"Not really basing, or bases or miniatures... but " Topic

Ok a friend wants some generic Wargame blocks in wood, he wants two armies … red and blue, and a few units of another colour (lets call it mid grey or green for now)

These blocks will be used to represent military forces from 1000 BC to 2010 AD (probably) with people who will not always instantly understand NATO standard Map Symbols..

our representational map area is 6x4,

I want to ask three questions..

How big should the blocks be ?
Should we use generic images or map symbols ?
To represent the widest range of historical battles .. what numbers of each type of blocks do we need?

Thanks..

I would suggest the standard Kriegspiel symbols: infantry, cavalry, artillery/archers, etc.

With regards to sizes, I would suggest 1" x 2", or 25mm x 50mm. It sounds like the original Kriegspiel setup. Cheers!

Try the Junior General web site. It has colored top-down views of soldiers and vehicles from ancients to moderns. Some of them may be useful to glue onto the tops of your blocks.

link

Jim

Long ago when I played JOHNNY REB a lot, we made up blue and grey wooden blocks that were the size of a typical medium sized regiment. We used counters with dummies for units not visible at all, but at long range, and before a unit had fired, we used a block: there are men there, but you can't tell anything about them. Then when they fired or charged or got into closer range, we put the toys on the table.

As to your question, I assume you'll want rectangles versus squares or blocks? Even a rectangle has a top and a bottom so you can have two sets of symbols, or a blank side and a symbol side. A block might give you more choices if you ignore what is on the sides.

Columbia games sells some:

link

Thanks for the suggestion of having different images top and bottom… I had already considered it.

I intend to have these laser cut from mdf with the necessary art etched in, and then assembled with a block of wood in the middle, and then sprayed or dipped in a colour bath. (and then a Coat of stain /varnish etc)

Buy a box of Jenga blocks and paint those, or add top downs?

You could actually use legos of different colors too.

And, yes already thought of jenga or similar blocks.. it's a bit of a faff adding symbols to them…