The month of May has been dedicated to a refreshing of the 1870 figures, with a particular nod to the Communards and Versailles armies. It is hoped that the new season will give them an outing in a mini campaign. 1871 remains the 'terrible year', and HG's novel 'The sleeper awakes' has echoes of the Commune.
Barricades are an icon of the battles in the 'bloody week' in May, 1871,
A number of projects have been 'in progress' during this winter quarters. Most activity has been focussed around the rewrite of the Campaign edition of FLW, which is now available.
Sieges continue to fascinate, and I have been doing some work on completing the 1870/71 armies. The inspiration has been August Raffet's magnificent work;
Costumes militaires sous les deux sièges de Paris
available online here:
https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b52505837g.r=
To begin, the artillery and sappers.
Garden Campaigns is the second volume of Funny Little Wars. It continues the story of HG Wells classic toy soldier wargames book, 'Little Wars' and provides a system for playing HG's Kriegsspiel suggestions and annotations. It also explores the extraordinary Edwardian novelist, William Le Queux and his book, 'The Invasion of 1910.' A series of campaign games is developed from this truly Wellsian, and Little Wars, 'shocker'. Zeppelins, forts and many new rules are included.
The book will also be available at Tradition, Stockholm and the Armoury of St James in London.
Things continue to move forward with the Garden Campaigns, and the proof reading is nearly 50% completed.
The new edition aims to recreate HG's amplifications at the end of Little Wars, and it is also a homage to William le Queux's 'The Invasion of 1910.' This is a remarkably Little Wars type of book!
Wishing everyone a very happy New Year!
Garden Campaigns, coming soon ...
The last year has been rather taken up with work and a house move. The seat of Mars has moved from the lovely east coast to the beloved town of Hay on Wye, the town of books, in Wales. FLW will be setting up its rural HQ here, in an old cider house and a small, enclosed garden.
Garden Kriegspiel is entering the last - and long process - of proofing. Adam, the illustrator is working on a front cover that will reflect FLW - and then it is some final snaps and type setting.
The wargames cellar has also been set up for a little campaign - one last play test.
And then it will hopefully be time to get back to the Vauban and Shandy era, and to go Dutch!
The Spring has arrived, and Garden Kriegspiel is nearing completion. This will be the updated version of Little Campaigns, and will bring HG's Kriegspiel annotations to life. It is time for more photographs in the garden.
As this is a Wellsian Kriegspiel (using HG's spelling, lest the purists and linguists complain) it will feature Army Black as the main illustrations. But there will be a return to the Army Red of 1900 - 1913 - on campaign on the Veldt.
Elastolin Castles will feature, and the book will open with a night at the Opera - Wagner. of course ...
More to follow!
