Wargame Calendar Challenge

“Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe.”

— H.G. Wells

One of the perks of my time working at West End Games was going along with the sales director to the GAMA trade shows to promote our game lines, notably the Star Wars Roleplaying Game. The trade show has changed a great deal over the years, but way back then exhibitors often chummed around with each other (also promoting their games) and traded product or gave away promotional items. Much of the “loot” I brought back I shared with colleagues (primarily dice), but a few I kept. On one trip to the GAMA trade show Osprey Publishing was celebrating its 25th anniversary; the promotional item staff gave out was a gorgeous, hardcover Osprey Illustrated Military Diary 1997. I never wrote in it. But it inspired me to explore historical periods and conflicts beyond what interested me at the time...and, as my wargaming hobby has expanded over the years, it’s tempted me with a historical game challenge: to run a game every week associated with a timely event.I have long admired the amazing graphic design behind the Osprey military history books. They often rely on primary photographs and original maps, but the highlight for me comes from the amazing original artwork depicting combatants, their equipment and uniforms, and the actions they fought. They’ve informed several of my historically based roleplaying game projects and have helped me research numerous elements for miniature wargames.

The Osprey Illustrated Military Diary 1997 featured amazing art from its books of the time. The daily calendar was a 7.5x10-inch landscape-format calendar journal. Most page spreads showed two weeks, with soldier illustrations along the outer edge. Some spreads only displayed one week, with the opposite page covered in a gorgeous illustration. All the artwork came from Osprey artists at the time, most notably Angus McBride, and were featured in the company’s numerous military history publications. But what I found so intriguing about the diary, beyond the astounding artwork, was the historical information. Every day included a note of some event from military history. Some marked the birth or death or other important event for a significant person: Simon Bolivar’s birth (July 24, 1783), Queen Elizabeth I’s death (March 24, 1603), Edward IV deposes Henry VI (March 4, 1476). Some note significant developments: signing of the NATO Treaty (April 4, 1949), Germany first raids London by airplane (November 28, 1916), first successful parachute jump (Oct. 22, 1797). Others offer reminders about the start or end of wars and campaigns: the start of the German attack on Stalingrad (July 23, 1942), the opening of the Russo-Japanese War (Feb. 10, 1904), the signing of the armistice ending the Great War (Nov. 11, 1918). And, of course, some inevitably mark the dates of significant battles: Antietam (Sept. 17, 1862), the Mahdi’s conquest of Khartoum (Jan. 26, 1885), the Battle of the River Plate (Dec. 13, 1939). No doubt the editors chose the most significant events for single dates.

I’m not sure how often Osprey issued an annual Illustrated Military Diary. Searching online uncovered a few editions in subsequent years, though I’m not sure if they were promotional items or products sold through their distribution outlets or convention presence. I’d love to see one released each year in some format, featuring artwork from different titles and perhaps a variation on notable date information. Alas, I fear such a book might entertain folks with my tastes but not prove a viable product for the company to produce.

OTD Game Schedule

The Illustrated Military Diary 1997 occasionally makes me wonder if one could sustain a historical wargame each week based on a timely event. Not quite something “on this day” (“#OTD” in hashtag internet-speak) in particular, but close to the date to commemorate the event. For instance, the week of December 7 one could run a Pearl Harbor themed game (such as my notorious “Game that Will Live in Infamy”).

This poses a daunting challenge. Aside from choosing just one game from week’s worth of possible events one could simulate on the game table, it presupposes one has enough games, miniatures, and terrain to field numerous battles on air, land, and sea. Granted, one could limit oneself to a particular period or conflict — such as World War II — to take advantage of collections they already possess; with such limitations a knowledgeable gamer could probably find enough events to game once a week for a year.

While some board games for battles exist, miniatures games require some research on the event to replicate the forces involved, the terrain, initial deployment, and any additional considerations that played a role in the engagement. Ambitious game clubs, museums, even libraries could build entire event programs around such games.

