WARGAMER’S NOTES QUARTERLY

Issue 2 Volume 1 : March 2017

Kursk Campaign

9th Cape War Action

SF Narrative Campaign WARGAMER’S NOTES In this issue... QUARTERLY My Charge Mk2 Project...... 3

Setting the Scene for Russo-Japanese Naval Welcome to Issue Number Two... Armageddon - Part 2...... 7

Building Walmington on Sea ...... 11 One of the really great things about editing a magazine of this kind is to be able to interact Antares 2401: with the many and diverse people who make A Narrative Science Fiction Campaign...... 13 up our wonderful hobby. Quick tips: Black Outlining the Easy Way...... 22 This issue we have a small piece of “filler” put together by Rob Grace, who (apart from being Converting Plastic 20mm WW2 German a keen naval war-gamer ) is also something Paratroopers - Part 2...... 23 of a maestro with Spencer Smith miniatures. So, next issue I shall reply with a small piece Little Lead Men ...... 26 showing how I do something similar by a Slightly Irregular...... 27 rather different route... Wargaming the Ninth Cape Frontier ********************************************* War - Part 2...... 31 You will doubtless have seen Chris Gregg’s Call It Macaroni! The Test Game...... 37 “Little Lead Men” cartoons in this and our previous issue. Chris is keen to invite submissions of ideas for future cartoons. If you Late breaking news, one of our subscribers, think you’ve got something, drop us a line! Mr Ian Drury will be taking a game to Salute, ********************************************** on April 22nd at the Excel Centre, London. The game will be the battle of Trocadero It is very satisfying to be able to report that - the conclusion of the French 'Thousand after the appearance of our first edition we Sons' expedition to restore the Spanish have been inundated with requests from Monarchy in 1823. many more people wanting to join the party. To all of you we offer a hearty welcome. Ian and the lads from the Continental Wars Society will be on table GG09, right in the Let us know what you think at centre aisle, near the seating area. If you are [email protected]. attending Salute, come along and say hello - Your feedback is always welcome. and additional players for the game are sure to be given a warm welcome! And lastly, our thanks to all those good people who have taken the time to write for the www.salute.co.uk/salute/salute-2017/ magazine. Without you we would be looking at a whole lot of blank pages. Graphic Design by Amy Geddes. This magazine is for you. Proof reading by “Musketier”. Contact the Wargamer’s Notebook team at: [email protected]

Front cover: Epsilon squad is disembarking. In the distance Delta squad has already taken out forward defensive positions. See the rest of the action in Phil Dutré’s article!

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 2 My Charge Mk2 Project By Stuart Asquith, UK

Ever since my purchase in 1971 Charge! Or last few years, with seemingly the world and his How to Play Wargames by Brigadier P. Young wife all producing ever weirder sounding ‘imagi- and Lieutenant Colonel J P Lawford (Morgan- nations’ as the concept has been dubbed. Such is Grampian, London 1967) has been my very the proliferation of such sites, blogs etc. that on a favourite war gaming book. My copy has survived personal basis I have become completely turned several house moves, a number of bookcase off by it all. I sold most of my armies of the period ‘rationalisations’, at least two serious ‘downsizing’ and much, if not all, of my accumulated reference exercises and still sits there on the shelf, a jewel material. among my nowadays much reduced library. For me it is not simply a well produced, wittily written Yet the concept of two fictitious characters and and nicely illustrated publication – which it is, their armies continually campaigning against one all of these – it is the definition of our hobby, another still holds a great deal of interest/appeal how to approach and go about playing with toy for me… soldiers. If by any chance anyone out there has not seen a copy, may I suggest you rectify that The Classic Series omission without delay? I am sure that you will not be disappointed. Mind you, in all fairness, this We move on. Surfing the internet some time ago can be problematic these days. There was a soft now, I came across the Spencer Smith Miniatures cover reprint some years ago, but both this and site (www.spencersmithminiatures.co.uk). Now the original versions now command a fairly high I am very familiar with the 30mm soft plastic price, typically £30 - £50 a time. Looking around figures once produced by this company, ranges web sites and dealers in second hand books may that are now, sadly, long out of production, but however throw up some cheaper opportunities. in truth I hadn’t really explored the various other aspects and/or products of this company. The central forces of Charge! are those of a fictitious Emperor and Elector, always seemingly Amongst the company’s many metal ranges I at odds with one another. The period is the 18th found their specially commissioned ‘Classic’ series century and naturally enough, the writers deal of 30mm white metal figures for the Franco- with the warfare of that period, and how it might Prussian War 1870-1871 and I understand that be depicted in miniature. figures for other conflicts may well be planned for future release. The elegant figures in this range I should also mention a similar publication, The are designed by the talented David Scheinmann War Game by Charles Grant (Adam & Charles (formerly a designer for Tradition of London) Black, London 1971) in which once again features and are multi-part, but only in the sense that the two fictitious armies, that of the Vereinigte Freie infantry require the fixing of the weapon arm to Städte which continually tries conclusions with the otherwise complete figure’s body; drummers the military might of the Grand Duchy of Lorraine, come with separate arms and drum; mounted again all set in the 18th century. This is also a figures also come with a separate arm and, where classic work in its own right which always keeps appropriate, sword scabbard, but are cast with its rightful place on my ‘never going to part with’ saddle and saddle cloth attached, horses are bookshelf. separate, but complete castings. The relevant pieces go together both simply and easily, surely The concept of two fictitious 18th century the mark of good design and production. (As armies or commanders conducting campaigns in a passing comment - eight tubes of excellent miniature has exploded on the internet over the

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 3 superglue for just £1 from, erm, Poundland, must riders are 95p, horses are £1.50, artillery pieces surely be the best value ever.) £3.45 and finally there is a mitrailleuse with three crew for the French at £5.95. A visit to the Spencer To provide a brief overview of the range; for the Smith website will produce a printable list of all French there are currently line infantry, chasseurs the available figures. Postage and packing are a pied, zouaves, marine infantry, grenadiers of the 15%, with a minimum of £2.80 per order; in my guard, field artillery (including a mitrailleuse with experience the postal service offered by Peter a three man crew), hussars, cuirassiers, lancers, Johnstone the proprietor has consistently been dragoons and chasseurs d’afrique. The Prussians reliable, which for me is a very necessary factor in can call on line infantry, jägers, field artillery, ‘army building’. hussars, cuirassiers, lancers and dragoons. For 1870 there are guards in plumed helmets and Back to Charge! in mitre caps. There are also Bavarian infantry, artillery and cuirassiers, Wurtemberg infantry So, given that I really like these figures (you and Brunswick infantry. The 1859 Austrians have noticed then…), what to do with them? German infantry, jägers and Hungarian infantry, cavalry and artillery. Finally there are three horse One aspect of Charge! that always appealed poses, one standing, and two charging. The to me was that it was all purely fictitious, thus infantry are typically – but not universally across preventing knowing shakes of the head and the range – supplied as three differently posed condescending smiles from the button counting officers on foot, a flag bearer, drummer and four fraternity who love to point out that ‘this unit poses of infantrymen – shouldered rifle, at the changed their facings on 1st January 1799, so trail, advancing at the ready and advancing at those are incorrect’ (he knows, he was there…). the high porte. The cavalry feature an officer and trooper charging, sometimes also with a OK, so how about moving the Emperor and the trumpeter and standard bearer – all the cavalry Elector forward in time to the second half of the are actively posed. There is also a limited selection 19th century – a sort of Charge! Mk2? of mounted officers, which with a horse are £2.45 Here I had to make a small, but basic, change; each, foot figures (including artillerymen) and given the available figure range, the Imperial

1st Uhlan Regiment

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 4 forces I selected as those of Austria and France, no problem, but ranged against them the Electoral army became the (German) Federation army to reflect and utilise the available selection of Bavarian, Brunswick, Prussian and Wurtemberg troops.

I decided to keep many of the unit names from Anything over five feet in width and, lacking Charge! although some, such as the Gentlemen ape-like arms, one cannot reach the middle of the Pensioners, were difficult to place in the new table – where the action invariably takes place – context. This was not a strictly universal plan without considerable discomfort. It seems strange however and I was quite willing to mix new (that’s a polite word for ‘daft’) and rather pointless names in with those of the well-known originals. to me to exceed this.

Thus, the Dragoons of Montmort, von Kornberg’s So, given my current available playing area, I Cuirassiers, the Lanciers de Saxe, the Steinzeit, realised there was no point creating huge infantry Waldeck , Erbprinz and Isembourg regiments units of 50+ figures each or 25+ cavalry units and others are alive and well once again, rubbing and in any event, I much prefer smaller units, shoulders or crossing bayonets – as applicable - always have. As mentioned above, the prices of with ‘new wave’ units such as the Garde Schützen, the Spencer Smith figures are not unreasonable, the Imperial Jäger Corps and the Mounted so for once at least money wasn’t too much of a Imperial Rifles, albeit all now kitted out in mid to factor. late 19th century uniforms. Initially I decided on 10 figures for an infantry In truth the soldiers are tricked out in whatever unit – why? I don’t really know, it had sufficient uniform comes into my head or catches my ‘presence’ on the table and somehow ‘looked eye, drawn either from the internet or my ever right’ (Perhaps following the old adage ‘If it looks dwindling reference shelves. The same uniform is right, it is right’.) Subsequently however I opted always applied throughout a particular unit, but for infantry units of eight figures – these still to date, no two units in either army look the same. looked OK and I could have more of them. This is the course I have followed and my infantry units consist of an officer and seven other ranks, all in Organisation and Orders of the same pose (I have a dreadfully tidy mind.). Battle Sometimes, when the relevant musician figure is an absolute cracker, such as in the case of the Having lost my dedicated war games room on Austrian jäger trumpeter, it is included in the having made a ‘downsizing’ move from London to unit, at the expense of one of the rank and file. the Cotswolds a number of years ago, I now quite Flag bearers are not included, as I cannot abide happily make do with the 6’x3’ dining room table. painting flags, they are beyond my artistic ability It’s an interesting point that even when I had my and desire. own rather large room, which served as HQ of The Rayners Lane War Games Group from 1978 Cavalry muster four figures per unit, consisting of to 2001, my permanent table was 8’x5’. I cannot an officer, a trumpeter if available, and then two understand or comprehend the need or desire or three troopers as appropriate. for longer and more strangely, wider, tables.

