"Inspired by American Heritage!" Topic

You were asked – TMP link

What Book or Film Inspired You to Get Into ACW Wargaming?

21% of the votes: "American Heritage Picture History of The Civil War"

16%: "none of these/no opinion"

12%: "Killer Angels/Michael Shaara"

9% [TIE]: "Mr. Lincoln's Army/Bruce Catton" OR "Red Badge of Courage/Stephen Crane"

Is there anyone of a certain age range that did not have that book?

Years ago, I was working on an update to my homegrown ACW rules. They are card driven and I used the cover art for the reverse side of the deck.

Col Dunford, What a clever, imaginative idea! So good that I might have to steal it!

I had several including the one listed first. I do remember the American Revolution and an ACW that came out during the Centenial.

Oral family history and plastic figure sets out of china in the 1960s.

Definitely the American Heritage book for me too.

Definitely the David Greenspan battle map illustrations in the American Heritage pictorial history

I was already into the ACW and collecting 54mm miniatures long before I learned about gaming with (smaller) miniatures.

The first book I read on the ACW was Fletcher Pratt's A Short History of the Civil War (hardback title: Ordeal By Fire).

To be sure Bruce Catton was a beautiful writer.

I had / have red badge of Courage – but that was way after starting ACW ganming. The other books in the OP I've never seen/heard of.

Is there anyone of a certain age range that did not have that book?

Lots.

Most, if not all of us who live outside the US, for a start. The only reason I have a copy of Shaara is because I spotted it in the Borders at Gwinnett Mall (near Duluth) when I was there in '96. Even Napoleon's in Sydney, one of the biggest military bookshops in Oz, only had a shelf, if that, of ACW books. I think that SPI's Terrible Swift Sword (the reason for my interest in Gettysburg) and Airfix ACW figure sets were the sparks for most Aussies who have an interest.

It was the ACW version that got me seeking out H&R back in the early 70's- trying to capture the essence of those captivating battle scenes with the small people and buildings! Still motivates me to this day.

After borrowing the 2-vol. set from a friend of my parents and impressing him with how well I took care of it (I love books?), I received the junior version and then my own 2-vol. set. Loved the battlefield maps with the soldiers. Used them as guides for setting up my Marx Civil War soldiers and later my Airfix figs.
Then in high school I discovered Napoleon and still am pretty much down that rabbit hole, though the only Nappy figs I have anymore are Travel Battle figs so I can set up really large battles.