"How popular is American Rev gaming in the Old Country?" Topic

Or, the American War of Independence!
Most of my AWI (ARW) figures originated there, after all.

Just curious.

(Also had to shorten the title.)

Do you mean Florida?

I like playing American Revolution wargames.

The mother country or the father country?

How about in the other countries involved, eg Spain and France?

I'd say quite popular. Our group plays intermittently, but three of the six of us have substantial armies covering both sides, which we add to regularly.

We have done it, there is no block in Britain about the AWI/Revolution, just another war to us.
It was one war most of the country didn't mind losing, there was very little support for the war at the time.

John,

On a slightly different tangent, why is the American Civil War so popular in wargaming and re-enactment? As opposed to AWI?

Because it's all Americans getting killed-something every Brit can agree upon.

I know people with AWI armies over here in Britain. I don't know how I would quantify its popularity – less than WW2 or Naps or Romans, more than Colonials. This only within my own experience I hasten to add.

Our Civil War is more popular because it is an all American experience. It involved most of the states and territories. Many people have traceable ancestors involved. It is a photographed time period, so you can see those ancestors, or whatever regiment you want to find.

From a re-enactor standpoint you can easily buy stuff – including clothing off the rack, and achieve very good authenticity standards. CW events are everywhere.

Because it's all Americans getting killed-something every Brit can agree upon.

You know, when you say something like that, it says more about yourself than the ones you're attempting to insult.

I expect that NOT every Brit will agree with you.
Would you say the opposite nonsense about the ECW?

rom a re-enactor standpoint you can easily buy stuff – including clothing off the rack, and achieve very good authenticity standards. CW events are everywhere.
>>
BLASPHEMY!!!

NEVER buy off the rack! Well,I don't anymore…lol

Bob

NEVER buy off the rack!

why not? Unless you're portraying a wealthy regimental or general officer, all your uniform clothing would be issued in quartermaster bundles – "off the rack" as it were.

As to popularity of the ACW across the pond, saturday night western movies (John Wayne in the Horse Soldiers, Jimmy Stewart in Shenandoah), Airfix plastic figures and bubble gum cards….. link

Because it's all Americans getting killed-something every Brit can agree upon.

WHAT…? Is this supposed to be an amusing little aside? Because I don't find it so. Maybe you'd like to think again about it. Inter-nation quips are acceptable on this forum but this one is beyond quipiness….

Doug
(Brit, for the record)

Not being from the old country, it's something that has been slowly building up appeal to me in recent years.

The problem is it would be just another project to go on the pile.

Boginshebolt certainly does NOT represent the views of 'every Brit'…certainly not mine. In fact I think he may find himself in the minority of one. I enjoy some inter-nation joshing but that's way over the line.

Back to the discussion, I agree that the availability of a much greater quantity and depth of historical evidence for the ACW is probably a major factor.

I personally find the AWI vey interesting but have never got around to gamong it – too much else on. Strange becuse it is eminently "gameable" and the armies were quite small.
As the Brits didn't actually lose many of the battles in the war and can blame those they did lose on low quality local troops I don't think they can have too much of problem with the war.

Round here, it's not a setting anyone plays. Admittedly, my club is heavily weighted towards Fantasy/SF gamers and RPGers, but even among the historical players, it's mostly dark age gaming (thank you, Saga), WW2 and the odd Roman vs Celt game. There was one guy who was interested in the American Civil War, but he moved to Oz.

Personally, it doesn't interest me. Nor does anything else from about 100 AD until 1944, though.

From experience I think that the AWI is more of a minority war in UK, it has its followers, but it takes a back seat to more popular choices such as fantasy/sci-fi, WWII, Napoleonics & Ancients.

Frankly, its not one of "the big periods" here in the US either.

Pan, I disagree, among historical players it is one of the most popular. Napoleonics, ACW, AWI, SYW, WWII, Ancients are the mainstays of the hobby. You expect to see one or more games of each of these periods at historical game conventions.

Frankly, its not one of "the big periods" here in the US either.

Well, all I can say is that we are not lacking for big ranges of quality figures. SOMEONE must be buying them!

Almost every major and many small manufacturers of historical miniatures offer a line of AWI figures. They are available in a variety of scales. My own purchases alone must have put some peoples kids through college. American Revolution is one of the more popular periods. It is a "big period" here. Remember which board you are posting on!

As an American, I am not offended by any playful bashing of Americans. Bring it on!

Speaking from personal experience, gaming the AWI in the UK does seem to be a peculiar affliction. Lots of people don't game it compared to Napoleonics, Ancients or WW2 but those that do seem extremely obsessed with it.

I played a Bunker Hill game once, & own the Blandford uniform book.

AWI ought to be the perfect wargamer's war, for Anglophones at least.
Both sides spoke and wrote in English in the main (I am not forgetting the other participants from the Natives to the other Europeans) and hence there are a good amount of sources in English. The battles are generally small enough to comfortably recreate on the table. Plus there wasn't a lot of cavalry, so not that many pesky horses to paint.

Amen to that, Papa Fritz! (I are American too, but not thin-skinned). We gotta be able to laugh sometimes on TMP. And we'll give as well as we get.

Always found the AWI much more interesting than the ACW…both in terms of background and military situations.

At the end of the day thought, I think my main reason is AWI is more colourful than all that blue and grey.

"
"Because it's all Americans getting killed-something every Brit can agree upon."

You know, when you say something like that, it says more about yourself than the ones you're attempting to insult.

I expect that NOT every Brit will agree with you.
Would you say the opposite nonsense about the ECW?"

yes…in Scotland, Ireland and Wales.

But the truth is that it is irony….people who 'play' ECW will have a leaning to one side or the other, just like I am sure that wargamers in america may have a leaning to North and South depending on their home state.

I have a strong leaning to the Royalist Army in Oxford and Montrose's Army in Scotland.
One of my mates goes for the Eastern association and Leslies's Covenanters.

These are jokes saying 'you dont care' when the reality is closer to supporting a fooball team….and you choose your Home team.

I like AWI…my home team is cornwallis in the southern campaign….but I rebel when I head North!

I think the AWI is a great period. It's more of a civil war than a revolution, with Americans fighting on both sides etc. Personally, I use the 10mm Pendraken range, Nice figures at a nice price in my view.

To be fair, I prefer the 1775 to 1778 period because I can fight the big battles, rather than just Cowpens and Guilford Courthouse etc, although they are great to play on occassion.

Cheers

Brett

P.S I'm English, so that means I'm hated by the French, Spanish, Scottish, Irish, Welsh and most of the people living in Europe lol! So don't feel insulted by one persons stupid comments my Colonial cousins!