Tuesday, June 6, 2017

Napoleonic Wargaming by Charles Grant


Napoleonic Wargaming by Charles Grant turned up in the post today.  I read this book back in 1976 or thereabouts, and used to love to look at the pictures of the lavish wargames in progress.  I did not buy the book back in '76, likely because there was no way I could afford to build 53 man battalions, so I never had a copy of my own...until now. 

Although the units are a bit big for my taste (48 men + 5 officers for an infantry battalion!), I look forward to reading the book and gleaning ideas and quotes from Mr. Grant, which perhaps, I will share on this blog.

3 comments:

  1. I can remember being very inspired by the photos in this book back in the 70s and I still have a copy. I can also remember being disappointed with the rules because they didn't use enough dice!

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    1. I agree. Rolling dice, and the tension and uncertainty it creates is part oft the fun of playing a Wargame. However, the charts are instructive in setting out Mr. Grant's beliefs regarding the numbers if casualties caused by units at various ranges and at different targets. Reading the book helps you understand his philosophy of rules design as well. Perhaps this book is better used as a resource than as an actual rule set.

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  2. I spent a lot of time with my head in this book in the 70's. Completely derailed Charge! and Featherstone for a few years not that I had enough figures to play much more than a skirmish at the time. Then along came Jeffrey whose approach was so different its no wonder I focused on Ancients.

    I haven't had this off the shelf in ages. Do I dare?

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