A book about wargaming Dark Age Britain

[Norm]

nice find;

The Wargamer’s Guide to Dark Age Britain by Martin Hackett

Blog LINK

http://battlefieldswarriors.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/a-gem-of-book-for-dark-ages.html

[TWD]

An alternative point of view

http://tomstoysoldiers.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/as-told-in-great-hall-review.html

Be boring if we all thought the same, wouldn't it?

[Wachaza]

I find Hackett a bit of a hack. 

I read his Fantasy Wargaming book in the late AD&D early Warhammer days (1990ish?) and it could have been knocked out in a few weeks. Not impressed. Yet he's managed to parlay that into a career producing books that seem to be a succession of Wargames illustrated articles cut and pasted together.

[Codsticker]

I just finished the first couple of chapters of Cassel's Battlefields of Britain and Ireland; it has renewed my interest in picking up this book.

[DegenerateElite]

the rules section of Fantasy Wargaming was very interesting, particularly the campaign rules.   I wouldn't likely play with them though, as I recall them being based on WRG 5th or 6th mainly. The rest of the book is a really odd smattering of content that does seem really disjointed.


I recently got Daniel Mersey's A Wargamer's Guide to The Desert War 1940–1943 and it is quite interesting.  I haven't read much of the history sections, as I know the background well already, but the discussion on various rule sets are pretty good, as are the discussions on tactics and weapons.  The scenarios seem to be be good as well, on first reading.


He has several more in the same series on 1066 Britain, Anglo-Zulu and Early Rome, with more probably coming.  They are pretty cheap as shown in this link:

https://www.amazon.com/Wargamers-Guide-Desert-War-1940-1943/dp/1473851084

The 1066 Britain seems like a good candidate here.








 

[Captain Blood]

I recently got Daniel Mersey's A Wargamer's Guide to The Desert War 1940–1943 and it is quite interesting.  I haven't read much of the history sections, as I know the background well already, but the discussion on various rule sets are pretty good, as are the discussions on tactics and weapons.  The scenarios seem to be be good as well, on first reading.

I bought this when it came out too. Found it well written, but pretty thin stuff TBH (sorry Dan!)
These kind of 'specific topic books for wargamers' generally follow the same sort of format - a potted history of the period / conflict; a rattle through all the troop types, equipment and orbats (so far, not wargaming - just history / info that you already have found in any and every book on the subject); some discussion of tactics and strategic issues; a list of suitable wargames rules; a list of hundreds of manufacturers that make models or figures for the setting (which are out of date as soon as they're written, and with each entry so brief as to tell you hardly anything useful at all); and some suggestions on scenarios. Plus a bibliography. And some eye candy if you're lucky.

Really, in the Desert War book, amongst all this lot, it's only the suggestions on scenarios which are new, original wargames content. There's a paint colour guide, which would be  useful for the inexperienced painter and definitely counts as wargames-related. The discussion of different WW2 rulesets is also a useful overview if you're a beginner to the period. The rest of it? Meh.

But then, I have to ask myself: what else did I expect from a book about wargaming a particular conflict? Answer - I don't know, but somehow I always foolishly hope for more!
It's a kind of stock format, and as Wachaza says above, very much in the mould of those dreary, endless WI / MW articles of old. Viz - a lot of regurgitated potted history, a lot of tedious detail about uniforms / tactics / orbats etc, and actually hardly any WARGAMING content at all!

Ultimately, the trouble with those turgid magazine articles, is the same problem with most 'period X' books for wargamers: If one is sufficiently interested in the period to buy and paint wargames figures and models for it, make terrain and so on, then one has almost certainly already consumed books / online info about the history, equipment, tactics, uniforms and so on. So really, the only person who could ever benefit from this kind of book is someone plunging into the period from cold, who knows nothing whatsoever about it, and wants a simple primer.

But if you're already into a period, then I'm afraid, typically, a 'wargamers guide to X' type title is likely to tell you almost nothing you didn't already know, and is usually going to be extremely thin on actual wargaming content.

I just need to stop buying them, because they unfailingly disappoint
(Which is why I stopped buying wargames magazines years ago).

[Mick_in_Switzerland]

Wow, Captain Blood, that is a fairly damning critique of wargaming books. However, I do accept that all your points are true and valid.

As somebody who is in the last stages of writing a book (about Painting WW2 Germans), it is difficult to get the balance right between history, technique and the actual painting recipes. I think I have a good balance now but it took a lot of time and effort to bring it all together.

I do agree with you about magazines. I rarely buy magazines of any kind because of the recycling of similar articles. I work for an outdoor sports goods manufacturer and the Hiking and Climbing magazines repeat similar articles on an annual basis.

