Friday, November 2

..the end of the week is nigh...

..and so we reach the end of yest another week - I can't believe how quickly this year is going...

..so what have I got to talk about in this post?? Quite a lot actually as it's been a brilliant week from my personal/wargaming perspective...



..first off, I was absolutely delighted to get an email from one of the guys on the Old School Wargaming group asking me if I'd like a whole collection of Table Top Teasers that I was missing! Silly question... J ...having almost bitten his arm off in the haste of my response, you can imagine how excited I was when I saw the big envelope yesterday, and when I opened it, it contained fourteen of the articles!!

I'll put these up on the page (and announce here) as and when they're posted over the next few weeks, but to say I'm "chuffed to bits" is a slight understatement....! The gentlemen knows who he is; my thanks for the kind help - it's fully appreciated.

...while on the subject - I've put a poll at the top of the page (my first ever) as I'm interested in knowing how people prefer to see the Teasers. When I started out I always assumed people would prefer WORD format so that they could easily re-use the text in the article for writing up battle reports, orders of battle, etc. The files also tend to be smaller, which makes for quicker downloads. I have in the past however, also posted them as straight scans ie. a graphic, or a picture of the page. I'm interested to know if I'm on the right track because if I'm not I'll change how I post them....

...second off - this week I bid for, and was pleased to win , a copy of Charlie Wesencraft's "With Pike and Musket" (pictured). It doesn't normally happen, as some eBayer more clever than me usually puts in a bid 2 nano-seconds before the end and trumps me, but in this case I was successful and have just stared reading it. The period he covers is slightly earlier than the War of Spanish Succession which is my main interest in this period, but none the less there's always something of interest in the books of the Old School "masters" and this one doesn't appear to be any different - I'll put up a fuller review when I've finished it...

..while on the subject & on eBay (and hopefully you'll have begun to see by now why it was a brilliant week!) I also got a copy of "Wargame Campaigns" by Charles Grant (the younger). When it first came out I had this book on loan from the library almost permanently - it still forms the basis for my genericic campaign rules, and I cannot rate it highly enough.

...second to lastly, I found a company on the web call em4miniatures (click on the name, to go their website) the day before yesterday. They're a UK based company that do a lot of wargaming supplies - I was looking for little dice as they're very useful when playing Blitzkrieg Commander for showing hits, morale state etc. Not only were the dice reasonably priced, but they also take PayPal. I'll advise further when I get the goods, but their communications were prompt so full marks so far...

...last of all - being a wargamer I'm fairly happy when I get a bargain and would direct people to this web site immediately if they feel the same way. The Wasatch Front Historical Gaming Society are an American group based in Salt Lake City - not only do they have a brilliant site (click to go there) they also issue a quarterly newsletter called "Warning Order" in Adobe/PDF format. Quite honestly it's of excellent quality and appearance (considering the price!) - full colour, graphics etc. What about the content though I hear you ask - well I've started with the latest (#19), and was equally impressed. I especially liked the article on "Command and Control" in wargames, and there was also a good article on "Campaigns" which has definite possibilities... Recommended - and the link will find it's way to my resources list soonest...

...and that's it for this post - the weekend beckons and I plan to get myself to my painting table - it's time for some more tricorne's to make it to the table. I'm also enjoying a re-watch of "Band of Brothers"... who knows may even get to do both at the same time!

8 comments:

  1. I borrowed Pike and Shot from my local library years ago (and must have missed it when it was sold off) but couldn't quite get on with the rules. At first sight they seemed very good but the artillery seemed too powerful - firing twice in a move if I recall correctly and causing great damage. Loads of scenarios though and, like most of the old school, very inspirational.

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  2. More TableTop Teasers please!
    Rafa

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  3. Your effort to give us access to the classical 'TableTop Teasers' is precious for a lot of us: thanks!

    As for the format I've no preference between .doc and .pdf scan.

    One single suggestion, if I may: as soon as one Teaser is 'illustrated' by a battle you report on your site, could you add a *link* from the § ( in green) announcing / decribing the Teaser on http://www.geocities.com/stevej_hicks/steveteas.html
    to the corresponding battle report? It would be extremely handy & useful.

    Compliments,
    Jean-Louis
    (aka abdul666 on the Emperor vs Elector campaign blog, aka abdul666lw on the OSW and SOCDAISY Yahoo groups, aka Louys of Monte-Cristo.

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  4. Jean Louis - good idea, and will do!

    Jim - just finished the rules and your right - they are quite powerful, I think it's because he has one model representing 3 actual guns... good read though - and will review in slightly more detail in a later post..

    Rafa - no problem!! :o)

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  5. I have voted "other" - suggesting Adobe Acrobat PDF.

    However, I suggest these in addition to Word, not instead of.

    And it would also depend on you having a programme to convert Word to PDF. There is a very easy free one called PrimoPDF that you can download.

    Roly

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  6. Steve,

    Word or .pdf is fine . . . but if as a graphic, then the text is simply a picture and we can't copy the text EXCEPT as a picture (which is not useful).

    Open Office is a FREE full office suite that can read WORD documents as well as export to pdf. Furthermore, it fits many different platforms (not just Windows)and did I mention that it is FREE?

    The URL to learn more and download is at:

    http://www.openoffice.org/

    Finally, please, Please, PLEASE give us more Table Top Teasers.


    -- Jeff

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  7. Please tell me he's going to give you the Battle Report for the "Last Ditch Stand" scenario.
    I had that magazine when I was a young 'un and loved that Bat rep which was ACW with Colonel Kentucky Greenburger defending against the yankees. The immortal final lines were the Colonels epitaph "Colonel Kentucky was no chicken he nearly gave them yanks a lickin'". 25+ years on and I still remember it!
    Tom WD

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  8. Tom - November '81 - and yes - I will be posting it! :o)

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