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 5 Artillery ‘batteries’ consist of a single cannon plus a crew of four.

When it comes to generals, I have committed the probably unpardonable sin of moving the spirit of my ultimate Charge! hero, General Soubise, Prince of Rohan, to command not the Electoral army, but the Imperial army. Mind you, the re-generated ‘Soubise’ looks well enough in his new role, as indeed does General Count Von Kornberg who now commands the Federation army.

My plan is to raise four units of cavalry (at four figures each), eight units of infantry (at eight figures each), one gun with four crew and one mounted general per side. In summary this gives 16 cavalry, 64 infantry, a gun with crew and a general per side; sufficient troops/units for ‘the look of the thing’ and convenient to use on a 6x3’ playing surface. Games, Rules and Such

This plan would also enable me to re-fight the two actions fromCharge! – Blasthof Berg/Bridge and Sittangbad – as well as another of my favourites, the Battle of Hook’s Farm from Little Wars by H G Wells.

The rules I use are my perennial favourites taken from the ‘horse-and-musket type war game’ section featured in Tackle Model Soldiers This Way (Stanley Paul, London 1963) by the late, much lamented Don Featherstone. Don’t look for too much here. They do not compare with today’s overpriced and overblown rules, but they are user friendly in that they are extremely simplistic, covering most – but certainly not all - eventualities and are easily committed to memory. They may well be too basic for today’s war gamers, fed on a diet of ‘factors’, ‘phases’ and similar mechanisms, but I really like their single page content – letting the players get on with the game rather than constantly thumbing through the rules. The rules allow any number of players, or can quite happily be used for solo games. (Of course, there are at least two excellent books available out there on solo war gaming…)

Production Notes

I used to paint my figures exclusively with Games Workshop paints, but the last drastic upheaval of their range terminated my interest in them; I haven’t touched them since. To paint the figures nowadays I use Vallejo, Revell and some Coat d’arms acrylics and then gloss varnish the finished figure with Humbrol enamel gloss varnish 35. I have always glossed my lads; I really do like the appearance and feel of gloss varnished figures, shades of toy soldiers perhaps.

All the figures are individually based using the very neat 2mm thick MDF laser cut bases from the extremely efficient East Riding Miniatures (www.eastridingminiatures.co.uk).

Those of the infantry are 20x20mm in size; mounted figures are on 20x30mm bases, artillery pieces (without crew, who are individually based as per the infantry) on 50x60mm. I leave the bases unadorned and paint them with Reeves acrylic chromium oxide green – this takes a while to dry (about 24 hours) - but I like the finished colour. I don’t gloss varnish bases.

Just as an aside, I used to base my infantry on pennies – it was quite convenient really, one walked into a bank, gave the young lady behind the counter £1 and in exchange she handed you a bag of 100 figure bases - but in the meantime I discovered the MDF bases produced by East Riding Miniatures which seemed much more suitable for my new 30mm project.

That’s it really. Future plans may include a campaign or the trying out of more table top actions as they take my fancy and how about adding in some engineer capability…

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 6 Setting the Scene for Russo-Japanese Naval Armageddon - Part 2 Rob Grace, UK

A Quick Campaign Overview A Japanese Narrow Escape and a

The campaign theatre of operations is divided Russian Gamble off Wei Hai Wei. into several sea areas (see map). The Japanese March 1904 opened quietly as the Japanese accrue victory points (VPs) for successfully concentrated on minelaying and troop convoys convoying their army across the sea to seize Port and the Russians sought to complete repairs Arthur; 35 VPs being required to win the war. The and re-assert their control of the approaches to Russians win by either denying Japanese VPs Port Arthur and Vladivostok. As a result, several or cancelling them out through actions such as Japanese minefields were laid and the delayed bombarding the disembarkation ports. Each turn Pitzuwo convoy sailed; all without incident. (two per month), aside from the initial attack on Port Arthur, the players have to apportion their ships As March wore on the Japanese observing the across variety mission types; these include patrols, growing confidence of the Vladivostok squadron convoy escort, bombardment and mine-laying / sent their armoured cruiser to take them down sweeping. Players must specify the route that each a peg or two. This did not take long as the Czar’s mission takes to its destination (the return leg is navy, their minds dulled by years of serfdom, ignored) hopefully avoiding any enemy patrols. Of were still dispersing their ships in penny-packets. the different mission types patrolling is probably the Thus, on the 22nd the Diana (PC), sent on a most important. Successfully patrolling a sea area lone minelaying mission, found herself trapped gives a player control of that area in the following off Wonsan by the armoured cruisers Idzumo, turn which will limit their opponent’s ability to Adzuma and Yakumo. With damage mounting conduct missions; a mission may enter an enemy and little hope of escape the captain of the Diana controlled area but may not pass through it. sought to save face by attempting to close and ram the enemy. Such Quixotic gestures have Glossary of ship types little place amid the machinery of war in the first

AC Armoured Cruiser BB Battleship LC Light Cruiser OAC Obsolete Armoured Cruiser OBB Obsolete Battleship OPC Obsolete Protected Cruiser PC Protected Cruiser TBD Torpedo Boat Destroyer

For those interested, maps, order sheets and campaign timeline (schedule of troop convoys, reinforcements, etc.) can be supplied via the editors on request. Death Ride of the Diana (22-Mar-1904) D = Diana.

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 7 decade of the 20th Century Scratch Building The only other terrain I and the Diana, swamped by created were a couple of fire, went down with all hands Naval Terrain for land features representing before she could close with her a Russo-Japanese the two sides of the channel enemies. Campaign into Port Arthur (see picture of western arm known as Unmanned by the fate of An absence of terrain is one the ‘Tiger’s Tail’). These the Diana, the Bogatyr the big attractions of naval were made from vinyl tiles (PC) and Gromoboi (AC) wargaming, saving money, cut along contour lines and immediately fled back to storage space and set-up glued atop each other. These port before completing their time. Initially I used a blue were smeared with PVA minelaying missions. This cloth for the sea but it was glue onto which sand was collapse in Russian morale was not ideal and would ruck sprinkled and finally small widespread, and a minelaying if I moved my ships with balsa wood building (5- mission by 3 TBDs refused to insufficient care. Needing 10mm mm tall) were added. sail although some claim this a harder and smoother sea The final touch was a series was due to faulty staff work surface I visited my local of coastal battery forts – the and confused sailing orders. flooring shop and found some design of these was based on In contrast the Japanese vinyl flooring (see photo) the structures still visible on minelaying missions were that could be cut to match Google Earth. uniformly successful. the size of my table with no unsightly joins. This not only In early April, further looked better but offered a Japanese patrols scoured much better user-experience the Sea of Japan to deter any compared to my blue cloth. reprisals by the Vladivostok Not only does it have a slightly squadron. This proved shiny and textured surface a wise precaution as the better suited to represent water Russians again sortied their it also lays flat with no creases cruisers. With squalls from despite being stored rolled up the south-east and 7 hours to in my loft. sun-set, the opposing forces encountered each other while steering to investigate merchant shipping. Losing their nerve on sighting the enemy the Rossiya,

Goromboi (ACs) and Bogatyr Coastal battery and harbour building (PC) turned tail and fled. within Port Arthur The Japanese pursued and, confident in their superiority, detached the Takachiho (PC) to investigate a suspicious merchant vessel. The remaining Japanese ships, Iwate, Nisshin, Kasuga (ACs) and Naniwa (PC) rapidly closed and started to register repeated hits on the Russians who in reply could only manage a single hit on

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 8 the Kasuga. The Russians, outmatched and battle outside the security blanket of their shore with all three vessels crippled, fled in disorder batteries. Although outnumbered, Admiral Togo with the Japanese in hot pursuit. Once again was not dismayed as he realised the Russian fleet was poorly arrayed and would be forced to split either side of an intervening island. This, together with the bad weather would allow him to concentrate on part of the enemy fleet while keeping his distance to allow him to escape into the night should things go awry.

The battle unfolded as Togo planned with the Russian fleet, in a shameful display of poor seamanship, struggling to form up while the battleships traded blows. Togo’s plan, as anticipated, allowed him to ‘cross the T’ of the Russian battleships as they sought to get into line. Sea of Japan Fight (7-Apr-1904) Broken tracks = merchant ships, B = Bogatyr However, the Gods of War do not always side with the better tactician and Russian gunnery nightfall was the Russian saviour with the proved exceptionally lucky while the Japanese Rossiya and Goromboi disappearing into the suffered the agony of repeated near misses. gloom as the Bogatyr slid beneath the waves. Togo, recognising the need to preserve his fleet, In early April, the Japanese sought to repeat their ordered a general withdrawal with all ships mining of Port Arthur but the mission was aborted making best speed to escape. As the exultant when forced to show a clean pair of heels to a Russians closed in to press home their advantage, sortie by the Russian battle fleet. It later transpired Togo in the Mikasa aided by the Fuji and that the Russian fleet had only sailed to screen the Yashima placed himself between the pursuing laying of mines off their own home port; a craven Russians and the crippled Shikishima and Asahi. act by a dispirited foe. Other Japanese minelaying As if recognising this brave and selfless act, missions were successful off Wei Hai Wei and in Fortune now bestowed her favours upon Togo several locations in the Sea of Japan. and the Russian battleships had to take what, up to now, they had been content to give and the As April dragged on the Russian bear again snuck Petropavlovsk and Poltava were crippled by out of his lair in Vladivostok, but on sighting repeated hits. Rattled by this turn of events the smoke the Rurik (AC) fled ceding control of the Russians fled allowing the Japanese to continue harbour approaches. This trivial skirmish formed on their way home for urgent repairs. a curtain raiser for the main event; another sortie by the Russian battle-fleet this time to challenge In retrospect, the Japanese were lucky to the Japanese battleships cruising off Wei Hai Wei. encounter the enemy fleet in heavy seas that

The Battle of Wei Hai Wei The 6 Japanese battleships patrolling off Wei Hai Wei were not expecting to encounter the enemy in the bad weather that broke on the 23rd of April (heavy seas with a strong wind from the south-east and 8 hours to sunset). When the entire Port Arthur fleet (5 BBs, 1 AC, 2 PCs, 2 LCs and 9 TBDs) was spotted sailing over the horizon they were taken aback. Clearly the Slavs had at last found sufficient courage (or vodka!) to seek

The Battle of Wei Hai Wei (23-Apr-1904): Togo crosses the Russian ‘T’

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 9 prevented the Russian cruisers, and especially the sufficient damage on the enemy cruisers to TBDs from being able to make enough headway shatter Russian morale before battleship Pobyeda to get into the action. could land a fatal blow on them.