Tempted as I am to list a 52-week calendar of notable events and the games I can use to explore them, I’m just going to consider the wargaming materials and board wargames I have and outline a few notable dates and games I could easily host for “on this day” in history gaming. I featured a few in my recent “Event Game Repertoire” post, but these specific historical scenarios fit the bill for notable dates:

Jan. 22, 1879, Rorke’s Drift: The battle made famous by the 1964 film Zulu remains a staple of Victorian colonial wargaming. The Sword and the Flame is one of the better miniature wargame rules for replaying it, though I also like The Men Who Would Be Kings for this period. Worthington Publishing’s Victporia Cross II Deluxe Edition provides a board wargame experience for both Rorke’s Drift and its “prelude,” the Battle of Isandlwana.

Feb. 27, 1942, Operation Biting: Years ago I won a slew of painted Flames of War British commandos in a game convention raffle. Determined to put them to good use against some German infantry stands I had, I devised a Portable Wargame scenario around Operation Biting, the British airborne raid commanded by Major John Frost (who’d later serve at Arnheim) to capture, salvage, and ultimately destroy a German radar installation. The operation represents a small battle easily replicated on the gaming table in an evening.

March 9, 1862, Battle of Hampton Roads: The first clash between ironclad warships and the first featuring a revolving gun turret. Different game systems demonstrate the advantages of armor plating, the ability of the USS Monitor to fire in any direction, and the limitations of the deep-drafted CSS Virginia in shallow water. Although I’ve played out this battle using Bob Cordery’s Gridded Naval Wargames, the free, print-and-play The Virginia vs. Monitor — or, Look Out Minnesota! by Mike Crane remains basic and accessible while still incorporating various factors in the battle.

April 21, 1918, Death of the Red Baron: An excellent opportunity for me to set up my Wings of Glory World War I aircraft for an aerial dogfight featuring von Richtoven’s infamous red Fokker Dr.I triplane. Also a good occasion to replay any number of Great War aerial battles against fighters, observation planes, even balloons.

April 27, 1777, Battle of Ridgefield: I’ve mentioned my hometown battle before and have made several attempts at wargaming it in miniature and on a board. It’s an interesting contrast to the Battle of Great Bridge (see below) as the British marching column had plenty of open ground over which to deploy into line formation and advance against and outflank Patriot militia.

May 27-28, 1905, Tsushima: We’ve played naval skirmishes with my handful of Russian and Japanese ships and Bob Cordery’s Gridded Naval Wargames to satisfy my son’s interest in the Russo-Japanese war. While it doesn’t represent the entire battle, it offers a demonstration of naval combat during this period. Port Arthur by Nuts! Publishing provides a larger operational overview of the Russo-Japanese War in a board wargame format.

June 6, 1918, US Marines at Belleau Wood: Arguably the battle that made the Marines famous. Moving to oust German forces from woods in France, Marines charge across open fields against entrenched machine gun positions. I’ve run “A Slice of Belleau Wood” before using my Skirmish Kids rules to demonstrate, on a small sliver of the battlefield, the difficulties of that initial attack.

June 10, 1805, Treaty of Tripoli: The First Barbary War ended with this treat, after a continent of Arab mercenaries led by US Marines captured the port of Derna. Fort Circle Games’ The Shores of Tripoli board game does a good job simulating the war with mechanics driven by cards representing various factors that historically played a role in the conflict.

June 18, 1815, Waterloo: One could easily re-fight the ultimate Napoleonic-era battle with any number of wargames ranging from the battle itself to the campaigns leading up to it. Board wargames include Napoleon 1815 from Worthington Games (currently out of print), Commands and Colors Napoleonics, or Avalon Hill’s classic Waterloo: Napoleonic Campaign Game or Hundred Days Battles. Numerous miniature wargame rules cover this period, but my favorite remains Bob Cordery’s The Portable Napoleonic Wargame.

July 4, 1187, Battle of Hattin: The Muslim success against the army from the Kingdom of Jerusalem is one of two crusader battles portrayed in Saladin from SAH Shakos, though, with enough figures, one could simulate it using Daniel Mersey’s Lion Rampant rules.

