Individual Skirmish Wargames

Admin Pete
Administrator

Posts: 476

Individual Skirmish Wargames Mar 10, 2015 11:59:04 GMT -5 tetramorph, The Semi-Retired Gamer, and 3 more like this

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Post by Admin Pete on Mar 10, 2015 11:59:04 GMT -5

David Wesely, Midwest Military Simulation Association in 1967,

In 1967, David Wesely served as referee for a Napoleonic wargame set in the fictional German town of Braunstein. As usual, two players acted as commanders of the opposing armies, but because he was interested in multi-player games, Wesely assigned additional, non-military roles. For example, he had players acting as town mayor, banker, and university chancellor. When two players challenged each other to a duel, Wesely found it necessary to improvise rules for the encounter on the spot. Though Wesely thought the results were chaotic and the experiment a failure, the other players enjoyed the role playing aspect and asked him to run another game.

In 1969 the

Wargames Research Group founded by Phil Barker and Bob O’Brien, publish first edition of Ancient Rules with general orders for units and casualties per figure so figures stay on the table, also reaction tests so troops can get out of command control.

In 1969 the New England Wargamers Association,

demonstrate first skirmish wargame, with each figure representing one person, at MFCA gaming convention. Game is Irish Rebellion, 1920-21 by Leo Cronin, wins Best in Show award.

In 1971,

- Steve Curtis, Ian Colwill, and Mike Blake (U.K.), Western Gunfight Wargame Rules

In 1971,

Originally published in rough form in Domesday Book issue #5 (in July 1970), then standalone printing as Chainmail (Guidon Games) by Gary Gygax and Jeff Perren 1st printing 1971

In 1972,

Steve Curtis, Ian Colwill, and Mike Blake add Colonial Skirmish Wargame Rules to their publication list.

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finarvyn
Traveler

Posts: 200

Individual Skirmish Wargames Mar 13, 2015 5:28:16 GMT -5 Admin Pete and The Semi-Retired Gamer like this

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Post by finarvyn on Mar 13, 2015 5:28:16 GMT -5

It's a shame that there aren't published rules for any of these for sale in a format which is affordable. It would be interesting to compare Wesley's Braunstein, for example, to Chainmail or OD&D.

I know that a friend and I had run some Chainmail campaigns using the Fantasy Supplement prior to OD&D, and they featured individual heroes in the middle of fantasy monsters and armies. I wonder if that sort of game would count.

Marv / Finarvyn
Earl of Stone Creek / C&C Society Member since 2003
I'm an author of the S&W White Box
Master of Mutants -- MA 1E Since 1976
OD&D player since 1975
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Necromancer
Discoverer

Posts: 472

Individual Skirmish Wargames Mar 13, 2015 6:56:34 GMT -5 Admin Pete and The Semi-Retired Gamer like this

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Post by Necromancer on Mar 13, 2015 6:56:34 GMT -5

Quite fascinating! I've never been much of a wargamer, but I do find it interesting to read about these old games featuring aspects that would end up in RPG's. I knew a bit about Chainmail, but had no idea about those other games. Very enlightening, thanks for the history lesson!

Admin Pete
Administrator

Posts: 476

Individual Skirmish Wargames Mar 13, 2015 8:34:16 GMT -5 Necromancer, The Semi-Retired Gamer, and 1 more like this

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Post by Admin Pete on Mar 13, 2015 8:34:16 GMT -5

Mar 13, 2015 5:28:16 GMT -5 finarvyn said:

It's a shame that there aren't published rules for any of these for sale in a format which is affordable. It would be interesting to compare Wesley's Braunstein, for example, to Chainmail or OD&D.

I know that a friend and I had run some Chainmail campaigns using the Fantasy Supplement prior to OD&D, and they featured individual heroes in the middle of fantasy monsters and armies. I wonder if that sort of game would count.

I know, I would love to take a look at them. It makes me wonder how many people were just an eyelash from creating OD&D or its equivalent. Gygax had his Arneson, these other guys all had no Arneson and the rest is history. Of all the people that played in David Wesely's Braunstein, including Wesely himself, only David Arneson made the leap to a full blown rpg. Wesely, Gygax, and - Curtis,Colwin and Blake - all arrived at individual play; who knows how many other people may have also, but only David Arneson took the next step and he just happened to meet Gygax. Gygax was interested in that next step and did something with it. As far as I know Wesely has never published the Braunstein rules, so I am assuming (??) that he would/was not have been interested in what Arneson did with it. Who knows what Curtis, Colwin and Blake would have done or not, if they had known an Arneson. IMO Arneson and Gygax was that serendipitous combination that created the game and put it in print.

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rob008 Wanderer Posts: 36	Individual Skirmish Wargames Jun 17, 2015 21:50:07 GMT -5 Admin Pete, The Semi-Retired Gamer, and 1 more like this Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by rob008 on Jun 17, 2015 21:50:07 GMT -5 Wargames Research Group has a page where you can download the first five editions of Ancient Rules. www.wrg.me.uk/