With the Russian fleet back in port and licking its These tactics soon paid dividends with the cruiser wounds after the Battle of Wei Hai Wei, the latest Askold being crippled and falling out of the Japanese troop convoy sailed into Chinampo line to independently return to Port Arthur. To without incident, its escort wishing it had been draw fire away from their cruisers the Russian assigned duties with a greater chance to prove TBDs boldly advanced between the islands to their mettle. Japanese minelaying also benefited launch a torpedo attack. Once again Russian from the absence of the Russian fleet and, with tactical ineptitude was exposed and the Japanese exception of another abortive attempt against armoured cruisers unleashed a deluge of fire Port Arthur, laid mines off Chinampo, Vladivostok on the TBDs forcing them to withdraw with four and Wei Hai Wei. The failure at Port Arthur saw of the six vessels crippled. This clear display of the Chiyoda (PC) fleeing from a TBD patrol; Japanese superiority sapped the Russian will to her captain’s claim that the TBDs could have fight and they fled, successfully evading their presaged the arrival of the Russian fleet was pursuers. widely ridiculed and with his career in tatters he terminated his service in the time-honoured fashion.

In early May with many battleships of both sides under repair the Japanese navy saw the addition of a new protected cruiser, the Tsushima. While the Russians possessed the only undamaged battleship, the Pobyeda, their limited repair capacity meant that the Japanese fleet would be battle ready first. Seeking to exploit their temporary advantage the Russians sortied the Pobyeda accompanied by several cruisers and TBDs to chase off any Japanese cruiser patrols Second Battle of Wei Hai Wei (14-May-1904): A = Askold and disrupt the minelaying off Wei Hai Wei. The Russian willingness to gamble on entering a Having thwarted every Russian attempt to seize mined area was driven by their desperation to the initiative and with the imminent completion seize the initiative. Desperate gambles are of of repairs to their battleships the Japanese had course a poor tactic, and this one rebounded on every reason to look forward to the future with the Russians with armoured cruiser Bayan striking confidence. a mine and sinking with all hands. The Russians, disheartened, pressed on only to encounter the patrolling Japanese armoured cruisers; the Idzumo, Adzuma, Tokiwa and Iwate.

The Second Battle of Wei Hai Wei In calm seas with 4 hours to sunset both squadrons sighted each other separated by two small unnamed islands which constrained their shooting. The Japanese concentrated their fire on the Russian protected cruisers and TBDs which, less the ill-fated Bayan (AC), they comfortably overmatched. The Japanese intent was to inflict

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 10 Building Walmington on Sea Part 1 – Planning Noel Williams, UK

If you’re outside the UK, you may not know that ‘Dad’s Army’ is an affectionate name for the British Home Guard (originally Local Defence Volunteers or LDV) of World War II. It’s also the title of a popular UK sitcom centered on a well-meaning and generally inept platoon based at the fictitious South Coast resort of Walmington on Sea. As such, it would have formed an ideal target for German invasion as part of Operation Sealion. Both the TV programme and the idea of Sealion interested me.

As there’s no such place as Walmington and the invasion never happened, any game built on this idea is essentially a small-scale imagi- nation – or at least an imagi-town – and that’s its real attraction. So I want to build a model of which will probably make it difficult to store, Walmington and its inhabitants which meets the whilst my seaside memories are from the North- following criteria: East coast (the romantic towns of Scarborough • It’s reasonably authentic (i.e. major features and Whitby, for example) rather than the South of the TV town of the 30s and 40s are Coast which was the primary objective of Sealion. represented in the model). However, there are two big advantages to • I can play out scenarios based on Sealion. building a set-up like this. The most important is the fun that can be had, because you can pretty • It’s fun – these are fictional ‘heroes’ in a much do whatever you like in an imaginary fictional setting, behaving foolishly, as sitcom context. Secondly, there’s little of Walmington characters generally do, facing a combat that that’s definitive. So it would be possible, for never happened. example, to add a castle like Scarborough Castle just because I liked it. I could easily rationalise that • I can build in some elements of English it was always there, but simply never appeared seaside resorts that were an important part in the TV programmes. Many of the places of my childhood (such as travelling on steam mentioned in the programme are never actually trains) . shown. On the other hand, many of those which are shown still exist, so can be researched in some • I can store it effectively: I want quite a big detail. model but I haven’t the room to store dozens of resin or mdf buildings. Something more Another aspect that needs considering in design compact is needed. is the need to create opportunities for conflicts or military problems built-in to the model. There’s These criteria conflict a little. For example, a very little point in building a game town which is authentic model implies a high degree of detail,

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 11 impregnable or undefendable, for example. This amounts to a big, potentially time- It has to have points of military interest and consuming project, so some personal guidelines vulnerability, so that a range of scenarios are were necessary: possible. Of course, scenarios can be constructed “on the fly”, as it were, but only if the town, as • Make sure the first builds could yield some built, suggests them. sort of game as early as possible.

All of this was rolling around in my mind • Alternate between building generic/flexible as I began the project by painting Captain elements and significant/characteristic Mainwaring and his platoon. There are probably features. dozens of ways of working out a complex • Allow myself to experiment with some wargames project like this. I favour an initially different techniques and approaches. haphazard approach, feeling my way into a project by exploring different techniques and • Build each element with a game possibility in possibilities. Sometimes serendipity offers an mind. approach that wouldn’t be found by logical means. I watched some of the DVDs, found • Consider the storage implications at each a useful research tool in a book about the stage. programme which contains a detailed map of the town based on working out how each of the And this gave me my plan. I’ve always thought episodes worked geographically. Browsing the of plans more as a negotiation than a firm web throws up a few other approaches. And, as agreement (closer to an affair than a marriage) so I’ve also a small side interest in railway modelling, it’ll certainly change. Here it is: and Walmington had a railway station, I explored the possibilities of realistic modelling, too. 1. Build the town one working element at a time. Having decided that my Walmington could have elements of Scarborough, I also realised that I’d 2. Examine and experiment with two or three be able to use elements of my town for other different ways of approaching the actual game periods too. Scarborough was shelled in buildings. Possibilities are: foam board, WW1, but not invaded, whilst the church was plaster casting, use of cork tiles, and printing used by the Roundheads to site the guns which card buildings from online sources. brought down the Royalist castle in the Civil War. 3. Start with some generic housing, to give a I felt that if I built my seaside town with enough street that could go along the seafront. This flexibility I could potentially use it not only for would give a simple game, and make me Pike and Godfrey but also pike and shot. address the storage problem from the start. Excited now, I decided to map out the key 4. Build the first feature, the seafront and pier, features of both Walmington and Scarborough to create an initial sea-landing game. to see what they might have in common. These would be the features I’d concentrate on, and 5. Add the railway station, so I get to indulge would give me chance to try out different a bit of railway modelling, and make this a approaches to building. But I’d obviously also target for a paratroop landing. need several houses, shops and pubs which would be similar and would occupy storage 6. Add the church and church hall (where the space, so I’d also need to work out how they platoon trained) and devise a scenario to use would be stored quite early on. it, probably about defending it at all costs.

This seems plenty to be going on with. In the next article, I’ll present the “how to” details of the first of these stages.

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 12 Antares 2401: A Narrative Science Fiction Campaign Phil Dutré, Belgium

Miniature wargaming has always included a large a fair amount of number crunching and the component of storytelling and world building. management of various types of resources. This Whether it was Lloyd Osbourne writing up the type of campaign, at least in my experience, battles he played against Robert Louis Stevenson fizzles out rather quickly, unless there is a in the famous Stevenson at Play articles published motivated campaign umpire who wants to keep in 1898, or Tony Bath using ancient wargaming to track of which town provides which resources explore the continent of Hyboria during the 1950s, and how they can be used to muster new troops. wargamers like to create imaginary settings for A narrative campaign, on the other hand, has their toy soldiers to live and die in. The creation of a much better chance of lasting longer than extensive backstories acquired renewed interest a few games. As the story is the main driving during the last decade, which is demonstrated by force, the narrative campaign bears quite a few a variety of excellent blogs focusing on all sorts of resemblances to a pen-and-paper roleplaying 18th century imaginations. campaign.

A narrative campaign puts these background In my gaming group, we have developed our stories at the heart of the campaign, in contrast own narrative science fiction campaign, which to campaigns that revolve around logistics. we call “Antares 2401”. I am well aware that A logistics-based campaign usually involves the name “Antares” (a.k.a. Alpha Scorpii to the

Delta squad has just disembarked on the beaches of the Spice system, and is setting up a communication station. Note the various painted triangles on shoulder pads to indicate skills of individual Star Marines

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 13 astronomer-wargamer) is probably a bit overused 3. The third idea – not really an idea, but more in the context of science fiction gaming, but it a longing desire - was nostalgic in nature: I is the name we have always used for our sci-fi own a large collection of 25/28mm science games, ever since we picked up the roleplaying fiction figures that have not seen much game Traveller many eons ago – so Antares it is action for many years. Collected and painted and always will be1. Our campaign chronicles over many years, they do not constitute the adventures of several special operations large armies, but rather small squads and squads, and is inspired by the usual space opera warbands from all sorts of alien races, ingredients from various movies, comics and tv backgrounds and (by now) defunct gaming series. systems. They were just begging to be put back on the table. Core ideas

The Antares 2401 campaign got started as a combination of a couple of ideas that are not terribly original each separately, but that work very well as a whole:

1. For a long time, I had been planning to run a World War 2 campaign focusing on commando raids, in which each player would control a platoon of soldiers and games would be based on historical raids such as Bruneval or St-Nazaire. The enemy force in each raid would be controlled Gamma squad is taking aim at various defence positions. By combining historical buildings such as WW2 bunkers with science by the gamesmaster. In between raids, fiction elements, a variety of settings can be created. surviving soldiers would gain additional skills or characteristics, thus enhancing the effectiveness of the platoon, much like The result of the above was the Antares 2401 advancing a single character in a fantasy campaign. Set at the start of the 25th century, the roleplaying campaign over the course of campaign chronicles the missions of the Special several gaming sessions. Operations branch (a.k.a. SpecOps) of the army of an intergalactic federation of planets. Each player 2. Secondly, I’ve always had an interest in controls a squad of 5 to 10 Star Marines, elite soldiers collaborative games design in the context of SpecOps. Up to 10 figures per player is a good of campaigns. Instead of laying down the number, allowing for individualization of each figure complete campaign mechanics from the regarding special abilities, skills, weaponry etc. start, a very simple set of rules is used as a starting point. As more games are being Every game is set up as a special operations played, rules can be added, changed, mission by the games master, who takes up the or modified, based on input from all double role of overall commander of SpecOps participating players. The aim is that the in the campaign, as well as the enemy forces in gaming group as a whole converges on a each mission. Missions draw inspiration from ruleset they really like, while the process historical raids, but are translated to a science is driven by each player’s preferences and fiction setting. It was also a deliberate choice to gaming experience is gained during the make our Antares universe more space opera in games. As it starts from a very simple set and character rather than dark Gothic science fiction, builds up from there, unnecessary, unwanted given that a lightly humorous space opera setting and unused bells and whistles in the ruleset provides more opportunities for flexible scenarios will probably never see the light of day. and recurring characters.