Aug. 2, 216 BCE, Battle of Cannae: This Roman defeat at the hands of Carthaginian general Hannibal during the Second Punic War brings to mind two board wargames covering this battle and period. One could run the Cannae scenario from Commands & Colors Ancients. One could fight out the entire war in the “Hannibal vs. Rome” game within Reiner Knizia’s Rome collection.

Aug. 9, 1862, Cedar Mountain: I note this particular battle out of numerous ones from the American Civil War (ACW) mostly because it took place near where I currently live. The Commands and Colors game Battle Cry includes a scenario in one of the supplements focusing on General “Stonewall” Jackson. The game’s numerous scenarios offer excellent opportunities to re-fight American Civil War battles across the calendar. I’ve also been known to dabble in Civil War battles using Bob Cordery’s Portable Wargame and Neil Thomas’ One-Hour Wargames rules.

Aug. 13, 1940, Eagle Day, Battle of Britain: Another opportunity to set up my Wings of Glory World War II planes for an epic dogfight beween the RAF and Luftwaffe. Several scenarios in the Fighters of Europe game. John Butterfield’s RAF also provide campaign-length operational coverage of the overall battle in a solitaire format.

Sept. 8-11, 9: Teutoberg Forest: The defeat of three Roman legions at the hands of Germanic tribesmen heralded several campaigns to stop the Roman incursions into Germania. I’ve explored these confrontations before using The Portable Wargame rules and paper soldiers.

Oct. 14, 1066, Hastings: While I have paper miniatures I could use to field this battle using various rules, Daniel Mersey’s Battle Ravens board game does a solid job simulating period shield wall tactics and engagements between Saxons and Normans. This period’s also good to explore through various “dark ages” skirmish wargames.

Oct. 16, 1939, Raid on the Forth: This little-known Luftwaffe raid on the Firth of Forth in Scotland came during the “Sitzkrieg” between the invasions of Poland and France. Several German bombers, believing one of the ships anchored there was a battleship, raided the area, with Spitfires warding them off. If you have the planes, Wings of Glory provides some solid rules and amazing visual presentation for the engagement.

Nov. 2, 1942, Charge at Tel el Aqqaqir: Tanks of the British 9th Armored Brigade assault the German Afrika Corps line along the Rahman Track near Tel el Aqqaqir, part of the initial thrust of General Montgomery’s Operation Supercharge to break through Axis lines after repelling the enemy from el Alamein. I’ve run this scenario using my Panzer Kids rules, sending British tanks across the open desert against hull-down German Panzers and entrenched 88mm anti-tank guns. A kind of “Charge of the Light Brigade” scenario with tons of tanks on the table.

Nov. 20-23, 1942, Tarawa: Fierce Japanese resistance made this the most daunting amphibious assault to date in the Pacific War. I discussed Worthington Publishing’s solitaire board game Tarawa 1942 before. It’s a challenging, at times frustrating, simulation of the battle that uses cards based on historical elements to drive the action.

Dec. 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor: I’ve discussed my “Game that Will Live in Infamy” before. It combines the usual aerial elements of Wings of Glory with surface elements (in this case, the USS California and USS Nevada) central to this phase of the attack and keyed to important personal contributions to help players identify with those on both sides who fought for their country.

Dec. 9, 1775, Battle of Great Bridge: I recently designed and ran a basic-level miniature wargame of the first major Virginia engagement in the American War of Independence (AWI), so I’m all set to run this as a calendar event. One might also run it with Worthington Publishing’s Hold the Line: The American Revolution board game (if you’re lucky to have a copy), also useful replaying many AWI battles.

I am, of course, indulging in one of my gaming fantasies: to have the players, time, and interest in this kind of intense gaming schedule, across a variety of periods and rules. Game industry artifacts like the Osprey Illustrated Military Diary 1997 remind me what rich resources we have from which to draw for inspiration in our historical gaming.

“History is the sum total of things that could have been avoided.”

- Konrad Adenauer