"Guide to the Chaco War - Any interest?" Topic

I started reading about the Chaco war from curiosity, and then, as I collected more books I thought I might write an article or something like that.

However, I now have so much stuff I could probably put together something more like a short 'wargamer's guide' to the conflict, with different sections; the Bolivian and Paraguayan armies, weapons and equipment, tactics etc.

I was wondering if anyone thinks there would be enough interest in this conflict to make something like this worthwhile or possible.

Does anyone have any idea how much might it cost to produce a guide like this?

Give Rudy Nelson a ring. I know he's working on covering some off the wall conflicts not covered by things like Osprey…

Of course, you could always sell it as a PDF.

Alternatively, try contacting John at GrenadierProductions.com – he publishes books on the Napoelonic Wars in South america and may have some cost information/leanrnings he'd share.

I would be interested in such a publication. I have a soft spot for bolt action magazine rifles, so any war involving those has my interest

Id be interested, probably to have both a published or a PDF option.

I'm always interested in Latin American wars – except my Spanish is lousy. I've played two boardgames of the Chaco War and a guide might temp me to do it in miniature.

Please do! The main reason I started Regiment Games is to do a Chaco Wars range…just haven't started it yet.

It all depends on size and what sort of level of print quality you want. Doing it as a DTP project it would be dirt cheap. Having the thing professionally edited , manuscript checked and printed on quality paper would obviously increase the cost and reduce your margins considerably. Given that decent results can be acheived with most home/office DTP packages time might be a bigger factor than cost, Tracking down the proprietry owners of images to obtain permission for reproduction is a factor.

Of course the other option is to web post it and try and organise some sort of download fee, but that involves a degree of competence in web site design and probably means dealing with either a credit card company or Paypall. I suspect if you put pictures of nekkid women on the same site it will pay for itself within weeks :-)

As a pdf I think it's a great idea.

You could always publish it in a magazine ie wargames illustrated or the journal of The society of 20th century wargamers.

I think I would buy that.

I would buy a published copy. I am not interested in a PDF, but a DTP product would be fine.

I have had a long term interest in the Chaco War and would be very interested in a wargamers guide.

I have also played several Chaco boardgames and written rules for refighting some of the larger battles. The latest version were based on DBA/HOTT and were written to try to encourage my nephew (an infrequent wargaming partner who played DBA) to try something different. See:
PDF link
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I even developed ORBATs that could be used with the Megablitz rule system. See:
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IŽd be interested, too, my focus being general history and historic OrBats in a general style, ie not fixed to a specific ruleset.

If the price is decent, IŽd also buy a PDF, but a nice booklet would also be a fine treat.

I wrote a long post, where has it gone?!!!

Because the other post vanished, and something about GW black plastic bases appeared instead, I will try writing another post…

On the subject of those bases, I like them on fantasy figures, but not so much on historical figures, and I certainly wouldn't like to see them on any Chaco War figures!

Regiment Games,

I hope you manage to make a good Chaco range.

Carlos,

I have a book which reproduces some pictures taken by a Bolivian staff officer in the Chaco of some naked indian prostitutes who worked in an officers brothel in one of the Bolivian HQs. So, using naked ladies to advertise would even be quite historical, though in bad taste possibly. Apparently, Colonel David Toro (who was in a HQ miles away from the battle) is supposed to have spent his time during the Irendague battle drinking and with prostitutes while his troops were dehydrating and being captured.

Bob,

The adaption of DBA is interesting. I have been thinking that normal WW2 rules would be good for the Chaco, because the weapons and tactics are pretty much the same. The terrain is a complicating thing, it's denseness means there was lots of close quarter fighting. Both sides were fairly short of artillery, especially the Paraguayans who relied heavily on mortars. The Paraguayans were also more at home in the forest, because it was more like their home terrain, whereas the Bolivian soldiers from the Altiplano were scared of going into it and more clumsy at moving through it.

I was thinking of writing a general guide, with historical orders of battle, that would cover things not dealt with in the English language military histories of the war available (eg. Cpt. Zook's book, and the more recent one by the ex-US diplomat whose name I forget), like small unit organisation, equipment, tactics etc. Hopefully, this would help more people get to know about all the interesting aspects of this war, and the many different kinds of actions that took place during it, many of which easily lend themselves to games.

Now, I will just have to get around to reading all the stuff I have got and writing it, and making masses of dense forest terrain… I will start with Colonel Vergara Vicuna's book, but will I get through 7 fat volumes and still be interested? How did he write so much so fast?

I think its a great Idea…I have almost no knowledge of this war and would find any info on it GREAT !

"I have had a long term interest in the Chaco War and would be very interested in a wargamers guide."

Thats an understatment Bob! When the Chaco war came up as a topic I pulled out your old article from Miniature Wargames in the early 80's-it is still a good summary of the war.

I note you referred to some rules you had written for the 'Nugget'.Are they available?

BTW I have played WW2 with the very first version of Epic that was called Space Marine. They worked really well with these rules if there is any interest I'm sure I could publish them on my site.

Pete

I dont know what is going on, but my last message disappearred and was replaced by one for someone else!

Jimbomar, if you would like a copy of my very old Chaco War rules, let me know and I will try to send them to you as a PDF file.

Contact me at warden@dircon.co.uk

Hi,

I would be interested in a pdf version or a book.

Rich.

I wouldd be interested too for the PDF.

luisito@sympatico.ca

Hi Luisito,

Isn't Luisito the name they used to give members of the Mocidade Portuguesa?

Since the publication of the recent Osprey title on this subject, I take it a guide is probably not forthcoming? Could still be useful, offering uniform and organizational info, along with some scenarios for small unit engagements up to larger battles.