So, the pair of
books he loaned me recently were concerned with naval war gaming and
date from what you could call the First Golden Years of war gaming, the late 1970’s.
First up is Naval War Games by Barry J Carter. This focuses on the
World Wars One and Two and comes across as very much an introduction
to the period as well as the hobby in general. The tone is straight
forward and ever so slightly po-faced without over doing it.
Grandfatherly might be a suitable description. There is, however, a
lightness at times that not only dates the book but also the author
as well.
The book has some
good comparisons between scratch built ships and shop bought kit and
there is, like many other similar titles of the period, an emphasis
on making do with what you can get your hands on or what you can make
yourself, especially considering the state of the commercial market
at the time. The photographs are few and far between, but that is
also in line with the period, as is their quality. The writing,
however, is well worth the cost of this book and as an introduction
to gaming the naval conflicts of the two periods, there is a lot to
take in. Of course, some of this is now quite dated and the shop
bought kit noted here would today reach a tidy sum on e-bay!
The author provides
some sample rules to try out and although they are quite interesting,
they use a grid based system for distances which, given today’s
simpler direct measuring, feel very… gamey. Still, they would be
worth trying, even if just for curiosity’s sake. Of note is the author’s
recommendation of play testing the rules and making changes where ever
you see fit. What a refreshing idea!
Written at the time
when war gaming was arguably more niche than today but still not as
niche as it had been in the 1960’s (and it is still a pretty niche
hobby despite the protestations of those who would lump it into table
top gaming which, for me, is far too broad a church), this tome is a
useful insight as to where the hobby has been and how far it has
developed.
Next up is Sea
Battles in Miniature – A Guide to Naval Wargaming by Paul Hague.
Published just five years later, this is a far more broad
introduction to naval warfare in general. The hobby seems to
have become more established by then as there are a few more manufacturers
and the author is very much on a mission to educate people on the
topic of naval war gaming, which he notes seems to be treat as the
poor cousin of land based war gaming. The tone here is very light and
the sense of enjoyment the author takes in his hobby is tangible,
taking it for what it is, rather than what it might be. I do,
however, think he takes the challenge for realistic representation a
little too far with the insistence on scale meaning that floor level
is preferred to the table top in order for it to “look right”, and I am not entirely sure he is joking when he suggests taking over
the local Mecca for a proper looking playing area! There is also a
detailed section on how to scratch build balsa ships and the
attraction of using flats, something I have honestly never seen in
the naval arena before.
There are some
general war gaming comments here as well, such as those who practice
gamesmanship are not welcome to the hobby (amen, Brother!) and that
rules are there to be played with, home-written amendments and all.
Such a far cry from the modern commercial industry (or at least some
of the game designers). The last section of
the book covers various periods of naval warfare and the presentation
takes the form of game reports featuring Mr Hague and friend. Tongues
are placed firmly in cheek (the names of the admirals alone should
raise a few chuckles) and they demonstrate the included rules very
well. They also provide food for thought for future rule amendments.
In a way, it is
funny to compare these titles, for the first follows the
Featherstonian introduction type whilst the second is more a “Here!
Play this! You’ll like it!” kind of book. It aims to be a torch
bearer for naval war gaming in general and opines that whilst naval
war gaming might be seen as more technical compared to its land-based
cousin, that only means you need to learn more and that gaining of
knowledge is part of the fun of the hobby. It has always been my
opinion that a greater knowledge of the period always, and I mean
always, makes playing that particular period more enjoyable. If only
that approach were more common today… Incidentally, Mr Hague adds a decent bibliography (that include Mr Carter’s tome)
and adds to what is a lovely little package.
Overall, these are
two very useful book and highly recommended to anyone who plays, or
has an interest in playing, with ships on a table (or dance hall
floor, if you have one close to hand!). True, the included rules are
a tad basic but you are literally ordered to improve and add as you
see fit. I, for one, am very grateful for the loan of these from Andy
and I think anyone who reads these will take something positive away
for their gaming.
Now, onto two other
books. And I bought these so they’re staying in the collection and
for good reason too…
The Deadly Trade by
Iain Ballantyne is an all encompassing history of submarine warfare.
From the earliest attempts to travel under the surface to the nuclear
powered behemoths that cruise the depths today, Ballantyne has written a very
readable and detailed account. The author knows his stuff and
engages the reader, with knowing little asides and comments that raise
a smile here and there. True, the majority of the book deals with the
First and Second World Wars and by its very nature, there is not too
much specific detail in places, but that is where the bibliography comes in
and, my word, is it a good one! I always like it when I read through
a bibliography and can state honestly that I have quite a few of the
books listed in it.
As a history of the
submarine, this is a worthy read and the perfect book to either break
into the subject or as a starting point to find other sources of more
detail. One of which, had it been published when Ballantyne’s book was
written, is In Deepest Secrecy by Jaime Karremann – the story of the Royal Netherlands Navy
Submarine Service during the mid to late Cold War period.
Yep, this is niche,
a small force of six diesel powered subs and the limited, though vital,
role they played. Part history, part explanation of
how they operated, this was a book I saw upon publication but missed
on its first run. Fortunately, I was able to pick up a copy and to be
honest, it was worth the wait. You’re not going to get Tom Clancy
levels of excitement, but neither are you going to get bored to death by
nothing happening. No, this book is an excellent account of how one
of the smaller Western navies performed its role in the most
dangerous and difficult of circumstances. If you’re in any way
intrigued by the subject, grab yourself a copy as soon as you can!
Now, with all this
talk of Submarines, where did I put my DOS copy of 688 Attack Sub?
