kicked Off
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In my dwindling free time, I sometimes think about ranges I would finish if
there were interest. I’m more likely to have a free 10 minute block where ...
Warp Speed into 2025
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The last year has been quite challenging. I suffered a stroke in November
2023 and have spent the last year or so in recovery. I'm not there yet, but
do...
Days Gone Bye
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Wishing all my readers and contacts a Merry Christmas and all that which
comes with it.
Here's a picture of me with my non-wargaming buddies in times go...
The Battle of Prokhorovka
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We’re re fighting the battle of Prokhorovka at the moment using Memoir ‘44.
This was the giant armour clash between the 11th SS Panzer Korps under
Mans...
Update and WIP
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[image: Merry christmas wallpaper design]
Well, it certainly has been eventful, this year. Shortly after my last
post, far too long ago, some things...
Blog Closing…
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This blog will be closing down on 1st July. I have a fairly expensive
hosting package that I no longer need as I am only running Black Hat and
selling pain...
New Accessions – tidying up …
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So, 3 items under the camera … Chris gave me a P&G SU-76i quite a while
ago, and I’ve been meaning to get round to it … the SU-122 I did years ago.
It’s a ...
Solo Play Testing
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The next Seven Years Wargame with the "Usual Suspects" has moved to the
right by a couple of weeks. One of our group, who has been unavailable for
a few ...
Fighting for Hearth and Home
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When word came from the Watchers that the host of Iron Men in the pass had
taken the North East road, the Elder of Smawlton was quick to send word to
Duke ...
Warplan 5/5 Campaign System
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I'm afraid I couldn't find a way to reproduce the snazzy double headed
arrow in 5/5 in the text so will have to do with this instead.
Warplan 5/5 came o...
Take the High Ground
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“Take the high ground”. These were Captain Scarlett’s latest orders in the
ongoing campaign to repel the Teutonians from Albionia’s green and pleasant
lan...
Focus on 2020
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*G*reetings my fellow wargame bloggers. Instead of doing the annual recap
of 2019 I'm just going to skip that and focus on what I plan to achieve in
this n...
Initial...
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...deployments.
Seconds out...first two rounds, of 15. In the Blue corner (US invaders):
On the right flank, a unit of US Regulars, an artillery battery, a...
I have been wargaming for as long as I can remember. One of the first toys that I was bought was a wooden fort that was garrisoned by assorted lead soldiers ... and I have never looked back!
The first wargames book I bought was CHARGE! (although I had taken out [and repeatedly read] Donald Featherstone's WAR GAMES book beforehand [and many thanks to John Curry for republishing it!]).
My first 20mm figures were the good old Airfix Guards Infantry and Band (in shocking pink!), soon followed by others as they were released, and by 1968, when I bought my first metal Hinton Hunt 20mm figures, I had a large collection of World War II figures, tanks, guns, and aircraft.
I was a founder member of WARGAME DEVELOPMENTS and have been the treasurer and membership secretary ever since. I have also organised – along with Tim Gow - the annual conference (COW – Conference of Wargamers) for more that fifteen years.
My main interests are wargaming any wars from 1850 onwards, although I have a special interest in Colonial, the Spanish Civil War, and World War II wargaming. I also have a special interest in wargames that use square or hex grids for movement and weapon ranges.
Happy New Year! As of this reply we're not quite there yet on this side of the pond.
ReplyDeleteMark Cordone,
DeleteMay I wish you and your family a Happy New Year!
All the best,
Bob
Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to follow your activities and blog in 2025!
Roger,
DeleteHappy New Year to you and yours! I have a few things planned for 2025 … so keep reading the blog!
All the best,
Bob
HNY to you and yours Bob!
ReplyDeleteSteve J.,
DeleteMay I wish you and your family a great 2025!
All the best,
Bob
Happy New Year Bob!
ReplyDeleteMaudlin Jack Tar,
DeleteA Happy New Year to you too!
All the best,
Bob
A Good New Year to you and yours, Tony
ReplyDeleteThe Good Soldier Svjek (Tony),
DeleteMay I wish you and your family a Happy New Year!
All the best,
Bob
Happy New Year from Nevada!
ReplyDeleteMr. Pavone,
DeleteA Happy New Year from the UK!
All the best,
Bob
Here's wishing you a Happy and healthier New Year.
ReplyDeleteRob Young,
DeleteMany thanks! I’d like to wish you and your family a great and healthy 2025!
All the best,
Bob
Happy New Year to you BOB and Sue- hope 2025 is a great year for getting things done.
ReplyDeleteKev Robertson (Kev),
DeleteI’d love to wish you and Chris a great 2025, and hope that you have healthy and prosperous time.
All the best,
Bob
HNY Bob, Jim
ReplyDeleteJim Duncan,
DeleteWishing you a Happy New Year!
All the best,
Bob
Happy New Year Bob.
ReplyDeleteWillz.
Tiberian General (Willz),
DeleteMay I wish you and your family a Happy New Year!
All the best,
Bob
I hope the two of you have a happy and as healthy as possible 2025.
ReplyDeleteRoss Mac,
DeleteSue and I send our best wishes to both of you for the New Year!
All the best,
Bob
Best wishes for the New Year, Bob!
ReplyDeleteEd M,
DeleteMay I reciprocate and wish you and your family a Happy New Year!
All the best,
Bob
Happy New Year Bob to you and yours and I wonder what 2025 will have in store for us!
ReplyDeleteDonnie McGibbon,
DeleteCheers! May I wish you and your family a great 2025 … whatever I challenges it presents us with!
All the best,
Bob