Monday, January 27, 2025

The Wargame Companion - A Review

 

When I go in vacation I usually take a Wargames related book for me.  This is for light reading by the pool or on the balcony.  I usually like to bring  my copy of "The Wargame Companion" by Charles S. Grant.  I have his second edition in hardback as I wore out my original copy.  Plus I like the new color pictures of games.  The book is a fun read and can be started anywhere.  Its kind of a personal memoir of his war gaming experiences over the decades.

The  stories about CS Grant playing in wargames with his father, Charles Grant, and Peter Young, as well as other snippets about people like Edward Suren  are worth the price of the book to me.   Grant provides a lot of the "back story" to the hows and whys of the rules, and the fictional 18th century armies that they all used, and much, much more.  It’s like a class in miniature Wargames history.  A few of if my favorite parts:

"The Early Years and the ACW."  Providing background on the Grant family's introduction to wargaming and the birth of the rules, for ACW use, that eventual evolved into The Wargame rules.  Fascinating to see the old article and black and white pictures .  Some good background to create games.

"The Wargame Revisited.". This chapter covers the personalities, both real and fictional; plus background on the armies of the Grand Duchy of Lorraine, the Vereinigte Frei Stadt, and Teutoburg-Althaufen.  Interesting how the personalities molded the fictional armies.  I never got into imagination nations because I just did not have the imagination to do so.  Yet I am in admiration if those who can..

Scenarios,;  including the original game and a new try out of it for Sawmill Village, the Wagon Train, and Lobositz.    He also adds a new Guilford Courthouse scenario for the readers.I was less impressed by this one just because Guilford has been so over done by gamers.  These are fun games I have fought in many different periods over the years  

A chapter on  how to construct buildings like  those seen in The Wargame, with the lift-off buildings/ruined buildings underneath is interesting.  But I am much to happy with my Things From The Basement houses to bother.  

There is set of The Wargame rules in easy to read chart form, done by Henry Hyde,. He has also taken color pictures of the flags and standard bearers for each unit in the Grant family's Vereingte Freistadt army along with pictures from the collections of John Ray, Phil Olley, Angus Konstamm and others.  Finally, Mr. Grant laments that time and age have taken a toll on his plastic Spencer Smith figures. They are slowly in the process of being replaced by new metal armies os Staddens, Surens, Mindens and others.i

My highest recommendation!




13 comments:

  1. It’s a great book. My copy is thumb worn from so many readings of this book. I hadn’t realized that there was a second edition done in hardback. Sadly, Grant sold off all of his fictional armies so the Grand Duchy of Lorraine and the VFS have marched off into history.

    ReplyDelete
  2. If you go to Google Earth and search for 66 Longmeadow, Frimley, Camberly you get Ron Spencer-Smith’s house. The ground floor of the double garage conversion on the right of the property was his sales/wargaming room. I remember him well, counting out individual figures on his paint and plastic spattered table telling me how to convert them! I wonder if the Grants had the same attention.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Most interesting. I enjoy these stories about the hobby and those involved in it. Especially liked the story of your sculpting. I was very sorry to hear that Jacklet has folded. A little bit of history gone.

      Delete
    2. Indeed. I was asked to convert some figures but I’d just started a new (proper) job (with money & stuff) and was too busy. I hope somebody picks up the line because they are too good to disappear. They lasted longer than the Harrow Model Shop that originally sold them. That was another major loss. When I worked in London I was able to whizz up on the tube after work using my trusty season ticket to grab supplies. I was also younger and fitter then…

      Delete
  3. Sounds like a good read, perhaps the wallet should come out of retirement?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Seems like good book to take away on vacation Mark - although I generally go with fiction! I have never really seen the attraction of imaginations - why not just do WSS, SYW, WAS, AWI or some other tricorn hat wearing actual war - but many others seem to like it, so to each their own!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I must prefer the researching and such for real armies myself.

      Delete
  5. Thanks for this, you are strongly tempting me! Not sure I would try to play the rules ( units of 50+ on single bases well out of my reach!) but I always loved the original book and the 'backstory' sounds really interesting. One for the wish-list..

    ReplyDelete
  6. Agree. I don't care for single figures but do greatly enjoy the back story

    ReplyDelete