Ancient And Medieval Wargaming (Review)
Neil Thomas' Introduction To Warfare In Miniature
Jun 23, 2009 Nate Breidenbaugh
Beneath the lavishly-decorated cover, emblazoned with images of miniature warriors, the book is organized quite logically. The whole period divided into four sub-periods: The “Biblical” Period (3000 BCE to 500 BCE), The Classical Period (500 BCE to 300 CE), The Dark Ages (300 CE to 1100 CE), and The Medieval Period (1100 CE to 1500 CE). These are divided by the advents of significant developments in military thinking and technology; For example, the Biblical period was typified by Chariot warfare, which gave way to the massed infantry armies of the Classical Period, and so on—until the introduction of gunpowder weapons provided the change which lies beyond the scope of this book.
A Chronological Layout
Each period is provided with historical background on the military developments of the time, and it is clearly explained how the period differed from the one before it. This is followed by a simple set of rules for fighting battles in each period. Following this, the organizations of each of the major armies in the period are given, so that the reader may organize his or her own miniature army in the same manner as its real-life counterpart. In these “Army Lists” are provided tactical advice for the army in question and diagrams showing how the army deployed its units. Following this is a turn-by-turn report of a famous historical battle being “refought” using the relevant rules and army lists which preceded.
The book also provides historical anecdotes for each given army, to provide the reader with fodder for his or her imagination. For example, in the list for the Early Hoplite Greek Army, the author states that “The Greeks saw their Persian enemies as being a remarkably effeminate bunch. This is because [They] were clad in trousers, whereas the Greeks maintained that real men always wore skirts.” (Thomas 80)
A Book For Beginners And Veterans
Many people who are new to the hobby of miniature gaming are put off by the jargon in the books, as most rules and guidebooks in the hobby assume at least a passing familiarity with the hobby. However, this book is provided in plain English, with all the mechanics in each set of rules explained thoroughly and given in an easily understandable format. Even the greenest of beginners should have little trouble, and much enjoyment, immersing themselves in this hobby.
Each set of rules provided for each of the periods is a variation of the same rules, but modified for the period in question. This is a shrewd maneuver on the author’s part to provide across-the-board simplicity, and to clearly show how warfare changed from one period to the next. The generic nature and simplicity of the rules will not confound beginners, and will provide a new spin on the hobby for veterans.
This hobby is a visual one first and foremost, and this book is not entirely devoid of visuals. There are sixteen glossy pages of photographs nestled in the center, showing professionally-painted miniature warriors from nearly every army arrayed in pitched battles with their historical opponents. These images of knights, chariots, elephants, and of course the brave Greek hoplites, ought to be sufficient inspiration for anyone with an interest in the hobby to raise their own armies, as well as to give veteran hobbyists something against which to compare their own painting.
The Rules
The Rules are simple and generic, but this does not rob them of elegance and tactical depth. They are clearly set up with historical tactics in mind. No complex record keeping or mathematics are required to play, nor are an army of different sizes of dice; The rules require only six-sided dice. The use of tactical skill, good deployment of your army, and planning are rewarded, as they rewarded the great generals of history whom the players will no doubt seek to emulate in their own battles.
Easily Collecting An Army On A Budget
The rising cost of miniature figures is addressed in the rules, as none of the armies require more than one hundred miniature figures to complete. The author also thoughtfully provides a breakdown of the scales, or sizes, of miniatures available to the hobbyist, as well as a list of manufacturers and distributors of miniatures, and magazines and newsletters relating to the hobby, of which there are
Thomas, Neil. Ancient And Medieval Wargaming. UK, Sutton Publishing, 2007.
Ancient And Medieval Wargaming
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