The History of Wargaming Project

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Recreational Wargaming...Charlie Wesencraft

Charlie Wesencraft Pike and Shot cover Charlie Wesencraft's With Pike and Musket 15 July 2009
by Charlie Wesencraft
Edited by John Curry

The English Civil War is not a satisfactory name as it started in Scotland and spread to Ireland before reaching England. This classic book arms the reader with a working knowledge of the weapons and their uses, then presents suggested rules of play which will enable the table-top general to manoeuvre and fight in the manner of Charles I, Rupert, Essex, Cromwell, and the rest.

No less than twenty-seven battles of the period are described, including the numbers engaged, types of troops, battle maps and objectives. More than three hundred years after the dust of battle has settled, once again the New Model Army faces Newcastle's Whitecoats across a low  valley. The outcome will depend upon the ability of the reader. Run out the guns and let the battle commence!

The book is available from Amazon and other online book stores.

Product details:     
     Paperback:
203 pages
     Publisher:
History of Wargaming    Project
     ISBN:
9781409286288   
     Dimensions (cm):
15.6 wide x 23.39 tall


  Supplimentary Material

An excellent book is Richard Brook's Cassell's Battlefields of Britain and Ireland. It is the most comprehensive book on British Battles.
   
Comment from David, Suffolk, UK. "Thank you very much for Wesencraft's 'With Pike and Musket' which arrived very promptly.  I found it  a thoroughly charming read right from the start, with that lovely comparison between 'modern' wargaming and chess.  The rules are very  interesting, with simple and  elegant mechanisms,  and seem to me rather contemporary in many ways,  as rule-writers move back to simple, quick rules retaining 'period feel',  which these seem to do well.   I loved some of the little touches such as  his  comment that 'as a retired artillery officer'  he opposes the idea of replacing gunner figure casualties with infantrymen!    Finally I think the series of battle re-creation scenarios may turn out to be very useful indeed; as a 'returning' wargamer I think this may be an interesting way back in to the Pike and Shot period. 
So, thank you once again and congratulations on your splendid project.  I suspect I will be back for more soon;  reviews of Paddy Griffith's  'Napoleonic Wargaming for Fun' look very interesting! "

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