tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33041938.post7981824842045477246..comments2024-03-28T08:35:43.029+00:00Comments on <p align="right">Steve's Random <br>Musings on Wargaming <br>and other stuff...</p>: "Edgehill - The Battle Reinterpreted" - a review..Steve-the-Wargamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07077311120172727690noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33041938.post-91931109200573247182016-10-27T13:47:46.383+00:002016-10-27T13:47:46.383+00:00Brig Peter Young's books are worth acquiring a...Brig Peter Young's books are worth acquiring as they have all the known sources reprinted in the back as appendices. Priceless. In order to improve on his work you need to add good archaeology, - such as in Foard's book on Naseby.<br /><br />As for armies, - I based the Royalists on the King's Army in Oxford, and my Parliamentarians on Waller's Army, partly for the later as the Pike & Shot Society's book called "Waller's Army" was new out when I did them.<br /><br />In practice you can be very precious about coat colours and standards. There's lots of sense and myth busting on Pete Berry's Baccus site: https://www.baccus6mm.com/PaintingGuides/ECW/ . Pete knows his stuff on the ECW. He was in the Roundhead Association when I was, and may stioll be.Trebianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02221916804339000102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33041938.post-30139582337786538872016-10-27T12:06:54.966+00:002016-10-27T12:06:54.966+00:00And....regarding the Edgehill book it is excellent...And....regarding the Edgehill book it is excellent but do read Wanklyns comments.<br /><br />One of the best things in it is the way it spells out the commanders and their responsibilities. From bitter experience I would suggest the way to go is to list each command and the numbers in it and then look at your organisation and tactics based on that information. The much less useful alternative is to start with the wargamer's desire for distinctive coat colours and paint each unit and then wonder how to put them on the table.<br />e.g. Cavalry are raised by troop or regt but fight in brigades eventually of around a 1,000 men.johnpreecehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05548014163096067684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33041938.post-52078659987923722322016-10-27T11:26:19.894+00:002016-10-27T11:26:19.894+00:00I agree with Trebian who is spot on. I have never ...I agree with Trebian who is spot on. I have never quite got Reid as 'the must have book'. Academics leave it out of their bibliography for a reason.<br /><br />All drill books give you an excellent picture of how the previous war was fought. I am very suspicious of their application to the ECW. In a discussion with a riding master of the Blues and Royals he opined that two years would be necessary to train a horse to carry out ECW manoeuvres. Almost exactly the time that Cromwells Ironsides began to affect events and the period of time given by the 'old fashioned' Peter Young.<br /><br />I don't want to slag off any author or other commentator, Reids book is very good, if occasionally inaccurate (IMO). So is H C B Rogers who at a pinch I would prefer as a better read and excellent maps. But if you want to recreate Edgehill as a wargame the book you will come back to again and again is Peter Young. Indispensable. <br /><br />I found the best hook to base my project on was to take two actual armies and follow them through the war. This made much more sense than trying to work from just one day. The North or South West would be fine but I used The Kings Oxford Army and Essexs Army as the two best documented. 'Old Robins Foot' is brilliant and well worth seeking out.<br /><br />Apart from those few moderate and reasonable observations I can only wish you the very best of luck and point out as you will have gathered from the comments that once the bug bites you are in for life.<br /><br />Johnjohnpreecehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05548014163096067684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33041938.post-57244625311987222662016-10-27T09:34:45.323+00:002016-10-27T09:34:45.323+00:00Reid is good but stretches the evidence. As he'...Reid is good but stretches the evidence. As he's a re-enactor and a wargamer he goes the places wargamers want a book to go. Wanklyn's book he wrote with Frank Jones is more rigorous and includes a chapter on "battlecraft" in the 17th century. The Osprey on "Pike & Shot tactics 1590 -1660" is worth a read but a bit frustrating. Trebianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02221916804339000102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33041938.post-18493437558935987952016-10-27T09:29:41.250+00:002016-10-27T09:29:41.250+00:00His other two books "Military History of the ...His other two books "Military History of the ECW" and "Warrior Generals" are worth the time as well.Trebianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02221916804339000102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33041938.post-87283762809262105582016-10-25T10:08:35.084+00:002016-10-25T10:08:35.084+00:00Steve for that you are going to need drillbooks. T...Steve for that you are going to need drillbooks. There are a few about but try http://syler.com/drillDemo/menu.html <br /><br />that link for a site which shows you how drill happened- at least for foot. <br />Cruso's Military instuctions for the Cavallerie was reprinted during the war and there are modern reprints about- I have a 1970s one- Also Humprey Barriffe for the foot. I'm sure online versions of these drillbooks must be about. Big Andyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17235478427317774609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33041938.post-92157029615526314292016-10-25T07:13:13.176+00:002016-10-25T07:13:13.176+00:00Jonathan - I'll bump it up the list based on t...Jonathan - I'll bump it up the list based on that... :o)<br /><br />Anyone who has commented got any recommendations for books on tactics fro the period.. I'm interested in how foot regiments would deploy for receiving horse, receiving foot, etc.Steve-the-Wargamerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07077311120172727690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33041938.post-39683424620669414102016-10-24T22:49:13.670+00:002016-10-24T22:49:13.670+00:00Reid's "All the King's Men" is t...Reid's "All the King's Men" is the standard from which I measure all ECW histories relevant to the wargamer.Jonathan Freitaghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07862373894196924886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33041938.post-15680796245369135812016-10-24T16:55:37.509+00:002016-10-24T16:55:37.509+00:00Andy - I'm doing Ok then as I already have (an...Andy - I'm doing Ok then as I already have (and have read) the Stuart Reid book as well, but as above it was a while ago, so I'll pull it out for a refresh..Steve-the-Wargamerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07077311120172727690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33041938.post-30757508692027111012016-10-24T13:19:21.890+00:002016-10-24T13:19:21.890+00:00I am currently reading this and for me the early ... I am currently reading this and for me the early chapters are a bit of a given- though those on deployment are fascinating. I agree with Trebbian that Wanklyn is useful as he does his best to strip out all the conjecture but sometimes I think he goes too far to support his academic credentials. Being only half way through this volume I'll see what the aurthors make of the actual fighting.