Gaming Great Bridge V: Alternate Rules

 “For me, it is always important that I go through all the possible options for a decision.”

— Angela Merkel

My Battle of Great Bridge set-up on site.

This past weekend I displayed and ran my Battle of Great Bridge wargame demo at a commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the mustering of the Culpeper Minutemen in the very field where they assembled...before they marhced off to Williamsburg and ultimately Great Bridge. Despite cool but sunny weather (quite nice for autumn in central Virginia), the attendance and participation was less than I had hoped, but it was still a positive day. Everyone who stopped by to admire the diorama, play the game, or discuss the battle brought their intelligent curiosity and interest in history. I ran the game twice with young but extremely bright participants and spent much of the day discussing the Battle of Great Bridge with folks, some of whom had never heard of it despite attending an event commemorating a unit which played a pivotal role — and gained its fame — in the engagement. I learned a bit, too, talking with those extremely familiar with the battle and the terrain.

Event Game Repertoire

 “Happiness is a choice that requires effort at times.”

— Aeschylus

German troops await a charge from
U.S. Marines at Belleau Wood.

We had a great time earlier this month attending the Call to Arms tabletop gaming convention in Williamsburg, VA. It’s a small event as cons go, but it’s a busy, friendly, and welcome weekend getaway. (And we bookended the convention with some time at our favorite sites at Colonial Williamsburg.) My son and I ran a Skirmish Kids game, “A Slice of Belleau Wood,” and I ran a D6 System Pulp Egypt roleplaying game scenario for a fantastic group of players. As we were packing, my son paged through one of the stand-up sign folios I use to promote my games at the table while I’m setting up and during play. I create a one-page promo with title, illustration, and description for each game. After a con I forget about them, leaving them in the folio until the next time. As my son paged through and recalled past games, I realized I have a fairly solid repertoire of historical and fantasy/sci-fi miniatures games I’m ready to run for events (and I’m not even touching all the roleplaying game scenarios I’ve hosted over the years).

Watch Read Play: The Battle of Britain

 “I have promised the Führer that we will clear the skies and completely destroy the RAF. I expect my orders to be obeyed!”

— Hermann Göring, Battle of Britain (1969)

Few episodes in history, let alone World War II, embody the determination and victory of the underdog quite like the Battle of Britain. Fought in the aftermath of France’s fall to Nazi armies in June 1940 and the escape of British forces at the “Miracle at Dunkirk,” the Royal Air Force’s stand against the Luftwaffe turned into a rallying point a war many thought already lost. Iconic images from the battle still resonate among history aficionados: Spitfires and Hurricanes, Stukas, the tall metal towers of the Chain Home radar stations, lines of contrails and smoke in the skies above southern England, the faces of weary pilots, the London Blitz. Immersing ourselves in the Battle of Britain can help us relate to that struggle, a small island nation standing up to a continent dominated by Nazi might, a handful of pilots and a steady stream of aircraft production against clouds of Lufwaffe bombers and fighters, the last free people of Europe holding out against cruel dictatorship. Our cultural history has mythologized much of that campaign, but on a closer look, watching films, reading books, and playing games, we can learn more about the real-life struggles people faced and better appreciate the historical events those people survived.