Waiting for Grant

Having gotten paid for something, and discovered online a copy of the original "The War Game" for only $3 more than I could get the reprint for, rather than the $30+ more that it usually is, I grabbed for it. So, Lord willing, this week shall see the arrival of Grant's "The Wargame" in my mailbox from a small bookseller in Oregon.

Is it here yet?

Battling from Afar

As some of you may have read already on Stokes' blog, Stokes Schwartz of the Grand Duchy of Stollen and I are plotting to play out a game by email and blog, with Stokes hosting the table and myself commanding one of the forces remotely. We're currently hashing out details, but the scenario played will be Charles S. Grant's Teaser from Issue #14 of Battlegames magazine.

If you've not got a subscription to Battlegames and you're reading this blog, you should. You can either order it direct from www.battlegames.co.uk or if in the US, you can get it slightly cheaper from On Military Matters (www.OnMilitaryMatters.com). The one caveat for ordering from OMM, which is the route I went, is that you'll get yours a week or two later than those who ordered direct got theirs, since OMM has to receive them from the UK and then turn around and send them to you. Provided you can survive that period of envious waiting while everyone else tells you how good it is, OMM's a good option.

A Ponder

Suppose you had available, or soon to be available, the funds for either a copy of Charles Grant's "The Wargame" (or perhaps his programmed scenarios book), or a new battalion/squadron for your ImagiNation troops, but not both. Which would you choose?

Grant and Grant

In my newest book acquisition, Terry Wise's Introduction to Battle Gaming, there's a fine photo of Charles Grant Sr. and his son Charles S. in their wargaming room, which I display below for the edification of fellow gamers.


I'd never seen the book before, but I quite recommend it. It's well worth an addition to the library.

AWI Eye Candy

Stokes, you must check out this first one if you've not seen it recently. :)

Will's rules for the American War of Independence - Recent postings (look for August 2008 and scroll back) have bunches of lovely eye candy using 1/72 plastic figures, including some very nice conversions. He does some interesting things with the ever over-abundant Airfix British Grenadiers involving mostly shaving down the bearskin to other forms of hat to create new troop types. If you haven't thought plastic figures could look good enough, take a look. He might surprise you.

Tarleton's Quarter - Here, the eye candy is 25-30mm metal instead, but also gorgeous. Most units are organized for the British Grenadier rules (the AWI version of General de Brigade). Beautifully painted and lots of different units to admire. He's especially fond of Perry sculpts, though other manufacturers turn up here and there as well.