"Charles Grant's book "The wargame"" Topic

Just seen this on a recent booksellers list, and my parents only paid £3.00 GBP for it as my christmas present way back then and said it was expensive! the start of my wargaming and later interest in history proper.

9657 WAR GAME Grant, C S Black 1971 200p. V well ill. Classic C18th rules .
Near Fine Hbk £49.50 GBP

just had to mention it for sentimental reasons, Charles Grant was a superb writer who really added flavour to the subject, I would recommend reading it but maybe not at that price . . . (his book "battle" was also very good on a WWII theme)

As a second thought does anyone know what happened to his soldier collection (the Spencer 30mm plastics)now they might be worth something, I would love to seem them for real

any other Grant fans our there?

I have his book 'Battle – practical wargaming' and have read Wargames Tactics and Ancient Wargaming. I love his wiritng style. I'm guessing his son, Charles S. Grant (also a wargamer, and published wargaming author) has the minis, though I could be wrong. I would love to have armies of Spencer Smiths. Do the molds still exist?

JT

I recently paid $47 USD (includes postage) for a good copy of Grant's "The Ancient Wargame".

CC

"The Wargame" got me interested in the hobby when I was in junior high school. It was probably the book I took out of the library the most often and I used his rules for years with Airfix Napoleonic plastics. Now, 20+ years later, I'm collecting Crusadermini's Seven Years War figures because they remind me of those great glossy photos of 36 figure battalions that were in "The Wargame". Loved that book.

I got The War Game for about £20.00 GBP late last year; shop around, as the price varies a lot, but it's aged very well, and is definitely worth having on your shelf.

Dom, still on the lookout for a reasonably priced copy of Charge! by Young and Lawson.

Yes, I forgot about his son, I wonder if he still has them and if they are still used.
I also have the "Napoleonic" and the "Ancient" books from when they were published but they don't hold quite the same feel as the earlier two did, or maybe times were moving on at that point (with WRG, the rules Charles uses in the "ancient wargame")

1st edition WRG Ancients anyone? LOL

Dom

I have the reprinted rules by Athena but not the original book anymore, I can send them to you if you want?

I believe they were 48 figure battalions plus officers! with the odd 24 figure light battalion.

I'll look up Crusaderminis

1st (and second) edition WRG ancients (plus some of their other early rules) are available here:
link

OK correction, mine are 3rd edition september 1971 with an amendment sheet and qucik ref sheet.

thanks for the link

Mark, that would be utterly fantastic! (I don't use exclamation marks lightly, either….) Please drop me a line on moralabsolutist@gmail.com

Thanks a lot,
Dom.

Gents.

May I point you toward the Old School Wargames Yahoo group,which deals with this very area.
link

Spenser Smiths are no longer available in plastic but are moulded in lead very cheaply from
link
Peter Johnston also stocks Stadden and Willie 30 mm figures which are still available and now cost less than Foundry (what doesn't?)

Next year at Partizan the UK group will be putting on a refight of Sittandbad from Charge using 30mm figures read more at
link

Finally a group are also looking at reviving WRG 4th edition, the very best of the ancient rules. Though purists may prefer 2nd which is available from Phil Barkers website,

Sorry thats a bit of a gallop through the whole thing put I would be pleased to provide any more details if wanted.

best of luck looking for a cheap copy of Charge, though some new copies of the paperback reprint are still about,

John

Fortunately I'm happy to settle for the Athena reprint, as that's what I had access to in my early days; actually a mere 15 years ago, at a guess; I'm only a bairn, really….

Thanks for the links; will have to wander along some time, and see if anyone else is still playing the galley rules from Sea Battles In Miniature; another great from the early days which I have and cherish….

Dom :-)

I really have enjoyed Grant's scenario books,as well as the one by Stuart Asquith.Led me to pick up a copy of both Featherstone's and Asquith's solo wargaming books—great stuff!

MD

I encountered "The Wargame" in my junior high school library. It was inspiring . . and it still is!

Another gaming buddy of mine and I have occasionally traded books in the past. Kevin (who sometimes posts here on TMP) actually GAVE ME his copy of "The Wargame" several years ago! What a friend! He wasn't so keen on it himself (I'm not sure why), but he really made me happy.

Fifty pounds!??! I wish I'd saved my original 1971 copy (in excellent condition, too) for eBay now, rather than give it away a few years ago. dang…

I always dip into my copies of "The Wargame" and "Charge" whenever I need some inspiration. I bought them when they first appeared andalthough it cost a fortune then I have never regretted it.

Peter, I'm looking forward to the refight of Sittangbad so please keep us informed of progress (and lots of pics) please

to piper909: YOU will end up in Wargamers' Hell, where dice throws only result in 1's being cast!!!!!!!!!! Doing away with this book!

"He who owns one or more books written by one of our Founding Fathers should hold on to these writings life long and pass them on only to his firstborn after his death" (Wargames Genesis, chapter… etc.)

I have an original copy that I picked up, in good condition, at a used book store for $3.00 USD Canadian – not a bad buy! I totally agree with Jeighheff – a real inspiration – I must have read it about fifty times

Wahhhhh!!!!!

I gave it as a gift to a fellow wargamer, who cherishes it — does this at least boost me up into wargamers' Purgatory, where you roll a lot of 2's?

piper909

It is better to give than recieve. Pay no attention my son, a seat among the greats awaits you in paradise.

Have you got anymore?

Oh, go away!!!

:-(

Everyone should go post haste to the Old School Wargaming yahoo site, as mentioned above and linked above. Lots of information about Grant (pere et fils) and Spencer Smiths etc.

I paid 3.25 for mine back in November 1974 at "Willie's" in Chelsea run by Mr.Ted Sauren, who I believe gamed with Mr.Grant and Brigadier Peter Young in those thrilling days of yesteryear. The book is still on my bookshelf along with the handwritten bill of sale.
In those days Wargaming was a pastime for gentlemen or those who aspired to be one. That all changed the day I got interested in the hobby.

I got my copy as a birthday gift about 10 yrs. ago. My brother bought it from used bookstore in Champaign, Illinois. It is interesting seeing the different prices people have paid. A good book to have if you any interest in wargaming!

Like PaulL I got my wargaming start with a combination of "The Wargame" and Airfix Napoleonics. There are times when I long for those rules again. Bucket 'O Dice, what a hoot!

And in the side discussion, I played WRG 4-7 and like 6 best. Now I don't play ancients.

Michael M.

Stumbles across this 10 year old posting. I just had my copy of The Wargame off the shelf a few days ago. It was my introduction to wargaming in the 70's along with Bruce Quarrie's Airfix edition of Napoleonic rules.

The Wargame is still my favorite.