tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post9059753755493430884..comments2024-03-29T00:32:33.920-04:00Comments on GROGNARDIA: A Father of Miniatures Wargaming?James Maliszewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-62749305480622918792021-01-27T03:59:27.838-05:002021-01-27T03:59:27.838-05:00I also did this when we were kids. We played self-...I also did this when we were kids. We played self-invented wargames and then wrote newspaper articles about the battles ;-) I think it's a strand of creativity that often disappears when wargaming becomes "more serious".Phil Dutréhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13607941040736764291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-43959613630027172872021-01-26T15:14:01.379-05:002021-01-26T15:14:01.379-05:00Hurry, man—the Battle of Dórmoron Plain is coming ...Hurry, man—the Battle of Dórmoron Plain is coming up!Stephen Wendellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16828432713646210247noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-1820717579812346342021-01-26T15:08:14.367-05:002021-01-26T15:08:14.367-05:00Let's not go crazy now.Let's not go crazy now.James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-71003936433500552882021-01-26T15:05:45.689-05:002021-01-26T15:05:45.689-05:00You’re catching up, James. We’re so proud of you. ...You’re catching up, James. We’re so proud of you. Next you’ll be reading Featherstone and pouring your own flats!Stephen Wendellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16828432713646210247noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-50801952907247646522021-01-26T03:29:35.235-05:002021-01-26T03:29:35.235-05:00When my dad and I and his friends used to play Sam...When my dad and I and his friends used to play Samurai (Avalon Hill) semi-regularly, we would often keep (incredibly biased) records of the game turns and constantly slander each other "in character" as the game went on ... It strikes me that perhaps this play was close to what used to occur during a lot of wargames/D&D, and that perhaps I've been closer to the "source" of this kind of game than I ever realized.Cullenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06525346014856998303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-25668671072528476552021-01-25T14:13:51.827-05:002021-01-25T14:13:51.827-05:00What I've been finding more and more (in recen...What I've been finding more and more (in recent months) is how much of our human history is directly tied to warfare. Not just in the way that current events are changed by war and strife (or the old chestnut about conflict and violence is somehow "inherent" to human nature) but, quite literally, the way it's shaped the development of cultures, language, politics, religion, etc. When it comes to imaginative "world building" (something a part of most DMs' game) the lessons of warfare in human history...especially with regard to logistics and troop movement and the limitations of such...is highly illustrative. <br /><br />[a good web site for starting down this particular rabbit hole can be found here: https://acoup.blog/ ]<br /><br />As such, I have started to come to the conclusion that any author (Stevenson, Wells, Howard, Tolkien, whoever) concerned with the creation of imaginary worlds...and the study of human history for inspiration...cannot help but get drawn into a study of warfare (and, consequently, the possibility of gaming out alternate results of battle to consider how history might have changed). It's not that humans are a terribly violent species by nature, but the nature of survival (in the absence of other means of getting along) drives us to violence, which in turn has a dramatic impact on our civilizations. It's a fascinating branch of study for how many different things it touches up, and it's no wonder you find so many of these folks dabbled in "wargaming" as a pastime.<br /><br />Because of thisJBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03263662621289630246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-80408384879483147322021-01-25T12:28:35.462-05:002021-01-25T12:28:35.462-05:00I read the book when it was first released. I supp...I read the book when it was first released. I suppose I simply forgot about Stevenson. I must re-read it.James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-84082063378484662062021-01-25T12:15:33.335-05:002021-01-25T12:15:33.335-05:00Stevenson's games, as well Wells and the entir...Stevenson's games, as well Wells and the entire history of wargames, are covered in Playing at the World.Joe Starsjahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07932834068147346176noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-73501272211858246252021-01-25T11:09:10.020-05:002021-01-25T11:09:10.020-05:00These are much appreciated. Thank you again.These are much appreciated. Thank you again.James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-45651361790151922462021-01-25T11:08:28.323-05:002021-01-25T11:08:28.323-05:00And a last link: very recently (as in the past cou...And a last link: very recently (as in the past couple of weeks or daus), the blog Man of TIn Blog has published quite some articles about HGWells' Little Wars and its development: https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/ Phil Dutréhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13607941040736764291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-21896677006986321542021-01-25T11:04:42.851-05:002021-01-25T11:04:42.851-05:00Also, check out Goerland: http://georland.blogspot...Also, check out Goerland: http://georland.blogspot.com/p/the-antiques-roadshow.html<br /><br />It's about a toy soldier collection that surfaced in the British Antiques Roadshow, and had toy soldiers and campaign journals dating back to the 1870s.Phil Dutréhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13607941040736764291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-81243612575812813572021-01-25T11:01:26.254-05:002021-01-25T11:01:26.254-05:00Thank you!Thank you!James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-55515839845499761592021-01-25T11:00:45.005-05:002021-01-25T11:00:45.005-05:00If you want to read more about early wargaming, yo...If you want to read more about early wargaming, you should get a copy of The Wargaming Pioneers, published by the History of Wargaming project: http://www.wargaming.co/recreation/details/ewvol1.htmPhil Dutréhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13607941040736764291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-82686119559431123952021-01-25T10:35:55.396-05:002021-01-25T10:35:55.396-05:00How I wish Stevenson had published a book about hi...How I wish Stevenson had published a book about his hobby!<br /><br />Thank you for linking the article. It was a splendid little read, especially the poem that R.L.S. wrote concerning his play.<br /><br />I did notice several aspects of their gaming, the fact that it was an Imagi-nations campaign, using blinds and dummy cards to hide troop strengths, apparent characteristics or backstory to the leaders.<br /><br />What fun it must have been for them to play together at what appears to be great frequency.<br /><br />Justin Penwithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06194198434790757522noreply@blogger.com