<br /> I note that Stuart Reid is not included in their bibliography I still think his "All the Kings Armies" is possibly the best single volume account of the Civil wars that I have read- but there are newer books I don't have yet. Big Andyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17235478427317774609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33041938.post-53004511088200462512016-10-24T11:17:06.888+00:002016-10-24T11:17:06.888+00:00I have also only just noticed (dull, dull, dull) t...I have also only just noticed (dull, dull, dull) that by some extraordinary chance I posted my review on the very anniversary of the actual battle! Now that is weird......Steve-the-Wargamerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07077311120172727690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33041938.post-53054156267343917192016-10-24T11:12:48.541+00:002016-10-24T11:12:48.541+00:00Jonathan - worth it I think if only to refresh the...Jonathan - worth it I think if only to refresh the information on tactics and organisation.... the 'battle stuff' was almost kind of secondary for me....Steve-the-Wargamerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07077311120172727690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33041938.post-74524202265484920662016-10-24T11:11:53.784+00:002016-10-24T11:11:53.784+00:00Trebian - an unfortunate name but I can confirm I ...Trebian - an unfortunate name but I can confirm I have Mr Wanklyn's book in my library, and have indeed already read it.. it's back on the "to read" pile so I can refresh my memorySteve-the-Wargamerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07077311120172727690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33041938.post-60793532396895868252016-10-24T11:10:47.739+00:002016-10-24T11:10:47.739+00:00Foy - "inept enthusiasm" sums up why I h...Foy - "inept enthusiasm" sums up why I have always leant towards the early parts of the projects I have chosen.. I like the fact that it was usually a clean sheet, with all to learn... I shall read the Peter Young book (again - can't remember how long ago I last read it) and compare... Steve-the-Wargamerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07077311120172727690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33041938.post-82088074287046147162016-10-24T11:08:29.883+00:002016-10-24T11:08:29.883+00:00Ian - I did (resist) for at least 5 years... :o)...Ian - I did (resist) for at least 5 years... :o)Steve-the-Wargamerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07077311120172727690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33041938.post-53916012038803643692016-10-24T11:08:03.095+00:002016-10-24T11:08:03.095+00:00Norm - bought mine in a remainder shop and I'm...Norm - bought mine in a remainder shop and I'm sure I've seen it on sale since... either way, worth a punt at only £6 on Kindle... I have the Peter Young - he's on the "to read" pile...Steve-the-Wargamerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07077311120172727690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33041938.post-84299986540805441022016-10-23T21:23:21.234+00:002016-10-23T21:23:21.234+00:00I read this book when it was first published in 20...I read this book when it was first published in 2004. Details of the book are faint memories now. I should pull it off the shelf and give myself a refresher.Jonathan Freitaghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07862373894196924886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33041938.post-61232545688521222132016-10-23T19:30:24.139+00:002016-10-23T19:30:24.139+00:00It's a good book, but you also need to read Wa...It's a good book, but you also need to read Wanklyn's "Decisive Battles of the English Civil War" if you're serious about this. Trebianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02221916804339000102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33041938.post-85511381513957718042016-10-23T18:16:24.744+00:002016-10-23T18:16:24.744+00:00Book looks terrific - I'll check this out.
Ed...Book looks terrific - I'll check this out.<br /><br />Edgehill has always intrigued me - part of the appeal is the rather inept enthusiasm of the armies, as you say, and a few aspects (and prominent personalities) didn't necessarily appear again in later actions. When I started wargaming the ECW (from a position of zero knowledge!), I consciously tried not to be too influenced by Edgehill - not because of any problem with the battle, simply because I once screwed up a poor effort at the ACW by modelling armies on First Bull Run (I was obsessed by the Knight's Wargames book), which was a mistake for a lot of reasons!<br /><br />I shall follow your adventures with great interest - looking forward to it.<br /><br />I have recently had a hankering to explore the Scottish Bishops' Wars (1639 and 1640?) - one feature of this is that I would have to rescript the real wars to make this worthwhile - the historical prototype was a bit of a walkover. I very much enjoyed my campaign in Somewhere Like Lancashire - the freedom to ignore real history is a real advantage!MSFoyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14470241067504971068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33041938.post-63937831363082240332016-10-23T11:12:44.770+00:002016-10-23T11:12:44.770+00:00Must resist...............
IanMust resist...............<br /><br />IanIanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17113835961977211021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33041938.post-82084290208614593252016-10-23T09:32:41.767+00:002016-10-23T09:32:41.767+00:00I have just nipped over to the Kindle section on A...I have just nipped over to the Kindle section on Amazon and the book has 4 reviews so far, seems that Peter Young has set the bench-mark in some minds, I quite fancy a look at this as some of the comments seem to point to it being a good wargamer read.Normhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05031444717952755557noreply@blogger.com