The Martians have invaded, time to return the favor!

The Martians have invaded, time to return the favor!

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Battling the beastly Boers - FLW game report - Part 1

On Friday I was privileged to play FLW with the game's author, Paul Wright in his well-manicured garden. After my arrival at noon, we set out some terrain (all from Paul's collection) and agreed forces. I had taken the Forbodian Army, while mine host selected (from the many options open to him) a Boer-type force - 'Army Orange'. King Boris had at his disposal three infantry battalions and a cavalry regiment, along with three gun batteries - 1 each of light, medium and heavy. The Boers (who were apparently all on holiday in neighbouring Ruritania...) fielded three smaller infantry..
http://megablitzandmore.blogspot.com/2012/03/battling-beastly-boers-flw-game-report.html

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

20mm Nostalgic Revival: Donald Featherstone

20mm Nostalgic Revival: Donald Featherstone: The Father of UK Wargaming is 94 years young around this time, many congrats to him, his books got me started way back in the mists of t...

PREPARING FOR A WARGAME



( WITH THE HELP OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE )



In peace there’s nothing so becomes a wargamer

as modest stillness and humility;

But when the blast of war blows in our ears,

then imitate the action of the tiger;

Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,

disguise fair nature with hard favour’d rage.

Then lend the eye a terrible aspect,

let it pry through the portage of the head

like a brass cannon; let the brow o’whelm it

as fearfully as does a galled rock.

Now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide;

hold hard the breath, and bend up every spirit

to his full height. On, on, you noble wargamer

whose blood is that of fathers who wrote the rules !

Fathers who, like so many Alexanders,

have at these Conventions from morn ‘till even fought,

and pocketed their dice for lack of argument.

Dishonour not your mothers, for did they not sit

whilst those whom you call fathers painted their armies ?

Feel superior to players with troops in other scales,

and teach them how to wargame. And you, good players,

whose hands were made for wargaming, show us here

the mettle of your army; let us swear

that they are worthy of your painting, which I doubt not;

For there are none of them so mean and base

that hath not noble lustre in your eyes.

I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,

straining upon the start. The game’s afoot !

Rattle your dice ! And upon the charge

cry ‘God for Scruby! Featherstone! and HG Wells!’

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Kaiser Wilhelm II: A Place in the Sun, 1901


 
Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany:
Speech to the North German Regatta Association, 1901


In spite of the fact that we have no such fleet as we should have,
we have conquered for ourselves a place in the sun. It will now
be my task to see to it that this place in the sun shall remain our
undisputed possession, in order that the sun's rays may fall
fruitfully upon our activity and trade in foreign parts, that our
industry and agriculture may develop within the state and our
sailing sports upon the water, for our future lies upon  the water.
The more Germans go out upon the waters, whether it be in races
or regattas, whether it be in journeys across the ocean, or in the
service of the battle flag, so much the better it will be for us.  For
when the German has once learned to direct his glance upon what
is distant and great, the pettiness which surrounds him in daily life
on all sides will disappear. Whoever wishes to have this larger and
freer outlook can find no better place than one of the Hanseatic
cities....we are now making efforts to do what, in the old time, the
Hanseatic cities could not  accomplish, because they lacked the
vivifying and protecting power of the empire. May it be the function
of my Hansa during many years of peace to protect and advance
commerce and trade! As head of the Empire I therefore rejoice over
every citizen, whether from Hamburg, Bremen, or Lübeck, who goes
forth with this large outlook and seeks new points where we can drive
in the nail on which to hang our armor. Therefore, I believe that I
express the feeling of all your hearts when I recognize gratefully that
the director of this company who has placed at our disposal the
wonderful ship which bears my daughter's name has gone forth as a
courageous servant of the Hansa, in order to make for us friendly
conquests whose fruits will be gathered by our descendants!