1. To avoid confusion, the science fiction campaign described in this article has no connection to the game “Beyond the Gates of Antares”, currently published by Warlord Games.

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 14 games with only a handful of figures per player, as opposed to a more classic move- fire-melee turn sequence. Playing on a hex-gridded terrain also greatly facilitates this approach. E.g. moving a figure forward one hex simply costs one action point. The list that specifies point costs per action should be kept as simple as possible, while the games master improvises whenever necessary.

2. The second mechanic involves firing personal weapons, an important key mechanic in a Various squads of SpecOps are landing on a defended beach in a D-Day style scenario setup. game that revolves around infantry firefights. As the game is played on hex-gridded terrain, the distance in hexes between shooter and After each mission, players are expected to target can be easily and rapidly counted. turn in their mission reports, which drive the A shot is deemed successful if the roll on a campaign forwards. These reports, along with specific die type (D6, D8, …) is larger than unfolding story arcs, are bundled in the campaign or equal to the range to the target. Hence, chronicles maintained by the games master. the closer one is, the easier it is to hit the target. That is a very elegant way of building Getting started in continuous distance modifiers and makes players think about moving forward vs. Before the first mission of the campaign, I had to staying put and taking another shot at long decide on some overall key gaming mechanics, distance. Moreover, such a fine-grained both for the tactical battles and for the flow of the approach with regard to distance fits nicely campaign itself. Running a collaborative game with the hex resolution used for movement design with input from all players sounds exciting actions. in theory, but if there is no basis of standing regulations, discussions can easily result in Apart from the rules for handling tactical battles, endless bickering. there is one other regulation that defines how the campaign is run: The tactical rules for resolving the battles on the tabletop have two immutable gaming mechanics, 3. After each mission, every player has to hand which form their key element. I wanted to keep in a post-mission report, written from the these as simple as possible, and leave it up to the point-of-view of his squad commander players to add more complex mechanics as the reporting back to the overall command of campaign progresses: SpecOps. As a part of their reports, players can suggest modifications to the rules and 1. Every figure has a number of action points the campaign setting – but these are written that can be spent in each turn on movement, “in-character”, with references to actual firing, melee, etc. Each and every action, such events in the campaign setting. The games as moving forward, firing a weapon, picking master then decides – often by attributing up an object, etc. expends a number of a probability and rolling a percentile die - action points. For each figure, the player can which of these suggestions are implemented decide what type of actions are performed and become part of the game world. All and in which order. Thus, a figure could fire unfolding story arcs are written down in its weapon, move forward, pick up an item the campaign chronicles, which shape the and fire again, before spending the last evolving history of SpecOps and the Antares action point on another movement action. 2401 universe. Such a system works very well in skirmish

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 15 These immutable groundrules make the Personalisation campaign easier to run and also provide boundaries that the players know they should not Every player controls a squad of Star Marines, cross when suggesting modifications. Without each of which is not just another figure to be the groundrules, there is an actual danger that sacrificed on the battlefield, but an individual with players – intentionally or not - will aim to twist personal characteristics, whose name is written the tactical or campaign rules towards their on the figure’s base for identification purposes. own gaming preferences, which might result in Star Marines gain additional abilities and skills an entirely different game, or, even worse, an in-between missions, and build up a history of incoherent mishmash of rules and settings. heroic deeds (or a single heroic death). Moreover, players can customize their squads and figures by Successful elements of the providing nicknames, personal histories, design their own insignia (which are painted on the campaign figures), etc. Such a personalisation of each squad creates personal attachment to the point where During the past three years, we have played the development of one’s own squad becomes more than a dozen missions, with seven different the real purpose of the campaign rather than players, each in control of their own special “winning” any given individual mission. operations squad. The campaign chronicles are currently over 120 pages long, so we must be Personalization of a wargaming army is, of course, doing something right. I quizzed my players what nothing new. In his book Advanced Wargaming they liked the most about this campaign, and (1969), in the chapter on “Personalised these are the various aspects that came forward: Wargaming”, Don Featherstone writes about naming individual figures: “It brought to the table-top battles a strange sense of compassion, a

Epsilon squad is disembarking. In the distance Delta squad has Changing the colour of the gaming mat is all that is needed to set already taken out forward defensive positions. up a scenario on a snow-world.

Epsilon squad is defending a science station against an attack from Members of Delta squad escorting a convoy through a mountain the Polaris Empire. pass, but are ambushed by robots from the Polaris Empire.

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 16 self-identification with the little figures producing This may all sound a bit abstract, so perhaps a few a marked reluctance to commit them to sacrificial examples can illustrate how we handle this: missions.” The same attitude can be observed in players when they play a character in Dungeons 1. The maximum range for the standard & Dragons or other roleplaying games. From personal firearm of Star Marines was initially a player’s point of view, advancement of his set to six hexes. The actual rule stipulated character (or in our case, his special operations that you had to roll a D6, exceeding or squad), is far more important that any single matching the distance to the target. Some game. The surrounding campaign world and players felt this distance was too short in each mission are merely the décor in which the relation to the movement that figures could adventures of his soldiers unfold. cover in a single turn. Hence, several mission reports contained the recommendation Practically, using figures with not-too-complex that the “Blast Gun Mark 1” should be paint schemes helps to achieve personalization. upgraded, supported by extensive proof We use classic plastic Space Marines produced by on how the last mission might have been Games Workshop. They have nice large shoulder more successful if only more powerful pads, on which we can paint insignia, rank and weapons would have been available. Some equipment badges, etc. When figures gain reports even suggested that SpecOps should additional skills or rise in rank, the figure is partly change weapon suppliers if the current repainted. Star Marines killed in action are given manufacturer could not meet the demand. a new coat of paint and reincarnated as new As gamesmaster, I attributed a percentage recruits. to this event happening in the game world. With a successful die roll, it was recorded in Collaborative rules design the campaign logs that “Divisional Command has decided, after extensive testing in the As mentioned earlier, after every mission each firing ranges located in the Centurion Asteriod player is expected to write an “in-character” belt, to upgrade all personal firearms to the mission report to Divisional Command. These newly released Mark2, generously provided by bundled reports provide excellent logs of SpaceCorp Inc.”. the games and develop the backstory of the campaign, as well as the story of each individual As far as the rules are concerned, personal squad. But the most important aspect of these weapons now roll a D8 instead of a D6, effectively reports are the “Recommendations to Divisional upgrading the maximum range to eight hexes, Command”, in which every squad commander but with the added twist that a natural roll of can recommend future courses of action higher one would jam the weapon. It may sound silly up the command chain. that rule changes are camouflaged like this in the campaign chronicles, but it greatly adds to the Those recommendations can not only include atmosphere of the game and the development of suggestions for story development, but also the game world. On the other hand, if players felt suggestions for altering the tactical rules. The happy with the rule as it was originally, or if the latter might seem a bit strange at first: How die roll would have failed, nothing would have can one recommend to change a die modifier changed. in some firing mechanic, and at the same time write a report “in-character”? The science 2. Another example involves the command fiction setting is a big bonus here. Requests for range of a squad leader. The relevant rule modification or addition of rules are disguised stipulated a maximum range of four hexes as requests for additional equipment, upgraded that Star Marines could operate from their weaponry, changes in tactical doctrine, and squad leader without penalties. One player so forth. It is up to players how they phrase advocated an increase of that range, asking their recommendations and weave them into a for “better communication devices, so that plausible storyline. squads could spread out over a larger area during combat missions.” The die roll failed

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 17 Ready-to-use pdf maps (purchased online) create the environment of a space station. Our rules are flexible enough to allow for this type of Space Hulk scenarios. Zeta squad (combat engineers) are drilling through a bulkhead.

by only a small margin, so I decided that In this fashion, the rules are updated after every long-range communication equipment game, but the games master has the final say and did not become available, but a special veto powers. Input from all players develops the training program was established instead, game in a direction (hopefully) everyone likes, but through which selected Star Marines could it is the games master’s job to guard coherency train as scouts, allowing them to operate and elegance in the ruleset, as well as to maintain outside the command radius of their squad an interesting balance of play. leader. As befits any military organization, special badges for soldiers who achieved Developing the campaign world this training were introduced, to be painted on the miniatures representing those Star The fact that the storyline of the campaign is Marines. Again, dealing with such rule driven by mission reports and recommendations modifications as events in the game world from the players, does not necessitate per- may seem an unnecessary complication, but designed solar systems or an extensive campaign it does make for a better campaign story. background. The entire campaign setting that was briefed to the players before the first mission 3. A last example illustrates how medics was deliberately only a few lines long: “You became part of the rules. The frequency are all squad commanders of SpecOps, a special of inflicting wounds on Star Marines was branch of the Armed Forces of the Interstellar considered to be too high, and therefore a Republic. SpecOps has been asked to retrieve Dr. programme was started to train Star Marines Sigisbiduwald Von Trappstein-Hohenschlieffen from as battlefield medics. This alleviated the his science station on the surface of Sardonis IV. problem and the campaign logs describe Communications have been lost for several weeks. how tactical doctrine of SpecOps now Infiltration will be through combat shuttles Wolf and developed due to too many casualties in one Werenfried. File your mandatory reports - including particular mission. Rules-wise, an alternative suggestions for improving tactical doctrine – after could have been to adjust the probabilities the mission.” This starting point left a lot of space of die rolls that result in figures getting for players to fill in all sorts of details with regard wounded, but since the medical training to the setting they would operate in. program was suggested by the players, that was the storyline that was rolled for. If the Since that first game, we have introduced dozens medical training program had not been of new worlds, characters, branches of the suggested, or the attributed percentage military, weaponry, equipment, political ploys, etc. die roll for success had failed, that All of these result from suggestions made by the particular route would have been banned. players and creative writing by the gamesmaster. Consequently, players would have had to The obvious drawback is that you could end up come up with other possible suggestions with a bland average of all sorts of science fiction after the next game to solve that problem, if clichés, but it is exactly on that point that the they still thought there was one. gamesmaster should take the leadership of the campaign and maintain coherency.

