"'Period' collective blogs for Imagi-Nations?" Topic
10 Posts
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abdul666lw | 09 Mar 2010 8:05 a.m. PST |
'Emperor vs Elector' is a collective 'diplomatic' blog where rulers of Lace Wars (mid-18th C.) Imagi-Nations can enjoy inspirational and stimulating exchanges and -if they wish so- develop any interactions between their personal campaigns: link 'Kingdoms of Antiquity' follows the same lines for Ancient / medieval Imagi-Nations link . It has recently been suggested to launch along similar lines a collective blog for Interwars imaginary countries and conflicts link (I suggest the timeframe should be extended to the late "40, in order to cover 'alternate' WW2 and the like -but NOT any 'weird' WW2 with Sci-Fi &/or Fantasy elements [bipedal warwalkers, deathrays, zombies, werewolves..] even if many miniatures and models can be used in both settings: TMP link ). This, independently of the rules and minis used, so that FLW Borduria link could exchange with imaginary countries treated in a more 'mainstream' way (wargaming-wise) such as Opeland and Laurania link or Tradgarland link , and with 'alternate' historical countries such as the Great Britain of the British Civil War. Another 'alternate period' collective blog could be devoted to the Victorian / pre1914 ('Belle Epoque') imaginary countries and conflicts (but again Victorian Sci-FI / Steampunk settings would na a different domain, even if basically using the same minis). Again independently of the rules and minis used, so that the countries fielding Funny Little Wars 'color' armies could exchange with such as New Erin link link the Vatican link the Republics of Texas link and Sonora link or 'Progressive Haiti' link as well as 'historical' countries wagging imaginary wars (what about an Anglo-French War triggered by the Fachoda Incident?)
Yet another collective blog could be devoted to 'post USSR' imaginary countries: not only the numerous AK47 ones (Bongolesia bongolesia.blogspot.com to Zumata link and Zumisia link : I'm still waiting for Afrodizia!) but also the like as Baltic Prussia 15mm-prussia.blogspot.com and Oobleckistan link
Any comments or suggestions?
PS: Note that one does NOT need to have a blog of his / her own to become a member / contributor of a 'collective' blog. |
AppleMak | 09 Mar 2010 8:40 a.m. PST |
What about the 17th century? ECW, TYW? ECW coulld be a more localised affair – counties instead of countries? (Albeit Scotland is most definately a country!! But you know what I mean |
ColCampbell | 09 Mar 2010 9:45 a.m. PST |
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Lentulus | 09 Mar 2010 10:53 a.m. PST |
I might kick in to a not-exactly-WWII themed blog; it gives at least a few new combination, like not-Brits vs non-Romanians. |
Mooseworks8 | 09 Mar 2010 1:03 p.m. PST |
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AppleMak | 09 Mar 2010 1:49 p.m. PST |
ColCampbell; I checked out the blog, nothing posted since October 2008, so there seems to be space for another one. |
abdul666lw | 11 Mar 2010 9:58 a.m. PST |
Wargaming with imaginary countries and armies is an acknowledged part of Ancient – Medieval wargaming at least since people began to play in the inspirational setting of Conan the Barbarian, e.g. Tony Bath's seminal 'Hyboria' campaign; and of mid-18th C. wargaming since the late sixties (Young's 'Charge!', Grant's 'The War Game'). A long-standing Imagi-Nation, Gerolstein, is known for 18th C. events. Then
Numerous minor German states, many of them for a time members of the Confederation of the Rhine, still existed during the Revolutionary – Napoleonic period: yet I know of only one example of imaginary country 'wargamed' in the period. Napoleonic players are generally die-hard 'historicals'. Victorian wargamers may be encouraged by literary precedents, such as the Ruritania – Graustark series; the (historical) Fenian attempt against Canada intrigued a few wargamers. Yet even VSF players seem to prefer Belgians on Mars over Ruritanians on Earth. The current renewal of interest in H.G. Wells -fashion 'Funny Little Wars' may give a new impetus to 'alternate' (but not Sci-Fi) Victorian wargaming. A few Imagi-Nations were created for an Interwars setting, yet seemingly (Tintin's) Borduria and Syldavia just begin to appear as wargaming countries. It looks like Freedonia and Grand Fenwick have not yet attracted a buyer (though the names are used for Lace Wars imaginary countries), probably because they are basically 'void' names without detailed background? The recently 'discovered' British Civil War will certainly promote 'alternate' Interwars gaming. Contemporary Imagi-Nations are flourishing with AK-47, but the system would work equally well for Belchistan or Pukistan. Then, why this lack of appeal of 'alternate' Late Renaissance / TYW? I doubt the Empire was less scrappy by then than a century later. Maybe people gaming in this period are mostly 'historicals'? Not much literary inspiration (H. Beam Piper's 'Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen'?) either. Also, uniforms were not as common as in later times: and why bothering to create an imaginary army if you cannot distinguish it with characteristic uniforms (or dress and armour: this may explain for a part why 'alternate' Ancient – Medieval countries are generally set in a blatantly 'non-historical' background, combining cultures from tens of centuries; to some degree the universe of Prince Valiant is such a patchwork, yet does not seem inspirational: to my experience Ancient – Medieval wargaming changed *a lot* since 1970 to a 'competitive & simulationist' atmosphere). In any form of fiction -wargaming among them- settings specially propitious to imaginary countries accumulate numerous countries, often many of them small, a good proportion not well known of the non-specialist, several with bewilderingly similar names. Such was the Holy Empire until early Napoleonic times, to some degree the Balkans as they progressively gained their independance from the Ottomans and Austria. Such nowadays are Subsaharian Africa and post-USSR Caucasus. What is surprising is the lack of appeal of South America, since the Wars of Independance a 'real' setting very propitious to Imagi-Nations?
