As many regular readers know, one of my leisure time reading activities includes re-reading old war game publications. Usually War Game Digest, Table Top Talk or Miniature Parade. I’ve been doing some research, focusing on Tony Bath. As such copies of War Game Digest has been on my reading table. The issue I was reviewing last night was from 1957. It includes a number of short pieces written by Mr. Bath (these will be part of a future post) as well as several other articles of interest (also to be featured in future posts). Jumping the the point of today’s post, we get to the ‘From the Mailbag’ section. I read two items of interest.

The first from Ted Haskell:

…One of the best ideas for measuring ranges we have found is the pencil-compass, such as is sold in dime stores. The best ones have a scle stamped on the side. It measures up to six inches, and will quickly measure off cavalry moves, artillery ranges, grenade busts, etc…….

Now, why didn’t I think of that? I’m sure many of you have already thought of this, or perhaps even use this in your games, but for me it was a brilliant idea. I don’t happen to have an old pencil compass, but I do have my drafting set from High School; it no longer needs to sit, forgotten, in a draw! The compasses can come out and be used on the war game table!

The next is from Orson Munn, Jr. (I always enjoy reading his old battle reports):

…As a comment, may I say that I think many of the readers (of W.G.D.) are going through a phase that we will all go through and eventually grow out of. Some of their rules are so complicated that their games must take days to play! Even with over 200 flats to a side we seldom take more than four hours for a game… My only advice is to keep the game’s rules simple, and don’t try to get too many different complications into it… Supplies, Doctors, grenadiers, sappers, light infantry, militia, line infantry, foot and mounted artillery, light and heavy artillery, spies, and other things all can be used at one time or another, but I am afraid what is most needed is about 12 players to a side and a lost weekend! … My advise to the initiate is to simply use infantry, cavalry and artillery and keep the game clean and fast…

Of course this was written back in the days before movement trays, so some of the extra time spent with special rules can be and has been recovered with the use of movement trays. However, the overall sentiment is one that I share: We play games and games should not be overly complex. Keep it simple and most of all have FUN!

As mentioned earlier, my recent reading has uncovered more material for TTT posts, so you can look forward to some material form Tony Bath and of course Jack Scruby.

Lastly, another new project I’ve taken up concerns Tactical Problems; I’ve been wanting play through these and have finally decided how I will do it. If I’m counting correctly, I should have plenty of N-Gauge Napoleonic figures painted and ready to do battle. While the figures will be based, they will be counted as individual figures (18 to 24 figures per unit). The forces will be French vs. Spanish/British for the most part, but I can pull in enough Austrians so I can mix things up on occasion. Using N-gauge I’ll also need to scale down the playing area, since most Tactical Problems were designed for an 8 x 6 table it will be easy enough to scale things down to fit on the smaller of of my table sections (6  x 4). The other positive side of using N-Gauge is that Ill usually have enough terrain pieces to make the table look, at least somewhat respectable.