Small Wars: New Perspectives on Wargaming Counter Insurgency on the Tabletop

This is a new book by David Wayne Thomas, with a chapter by John Armatys.

The author has been a wargamer since the 1970s, member of Wargame Developments and a serious rule writer since the early 1990s. His longstanding interest in asymmetric warfare led him to develop a series of wargames to reflect the individual characteristics of such conflicts. This is his first book published through The History of Wargaming Project. 

The topic of counter Insurgency is under represented in table top hobby wargames. The relatively few sets of rules in this area have nearly all focused on the tactical level combat.  All except one of these sets of rules are written to portray the operational/ campaign level situation. Using card based systems, these games are particularly suitable for the solo wargamer.

These games are not ‘fair’; they each aim to give the wargamer a greater understanding of the particular conflicts they represent. From the sands of the Sahara, to the Mountains of Afghanistan, they place the wargamer in the position of command; facing an elusive enemy.

The games include:
     Boots on the Ground: Company Level Actions in the early 21st. Century
     An Isolated Outpost: Six Months in the Sahara
     Eight Years in a Distant Country: Soviet involvement in Afghanistan
     Ovambo: Counter- insurgency in South West Africa
     Good Morning Vietnam: LBJ’s War 1965-68
     Flying Column: The Irish Troubles 1920-21

It can be purchased here            Link

This book is published by the History of Wargaming Project as an example of recent innovation in hobby wargames.

The next book to go to print is a WWII bomber game, Target for Tonight, also by David Wayne Thomas. Link

Duke Seifried and the Developmnent of American Wargaming

Uncle Duke is one of those larger than life characters who helped develop miniature wargaming in the United States. The Jack Scruby Award (1995) summarised him as an American original, an entrepreneur and business man, a master sculptor, designer, and painter, a rule writer, publisher, and historian, a master showman, salesman, and advocate. He was also a good friend of Donald Featherstone.

  

It is impossible to discuss the development of early American miniature wargaming without discussing Duke and the many people he collaborated with over the years. This book is a celebration of his contribution.

 

The book includes:

• The Jack Scruby Award 1995 citation. 
• The MWAN tribute of 1989 by Hal Thinglum.
• Early memories of American miniature wargaming and reflections by Duke and his lifelong friend Jim Getz.
• Many previously unpublished photographs of early games.
• The book also includes two complete key sets of rules that were a huge influence on American wargaming:
• Melee (1960) by Duke.
• Napoleonique: A Miniature Wargame Strategic- Tactical Manoeuvre in the Napoleonic Era (1979) Written by Jim Getz with the assistance of Duke Seifried.

 Link to book page
 

This book is published by the History of Wargaming Project as part of ongoing efforts to document the development of wargaming.

Next 6 months in the History of Wargaming Project

I have a professional interest in gaming counter insurgency (COIN) and have published Paddy Griffith’s Counter Insurgency Wargames (1980) in 2016. I looked around and some hobby gamers have been doing some interesting stuff about gaming COIN on the table top, so I will shortly publish Small Wars: New Perspectives on Wargaming Counter Insurgency on the Tabletop.

The Matrix game methodology has made a huge impact in professional wargaming circles, so I am editing a handbook on the subject, working with Chris Engle and Peter Perla to produce a more academic examination of the theory and practise of matrix games.

I occasionally publish a non-wargaming book. The one this year is going to be one on an epic road trip around the USA that visited every Vietnam memorial.

I want to publish more books for the solo wargamer. I have done Donald Featherstone's Solo Wargaming and Donald Featherstone's Battle Notes for Wargamers Solo Wargaming Edition. The next one is going to be a solo game about a WWII bombing mission.

I have been interested in naval wargames for a long time and at last I aim to publish a book about the great naval wargames of the America navy prior to WWII. I thought the material has been lost, but now it has survived. It just needs collating and publishing.

I also want to finish a book A Practical Guide to Medieval Warfare, covering the real detail. Of course, this will include 3 new sets of rules to illustrate various aspects of our understanding.

Of course, I also have various authors such as Phil Dunn, Charlie Wesencraft, Stuart Asquith who all have new stuff that needs to get into print. In the background I am continuing to digitise, sort and collate huge archives of wargaming material, which will no doubt lead to further books. I guess this explains why I do not tweet much.