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 18 Given that the campaign is about special operations all over the galaxy, we do not worry too much about the logistics of interstellar travel. We do not explain why we encounter strange new worlds in every new game, and therefore it is possible to use a largely varied scenery from our extensive collections to set up the gaming table for each mission. We have played games on jungle planets, desert worlds, ice-cold snow asteroids, red dust planets and even beaches that resemble Normandy. Many useful items from our historical scenery collection have been drafted Beta squad storming the compound on Kalahari V. into use. It is only a matter of adding some sci- fi attributes to give the whole a proper visual appeal. Some highlights

The imagery of the campaign is mostly Campaign chronicles and imaginative worlds determined by the figures and the scenery, but created as a backstory for a campaign do not photographs and drawings are included in the always make sense outside the little gaming campaign chronicles as well. The plethora of group that actually plays the campaign. Inside images one can find online comes in handy. jokes or specific science fiction fandom shared by A simple Google search can provide plenty of the gaming group will creep into the storylines. images of planets, spaceships, sci-fi characters There is nothing wrong with that, but it does (cosplayers are a good source for villains of all imply that only the circle of participating people sorts), as well as exotic animals and unusual really enjoys reading the campaign chronicles. nature scenes. Nevertheless, I thought it worthwhile to share some highlights. Remember, all of these result No pressure on participating from building up the campaign story through various mission reports. The battle force for each mission is composed of the squads of those players that are attending a Star Admiral Bacchus Mahoney is the overall given game. If a player is not present, his squad commander of SpecOps. He never participates simply does not take part in the mission (and in a mission himself, but looks out for SpecOps does not receive additional experience). In the at the political level. He has close ties with campaign chronicles, this is ascribed to Divisional several corporations producing weapon systems Command having selected only the relevant and other technical equipment. However, he is squads for a particular mission. At the meta-level, sometimes a bit too eager to push experimental the games master adjusts the opposition in the weaponry on his combat squads. Some say scenario to the number of squads participating. this is to remain in good standing with Mobak Katmanduh, CEO of SpaceCorp and main provider Such a framework makes it easy for players of weapon technology. Bacchus Mahoney is to participate whenever they can, something effectively the alter ego of the games master, that is often the death knell of more traditional allowing the latter to voice opinions and campaigns in which bi-weekly or monthly orders decisions in the game world, much as the players are expected from all participants. The format also do through their squad leaders. allows players to join or drop out of the campaign rather easily. The latter simply means that new Spaceship Wodan is the mothership of SpecOps. squads are added to or retired from the branch of This is a convenient campaign mechanic, as it SpecOps. is used as living quarters, orbital artillery base, research labs, medical recovery facilities etc. It is effectively the home base of the campaign, which

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 19 explains why SpecOps can operate all over the “Long range scans showed the base to be a small Galaxy. Captain of the ship is Cassiopeia Di Sforza, group of primitive buildings, next to a narrow river, who skilfully steered Wodan through a field of surrounded by rough terrain. We had few options space mines during the attack on the Polaris to choose from for our approach. Landing the system. shuttles safely was precision work. Immediately after disembarking we came under long range Dr. Elise von Wittgenstein is head of the cannon fire. Luckily the shots weren’t very accurate medical facilities aboard spaceship Wodan. and the terrain provided ample cover to give She is specialized in humanoid carbon-based us the opportunity to organise our attack on lifeforms. She also holds a scientific doctorate in the compound. They were obviously expecting exo-medicine and gained additional expertise in us. Counter-Intelligence needs to look into this: cephalopod biology and synthetic organ creation. information about our imminent arrival got leaked Her main task is to heal any wounded Star or these outlaws have access to more advanced Marines after combat missions. detection technology than we think.” (Excerpt from the mission report filed after the A recurring character in the campaign is Krypton attack on Krypton’s Venk base in the Kalahari Venk, renowned space pirate wanted in 42 system.) different solar systems. He was captured by SpecOps on Kalahari V, but promptly escaped Gamma squad is one of the more illustrious from the prisoner transport ship Medusa. He squads of SpecOps, having participated in all hijacked the space passenger liner Odessa, which missions so far. Star Marines in this squad have was raided by SpecOps to free the hostages built up quite a number of special abilities, on board. However, Venk managed to escape including close combat specialists, a robot dog using one of the last escape pods. He is currently handler, a heavy weapons specialist and several rumoured to hide in the Spice system. medics.

During one of the attacks on the Polaris system, “Upon deploying from the shuttles, Gamma squad all Star Marines with the pilot skill but one were advanced towards the river and discovered multiple killed or incapacitated. This posed a serious emplacements of barbed wire. Upon examination of problem for the squads on the planet’s surface, the river area in front of Gamma squad, Star Marine since there was limited capacity in the transport Kretz found it not to be fordable. This called for an shuttles. Some harsh decisions had to be made immediate change of plan, as Gamma squad now about who would be left behind. However, the had to redeploy to find a different crossing point. In narrative of the campaign allowed for a rescue the process of redeployment, we made contact with mission to be organized, after which most of the several enemy combatants ensconced behind field stranded Star Marines were eventually rescued. fortifications across the river. The resulting firefights slowed down the redeployment of Gamma Squad Combat squads controlled by the players are and severely wounded Star Marine Kretz, who numbered by Greek letters, but most have started tactical retrograde deployment towards the unofficial nicknames as well. The players’ shuttles in search of medical assistance.” emotional attachment to their squads, and their (Excerpt from the mission report filed after the writing of an after-action-report “in-character”, raid in the Zingara system.) largely constitutes the attractiveness of the campaign. A few highlights … Delta squad – known as the Reds – carry a red shoulder badge. Their revolutionary rhetoric has Beta squad, known as “The Shadows”, have a earned them their nickname. shadow-grey shoulder patch. Squad Leader Lt O’Brien is currently under military investigation. “By now small arms fire erupted all along the river. This is actually an in-game storyline being The river crossing was obviously going to be difficult. developed because the player did not write On our right flank and at the centre, Gamma and up a mission report after one of the games he Eta were in control of the situation and made participated in. progress. On our left flank, however, things were

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 20 slowing down. Epsilon got bogged down in an ineffective exchange of fire on the riverbank. It was soon clear that a little more courage was needed, so Delta stepped in and stormed across the river to take the fight to the enemy. No guts, no glory. And guts we spilled!” (Excerpt from the mission report filed after the raid in the Zingara system.)

Epsilon squad was originally intended as a close combat squad, and has proven itself various times in combat operations. Their motto “We take the fire, they take the glory” expresses their desire for kamikaze-like missions.

“After landing, Epsilon squad deployed and secured the surrounding area, drawing ineffective small arms fire - as was to be expected. Sgt Yoshida in true bushido spirit took point and discovered the first The campaign log book. strongpoint of the enemy. Without any regard for his personal safety Sgt Yoshida kept the fire fixated Future Developments on himself while Gamma squad took the crew down with long-range sniper fire. Enemy reinforcements, One of the advantages of running such an alerted by the fighting, were streaming in and trying informal campaign is that other games can to get through our established perimeter and in a easily be integrated into the storyline. Large- treacherous and despicable move deployed and scale battles using 6mm miniatures or spaceship fired a missile at the shuttle which incapacitated Sgt battles can become part of the narrative, even Yoshida and Star Marine Kazima.” when different rule systems are used. The only (Excerpt from the mission report filed after the requirement is that the action is written into the mission on Polaris X.) campaign logs, with perhaps some influence on the actual squads as well. In one of our 6mm “Permanent low-hanging clouds combined with battles, each special operations squad was formidable AA defences made it impossible to represented by a single infantry stand, with a execute our customary drop-zone landings. The only special mission within the bigger battle. This alternative was to try to come in under the radar really puts some pressure on the players from not by making an old-fashioned beach assault. The taking unnecessary risks with the single stand problem here was that this was so obvious that a representing their squad, but at the same time half-competent adversary would have figured that still trying to achieve the mission in order to win out as well. We knew we would be coming in “hot”.” squad advances. (Excerpt from the mission report filed after the mission on Spice III.) The framework for our narrative campaign could also be extended to other settings. As explained Other squads include Alfa (disbanded after the in the introduction, the original idea was to run first mission because they only had one survivor), a special operations campaign during World War Zeta (an engineer squad consisting mainly of 2, and I think this can be done without too many robots and heavy equipment), Eta (a rookie adjustments. The mechanics could also be used squad), and the notorious Omega squad, which to write the story of small units on campaign. E.g. has prisoners-of-war serving in its ranks, and one could write the chronicles of several small- which is led by a political commissar to maintain scale units during the Napoleonic Wars, in which order and discipline. they take part in campaigns all over Europe.

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 21 Perhaps a fantasy theme could include a tribe of Acknowledgements warriors, each player controlling their own family or kin, and raiding neighboring countries. A I would like to thank my regular Antares players: Viking campaign could form an obvious historical Maarten Logghe (Alfa and Omega squad), Dark Ages equivalent. Bastiaan Proot (Beta squad), Bart Vetters (Gamma squad), Koen Devroey (Delta squad), Eddy Sterckx As for our own Antares campaign, it will probably (Epsilon and Zeta squad) and Jean-Pierre Ollivier continue for another dozen games. It will die out (Eta squad). sooner or later, if only because we would all get bored with it. But at least it already outlived all of the more traditional campaigns we have started during our wargaming careers.

