"Lace Wars Imagi-Nations: a 'competition'" Topic

(Xposted on the VSF board since several people ther showed interested in, and for a few already gamed in, a Lacepunk setting: @ttn ‘BOGDANWAZ', ‘The GREY GHOST', inter alia)

To-day 'OTTO', owner of the SOCDAISY Yahoo Group
link
wrote:
YOUR SLIM CHANCE FOR IMMORTALITY BECKONS!
"DEAR LIST

As many of you know I am going to limited print off my desk top of my
campaign rules for "O God! Anything But a Six!" I originally designed
it for 9 players but that mean't almost a half a sheet of stock now
and then was wasted so I expanded it for 12. As each player position
has two sides, a real country and a made up-simulacarum of it
(England/Hungland, France/ Flounce) I had to come up with three real
life powers in the 18th century. Well after England, France, Spain,
Austria, Prussia, Russia, The Netherlands, Sweden and the the Ottoman
Empire it gets pretty thin pickings so I used Tokugawa Japan, Mughal
India and the United States (nee colonies). I'm not entirely happy
with this as obviously they don't fit our idea of Great Power Status
though because he wants to be contrary, they do for Jeremy Black.
Anyway, I'm still not happy about it, so I've decided to scratch
those three and use instead three different ones which are all
mythical. That means as I don't have to have one real historical
counterpart for each I can have six mythical (Don't ask, it's
complicated, just go with the flow.)

Anyway this is the opportunity for SIX of you lucky guys to have your
imaginary country immortalized in a game.

All you have to do is sell me on the idea, and come up with a neato-
looking flag and a name and you're in. I make the choice among the
best.

Note that YOU have to provide the basic artwork on the flag, and I'll
spruce it up a bit to look like the rest, but that's the input on
your part.

Each of these countries has special national advantages that they get
in the game if you use that rule.

One of them is remote location which means it takes more money for
people to attack you, and you have a wilderness to live in which
means you get more terrain advantages when defending.

The other has treachery and Warlords, which means you get free units
and you don't have to live up to treaties.

The final one is you have isolationism, which means if you have even
one Victory card for your suit, you are among the winners.

Dont't fight now,, play nice.

Otto"

Of course you have to be a member of the Group to enter this (very lighthearted!) 'competion', but of course membership is free, and the Society of Daisy is a very merry group, nonetheless 'wargaming wise' ('seriousness / realism' of rules and armies…) far more 'serious' than it claims!
link

Then, it may provide to some the incentive to take the plunge and launch their own 18th C.Imagi-Nation-devoted blog?

Cheers,
Jean-Louis

Country #1: Grand Duchy of Fenwick

Country #2: Vulgaria

The Harmonious Empire of Mye Cheung

Monarch: His Celestial Majesty, the Son of Heaven

Flag: Red Oriental Dragon on bright yellow field

Military: Regular forces, Ever Victorious Army – modeled on British (Hungland) lines with cadre of resentful old-school artistocrats who long for the days of katana-led charges; Navy modeled on Royal Navy

Okay, I've got to ask…

Where does the term "lace wars" come from ?

I always picture grannies wearing crocheted afghans throwing doilies at each other…

Okay, I've got to ask…

Where does the term "lace wars" come from ?

Look at the uniforms, just look at the uniforms…

"Lace Wars" a translation of the French traditional 'La Guerre en Dentelle' to describe the (mythical?) 'knightly / elegant' warfare of the War of Austrian Succession (Fontenoy: "Shoot the first volley, my Dear opponennt" "Pray no, have the honour of the 1st fire"…).

As far as I know the expression was translated to English for the English edition of L.&F. Funcken's "Les uniformes et les armes des soldats de la Guerre en Dentelle"

And indeed by then there was a lot of lace (in the English sense of 'ribbon') on the uniformes, by then.

Jean-Louis

The word "lace" is used to describe the trim on the cuffs, collars, lapels and waistcoats. So think of it as more of a piece of tape or edging with various patterns to it. It is not like Belgian lace or lace doilies etc.

Thanks guys – sorry for the thread hijack – please go back to your regularly scheduled discussion.

Country #3 Brownswig-Loonieburg

Der Alte Fritz gave the meaning of 'lace' in the *English* expression 'Lace Wars'. In the French 'Guerre en Dentelle', 'Dentelle' refers indeed to pieces like 'Belgian lace' or 'lace doilies', because noblemen (including most officers) were said to wear a *lot* of such on the cuff and collar of their shirts – and it was a 'visual' reference to the (supposed) 'delicacy' / 'knightly refinement' of regular warfare in those times.

As for Lace Wars Imagi-Nations, on the Web one finds already (at least!):
- one Electorate of Vulgaria
link
- Two Grand Duchies of Fenwick, both as minor countries on a theatre of operations involving larger Powers:
_ link
_ link

which, of course, in no way prevent you from publishing your own 'interpretation' of the Countries behind these name.

And, among country names from litteracy sources, a magistral 'History of Ruritania from the Dark Ages to the Cold War' is archived in the Files of the 'Old School Wargaming' group, together with the description of a few Ruritanian uniforms!

@-> firstvarty1979, @-> Frederick, @-> andygamer -& all other potentially interested: somme names and preliminary descriptions are promising indeed, BUT if not already a member, join the SOCDAISY and post your 'Creation' THERE!
But keep all of us *here* informed if you have, or launch, a blog devoted to your Lace Wars Imagi-Nation.

Cheers to all,
Jean-Louis

Oddly enough, among the fictitious countries from litterary (in the widest sense) sources, GEROL{D}STEIN is never quoted.

OK, under one spelling it is a real country, but the variant spelling is 'canonical' for Offenbach's creation.

And then, a Country rule by a Grande Duchesse *extremely fond* of handsome men in glamorous uniforms may have an interesting potential as a Lace War-gaming Imagi-Nation?

Jean-Louis

@ Frederick

Interesting and original: care to share more?

BTW there's at least ONE other "Ever Victorious Army": that of the Levitzer Rabbinate, developped by Hal Lotman on the SOCDAISY Yahoo Group: link

Their confrontation would be… interesting (and really colorful).

Best,
JL