The Combat at Pigeon's Ranch by Chares Grant

This version of this article is from Wargamer's Newsletter #77 August 1968, athough it is reprinted from an earlier Wargamer's Newsletter. I don't have this earlier version so I don't know in which issue it first appeared.

It is of particular interest as it relates to Charles Grant's earlier American Civil War gaming, which as I understand it predated the SYW set up represented by The War Game.

Luck in Wargaming? by Tony Bath, in Miniature Warfare Vol 1 No 5 June 1968

By request #1: Napoleonic Fighting Formations by John Davis, Miniature Warfare Vol 1 no 1 February 1968

This and the following three posts have been made in response to a request from Chris, who was looking for specific articles from early issues of Miniature Warfare.

By request #2: Napoleonic Formations Part 2 by John Davis, Miniature Warfare Vol 1 no 2 March 1968

By request #3: Napoleonic Formations Part 3 by John Davis, Miniature Warfare Vol 1 no 3 April 1968

By request #4: Jack Scruby Letter from America Miniature Warfare Vol 1 no 3 April 1968

Paddy Griffith: The Prusso-Danish War of 1864, Wargamer's Newsletter 73, April 1968

Paddy Griffith: Some thoughts on Napoleonic maritime strategy, Miniature Warfare August 1968

Airfix advertisement, 1968

Where it all started for many of us

Wargamer's Newsletter #72 March 1968 Wargamer of the Month

Model Photography by John Sandars, Miniature Warfare September 1968

For those who fondly remember attempting to develop their own black and white photographs before the age of digital photography, this 41 year old article may be doubly nostalgic. I hope it may be interesting enough anyway.

Two new series: At the Colonel's Table, and the War of the Bombar Succession

Two of the most-remembered and best loved series of articles in the Wargamer's Newsletter were Don Houghton's At the Colonel's Table and Neil Cogswell's War of the Bombar Succession.

The first article from each series has been posted below, and I will complete these series over the next weeks.

Because the quality of the original typescript for some of these articles is not wonderful, I have scanned them for optical character recognition and then imported the text into the posts. I have taken the opportunity to make some very slight amendments where this has clarified the sense. The text of posts in blogger don't have extensive formatting options but I have done my best to keep things readable.

The War of the Bombar Succession Part 1: by Neil Cogswell, Wargamer's Newsletter 81, December 1968

This is probably a bit long by the standard of usual Newsletter battle reports but I feel that a battle should be seen in its strategic and political situation.

You will notice that the wargame itself was played by absentee commanders thus allowing a really realistic re-creation of the fog of war. The work is not intended as a masterpiece of strategy or tactics: indeed both commanders showed marked weaknesses and perhaps it would be worth inviting readers to comment on the initial deployments and consequent action.

The system of absentee commanders gave an exciting game to watch and it occurred to me that this would be a good spectators' type of game if ever the Newsletter had another convention like the Military Festival at Chelsea in 1964.

War of the Bombar Succession – 1

Some Account of the Battle of Zotton

1. Historical situation
The year is 1752. Europe is exhausted after the long struggles of the War of the Austrian Succession.

2. Political Situation
The Duke of Bombar, childless and aged 84, is enforced by his debtors to pawn his duchy to His Britannic Majesty in his capacity as Elector of Hanover. Maximilian Joseph, Elector of Bavaria, has pointed out to His Highness of Hanover that by the Treaty of Westphalia Bombar, on the failure of the direct male line shall revert to the Wittlesbach Inheritance of which he is the heir. His Highness of Hanover has let it be known that he is not impressed by the pretensions of His Highness of Bavaria.

June 2nd 1752 Duke of Bombar announces his marriage to Emily Clugg

July 9th 1752 Announcement of forthcoming happy event of the Bombar/Clugg union.

August 4th 1752 Duke of Bombar expires.

August 5th 1752 Elector of Bavaria announces that he proposes to annex Bomber. Order the mobilisation of his army.

August 12th 1752 Elector of Hanover announces that he will protect the rights of unborn children.

Attitudes of other powers

The Empire - Francis, husband of Marie-Therese Queen of Hungary, in his capacity as Holy Roman Emperor announces that the Diet will consider the matter.
Prussia - Frederic II states that he cannot allow the arbitrary resettlement of states in North Germany.
France - No interest shown.
Great Britain - His Britannic Majesty's Parliament states that it dissociates itself from his Hanoverian Highness's German ambitions.