Quick tips: Black Outlining the Easy Way Rob Grace, UK

I like my ‘retro’ toy soldiers to have a naive artless style and I try to get this by using Spencer Smith figures and a very basic paint job with good old enamel paints. The latter consists of a white undercoat over- painted with crude blocks of colour, followed by black outlining and coated with lashings of gloss varnish. I used to outline with black paint but found that fiddly. I tried using pens but the ink tended to run when varnished. Persevering I hit upon Edding 1800 Profipens (I use the 0.1mm variety) that do not seem to run, although I still use a thin spray of varnish to seal the figure before brushing on a thick layer of enamel gloss varnish. I do not use the pens when delineating between two white areas as the black lines look too harsh. For this I use a pencil which creates a nice grey line and the metallic graphite sheen disappears when varnished – I strongly advise a light spray of varnish to seal pencil before varnishing by brush

This technique seems to deliver effective looking figures reasonably quickly but you judge for yourself from the photos showing three stages in this ‘painting’ process. I will at this point come clean and own up to an additional ‘touching up’ phase after the black lining to cover up any slips of brush or pen. Likewise, I do paint some grey highlights on black areas and horse manes and tails.

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 22 Converting Plastic 20mm WW2 German Paratroopers - Part 2 By Will Harley, UK

The choice of WW2 20mm figures is huge, however most of the sets lack specialist weapons. This is where converting comes into its own; with a sharp modelling knife and a pin drill useful figures can be made.

1. Revell Africakorps and Esci Parra. 2. Head V cut.

3. Pin. 4. V shape cut on neck and head for strength.

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 23 Finished figure All that is required is super glue, liquid green stuff and wood glue.

Next we have a late war German para...

1. Esci para and Africakorps. 2. Trim up or cut off equipment

3. Cut the legs to match the upper body 4. Upper body

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 24 5. Drill upper body and legs. Finished figure

Conversions are started by cutting figure body parts with a very sharp knife, drilling body parts with a pin drill. Pin parts together with pins cut to required length, then super glue together. When dry apply a wash of wood glue and water mix, use green stuff to fill gaps and add form or shape to any gaps. After this is dry apply a wash of watered down liquid green stuff over the converted figures.

Figures are then given an undercoat of acrylic car spray (I buy mine as grey primer for £2.99 a large can) and when dry painted using acrylic paint.

Warning: Beware of PDSF (pin drill slip finger) - ouch!

Heavy weapons conversions, tripods made from staples and HaT MMG’s and command groups.

MMG, mortar conversion Airfix and HaT. Light mortar conversion Airfix.

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 25 Figures used.. Esci Set 206 Afrika Corps Soldiers.

Airfix Set 01753 German Paratroops Matchbox Set P5003 German Infantry.

AirfixSet 01755 WWII Luftwaffe Personnel Revell Set 02500 German Paratroopers.

Airfix Set 01705 German Infantry Waterloo 1815 Set 004 Folgore Division Light Artillery. Airfix Set 01711 Afrika Korps Orion Set 72018 German Paratroopers. Armourfast Set 99007 WWII German Machine Gun Team. Modelling items...

Armourfast Set 99006 WWII German Mortar Team. Liquid green stuff, wood glue, pins, sharp modelling knife, 2mm artist grey board, pin-vice Caesar Set H068 WWII German Paratroopers. drill.

Little Lead Men By Chris Gregg

Chris is a talented artist. If you are interested in purchasing his work please contact us and we’ll be glad to put you in touch with him. More examples of Chris’ work can be found at www.cheltenham-art.com/chrisgregg.htm

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 26 Now it may not seem worthwhile to spend Slightly Irregular more than minimal energy on a hex which is, from the standpoint of tactical utility, not at all Otto Schmidt, USA different from a plain flat hex; however, it adds a tremendous visual impact to the tabletop. If you walk across any ground on battlefields you will notice that even on the supposedly flat plain The world is not flat. there are small undulations, gullies, rills, and In the last article I gave you the method for bumps that break up what we take to be “level construction of basic flat hexes with a bit of scenic ground. “ You should have seen these aplenty in texturing. Now I want to show you how to make your jaunt through the great outdoors in search small furrows and ridges in the ground. These will of colours. In this article I will also show you also not confer any tactical advantage, but they will how to make simple one-hex hills. be a good way to experiment with basic scenic techniques.

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 27 Now the good thing about these small There is no need to go through each item step by undulations is that all of them are put in one hex step. I will concentrate on the “one-hex-hill.” Once and you don’t have to trouble about modularity you know how to do that you mostly know how or joining to other hexes. Further, all of them to do them all. Above is a diagram of how the can be detailed quite extensively and will make a foundations of the sections are made. First, dab nice base for other more complex terrain sections on the bottom side of one of the triangular struts like forests and rivers, and in all of this you will a little of the hot-melt glue. You only need a little see in simple form the techniques used to create at two points on the base of each spine. Now. larger pieces. Below is a diagram of the five types squeeze out white glue into the corner of the of hexes I will make in this section along with base, using a lot to make a nice gloppy surface. the cutting diagram for the “struts and spines” The reasons for the white glue is that that hot needed. melt has only a little “tack” mostly to hold stuff in place, and does not penetrate into either the I have done five specific types of irregular ground plywood or SBS cardboard very far. The white including a small hill. This may be the only type melt glue however will form a extremely strong of hill you require if you are in 10mm or 15mm. bond with both. The hot melt will be strong Of the other “irregular hexes” one is a small enough to allow you to continue working, but slope or hump ridge, another is a pair of small it’s best to let it dry overnight. Several things to prominences or a cut, and the third is a isolated remember: Be careful when using hot-melt glue hillock or rocky promontory. guns. You can get a nasty burn from them if you are incautious and if they get on clothes it may I have to remind you that our terrain is made be hard to get it out if it gets into the grain of the to stand up to rough abuse. It is therefore not fabric as fine and polished as a scenery craftsman or model railroader might do, but it is enormously You can, if you wish, attach the supports with robust, which is the most important thing. These wood screws, in addition to carpenter's glue, but sections are made by first constructing the “ribs” that is only for complex and heavy constructions of the supports to the terrain, then fleshing out we will get into much later. the hill, stretching the netting to form the base for the modelling material and then finishing. The supports are made out of triangles of stiff Bristol- Board, or you can use some of the off-cut of the luan from the hexes. You can, if you wish use corrugated cardboard, but I find that in the small pieces required it does not stand up so well, tends to soften and de-laminate and does not provide enough stability to even get through the construction process.

Note in the rocky outcropping I have put in a piece of aluminium tubing to make a socket into which I can insert a tree base as a plug. This will be a striking scenic effect and allow the tree to be removed for easy storage. We will deal a lot more with this in later articles. For now I just want to show you how it’s done and how you might have to plan for these things for later on.

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 28 Once you have done this you can move on to creating the slope and supporting it. For support take a few small pieces of newspaper, about 6 by 6 inches and crumple them up into small bits as shown in the image. This will form a light base. This should not be a tight pack, but rather loose small spheres. What these are for is to keep the netting suspended between the sections so it doesn’t “droop” down and make an unsightly looking depression. This allows the hills to be rounded and not look like an old bedsheet draped over some sticks.

Cut a piece of netting about the size you need, like what is shown above. You can see clearly how flexible it is. Don’t worry if you cut too much, it’s cheap enough, and also forgiving enough so you can use the scraps if you make a mistake. It’s also a good idea to cut a generous patch to give you an edge to grip onto when stretching it out for the glue joint. Stretch the cut piece over the hex. Now get out your hot-melt gun. This is where you will really appreciate this, and lay down a dot or two of glue on the base plate to tack down the mesh onto the wooden hex. Caution! This stuff is very hot when it comes out of the nozzle and you can get a nasty burn.

Over these forms, struts, contour pieces, and Don’t touch it right away, but use a small stick, newspaper you are now going to stretch the or swab to press it down into the fibres of the netting which will form the surface on which the mesh, or press the mesh onto it. Push down the Celluclete will be applied. This netting is available spheres of newspaper you crumpled up till it has at any hardware or garden store and is made of the general shape you want. Don’t be afraid to loose-mesh soft burlap. It is used to wrap trees or be ruthless. If you push down too much, you can plants for the winter to keep the deer and animals “pull it back up” with a crochet hook you pilfered from eating them and as a weather baffle. It’s from your wife’s sewing kit. cheap as dirt so a few dollars’ worth will buy you more yards of this stuff than you can use for years. Once the glue joints are dry trim off the excess It is very flexible, easy to cut, safe to use, and material with a scissors, utility or Xacto-knife. takes the modelling Celluclete easily. It is porous, Once it is done, check the slope again, and if which means that the glue can penetrate the needed push down the newspaper filler again. fibers, and of wide enough gauge so that it can really be penetrated by the Celluclete. Don’t use The next step is the Celluclete. I spoke about metal window screen mesh, and definitely don’t this in the first article, and how it’s used, and the use chicken wire. Plastic window-screen mesh is techniques will be generally the same. Remember acceptable, but I find it’s too stiff, and once you to use this stuff as THIN as you can. The best use the “deer mesh” you will be hooked. method is to make it a little wetter than the recipe on the package calls for, and to mix a little white glue with the mixture to give it an added adhesive strength. Take out a ball about 1.5”

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 29 diameter and put it in your hand and slowly work Celluclete when you first put it down has a it with your fingers, flattening it out in the palm lumpiness, a graininess like cottage cheese. of your hand till you have a nice, large irregular You can smooth this down after about 12 hours pancake, no thicker than ¼ of an inch. Lay this drying by simply moistening your finger tips over one section of the netting and smooth it out and running them over the surface to smooth it. to cover the edges with your fingers or a small You can also use spackling paste to give it a very tool. (Your fingers are the best.) Once again, smooth surface. gently press down the Celluclete till it bites into the mesh netting. You don’t have to completely Congratulations, you now know all of the impregnate the mesh, the glue will adhere for techniques used to do hills, forests, and a lot of you. Repeat this process until all the netting is other terrain features. As I said, the rest is up to covered. Be sure to smooth out the base of the you and your imagination. In a later article I will incline, or around the edges. Another tip... if you tell you about super-detailing. The last image want to make the Celluclete very strong, mix shows the “Rocky Promontory” Hex with the about 1/8 of the volume of water with glue. Don’t tubing sticking through the mesh for the plug-in- worry about pills or nits or the burlap sticking tree I will show you how to make in a latter article. through the celluclete. These can be smoothed out once you get the hex covered, or when dry, sanded down. You can use a fine mesh orbital sander for this when COMPLETELY dry. This stuff is great and very forgiving.

