Editor in Chief Bill  | 19 Mar 2025 11:39 a.m. PST |
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" |
Col Durnford  | 19 Mar 2025 12:51 p.m. PST |
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. |
Larry Gettysburg Soldiers | 19 Mar 2025 1:41 p.m. PST |
Col Dunford, What a clever, imaginative idea! So good that I might have to steal it! |
TimePortal | 19 Mar 2025 1:46 p.m. PST |
I had several including the one listed first. I do remember the American Revolution and an ACW that came out during the Centenial. |
mildbill | 19 Mar 2025 2:23 p.m. PST |
Oral family history and plastic figure sets out of china in the 1960s. |
Perris0707  | 19 Mar 2025 6:49 p.m. PST |
Definitely the American Heritage book for me too. |
ChrisBrantley | 20 Mar 2025 5:18 a.m. PST |
Definitely the David Greenspan battle map illustrations in the American Heritage pictorial history |
donlowry | 20 Mar 2025 8:30 a.m. PST |
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). |
Choctaw | 20 Mar 2025 8:41 a.m. PST |
To be sure Bruce Catton was a beautiful writer. |
20thmaine  | 20 Mar 2025 12:32 p.m. PST |
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. |
Dal Gavan  | 20 Mar 2025 1:01 p.m. PST |
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. |
Dye4minis  | 20 Mar 2025 10:04 p.m. PST |
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. |
rustymusket | 23 Mar 2025 4:44 p.m. PST |
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. |