3. Military Situation
Bavaria. Count Hildburghausen has accepted command of the Bavarian forces. These have been augmented by a contingent of troops from the Saxon Circles who have declared in favour of Bavaria. On September 2nd Bavarian troops occupy Bombar and begin collecting magazines at the town of Zotton on the Bombar/Hanover border.
Hanover His Hanoverian Highness has given command of his troops to his second son William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland. In addition he has dipped into his private purse to hire some Hessians. He instructs Cumberland to liberate Bombar.

4. Strategic Situation
Cumberland sets out at once and orders his Hessian Auxiliaries to join him at Wasselburg, On September 26th his force is approaching this junction when he learns of a Bavarian force in the neighbourhood. His spies report this force as some 15,000 strong with a fair leavening of territorial troops, whose discipline is none too good.

Hildburghausen soon learns of the approach of the Hanoverians and gathers his forces at Zotton to give battle. Too late he learns of the approaching Hessians. To retreat is out of the question as this will uncover his magazine and his territorials may likely desert. He resolves to give battle.

5. The Game
Participants: H.J.C. Gerry; M.T. Brown; M.J. Majurey and F.N. Cogswell.

The game was played in two parts. The strategic captains sat in one room complete with maps and orders of battle. They received tactical reports from the tactical players. These reports were brief and only gave general descriptions. On receipt of these reports they analysed the situation and gave orders to their generals. As will be seen this can be a very interesting situation - afterwards both players felt that they had been through the very fog of war. They only drank half the beer supplied.

The tactical players were only to carry out their captains’ orders and report back. They had local initiative when enemy troops were within a quarter of a mile. The commanders could only “see” half a mile across the flat. This range of “vision* was increased when they were on a hill.

The rules used tactically have been outlined before (September 1968). The table was five foot square. The figures were 30mm Spencer Smiths. Tactical representation is one figure to 100 men, one inch to 100 yards and one move to 15 minutes. Infantry move is four inches deployed, eight inches undeployed, other arms in proportion. Long range of artillery is sixteen inches, musket three inches, one hit is scored for each six men firing at long range - each three men at short range. Melees are decided on a basis of head count times a morale throw. Morale dice are thrown in the usual situations with penalties for troops who are undeployed or have suffered severe casualties (25%). The highest dice of three is chosen for a line Infantry regiment deployed two figures deep. Other units in proportion. A dice is lost when there is a morale penalty. 5 or 6 is good morale, 1, 2, 3 or 4 is routed.

6. Orders of Battle

Bavarian
Commander: Count Hildburghausen
Figures (F) 1 Representative Strength (RS) 1

LEFT WING
Prince Klemens (F) 1 (RS) 1
2 Battalions Grenadiers (F) 12 (RS) 1,200
4 Battalions Infantry (F) 24 (RS) 2,400
3 Battalions Territorials (F) 18 (RS) 1,800
2 Brigades Light Artillery (F) 7 + 2 guns (RS) 700 + 40 guns

CENTRE
Major-General Prevsing (F) 1 (RS) 1
4 Battalions Territorials (F) 32 (RS) 3,200
1 Brigade Field Artillery (F) 4 + 2 gun (RS) 400 + 20 guns

RIGHT WING
Major-General Xavier (F) 1 (RS) 1
9 Squadron Dragoons (F) 9 (RS) 900
4 Battalions Infantry (F) 24 (RS) 2,400
1 Battalion Franc-Tireurs (F) 6 (RS) 600

RESERVE
12 Squadrons Cuirassiers (F) 12 (RS) 12,000
12 Squadrons Uhlans (F) 12 (RS) 12,000
1 Battalion Infantry (F) 6 (RS) 600

Total 16,600 men: 31 Squadrons, 15 Battalions and 60 guns. (170 figures plus 3 guns)

Hanoverian

Commander: Duke of Cumberland
Figures (F) 1 Representative Strength (RS) 1

FIRST LINE
Lieut-General Ohien (F) 1 (RS) 1
8 Battalions infantry (F) 49 (RS) 4,900
1 Brigade field artillery (F) 5 + 1 gun(RS) 500 + 20 guns

SECOND LINE
Count Lippe (F) 1 (RS) 1
4 Battalions Infantry (F) 28 (RS) 28,000
2 Battalions Grenadiers (F) 13 (RS) 13,000

CAVALRY RIGHT WING
Major-General Hardenberg (F) 1 (RS) 1
6 Squadrons Horse Grenadiers (F) 6 (RS) 600
9 Squadrons Dragoons (F) 9 (RS) 900

