A Good Haul of Books.

My wife and I took a day off from what seems like perpetual house-hunting to run some errands, one of which was a stop off at our excellent local library. I'd forgotten this month marks their annual surplus books sale, so we couldn't resist taking a look at what's on offer and... I found these. The Time-Life books Epic of Flight: The Giant Airships, full of information and nice illustrations about that noblest of aircraft; two issues of Model Railroader from 2009 and 2013, with useful info on how to model buildings; and the star of this little show - Yep, Donald Featherstone's Wargaming Airborne Operations, published in the UK way back in 1977, although this is the American edition dated 1979.

I was looking along a row of books stacked under one of the tables when I spotted the edge of the model paratrooper illustration peeping out. Call it long-ingrained pattern recognition, but I knew at once I was onto something hobby-related. I drew it out and - voila! This is one of those Featherstone books I'd always heard of but had never seen, and now I own it! (Cue manic cackle...)

Eben Emael under assault.

It's in excellent condition. Aside from rules governing airborne operations on the tabletop, it contains a potted history of airborne forces, both paratroops and glider-borne, notes on tactics, resupply logistics, and accounts of the great airborne operations of WW2, Crete and Market Garden.

There are plenty of photos of games in progress, along with maps and diagrams. Some of the figures and models depicted look rather dated now in this Golden Age of ours, but this book has a heck of a lot of use for the gamer interested in the topic. I've got a few of The Don's books, and this is a worthy addition to the set.

RIP Donald Featherstone

The hobby was left the poorer yesterday at the passing of Donald Featherstone, 1918 - 2013. 

Donald Feathestone and the late Peter Gilder

I remember as a boy haunting the local library in search of his titles on the shelves. His rules were simple enough for me to grasp, yet gave great games with all the flavour of the periods they represented. In later years I bought a number of his books for my own collection, and they sit, much treasured, on my shelves today. His narrative approach to Colonial games is one I admire and try to emulate in my own gaming. A veteran of the Western Desert campaigns in WW2, he lived to see the golden age our hobby now enjoys. RIP, Don, and thank you. 

Wargaming archaeology - 1

A spot of excavating in my work shed unearthed a couple of treasures. The first I'm sure many a gamer will recognise.

One of the seminal works on our hobby, I've had years of enjoyment from it. Now I think it's time I gave others a chance so I'm going to put it up for sale. 

The next photo shows my 6mm Early Imperial Roman legion defending a town against a horde of Germanic tribal warriors. Two cohorts of Praetorian Guard and some of the integral legionary cavalry alae stand ready to emerge to attack the German flanks. I'd forgotten just how many of these figures I had. The horde shown is only about half the number.

Obviously the town isn't finished. My intention is to make a few more interchangeable modular insulae and roads. The ramparts and gatehouses are cast from resin using latex molds.  

One of these days I'd like to get my Romans in Germania Libera campaign going again. Luckily I found the notes and data for it stored on back-up CDs just the other day. Like many a wargames campaign, it thrived for a few months before dying out due to people becoming busy with other things. We had one major battle which saw an eventual Roman victory after a titanic struggle. The game was memorable for the Roman commander ordering the execution of two cohorts of auxiliaries on the spot after they retreated in the face of the enemy!

More goodies will be displayed as I excavate them...