Fictious countries clash!

[Kaiphranos]

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, I put on a game for my dad and my brother using my imaginary 19th-century countries. (The Occiterrans have a striking similarity to French; the Elabruners have a similar resemblance to Austrians of the same era.) I've done these in a glossy toy soldier style, and the terrain is similarly stylized.

This time we were using Neil Thomas's 19th Century rules, and had a go at the Battle of Montebello scenario featured in the book. (The sides are flipped from the historical version due to the forces I had available for each side.) Notably, this scenario includes a railway and troops arriving by train!

[Ochoin]

Good stuff.

As you undoubtedly know, 'Imaginations' is an old & respected form of wargaming.
I don't do it myself but I do appreciate how it gives you a lot of creative freedom without entirely leaving the safety of actual history.

Charles Grant, of course, has written several excellent (but expensive) books on his Imagination gaming. I own several and value them highly.

donald

[Peter]

I like this style with the wooden toys for the landscape. Even the bases of the figures is in the same style. Great pictures! Thanks for sharing!

Reminds me when I was young, we used a Fleishmann train, lego for the houses and trees and a lot of Airfix soldiers. Hours of fun!

[Kaiphranos]

Had another game yesterday! Both sides were attempting to capture a crossroads overlooked by a large hill.















The Elabruners ended up with a commanding position on the heights overlooking the crossroads, but without enough effective infantry left to drive home another assault on the Occiterrans holding the church. As night falls, both armies wait for reinforcements...

[Minuteman]

Good stuff.

As you undoubtedly know, 'Imaginations' is an old & respected form of wargaming.
I don't do it myself but I do appreciate how it gives you a lot of creative freedom without entirely leaving the safety of actual history.

Charles Grant, of course, has written several excellent (but expensive) books on his Imagination gaming. I own several and value them highly.

donald

Perhaps the best-known and best of these 'imaginary wargames' books by the late Charles Grant is 'The Wargame' which is, for players of a certain vintage, one of the great 'classic' books written on the subject of wargaming. In 'The Wargame', the warring states are thinly-disguised mid-18th century Prussia and France.

[Minuteman]

Somehow I missed your previous (November 2022) post on this imaginary wargame scenario, Kaiphranos.

This is splendid stuff, very much in the classic and grand manner of some of the old 'greats' of wargaming, including Charles Grant and Donald Featherstone, and going all the way back to HG Wells ('Little Wars'). It looks great on the tabletop, and there is a definite charm about your toy-soldier style armies. I look forward to seeing the arrival of reinforcements.

[Kaiphranos]

Glad you enjoyed it! Yes, Wells was a conscious influence, especially for the towns.

[MABO]

Nice pictures of your armies- Cool setting on the table.

[Rich W]

This looks very interesting, thanks for sharing!

[RSDean]

The Neil Thomas 19th century rules are interesting to play with. They are relatively simple, but require a boldness in play to achieve anything. Infantry is either deployed for movement or for firepower, with the latter being essentially immobile, so deciding when to stop and shoot is a puzzle. Kaiphranos noted that this was our 5th game with these rules, so I’m sure there’s more to master…