LIGHT TROOPS
Major-General Zastrow (F) 1 (RS) 1
6 Squadrons Buckeberg Carabiniers (F) 6 (RS) 600
1 Battalion Buckeberg Carabiniers (F) 6 (RS) 600
4 Squadrons Stockhausen's Corps (F) 6 (RS) 600
1 Battalion Stockhausen’s Corps (F) 4 (RS) 400

HESSIANS
Hereditary Prince of Hesse (F) 1 (RS) 1
6 Battalions Infantry (F) 38 (RS) 3,800
1 Brigade Field Artillery (F) 5 + 1 gun (RS) 500 + 20 guns

Total: 17,800 men: 15 squadrons, 22 Battalions, 40 guns (178 figures and 2 guns)

The respective camps are shown on the map. Both armies breakfasted and began deploying at 08.00 September 27th. The Hessians were timed to arrive some time between 09.00 and 10.30 - dependent on a dice throw. They were due to arrive over the Wasselburg Bridge.

7. Tactical Commentary

The battle may be conveniently divided into four phases;
A Deployment (08.00 to 09.30} Moves 1-6
B Probing (09.30 to 11.00) Move 7-12
C Attack (1100 to 1230) Moves 13-18
D Pursuit (12.30 to 14.00) Moves 19-24
(The game actually took three hours playing time).

Note: The design represents the Duke of Cumberland, as the white horse of Hanover, plunging amongst the standards and trophies of Bavaria while the striped bear of Hesse approaches.

TO BE CONTINUED

At the Colonel's Table, Part 1: by Don Houghton, Wargamer's Newsletter 81 December 1968

(The author of this amusing piece is connected with a well-known Commercial T.V. series in Great Britain. He has promised to let further gems fall our way so that "At the Colonel's Table" is going to run as a regular feature for a while).

Like so many other serious addicts, I became a wargame enthusiast fairly late in life. Of course, 'things military’ had always fascinated me - the pomp and colour of ancient armies, the enthralling theories surrounding tactics and strategy, these had always commanded my deepest interest. And, again like so many others, I had the facetious knowledge, bordering on the absolute certainty, that if only the War Office had contacted me early in the Second World War I could have routed our enemies in a matter of weeks. This would have been achieved by a series of brilliantly conceived manoeuvres designed to strike utter fear into the Nazis, the Japanese, the Italians and any other foe who might dare to challenge our arms. It was all perfectly splen­did in theory. In the field it would have been total disaster. I have subsequently proved this by putting those theories into practice on the wargame table. I am probably one of the unluckiest Wargamers who ever rolled a dice.

Anyway, my introduction to bargaining began when I bought an Avalon Hill game asa present for a young nephew. I made the terrible mistake of opening the box tocheck its contents and make sure the game was suitable for him. He never did get hishands on it. I bought him a racing car construction kit instead. The game subse­quently became the first occupant of my Wargames Room, a room now overflowing with militaria of all sorts. The next stage of my addiction I blame entirely on DonaldFeatherstone - and his habit-forming book, 'Wargames'. I might have been able to resist the Avalon Hill temptation - but the book was my downfall.After reading it
once I was hopelessly hooked.

So I began to build up a collection of miniature armies. I think my name is emblazoned over the moulds of Neville Dickinson of Miniature Figurines. Evenings which should have been spent working on urgent television scripts (I'm a scriptwriter by profession) were eaten away painting 20mm high warriors and soldiers. Days were spent touring model and toyshops searching out tins of paint and new sets of Airfix figures. As for the latter, God only knows what will happen to my bank account if they ever do issue Napoleonic sets!

Finally the day arrived when I could field a fairly respectable army. I had what I thought were some pretty splendid brigades of infantry and cavalry, enough batteries of artillery to strike real fear into the heart of any opponent, plus waggon trains of supplies, some reserves and enough replacements to keep a battle going indefinitely.

Because I am a Writer and therefore supposed to be a Romantic (this is an utter fallacy, ' of course) the majority of my troops were Napo­leonic. Nevertheless, I also had a secret hoard of ACW and WW I regiments hidden away for opponents who might specialise in those specific wars.

