" Does anyone wargame the units of the Freikorps" Topic

Besides every other period I am into the Russian Civil War and the battles fought by the units of the Freikorps seem very interesting to me lately. If I did game this period I would do it with large skirmish units maybe use trench wars for rules. I have a Osprey on the Freikorps does anyone have a better book with more details? I would be doing this in 28mm.

1) Lots of people game the Freikorps in Latvia -- it's far from obscure.

2) The scale was pretty low level, as troop numbers were small. However the basic manoeuvre unit of the period was the company. I would have to stretch to get skirmish games out of the fighting, but then I don't really "get" skirmish gaming.

3) It certainly has almost nothing to do with trench warfare, and rules written for 1915-1918 would be quite wrong IMO. Go for either dedicated 1919-1920 rules, or something that is suited to early WWI.

4) The Osprey is OK except that it perpetuates the myth that all the Freikorps were crack troops. The Baltic Freikorps were badly equipped and under-supplied, and composed of many green troops. From mid-1919 their morale dropped badly -- basically once they were no longer defending their homeland. They differ considerably from the Freikorps in Germany.

5)There are no better books. At least not in English. I assembled a short history, using what scattered English and French histories I could find, plus the assistance of an Estonian friend and some German stuff.
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Thanks Mark. Trench Wars is a good set of rules it lets you put on the table dozens of single based figures and kill loads of them without bogging down game play good rules for flametrowers,arty, machineguns ect.

The christmas 2005 special from the Too Fat Lardies had info on using their Triumph of Will rules for the Freikorps. It's been a while since I've read it, but it covers the invasion of the Baltic German Landswehr into Estonia. The rules are at the brigade level, so not your desired skirmish level, but thought someone else might find it of interest.

I'm sure Trench Wars is a good set of rules, but is it right for 1919 in Latvia?

Most WWI rules assume a level of proficiency and morale which cannot be justified in my opinion for the post-war period. I would put the best Latvian Freikorps at the level of the worst German troops in WWI, and then need to work down from there. Likewise the best Estonians would be there and then work down.

If you have troops blasting away at each other and killing loads then it is WWI, not 1919. You need rules that assume troops will run away pretty much at the first sign of serious trouble.

There are technical differences too. What you need are rules that assume artillery will fire over open sights -- or at most from an observer with a direct telephone line. Nor do you need rules that figure MGs are emplaced with loads of ammo and calibrated ranges.

What you don't need are rules for barrage fire, stormtroopers and flamethrowers. (But you do need armoured trains and armoured cars.)

These are both excellent books. The Wolley book is by far the best one with lots of photographs, etc…

A Brief History of the Birth of the Nazis: How the Freikorps Blazed a Trail for Hitler by Nigel H. Jones, Nigel Jones, and Michael Burleigh

Wolley, Charles: GERMAN UNIFORMS, INSIGNIA & EQUIPMENT 1918-1923: Freikorps, Reichswehr, Vehicles, Weapons (Schiffer Books, 2002)

I too am going to be doing this period in 25/28mm. I'm searching for the rules to use yet, though the new Warhammer Great War rules do look interesting.

Cannon Fodder Miniatures makes some very nice civilians/revolutionaries for this exact period.

canfodmins.com

Not gaming it yet, but I have been thinking about it.

Slowly building up some stuff to do it.

The Wolley book noted by bjporter is a must have for this episode. Very expensive, but not having it is like doing Napoleonics without Chandler's "The Campaigns of Napoleon."

The CannonFodder figs are a good start and almost any armed civilians of the 1900-1920's would work for the Reds if you are doing intra-Germany games. Some of the new Musketeer Irish rebels, the Perry boer war modifications, assorted 1920's gangsters with modifications (copplestone, murch, brigade), OG new subsidiary (forgot name), OG carving knife unit from Boxer Rebellion, various WW2 partisan types – with rifles. I have used OG germans versus Copplestone BOB Russians as Baltic and Polish troops (new Czechs would be nice). Late German Great War figs are good, and Brigade for flame thrower and specialist types.

We need some one to make in scale for 28mm German armored cars. A7Vs and British ww1 tanks are available from a number of makers, and used by the FreiKorps units. The Baltic and Polish sides could have Renaults. 1920's match box vehicles show up on ebay. THe Virtual Arm Chair General Gangs of New York buildings, with proper German titles make nice street scenes. Some of those figures and Brigade GONY figs will work for civilians too.

I have used Contemptible Little Armies for rules.

Never gamed with it, but I have a platoon of Freikorps, mostly Stormtrooper and trenchraider figs. Meant for Berlin street-fighting though, and I do not care to much for exact facts I admit. As a consequence, it looks more like a WH 40K army. :(

There is all the world of difference between the Freikorps in Germany and the Freikorps in the Baltic. You'll confuse people if they ask about one and you reply about the other. (It's like replying about Stalingrad when asked about Kursk really).

The Nigel Jones book, for example, is pretty much useless for the Baltic. The Wooley book is a picture book and concentrates on Germany. If you are keen on the Baltic you would be far better off getting the reprint of "Das Buch vom deutschen Freikorpskämpfer" anyway, since the labels are accurate.

Nor will you need any figures as revolutionaries if you are doing the Baltic. No tanks, for either side, and you can scratch-build the homebuilt armoured cars.

I'm slowly building my forces for the Latvian Wars of Independence (I lived there 2000-2003 and return there next month for another three years). I'm focusing right now on the Iron Division and Bermondt-Avalov's army of freebooters. It's a fascinating, almost mini 30-years war type of situation. British gunboats, Estonians, Poles, ex-German POWs, Friekorps, Latvian militia and the newly-born Latvian Army. As I read Latvian (don't we all?) I have access to some additional sources.

Tevzemi un Brivibai!

You have to publish your discoveries Bruce, so that we can all share.

I think a decent military write-up of the Bermondt campaign would be very popular. With maps and orbats and scenarios for us to play.

No pressure!

Not doing any European Freikorps but do have a fair bit of Warlord Chinese, including German and Russian technical support and cadre – the whole period (Russian Civil War, Freikorps in Europe, Warlord China, South American Wars) is, I think, under-represented in gaming, given the great potential for fun and challenging gaming

Dave A told me that Great War Miniatures will also be hoping to do a range to cover the Freikorps in Germany to compliment their WW1 ranges in the future, as it's a period that he and Aly are also into. In fact, he did a super Berlin 1919 demo game at Partizan some years ago using a lot of converted Foundry stuff.

What about in 15mm? There is one pack of Peter Pig, but what other companies would be making figures?

Has anyone gotten anything from Schltrum miniatures recently. They have a really nice listing of freikorps stuff but I've not seen any of it or heard about it recently.