The Wargame: The Foundation of the Hobby
Written by Charles Grant & the Grant Family (1971–2012)
Introduction: If there is an "Old Testament" of our hobby, Charles Grant’s The Wargame is surely it. Originally published in 1971, this work did more than just provide rules; it provided a philosophy of play. For the Muskets & Magnification project, returning to these roots offers a fascinating perspective on how 18th-century warfare can be distilled into a manageable, yet deeply tactical, tabletop experience.
The Wargame (1971)
The original 1971 volume is where the legend began. It focuses on a system that feels robust and "chunky," designed for an era where lead was heavy and measurements were precise. For our 6mm project, the firing and melee mechanics here remind us that even at a tiny scale, the individual 24-figure infantry battalion is the unit that wins or loses the day. It’s a foundational text for anyone wanting to understand the DNA of modern rules like Black Powder.
The War Game Companion (2008)
Published by Ken Trotman, this supplement is an essential bridge between the classic era and modern gaming. It expands on the original rules with new insights and clarifications. For the Muskets & Magnification archive, this volume is particularly useful for its notes on cavalry and artillery coordination—key for correctly basing our 12-figure cavalry stands and 3-gun batteries to reflect the tactical nuances Grant envisioned.
The War Game Rules (2012)
The 2012 compilation is the definitive "Living Rulebook." It brings together decades of Grant family refinements into a single, cohesive system. This modern edition is perfect for the Silesian Wars project, as it streamlines the command and control elements. It helps us define the Staff Ratings for our Overall Commanders, ensuring that our 6mm generals aren't just for show, but are active participants in the tactical puzzle.
Legacy & Application: The Grant system is famous for its "gentlemanly" approach to wargaming. In the context of our 6mm project, these rules encourage a sense of grand-tactical sweeping movement. They allow our brigade commanders to feel like they are managing a real sector of the front, dealing with the same friction of war that Frederick or Maria Theresa would have recognised.
Conclusion: Whether you play the rules as written or simply mine them for scenario ideas, this trilogy is a cornerstone of wargaming literature. It represents a lifetime of dedication to the period, ensuring that our tiny 6mm soldiers are fighting in a world built on half a century of tactical wisdom.
Rating: 5 out of 5 Muskets.
What do you think?
Do you still use the "Grant Style" on your table, or have you moved on to more modern systems? Let's discuss the merits of old-school gaming in the comments!
Related project hubs for this period:
[The Silesian Wars 1740–1763 Project Hub] |
[The Seven Years War 1756–1763 Project Hub] |
[The French and Indian War 1754–1763 Project Hub]
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"The Wargame" by Charles Grant profoundly influenced me when I started serious wargaming in my teens.
ReplyDeleteI even painted a 48 figure FK15 unit of Austrians before realising that 10 such units were beyond my patience!
I was taken with the Spencer Smith Miniatures (SSM) so ordered some to be completely underwhelmed! I also moved to WRG 1685-1845 rules with 12-16 figure battalions but also moved to metal 25mm.
Played historical SYW with these, even writing a set of rules to replace WRG.
Lapsed from that for many years, but was always taken with the concept of fictional armies; I could never persuade anyone to create an opposing force.
Then many years later in the late 1990s, in a bookshop in Truro, I found a copy of Grant's book and it kickstarted all those old ideas of SSM in fictional armies ( "Imagi-Nations" and "OSW" had yet to be coined as terms). I started planning what I wanted from a set of rules and based my plans around the old GDW boardgame "Soldier King" which had mythical armies in an invented continent or island.
I decided to use plastic SSM, but in small units (could not face 48 figures!) It was around then that GDW released Volley & Bayonet.
Since then, I have been slowly painting the much expanded set up and even started my blog to chart progress - lots more info and background on there.
It even prompted joining the Virtual Wargames Club!
Neil
What a fantastic wargaming journey, Neil! I think almost everyone from that era has a similar story of being inspired by those massive 48-figure battalions, only to realise the sheer mountain of painting involved! It is wonderful how a chance find in a Truro bookshop brought it all back to life for you. Thanks for sharing such a brilliant piece of hobby history!
DeleteThanks Andy.
DeleteSome more background on my (as yet unfinished 30 year project! ) Soldier King madness here:
https://aufklarungsabteilung.blogspot.com/p/soldier-king-ca.html
https://aufklarungsabteilung.blogspot.com/p/the-world-of-gdw-soldier-king.html
https://aufklarungsabteilung.blogspot.com/p/armies-of-soldier-kings.html
https://aufklarungsabteilung.blogspot.com/p/personalities-of-soldier-king-world.html
Pictures of the armies and Fimo personalities can be found by the Soldier King label:
https://aufklarungsabteilung.blogspot.com/search/label/Soldier%20King
Neil
Please excuse the slow reply, Neil—I've been slowly reading through your entire archive of Soldier King posts over the last few days! I am genuinely impressed by the depth and dedication of this 30-year project; the way you've woven the fictional setting together with the figures and those brilliant Fimo personalities is just fantastic. It has inspired me so much that I'm actually going to start looking for a copy of Soldier King on eBay myself to see what I can do with it. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful goldmine of hobby inspiration!
DeleteYou are welcome Andy. I'm glad my ramblings are of interest!
DeleteThe game itself is quite bland; there's very little backstory or background. It means you can impose whatever you want on it. It uses the same point to point mechanisms of "House Divided" by GDW for the ACW.
An acquaintance on mine many years ago ran a fictional 30YW style campaign using the map.
The scale of the game is huge; each of the units represents 10-20,000 troops! Someone I know ran a campaign with the units as brigades and that became an unwieldy slog of huge armies!
It would probably convert to Napoleonic easily.
Copies do come up on eBay quite regularly.
Neil