RSS FeedAngus Konstam is an author and historian - visit his website at
www.anguskonstam.com or e-mail him at anguskonstam@aol.com
He's a member of the Orkney Wargames Club, which meets in Kirkwall on Thursday evenings.
See their Facebook page for more info.
The Seven Years War, Black Powder, 28mm There’s been something of a temporary diaspora in the Edinburgh club lately. Angus (that’s me) is currently up in Orkney, trying to sell a house, while Dougie is over in the Wild West of Scotland, working in Helensburgh. Kevan Gunn has also headed west, while other regulars have
The American War of Independence, Black Powder, 28mm Bill Gillchrist has a thing about Oriskany. This must be the second or third refight of the battle he’s staged during the past year! I suppose it’s because he has all those Indians and militiamen, and sees it as a quirky battle, and therefore an entertaining one.
The Napoleonic Wars, Black Powder, 28mm Our last game of the year was a Peninsular affair, with the British, Portuguese and Spanish defending, and the French assaulting their positions – or trying to. I say French, but one of the two attacking infantry divisions was a Bavarian one. I know they never really appeared in
The Napoleonic Wars, Black Powder, 28mm This week we used a scenario from Charles S. Grant’s Scenarios for Wargames (WRG 1980), an old staple when we can’t think of a scenario for ourselves. This one was based around the retreat from Moscow in 1812. Please excuse the lack of snow – we didn’t have a
Misc., Samurai Warfare, Black Powder – variant, 28mm Some historical periods do very little for me, however pretty they might look. This is one of them. I took part in a large Samurai game, and spent the whole time wondering what on earth was happening, which “clan” was on what side, and why on earth
The Seven Years War, Black Powder, 28mm We called this engagement the Battle of Kolinsky, as it was largely based on the Battle of Kolin (1757), only we used Russians rather than Austrians. You all know the set-up at Kolin – the Austrians (Russians) set up on a ridge, and the Prussians deployed off the
The American War of Independence, Black Powder, 28mm This was actually two games in one. The first one was over so quickly that the battle was refought – so two games for the price of one. This small American War of Independence game was very loosely based on the Battle of Cowpens, fought in the
The Napoleonic Wars, Black Powder, 28mm The real Battle of Vyazma was a hard-fought affair, where the Russians tried to block the advance of the Grand Armee’s rearguard during the retreat from Moscow in 1812. This multi-player Black Powder game was an equally well-contested battle, but it was only loosely based on the real engagement.
The American War of Independence, Black Powder, 28mm I jumped at the chance when the Shetland Wargames Club asked if I wanted to game with them. Shetland is a grim, barren rail-thin streak of an island, some 60 miles north of the fair green isles of Orkney. The club there consists of a half dozen
The Napoleonic Wars, Black Powder, 28mm As I’m up in Orkney, this game report comes to you second-hand – the tale recounted by the victorious French commander Dougie Trail. The game was a Peninsular clash. fought between “Don” John Glass’ Spaniards and Dougie’s French. Both commanders had deputies – Brian Phillips for the French (see his painting website
