SALUTE 2005: Megablitz terrain

When Wargame Developments was asked to put on a game at SALUTE 2005, Tim Gow and I decided that a demonstration game that featured MEGABLITZ would be ideal. We therefore split the task into two parts. He provided the troops (US and German) and provided the terrain.

I think that this was the first time that terrain had been specifically built for a MEGABLITZ game, and I created it from a combination of MDF (used for the base boards), cork tiles (used to create the hills and the river), paint (Dulux emulsion for the base colour and different 'matchpots' for the river, fields, roads, and built-up areas), and flock in a variety of different colours.

The resultant terrain looked like this:

COW2004: Heroes of Victoria's Empire (HoVE) (or Carry On! Follow that, Kemal)

HEROES OF VICTORIA’S EMPIRE (HoVE) was a set of generic colonial wargames rules that I had been working on during 2003-4. The rules had been playtested in several face-to-face, one-on-one games, but they needed to be tested in a multi-player game, and COW2004 was the ideal opportunity to do so.

The scenario: Carry on! Follow that, Kemal
Deep in the desert of the Arab Kingdom of Khemed, a party of archaeologists, led by Professor Ronald Crump and his assistant Dr. Reginald Syde, is excavating the lost tomb of Tutankumup. The tomb is reputed to contain a vast treasure as well as evidence relating to the ancient methods of temple building.

The ruler of Khemed – Sheikh Abdul Abulbul – has 'lent' Professor Crump (for the princely sum of one thousand gold Sovereigns) a detachment of his army to guard the site. The Captain commanding these troops (an ex- Foreign Legion sergeant major named Marek Clotski) has also been given the secret task of ensuring that any discoveries are reported to the Sheikh. The Sheikh has also sent a large detachment of his army (commanded by another ex-Foreign Legionnaire, Major Michel Le Pice) to an oasis near the archaeologists' camp. This is supposed to be there to guard the water supply, but its real task is to make sure that the Sheikh gets his share of any gold and jewels that are found in the tomb.

A local Bedouin chieftain (and rival for the throne of Khemed) – Sheikh Ahmet Ali – has heard that the 'infidels' are desecrating the holy tomb of Tutankumup, and is determined to stop it. With the help of a renegade British officer – Captain Lawrence 'Kemal' Keene – he has gathered together his most loyal warriors and is determined to attack the archaeologists' camp. Once the archaeologists have been driven away – or killed – he intends to use the fact that Sheikh Abdul Abulbul has given his support to the 'infidels' to advance on Khemed City and overthrow the Sheikh

The area of operations.

A close-up of the profile mountains used during this game. They were built of thin plywood and balsa wood. The design is based on those built by David Gelber (AKA   Major General Tremorden Rederring).

The action begins!

The archaeologists set up their camp next to the ruins ...

... where they seemed to spend a lot of time talking ...

... about what they were going to do.

In the meantime, Sheikh Ahmet Ali and his tribesmen advanced on the unwary 'infidels'.

Sheikh Abdul Abulbul's troops moved forward to meet the threat ...

... but it was sometimes difficult to work out who was friendly and who was not!

Definitely unfriendly!

SALUTE 2003: The Die Hards

One reason why our game at SALUTE 2003 was so successful was the proximity of the table we had been allocated to the display being put on by THE DIEHARDS. They are the Victorian Military Society's re-enactment group, and they have a well-earned reputation for the standard of their recreations.

SALUTE 2003: Restless Natives

Back in 2003 Wargame Developments was asked to put on a demonstration/participation game at SALUTE. As I was working on a new set of colonial wargames rules at the time (RESTLESS NATIVES), I decided that they would be ideal for this. With the help of Tony Hawkins and some other stalwarts from Wargame Developments we managed to stage five games during that day ... and the participants seemed to enjoy them no end.


Digital cameras were not as good as they are now, and the quality of the photographs was – to say the least – variable. Here are some of the ones that were not too out of focus!

The Mahdists










The Anglo-Egyptians






Battle action!










All of the figures were manufactured by Essex Miniatures and bought ready-painted from Miliart.

COW2002: The Sword in Palestine (or the Barber of Baghdad)

THE BARBER OF BAGHDAD was a wargame set up at COW2002 by Tony Hawkins and I so that we could demonstrate the SWORD IN PALESTINE variant of Larry Brom's THE SWORD AND THE FLAME rules.

The battle revolved around an Anglo-Arab raid on a Turkish train ... that was carrying the favourite barber of the Turkish General in charge of the defence of Baghdad. (The scenario might not have been a great one, but the battle was!)

The battlefield.

The oasis ... where the train stopped to take on water.

When the train stopped the troops it was carrying deployed to defend it.

The train's defenders included Infantry, a Machine Gun, and a Field Gun.

A column of Turkish Infantry.

The Turkish Field Gun and crew.

The Turkish Field Gun was mounted on the leading waggon of the train.

The defenders deployed to meet the threat of an Arab attack.

Turkish Infantry moving towards a sand dune.

Some of the Turkish Infantry moved along the road ... but suffered casualties from Arab gunfire.

Some of the Turks took cover by the oasis.

British Rolls Royce Armoured Cars.

Arab Cavalry.

The Arabs moved forward with their Cavalry on the left.

Two Turkish Lancers mounted a counter-attack. The odds were not in their favour ... but you could not fault their bravery!

The Turkish Lancers ... or – more accurately – a Turkish Lancer and an Officer!

Having give the Arabs a nasty shock, the Turkish Lancers withdrew to safety ...

... at the oasis.