[Arlequín]

Wargame book history is typically third-hand history and often not choosy in respect of its sources. Morris's 'Age of Arthur' appears a lot for Dark Ages books, yet it was de-bunked as pseudo-history at best decades ago. If I wanted history I'd get a history book, not some guy's assessment based on his collection of Ospreys.

I'm a bit bemused about the Captain not wanting troop types, orbats and equipment though - these combine to dictate tactics, which is what wargaming is about surely and what differentiates it from just playing simple games with 'army men'?

[Captain Blood]

As somebody who is in the last stages of writing a book (about Painting WW2 Germans), it is difficult to get the balance right between history, technique and the actual painting recipes. I think I have a good balance now but it took a lot of time and effort to bring it all together.

Mick, having read a draft of your forthcoming book on painting WW2 German figures, I can attest it's a different kettle of fish entirely. Yes, you have some introductory history in there, and some info on organisation etc, but a substantial part of your book is very much about painting figures, recipes and technique.
My criticism of the 'period X guide for wargamers' genre, is that too often they contain about 20% directly relevant content for wargamers, and about 80% content recycled from elsewhere. Things I would be much better informed on, just by reading a couple of proper history / uniform books on the subject. (And if it's a period I'm already into, I've probably read those books and know all that stuff already!)

Wargame book history is typically third-hand history and often not choosy in respect of its sources. Morris's 'Age of Arthur' appears a lot for Dark Ages books, yet it was de-bunked as pseudo-history at best decades ago. If I wanted history I'd get a history book, not some guy's assessment based on his collection of Ospreys.

I'm a bit bemused about the Captain not wanting troop types, orbats and equipment though - these combine to dictate tactics, which is what wargaming is about surely and what differentiates it from just playing simple games with 'army men'?

Jim, you know I love to bemuse you 
Your first para (which I agree with wholeheartedly) is the answer to your second. A good book on any given period or army will provide all that stuff. Frankly the Osprey primer on any given subject will give you all that. As you rightly say, how much of it needs regurgitating in a book on wargaming that period?
Hmmm. Okay - some, I suppose, to be fair.


But simply, my point is that there's never enough specific wargaming content in these kind of wargames guides

[Mick_in_Switzerland]

Re - "Mick, having read a draft of your forthcoming book on painting WW2 German figures, I can attest it's a different kettle of fish entirely."

Thank-you.  

[boneio]

As someone relatively new to non-GW games, I can see a definite market for the general 'war gaming in x period' books - people like me! It's not safe to assume one knows much about a period before deciding to pick it up for gaming. People start gaming for many reasons (aesthetic appeals, friends play that game, a vague or serious historical interest, to try something new, etc).

This seems to be reflected in the two opening review posts - one, a seasoned wargamer, knows enough about the subject to find fault. The other, new to the period in question, values the information in the book.

[Captain Blood]

Very fair point 

I guess my take-out is that these kind of books are really aimed at the beginner in a new period. So I shouldn’t be surprised, as someone who usually immerses himself in any period I model or play wargames in, that there’s never much in them for me. Answer - note to self - stop buying them, because you’re quite likely to be disappointed every time 

[Arlequín]

Jim, you know I love to bemuse you 

 

I guess my take-out is that these kind of books are really aimed at the beginner in a new period.

This is the danger, as a bad book will create a lasting impression on the novice to a period, who then goes onto perpetuate the misinformation as if it was carved in stone. Wargamers are notoriously hard to shift from an ingrained point of view.

In the academic world there is the cut and thrust of peer review if you want to be taken seriously and your work grudgingly accepted as being of worth. Wargamers are usually of the "Well if it wasn't true, they wouldn't let them print it" mindset, especially the older ones. The younger ones only look at pictures anyway...   

 

[Charlie_]

It's not safe to assume one knows much about a period before deciding to pick it up for gaming. People start gaming for many reasons (aesthetic appeals, friends play that game, a vague or serious historical interest, to try something new, etc).

Yes, I can attest to that. I'm seriously considering starting a Samurai / 16th century Japan project some day, and I know NOTHING about this subject. I'm drawn to it purely by the aesthetic appeal of the miniatures (the WONDERFUL Steel Fist samurai range, and the often overlooked but extensive Perry Miniatures range too).
But I must confess my first reading on the subject would be much more likely to be some Osprey titles rather than a 'Wargamer's guide to Samurari' book, for the reasons above.
And it is also true that before I would certainly have read through a fair few Ospreys before I do ever finally decide to take the plunge or not.

[Codsticker]

The younger ones only look at pictures anyway...   
 

That's pretty much why I buy them... I'm not going to buy them for the info! and at 50 I suppose I qualify as a "younger one" in terms of historical wargamers...