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abdul666lw | 08 Apr 2010 4:19 a.m. PST |
Launched on March 25, the Interbellum 'collective' blog devoted to 'Imagi-nations and imaginary wars set in the 1920s, 1930s & 1940s' link (may I stress I'm only a follower, not one of the blog members) already has 8 contributo rs with some 15 countries. Most are European: while Opeland and Tradgarland areset in the Scandinavian – Baltic area, the bulk is located in the 'propitious' arc between the Adriatic and the Black Seas (maybe even the Caspian one?): Laurania and Maldacia, Borduria (implying of course the prersence of its neighbor and 'hereditary foe' Syldavia), Brorogrovia and Slobenia "in the shadow of Translyvania, somewhere East of Prague", Balkrunia "Gateway to the East", Alcovia and its 2 neighbors
While the Opelanders and Tradgarlanders soldiers look suitably Swedish / Danish / Dutch (and their equipment is reasonably 'modern'), the appearance of the 'Balkanic' ones often reflects the alignement, or at least sympathies, of their countries during WW1. Those who fought on, or inclined to, the Allies side often wear the Adrian helmet TMP link , while their 'traditional enemies' generally have a 'Germanic' look. Then, when it comes to 'modern' armor, every one fields whatever he could get his hands on / the arms dealers foisted him (the further East the more obsolete the material): thus, it would not be surprising to see soldiers in Adrian helmet supported by British-pattern tankettes, or 'German-looking' troops accompanied by French F-17
Then, at least 3 Imagi-Nations are emerging in the Eastern Mediterranean area. And, in Latin America, the 3 countries of San Lorenzo, Casanare and Anagua in "La Costa Caribe"
There is plenty of 'free lands' in "Back of Beyond" Asia: Shangri-La
? The contributors being scattered on 3 continents, each develops and 'plays' his own campaign in full independence. Yet each of them already benefited from "Interbellum": a good part of them were only toying with the idea, and took the plunge when they learned of the specially-devoted collective blog; the exchanges there already proved to be inspirating and inspirational. Btw, during the Interwars the 'Palace Guards' of imaginary 'Balkanic' countries were often wearing some hussar-like uniform picture : what about their 'Amazon' equivalent link ?
Interbellum would welcome 'imaginary interwars conflicts' as well: the British Civil War seems to be 'a world on its own', but would surely benefit from such a 'federative' blog. "United we conquer." |
J Womack 94 | 08 Apr 2010 8:35 a.m. PST |
A couple of my documents were mentioned and likned in the OP. Thanks! I love me some press. But I would certainly contribute. I am working on a re-write of the Papal States to include it in an Italian Confederation of States, including the Venetian Republic, the Papal States, the Two Sicilies, and more. Their Congress meets in Rome, naturally. |
Eli Arndt | 12 Apr 2010 8:33 p.m. PST |
I should throw in a correction that my offering is an independent Hawaii not Haiti. -Eli |
abdul666lw | 13 Apr 2010 4:40 a.m. PST |
So true -sorry, Eli! Was I thinking of vahines link ? Us Frenchies do not have the same 'default value' for "Heaven on earth in the Pacific"! |
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