Scenarios for Wargames
by Charles Stewart Grant

For most people the introduction to wargaming, in its most elementary form, comes early in childhood. The initiator may be a relative o friend, the occasion a birthday o Christmas e the prerequisite a box of toy soldiers. The next step after a few parades e skirmishes is to find an opponent con some soldatini. Rules at this stage are basic to say the least ed a marble o some such missile is usually the final arbitrator.

This somewhat typical introduction to "playing con soldiers" apart, for most giocatori wargame the first games are usually what may be called confrontation battles. The wargame table is usually a nondescript terrain e both players array their respective armies at opposite sides of the table on the base line. Each side is the same in unit types e strength (to ensure a fair e balanced game). The result is often determined by the side con most soldatini left or, but less often these days, the side con some soldatini left after a fight to the death battle. The next step is usually the selection of different armied but still providing a balanced game by selecting units on a points basis. In its simplest form this may be 1 point for each fanteria unit, 2 points for a cavalleria unit e 3 points for a battery of guns; each side being allowed to choose an army of say 10 points total. A more versatile e realistic system is that popularised by the Wargames Research Group Rules where points are allotted to types of soldatini in cavalleria, fanteria, etc.; the class of figure in terms of training e morale; le armi ed armaments as well as command structure. Armies can then be chosen up to a points value - say 1,200 points each. This begins to introduce the unexpected into the wargame. Now games are not fought to the death but more realistically, an army will retire if its percentage of caduti becomes unacceptable.

From these beginnings things will move rapidly as the wargamer becomes more adventurous. He may undertake the refighting of famous battles, indeed many of the unenlightened think that all giocatori wargame spend their entire time trying to beat Wellington at Waterloo. While this of course is not the case, there is a wealth of wargame enjoyment to be found in refighting real battles, be they famous o less so. In this way the players begin to get a feel for the strategic background to a battle ed undoubtedly start to think about wargames in a wider sense. Tactical considerations, as well as the strategic background, become important in such battles e giocatori wargame begin to see how confrontation battles lack a realistic aim ed objectives. As Clausewitz’s much used quotation says: "War is an extension of politics" e the wargame should at least in part reflect this. The question then arises, "how can we introduce the tactical e strategic background into our own games?"

What is clearly missing is the social, political, economic e strategic background which would put the flesh on the confrontation battle e provide the raison d’etre for the action. The means to achieve this is the wargame campaign. For anyone who has participated in a wargame campaign, particularly if is has been well organised, there will be no doubt that this is the pinnacle of wargaming. The variations are infinite. One may have due o more countries, real o imaginary on a real o self made maps. The armies can be fictitious o otherwise. The whole thing can be as complex o as simple as the players wish. It can include personalities, economics, social background, resupply, caduti, prisoners of war, spying, political intrigue e so on. Wargame campaigning is a fascinating e for many the most enthralling aspect of wargaming. For an insight into its many facets one can do no better than to read Tony Bath’s book Setting Up a Wargame Campaign.

All the depth of involvement has only one disadvantage; it takes a lot of time ed effort. Time particularly is the enemy of the wargame campaign. Thirty days of campaign time, especially if postal players are involved can take from a few months to a whole year. This is one of the very serious drawbacks to wargame campaigning but one which regrettably precludes many from taking part e this denies them the opportunity to play many actions, little e large, which arise in wargame campaigns.

What is required is something which will bridge the gap between the confrontation game e the full blooded campaign. This means a wargame which can be played in the time frame of the former but con some of the strategic background, tactical mission e perhaps disparity of forces formed of the latter. The answer is a wargame scenario.

The aim of this book is to describe how to set up, organise e play a variety of individual actions any of which might occur in wargame campaigns. Each scenario will explain the nature of the operation involved, the background to it, the mission of each side con details of forces ed any other constraints, the way the game should be organised e how victory may be determined. In this way it is hoped to provide a more realistic backdrop e purpose to confrontation wargames.

It is not the intention to provide an alternative to wargame campaigns, but perhaps a substitute; nor is it intended that it should replace confrontation wargames such as in wargame competitions. It is the intention only to provide a basis in the form of 52 scenarios, one for each week of the year if the wargamer has the time ed inclination, for the wargamer to experiment con another facet of our extremely enjoyable hobby.

Contenuto

• Titolo: Scenarios for Wargames
• Epoca: Era Antica al Fantascienza
• Tipo: Compilation of Wargame Scenario
• Scala del Tempo: n.a.
• Scala del Terreno: n.a.
• Scala del Truppe: units
• Autori: Charles Stewart Grant
• Formato: 132-page scenario book
• Lingua: Inglese
• Casa Editrice: Wargames Research Group, Goring-by-Sea, England
• Pubblicato: 1981

Capitoli

1. Umpires, Organisers e Players
2. On Maps
3. The Layout
4. The Scenarios
   1. Positional Defence (1)
   2. Positional Defence (2)
   3. Holding Action (1)
   4. Holding Action (2)
   5. Rear Guard (1)
   6. Rear Guard (2)
   7. Rear Slope
   8. Dead Ground
   9. Attack on a Camp
   10. Breakout
   11. Defence in Depth
   12. Flank Attack
   13. Last Stand
   14. Reinforcing a Town
   15. Reinforcements in Defence: (1) On the Table
   16. Reinforcements in Defence: (2) Off the Table
   17. Bridge Assault
   18. River Crossing
   19. Assault River Crossing
   20. Reserve Demolition
   21. Bridgehead Breakout
   22. Pontoon
   23. Railway Attack
   24. The Train
   25. Parachute Assault
   26. Helicopter Attack (Coup de Main)
   27. Airport
   28. Coastal Raid
   29. Raid from the Sea
   30. Ambush (1)
   31. Ambush (2)
   32. Convoy (1) - Wagon Train
   33. Convoy (2) - Evacuation
   34. Swampland Action
   35. Fighting in Built-up Areas
   36. Choke Point
   37. Defile
   38. Rural Encounter
   39. Island Battle
   40. Dominant Hill
   41. Chance Encounter
   42. Advance Column
   43. Betrayal
   44. The Settlement
   45. Guerilla Skirmish
   46. Local Population
   47. Coup d’Etat
   48. Fire Support Base
   49. Ancient e Modern
   50. Horse e Foot
   51. Treasure Hunt
   52. The Raid
5. Key to Map Symbols
6. End Piece

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– Pubblicato: 19.06.2007 – Aggiornato:
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