A very happy Christmas from FLW

 

Update

The summer is already waning here at FLW HQ.  It will soon be time for winter quarters again.

The majority of this season has been spent over here: 

https://funnylittlewars.blogspot.com/

with the publication of FLW and the work on Volume 2 and the 'Big War' edition (Volume 3).  

It has been very encouraging that FLW is on sale at Tradition, Stockholm and the Armoury of St James's in London.

This blog is mainly concerned with the horse and musket era - and the Baltic - so it was very good to be involved (from a safe distance) with the latest game in the Herring War;

http://megablitzandmore.blogspot.com/2022/08/the-great-herring-war-of-1912.html

A very large model ocean liner has also appeared in these parts - more to follow ...

The garden Kriegspeil commences

 
With thanks to everyone for their kind comments on the new edition of FLW - and the creation of Volume 2 begins, with a complete rewrite and an explortaion of HG's thoughts on Kriegspeil ...

Garden Campaigns 

With the Kriegspeil suggestions 

of Mr HG Wells

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/7847293204021348864/6363750886070128418

Please note - I am using HG's spelling of Kriegspiel, from the original 1913 edition of Little Wars

The night attack continued

 The two Norwegian TB's were illuminated by searchlights and starshells - but pressed home their attack.

The torpedo net stopped two hits, but two hits were scored on the bow - with one detonantion.

The TB's received one hit, but managed to escape into the murky night...

It was a good test of the night fighting rules, and after some tweaking they can be tested again.

The Herring War continues ...

The Archipelago - and a night attack

 One of the interesting features of the Baltic are the Skerries, or archipelago groups of islands.

They will be an important feature in the Gustavian game, but we decided to have a go and try them out for a night fighting exercise for the Herring War.  

The scenario was a torpedo attack on a coastal Battleship, at anchor.  

Night Attack 1904

A Herring War ‘shocker’ in the

Oskarrian Archipelago 

Situation

Red/Blue has decided to attack the Blue/Yellow fleet at anchor, before war is officially declared.

 

Blue/Yellow – at anchor                                               Red/Blue

Coastal Battleship                                                        TB1 & TB2

Cutter

Shore Battery 1

Lighthouse

Lightship

 

The coastal battery

The Battleship Gustav 3rd (imaginary) 

Night falls over the town and archipelago ...

The Red/Blue TB's approach in the dark, trying to avoid the lights from the lighthouse and lightship.  The prowling cat in the background is 1:1 scale, and a very sound Baltic Lutheran.

The alarm is sounded and searchlights and starshells are dployed.

Funny Little Wars - available now!

 Funny Little Wars - the revised edition - is now available for sale at:

 https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/paul-holcroft-wright/funny-little-wars/paperback/product-5m6ng6.html?page=1&pageSize=4

This revised and updated edition of Funny Little Wars is a new way of playing the classic garden wargame of HG Wells. It also tells the story of the Edwardian crisis, and the Wellsian imagination, that created Little Wars in 1913. 

Paul Holcroft Wright is a battlefield guide and military historian. He lives in Belgium and London. 

Funny Little Wars - cover art

 

The new edition is coming soon ...

This revised and updated edition of Funny Little Wars is a new way of playing the classic garden wargame of HG Wells. It also tells the story of the Edwardian crisis, and the Wellsian imagination, that created Little Wars in 1913. 

Paul Holcroft Wright is a battlefield guide and military historian. He lives in Belgium and London. 

Funny Little Wars - update - and the return of the FLW Blog

 It is very good to have some news to update the blog with.  The Gustavian project continues, with some very good book finds in Hay on Wye - and some deeper research into the land component of the campaign.  Material in English is thin, but there are some interesting academic articles and two very good stand alone books about Finnish regiments in the Swedish service.  The next posts will cover fortifications and a comic opera; and then back to ship building.  

Most of the last three months has been absorbed with the republication of Funny Little Wars.  I am working with MR Creative, who have also assisted the Old Talbot House Foundation with a new website:

https://theoldtalbothousefoundation.org.uk

I really like Martyn's approach, and he recently won the illustrated sports book of the year.

https://www.mrcreativestudio.co.uk

The book is now with the designer, and the text is completed.  In support I have re-launched the FLW blog to support the revised edition.  It aims to place Little Wars in the context of 1911 - 1913, and has a more simplified approach - whilst containing all the mechanisms of the originals.  

https://funnylittlewars.blogspot.com