But opponents were something of a problem. Where on earth was I going to find them? As readers very well know, finding a compatible Wargame opponent is rather like searching for the ideal wife. I mean, after all, you've got to live with these people most weekends, haven't you? Ideally they should be spiced with a love of adventure, possess a modi­cum of dash and elan, be sweetly reasonable (especially when arguing the finer pointsof some rule), and never, never be infallible (there's nothing more boring than anopponent who has a counter to your every move). I live in a small Bedfordshirevillage - and I very much doubted if any of the local farmers wanted to mess aboutwith the Imperial Guard or the 11th Hussars after a hard days grind in the cowshed.

And so it came about that I met the Colonel. (Readers, I hope, will forgive me if I refrain from using his name. He is a man who jealously guards his privacy.) I had just bought a batch of fully painted, second hand cavalrymen from one of the 'Newsletter's' advertisers. Amongst them there were a dozen Light Dragoon-type troopers whose uniforms I couldn't identify. I phoned through to several military historians and experts - but no one could help me. Finally, a Regimental Librarian gave me the Colonel's phone number. He said there was very little the Colonel didn't know about Napoleonic uniforms - or any military uniforms, come to that. As it happened his home was in Northamptonshire - not all that far from my own. I rang through and told him my problem. His voice was gruff and formidable - and it scared the living daylights out of me. He gave me his address, told me to come around to his place at teatime the following Sunday - and to bring the cavalryman with me. It wasn't really an invitation - it was more of an order.

So I went, clutching the unfortunate lead Dragoon tightly in my hot little hand. The Colonel's house was a delightful place, a period home set amongst rolling lawns and roses. As for the Colonel's wife, she was a kind, petite and gentle lady. Her voice was as soft and lyrical - as the Colonel's was hard and militant. I was usher­ed into the 'War Room'. Here two formidable billiard tables had been stripped down, placed side by side, and upon them was arrayed the finest battle terrain I had yet seen. There were hills, rivers, villages, swamps, forests - the lot. And all in meticulous detail. Deployed over this countryside were two opposing armies - the redcoats of the British facing the blue uniformed French of Napoleon's guards. Scow­ling above them was the Colonel, a tall, lean seventy year old. He was busy organis­ing the charge of a regiment of Cuirassiers into a British square. I waited till the last of the troop trays had been placed in position. He stood back and surveyed the coming slaughter. "Damn1 fools," he grunted. "They should have softened up the square with some artillery before committing themselves to a charge." He shrugged. "The square will hold. Bloody good regiment in a tight spot," he added. Then he looked at me. He growled an introduction and said: "Where's that Dragoon?" I handed him the offending cavalryman. He took a magnifying glass from a small bench behind him and studied the tiny figure. I stood at ease - and waited, stealing a glance now and again at the wonderful battlefield.

The Colonel straightened up and handed me back the Dragoon. "No such animal," he snorted. "Fictitious uniform. And bloody badly painted, too. Damn' chocolate soldier." (He was quite right, I learnt later. The man I'd bought the Dragoons from admitted that the troop had got into my package by mistake. It was part of the cavalry of a fictitious European state he had created some time ago.) The Colonel pointed to his table. "You indulge in this?" He asked. I admitted I did. Then the Colonel smiled. He went to a cabinet under the bench, took a whisky bottle and two glasses from it, poured a couple of liberal tots - and I was in.

I discovered that some two or three months previously the Colonel's Wargame opponent had died. He'd been a retired Major and, at some stage, had served in the Colonel's battalion in Ceylon. Now the Colonel was without a permanent opponent - and here I'd walked in, out of the blue, like a sheep to the slaughter. But I was a willing sheep right from the start. And the slaughter was always relatively painless - physically.

For the next three hours he delivered a detailed dissertation on the theory and practice of Wargaming. He went over every facet of strategy and tactics, as applied to the battlefield. He explained his rules (which he said were his own invention, although I'm certain they are, nonetheless, modified Featherstone rules) and hammered me with facts and figures. By then it was seven thirty - and I was invited to dine with him. I might add that his wife had already anticipated this. In the elegant dining room the table was laid for three. After we had eaten, the Colonel said, we would play out a small brigade skirmish.

TO BE CONTINUED

Miniature Warfare magazine

Miniature Warfare (later Miniature Warfare & Model Soldiers) was first published by John Tunstill, in 1968. John has kindly given permission to post material from Miniature Warfare on this blog. The source of any such post will be acknowledged in the labels, and also possibly in the title, of the post.

The picture shows the front cover of the first edition of the magazine.

Hinton Hunt Figures: advertisement in Miniature Warfare Magazine Vol 1 No 1, February 1968