Looking at the map of the Fiddletown & Copperopolis Railway ...
... I was struck by the similarity to the sort of maps found in Donald Featherstone's book, WAR GAME CAMPAIGNS. This set me thinking ... and I remembered the 'Long Live The Revolution!' mini-campaign that I included in my book, DEVELOPING THE PORTABLE WARGAME.
The campaign was a linear one and players moved backwards and forwards from one map to another, thus:
Regional Capital
Provincial Capital
Railway Station
Capital City
Now, the last two maps had railways of them, and it would not be that difficult to add some railway track to the others. I could easily build four small, self-contained baseboards (in the style of those featured in the Budget Model Railway Challenge) that I could then use to fight a mini-campaign on, based on the 'Long Live The Revolution!' one ... and I could also connect all four together to create a small model railway.
I don't know if anything will come of this idea ... but it is certainly an interesting mini-campaign to think about!
Bob - great idea & it will most likely work- ever since I read your "Long Live the Revolution" I have been developing a back story & maps in a mythical Latin American Republic of Burritos with its breakaway province of Mojiito - I figured the civil war would go back & forth along the main & branch railway lines until either the revolutionaries were defeated or the government lost the provincial city of Fandango (most towns had either Spanish food or drink names) - I have only got as far a failed uprising in Fandago with the revolutionaries retreating across the Tamale river to the Cigarillo Hills -so go forth & do it 😀😃
ReplyDeleteAndrew,
DeleteCheers! As I wrote, nothing may come of this … but reading about your current project certainly encourages me to give it some very serious thought.
All the best,
Bob
Linking wargame scenarios to make a train layout sounds like a great idea to me - ticks all the boxes!
ReplyDeleteMaudlin Jack Tar,
DeleteIn some ways, this is a sort of version of what I would like to do with my Belle Époque project, so doing it might be a useful, proof-of-concept.
All the best,
Bob
That's a great little campaign and the idea to combine your two active hobbies is great.
ReplyDeleteWEK 3,
DeleteCheers! Thanks for the encouragement; it helps to give me the impetus to develop this idea further.
All the best,
Bob
When I read the DPW campaign it struck me as an excellent idea..,have fun exploring options, Bob!
ReplyDeleteMartin S.,
DeleteCheers! If I can find suitable baseboards, I am increasingly likely to give this a go.
All the best,
Bob
Two hobbies become one as the Spice Girls didn’t sing, sadly. Great idea.
ReplyDeleteAlan Tradgardland
Tradgardmastare,
DeleteCheers! It makes lots of sense to combine my two hobbies if I can.
All the best,
Bob
That's a very intriguing idea to combine 2 different and interesting hobbies. Usually their 'different' scales are easily combined too.
ReplyDeleteRoger,
DeleteMy most of my model railway stuff is what the Americans term HO30 (i.e. HO trains that run on N-gauge track that represents 30-inch gauge track) and it fits in well with my larger 15mm Essex Miniatures.
All the best,
Bob
That sounds like an interesting combination. Please post a photo for comparison if you have them both together once. I do also have a growing collection of H0e/ H0n30 (which is basically the same thing).
DeleteRoger,
DeleteI have featured photos of my collection in various blog posts, but hope to do some more soon.
All the best,
Bob
I have been researching ACW raising type games for Confederate and Union forces for a while. This system, expanded to have multiple boards either side of your diagram, could provide scope for the raiding side to strike and have a chance to evade pursuit. There would need to be multiple potential targets to raid but railway lines and junctions would be included. Small villages, blockhouses, store houses and telegraph lines could be added.
ReplyDeleteTunnies terrain,
DeleteThis sounds like a very interesting campaign, especially as the railways played such an important role during the American Civil War. Good luck with it.
All the best,
Bob