If you want a tight flat slope, you can staple the netting over the edge as the illustration shows, but that’s only for items where you will have a lot of stress put on the section and need it flat. Once you get the celluclete on it and it dries it’s very workable.

Next time, How to store this stuff, and tactical implications.

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 30 Wargaming the Ninth Cape Frontier War - Part 2 Noel Williams , UK

As a solo gamer, I need my Xhosa to be a punishing the offenders with a fine (usually programmed enemy. I also want games to of livestock) or perhaps with imprisonment, replicate the problems typically encountered or ousting the offenders from the land they by Colonial forces in the Cape conflicts. As I currently occupied. If the infraction was severe, said in the previous article, piecemeal actions, then the colonists might burn fields or villages, so complicated by communication problems and that the Xhosa had no livelihood and had to move the unexpected appearance and disappearance on, or they might seek confrontation in order to of an enemy, are much more typical than equal- kill a few Xhosa as proof of Colonial power and sided encounter battles. The Xhosa generally authority. A more general aim, achieved through would seek to outnumber their opponents, most of the above, was to move the Xhosa away perhaps seeking to drive them away through from the territories they occupied, ultimately to mustering an impressive force, or using that enable the colony’s expansion. superiority to work round the enemy’s flanks and ideally overwhelm them. Where the Xhosa force Tribal pastoral nomadism coupled with the very was not large enough for this, they’d conceal difficult terrain of much of the bush, especially small parties in the thick bush, ambush stragglers on the mountainsides and thickly vegetated and wagons, harass passing forces with sporadic river margins, made the Xhosa difficult to locate, fire, shoot oxen to halt a wagon train before pin down, track or pursue. The bush itself could attacking, or they’d mount unexpected “lightning” often only be traversed through narrow animal forays, rushing out, hacking at their enemy, and tracks, which the Xhosa were familiar with, but fleeing just as rapidly. the colonial troops were not, and which held their own perils, including the beasts which had made At a strategic level, as the key aim of the Colonial the tracks in the first place. forces was usually to clear Xhosa from a given area, if the tribesmen were unable to defeat the If you’re familiar with Peter Gilder’s Sands of the colonists, they would often “melt away” before Sudan rules, or the Pony Wars of Ian Beck that the advancing columns without much overt Sands of the Sudan was adapted from, (see here: hostility, until their oppressors were convinced http://withpyjamasthroughthedessert.blogspot. that they’d achieved their objective. The Xhosa co.uk/2013/06/peter-gilders-sands-of-sudan- would wait for the Colonists to withdraw, then rules.html) you’ll have a good idea of what I reoccupy their villages and fields. Where Xhosa had in mind for the Cape Wars, although these took the offensive, they would generally attack rules were written for multiple players working isolated farmsteads or border forts, usually with against a programmed enemy rather than for overwhelming numbers. solo play. They regulate unpredictable opponents and circumstances through umpires, cards and Colonial strategy, then, had a mix of aims. A local multiple tables. aim might be to exact reparation (or revenge) for a perceived or real wrongdoing (such as Xhosa Games relying on several tables can be rich and stealing cattle from Mfengu or Boer herds). This varied, but can also degenerate into a process of could be achieved by recovering the stolen cattle, continuous table look-up, whilst poor throwing

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 31 can mean a single event occurs far too often. Cards, on the other hand (!), offer limited choices within a finite, but potentially very large, set of possibilities.

However, designing a decent deck of cards is a little more complicated than merely writing tabular lists. You need to decide:

• if one deck will cover all eventualities or if you need multiple decks for different reasons (e.g. do both opponents have their own decks?).

• if the cards should also be supplemented by separate tables to cover very common activities (like the “blunder table” used by Black Powder).

• what the probabilities of any given action or event will be.

• Whether cards have single use, or multiple uses (for example, can a player choose between using a card as a random event or to enhance a unit’s abilities?).

Most importantly, you need to consider how the cards interact with the rest of your rules. For example, very simple event cards merely describe an event, and leave the umpire/player to interpret what it means in game terms. More functional, but less fluffy, cards describe a game effect, such as “halve movement” or “-1 to shooting”, without offering any verbal rationale. My feeling is that

Xhosa leap from ambush...

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 32 the best cards offer entertaining text, and are the more actions a Colonial side takes, the more also explicit about their impact on the game. In ‘events’ will occur. If there’s only one commander solo play, perhaps this is less important, because and he keeps his entire force together, issuing the player will modify things to suit the actual only single orders to the entire force, then there’s circumstances if a card proves problematic. much less chance of major incident. In other For multi-player games, though, playtesting words, his is a large, well-managed force. Little becomes essential, and an umpire highly troubles them and the Xhosa keep well away. desirable, for the more cards you introduce, the greater the complexity of potential unanticipated However, most objectives cannot be easily interactions. handled by a single large force, requiring perhaps two or three subcommands or detachments My Cape Wars games have gradually evolved from (as was historical practice). This increases the an initial table I adapted from Sands in the Sudan. chance of incident and the relative vulnerability They condition the behaviour of both sides, with of individual units to the problems of the probability of each event governed by the miscommunication, ambush, sniping and so on. number of cards in the deck. To understand how Typical objectives include: the cards work in detail would need a full account of my rules, which there’s not room for here but • Retrieve two (or more) herds of cattle from the core concepts are: Xhosa possession.

1. The Colonial army is made up of one or • Deliver a wagon-load of supplies to each of more forces, each with a commander. During the border forts. the game, forces can be subdivided, with • Ensure there are no Xhosa left in specified a commander appointed from the ranks to areas. lead each new force. • Capture the Xhosa leader(s). 2. Each time a commander issues an order, which may be to any or all of the units in • In reparation for recent atrocities, kill or his force, he must play a card, either from capture at a certain number of Xhosa. the hand of 5 he receives at the start of the game, (which represents “known events” he • Relieve the garrison(s) at border forts. has some control over) or the top of a deck of unknown cards. These are specified in game terms in more detail, of course. 3. Each commander begins with one or more objectives established at the start of the game (usually by random selection) or, for a newly appointed commander, at the moment his brevet rank is confirmed.

4. Victory occurs if all objectives are met before the cards run out.

Most cards create problems or hazards for some part of the Colonial army or give an initiative to the Xhosa. A few are beneficial. Some have conditions, so a Colonial commander may want to keep such cards in hand to anticipate that condition.

I made card-turning dependent on the number of commanders and on the number of orders so that Xhosa spring their trap!

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 33 For most games, I only use a partial deck of 50-60 randomly chosen cards. So the size of the deck rather than a fixed number of “turns” determines the length of the game. This also means the commander operates with the knowledge of a range of things that could happen, but many of them won’t, because they’ve already been randomly discarded. Whilst most of the actual cards I use are only meaningful within my game system, the idea of them can probably be adapted for other rulesets, so I’ve listed them in the following table.

No of General description cards 5 A Xhosa unit appears on a random table edge. 4 A Xhosa unit appears at least 24” from all colonial troops. 3 2 Xhosa units appear, at least 24” from all colonial troops. 2 3 Xhosa units appear at least 24” from all colonial troops . A Xhosa scout party (5 figs) appears on a hilltop. The nearest colonial unit moves a full move 2 towards it. 1 A Xhosa scout party (5 figs) appears on a hilltop. The nearest colonial force moves towards it. 2 Anxiety: a Colonial unit retreats one full move. 1 Paranoia: a Colonial unit retreats two full moves. 1 Exhaustion: The entire Colonial force halts and takes no action. Unexpected enthusiasm: a unit makes an additional advance of one full move, retaining its 2 current facing and formation. 2 Ammunition runs out: This unit may not fire for the rest of the game. 3 A hidden Xhosa unit launches an immediate ambush from the nearest concealing terrain. An auxiliary unit (of Boers or Mfengu) decides it’s time to go home, and quits the field by the 3 most direct route. 4 Ambitious: the commander takes on an additional objective from the list. The commander creates a secondary force by dividing his troops into two and appointing a 3 commander to deliver an additional objective. 4 One or more animals attack from the bush. 4 A unit becomes lost in the bush and moves in a random direction. A herd of cattle is found and must be escorted back to the friendly table edge. (A detached force 5 can be created to do this). Convergence: All Xhosa units not in combat make an immediate move towards one (randomly 3 selected) Colonial force. Lured: the next time a colonial unit attacks a Xhosa target, 1D3 Xhosa units appear next to the 2 target unit. Trapped: the next time a colonial unit attacks a Xhosa target, 1D3 Xhosa units appear in the rear 1 of the attacking unit, 12” away. Hidden enemy: A colonial unit thinks it spots enemy in the nearest terrain. It must make an 2 immediate attack on that terrain, even if actually unoccupied. Threat: At least one friendly unit not in combat must take a full move directly towards the 2 nearest enemy unit as aggressively as possible but neither fire nor attack. Nervous allies: Recent events have unnerved the allies. All Mfengu or Boer must pass a morale 2 test to remain active. Failure = retreat to table edge. Fear: All units more than 12” from their commander must withdraw towards him until at least 2 one member of the unit is within 12”.

