After nine years of research, writing and re-writing, Gone to See the Elephant: Miniatures War Game Rules for The Mexican-American War, 1846-1848 is with the printers awaiting the green light.
Easily the most widely-and-impatiently!-awaited title in TVAG's history, GTSTE has been interrupted by other projects and more recently health issues, but throughout that time, collecting historical sources and digesting them never really stopped. As a result, these are easily the most solidly grounded wargame rules on the subject, with the history woven into them, rather than clapped on like chrome on a Model-T.
Utilizing the basic game model first published in John Company almost 20 years ago, GTSTE is a card-driven system requiring absolutely no written record-keeping, and as few as three standard six-sided dice. Introducing an innovative ground scale system for basing, the game may be played with any size figures, from 5:6mm to 40mm, using the same 1" x .75" and 2" x 1.5" square bases without affecting movement or weapons ranges. Artillery is based on pre-measured triangular templates (provided with the rules) showing maximum firing angles, eliminating the need for measuring in play.
The book has 162 pages displaying game tables, illustrations, and maps in full-color. The rules portion of the text are printed in 14-point Century Schoolbook to make it easy to find specific items. Special rules applying exclusively to U.S. or Mexican units appear in green and blue, respectively, and important notes are in red. When one rule references another, page numbers are provided for quicker searching. Other portions of the book are in 12-point for more casual reading.
Beyond the basic rules, there are 18 pages of optional rules, 21 pages of designers notes and appendices listing the entire U.S. and Mexican army orders of battle for the war, a complete list by states of all volunteer units raised for the war, and a list of uniform details for many of these. Besides the bibliography, there is a list of other resources for research on the internet, including recordings of authentic period music for both armies. Three historical scenarios for Palo Alto, Resaca de Palma, and Buena Vista are presented across 26 more pages, including highly detailed maps and the most complete OBs available. Indeed, Buena Vista/La Angosturas has new scholarship concerning the Mexican artillery.
Gone to See the Elephant will retail for $35.00 USD, plus $9.00 USD for priority mail postage.
Unlike some previous TVAG publications, game decks and important reference sheets, plus order and resolve (and optional Sapper, Stamina, and other counters) being printed on black-and-white paper within the book, these are now offered for free via email for self-printing/cutting by the buyer, which has allowed the printing prices to be kept down.
A professionally printed, full-color Graphic Supplement, with all game components, consisting of four decks totaling 102 cards, seven cardstock reference sheets, and nine more of game counters ready to cut, is available for separate purchase for $20.00 USD, plus postage. In this format, the event decks contain 20 unique cards, not found in the free supplement.
With major contributions by Anton Adams, Ron Vaughn, and TVAG's own Chris Ferree and Eric Cox – among others – GTSTE is more than the definitive game system for the subject, but an historical resource itself.
GTSTE may now be purchased via one of two pre-publication plans, one of which allows savings over the retail price of the book, and/or the graphic supplement, or another offer with a special bonus.
Offer #1 – Buy the book now at the pre-publication price of $28.00 USD and $9.00 USD postage, and have it sent to you directly from the printers upon publication, currently set for approximately October 15, 2017. Optionally, those wishing to buy the full Graphic Supplement at the same time may do so for $20.00 USD, postpaid. Altogether a savings of $13.00 USD over the retail price and postage of each if bought separately later.
Offer #2 – Buy GTSTE and its Graphic Supplement now for $64.00 USD, postpaid, and be sent a limited-edition set of three 15mm original figures depicting Generals Zachary Taylor, Winfield Scott, and Santa Anna on horseback by sculptor Chris Ferree. This set is available exclusively to the subscribers of this particular deal, and will be delivered by Priority Mail along with the Graphic Supplement as soon as possible after it and the book have been printed.
All subscriber's names will appear in order of their purchase on the Roll of Honor printed in the book, with those who chose offer #2 heading the list.
Subscribers may request their choice of offer by emailing TVAG@att.net and providing their full name, phone number, and preferred mailing address. They will then be invoiced via PayPal for the price of the cited offer. Those preferring to do so may pay directly via Money Order or Personal Check made payable to "Patrick R. Wilson" (and none other, please), and mailed to:
The (Virtual) Armchair General
10208 Haverhill Place
Oklahoma City, OK
73120-3922
(405) 752-2420
Both offers will close at midnight, CST, October 10, 2017 and shipping should begin within a week after that date.