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 34 Failure of communication: A randomly determined unit halts in confusion as its orders are 3 unclear. Broken equipment: A wheel on a randomly determined wagon or crewed weapon fails. No 2 progress is possible for it until repaired. Unbearable Heat: Heatstroke. From now onwards both sides lose 1D6 casualties per turn, 1 distributed randomly. Misunderstood orders: Unexpectedly a unit performs an action which would, ordinarily, conflict 3 with its Commander’s objective. Flash flood: A heavy rainstorm swells all rivers and streams, which now double the normal 1 penalty for crossing. 2 All Xhosa not in combat converge on a randomly determined farm, fort or building. Fearful terrain: Worried that the nearest terrain feature may contain the enemy, a unit refuses to 2 approach closer than 12”. Fierce: All Xhosa units make one extra move towards the nearest enemy. Those currently in 2 combat make an additional attack. 2 Reluctant: All Xhosa units make one extra move directly away from the nearest enemy. Friendly fire: Musket fire hits one unit from an unidentified source. Startled, the unit fires back in 1 a random direction. Any troops in range and LOS take casualties. Xhosa snipers: Unusually, Xhosa fire hits its target. Unit takes 1D4 casualties from hidden Xhosa 2 fire. 1 Artillery carriage breaks: An artillery piece is made useless for the rest of the game. 1 Xhosa steal the horses: One cavalry unit converts to infantry for the rest of the game. Psyched up: Pick an auxiliary unit (Boer or Mfengu). If it’s within charge range of a Xhosa unit 1 they may charge with bonus attacks. If not, they retreat two full moves in confusion. 1 Commander inspired: the commander of this force may swap any current objective for any other. Betrayal: One auxiliary unit (Boer or Mfengu) deserts to the Xhosa and fights on their side for the 1 rest of the battle. Timeservers: One Xhosa unit is persuaded to join the Colonial cause, and fights on their side for 1 the rest of the battle. 2 A Xhosa unit is discovered within 12” escorting a herd of cattle. A Xhosa unit not in combat moves directly towards its nearest ally, though it remains facing the 2 enemy and will fire upon them if opportunity arises. Faulty map: a unit discovers it has wandered into very difficult terrain, bush territory without 2 paths. Disoriented, it moves at one half normal move into that terrain. He’s lost the plot: The commander makes a foolish decision. Randomly discard one of the cards 1 from his hand. 1 Where’d they go?: A Xhosa unit not in combat “disappears” and reappears anywhere within 24”.

The actual text of each card has its own narrative “fluff” even if its game effect is the same as another card, and gives the explicit impact in game terms (e.g. defining words such as “choose” and “directly toward”). If you want to adapt these cards, you’ll need to provide your own appropriate definitions. Apart from card instructions, Xhosa will fire on any colonials in range, retreat from them if outnumbered, or move towards them if they have superior numbers.

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 35 I think of the approach as something like a I really enjoy the research side of wargaming, so computer programme (I designed computer I’ve plenty of material and ideas for these cards games in an earlier life) creating “narrative play”. (which, to be fair, I’m adding to all the time). And The cards provide a series of instructions which, that, in itself, makes an interesting sub-hobby. as they’re applied, create a distinct, usually But I’ve also realised that the approach could interesting, game-story. They don’t give pure probably be used for other conflicts. I’m thinking randomness, and do represent actual events and of experimentally adapting the deck for a “inherent military possibilities”. completely different period and context (perhaps a pirate game) to see how much needs to be changed to make it work elsewhere.

Boers run into Xhosa!; a vrouw loads for her menfolk...

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 36 Call It Macaroni! Turn Order Declare and Begin any The Test Game Charges to Within 6” A Quick and Dirty Approach to Horse and Movement Musket Warfare Continued Artillery Musketry Stokes Schwartz, USA Skirmish Fire Charges Close to Melee? Determine Melee Results In the inaugural issue of WNQ, I presented my ideas about wargaming rules. My thought, to recap, is that these should be Write & Dispatch New quick and easily committed to memory, so that we can get on with Orders the game without getting bogged down in the name of accurate simulation. After all, these days if that is what you are after, you can probably do it online without bothering to paint up armies or stock Artillery Fire a wargaming table with terrain goodies. I freely admit to kneeling Canister (0-12”) at the altar of Featherstone “rules on the back of a postcard” here, as well as borrowing bits and pieces that I have mentally collected Automatic Hit! D6 to through the years, to produce a brief set of horse and musket rules determine hits per gun. that I have named Call It Macaroni! During late December 2016, I Roundshot -- Drift D6 had a chance to playtest these rules in a small solo affair based on a Charles S. Grant scenario, Holding Action (1) on pages 14-15 of 1 = 3” to Left of intended Scenarios for Wargamers (1981). target 2 = 2” to Left of intended The test game lasted nine turns, but it took until about Turn Four target for things to become interesting with the armies commanded by General von Drosselmaier (Grand Duchy of Stollen) and General 3-4 = Hits target! Phillipe de Latte (Electorate of Zichenau) finally within range to 5 =2” to Right of intended trade shots. By Turn Seven, de Latte’s let flank had melted away target thanks to the crack shots of the Stollenian jaegers and General 6 = 3” to Right of intended von Drosselmaier’s two-gun battery in the center of his position. target De Latte’s single deployed gun (he had two at his disposal) finally managed to inflict three casualties on the Stollenian cuirassiers. Roundshot – Bounce D6 Finally, during Turn Nine, von Drosselmaier’s elite Leib Grenadiers 12”-36” = D6 -2 began to roll up the exposed enemy left flank, while de Latte’s right flank was threatened by General von Drosselmaier’s squadron of 36”-60” = D6 -3 dragoons. 60”+ = D6-4

Although de Latte attempted to pull things from the fire at this *Cavalry, skirmishers, point by ordering his lone hussar squadron to charge the enemy troops in cover -1/2 hits. jaegers emerging from the wood on his left, the cavalry suffered *Troops in column or 25% casualties due to enemy musketry and skirmish fire before enfilade +1/2 hits managing to close with the enemy. The remaining hussars turned tail and fled. Spooked by this latest development, De Latte and his aide Major Paolo di Biscotti also quit the field, leaving their guns and remaining troops to fall into Stollenian hands. The test game, known in the history books as the Action at Soßklopse, was over. Now to the post-game dissection of the rules.

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 37 In general, the first version Melees * -3” for movement in line of the Call It Macaroni! rules * Formation Change/Enter or seemed to work reasonably A) Determine if one side or Leave BUAs/ Obstacles/Uphill well. The musketry volleys, in the other flinches before -1/2. No penalties for Light particular, were suitably bloody contact (at 6”) by rolling a D6: Infantry, at close range, but there were * 0-10% Casualties = 6 unit other points that needed *Guns that use a half move to retires full move. adjusting. unlimber may still come into * 10%-20% Casualties = 5, 6 action that turn. First, the movement rates that unit retires full move I borrowed from Featherstone Musketry * 20%-50% Casualties = 4, 5, seemed too slow for a 12’x6’ 6 unit retires full move 0-6” D6 (per eight musket table. My solution so far has armed figures) been to double everything, B) If units close with one more or less, so that troops another: 6”-12” D6 -2 = Hits get into musketry and artillery D6 for each foot figure * +1 per die 1st volley range sooner and things get interesting. Perhaps this is not 2D6 per each cavalry figure * D6 for 6-7 figures. Ignore 5 strictly realistic when it comes Add +1 to each die if on or less. to approximating 18th century higher ground/behind walls/ * Cavalry, skirmishers, gun warfare in miniature, but it in BUA crew, target in cover -1/2. is a possible consideration High score wins. Winning Skirmish Fire (Individuals) if we wish to avoid slow figure/base moves forward 0-6” - D6 per each figure games that take too long to one base into the spot firing, 4, 5, or 6 hits. develop. Just one of those vacated by the losing base/ many small compromises we figure, which is removed 6”-12” 5 or 6 hits. must occasionally make in the from the table. wargaming hobby. I think that 12”-18” 6 hits. Bill Protz suggests something NB - Casualty percentages are ***Use this rule for odd similar in his Batailles de for pre-existing casualties for numbers of line infantry (5 l´Ancien Régime 1740-1763 both sides. or less), but at the shorter rules. musketry ranges. Movement Second, from what I have Morale - The 50% read about skirmishers in the Line Infantry 12” / Move and Rule mid-18th century, it seemed Fire 9” (No Woods) that the effectiveness of Skirmishers 18” (Move AND Units reduced to half of my single companies (12- Fire) their original strength are 15 figures) of Croats and removed and take no further jaegers on either side needed Cuirassiers/Dragoons 18” (No role in the battle. to be reduced somewhat. Woods) These troops did not have, Hussars/Uhlans 24” (No if I understand correctly, Woods) quite the same abilities and potential effectiveness Artillery 12” (Unlimber/ as, say, Wellington’s Light Limber -1/2 Move) Division in the Peninsula, or Transport 12” (No Woods, the contemporary French Roads Only) Voltigeurs. So, things seemed Staff 18” off somehow when the lone company of Stollenian jaegers ADCs 24”

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 38 inflicted the degree of carnage it did on de Latte’s established, and the target hit. So, after some let flank in fairly short order during the Christmas thought and discussion with a few wargaming Week test game. friends, I dispensed with the range-finding roll altogether, opting instead for one roll of a D6 Finally, there was the issue of artillery, which to determine drift, and another to determine never seemed to accomplish very much. While hits. For simplicity’s sake, I presume a constant obviously I do not want artillery to dominate my 1 degree of elevation along with the number games set during the mid-18th century, before of bounces that elevation might provide (See changing tactical practices by Napoleon’s time Firepower! by B.P. Hughes). and later technological developments changed the equation, I do want it to have some effect, I have yet to playtest this latest version of Call It and sooner. The previous rules used – Charge! Macaroni!, but what is here seems like it might -- never seemed to enable the four to six guns give a reasonably quick, fun game that does not in my typical games to hit very much beyond require reliance on paper and pencil, or mental canister range. It also seems to me, on a related arithmetic. You’ll find the current version of the note, that experienced gunners of the time would rules (only six to learn and remember) here to have stood a better chance of hitting massed review, maybe even try yourself, and, of course, enemy formations than the Charge! rules permit, adjust to reflect horse and musket warfare as you with their requirement of throwing a D6 at each understand it. Have fun! firing to determine if the correct range has been

Wargamer’s Notes Quarterly: Issue 2 | March 2017 | Page 39 Afterword...

And there we are. We hope you enjoyed Issue 2 of Wargamers Notes as much as we enjoyed bringing it to you. Like issue 2, we are hoping that Issue 3 will be something of a bumper too. Expect to see a long piece on the Kursk Campaign for Memoir ‘44, a rearguard scenario for Charge! and more Russo-Japanese naval goodness. Issue 3 will be out on June 31st with a submissions deadline of May 31st. Finally, l etters to the editor are solicited for Issue 3 and we'll print the best of them..!

Mfengu escort the wagons.