About Port Stanley. I am in the credits as the original graphics designer and probably in the playtester list too, though I also did some of the game development with my friend Albert Parker who was the one who came up with the idea and concept for the game. Albert, an old gaming friend moved away to DC but we stayed in touch. He suggested we ought to try a game on the Falklands War while it was still going on and we finished it almost right after it ended though it took a year or so to appear in The Wargamer. He had been reading the British Times each day and much of the detail came straight from the battle reports. He asked if I would do the graphics. I also volunteered to write WWW and I did. Keith Poultier answered almost immediately and was very enthusiastic. We sent him a draft of the first set of rules and the counters and map and he sent us a contract...a home run out of the box. We were thrilled. Of course they did quite a bit of redesign of the map to conform to their graphic image and changed its size somewhat and added a little chrome to the rules. But the design stayed largely faithful to ours. If you had the game you know then that it was very detailed. Again, I was the Right Brain, he was the Left Brain. We also designed a small RevWar game called Little Gibraltar which was published in a DC Club zine. The Birth of the American Light Infantry at the Battle of Stony Point in 1779 when us Colonists pulled off a successful Dieppe on you Imperialists with unloaded muskets in the middle of the night. [:D] Later, much later, when HPS Campaign 1776 came out I worked with Rich Hamiliton on a scenario of it for that game. We actually managed to convert it though it worked better as a little boardgame. That game was my idea as at the time I worked for the NYS Bureau of Historic Sites and had worked on many projects at the Stony Point Battlefield site and museum including an interpretive sign project. Everything we needed, maps, 1st person accounts, books were all in the sites archives.
Thank you for your comments and consideration. I do know about General Roubaud's role and we did play an advanced combat infantry training game...which consisted of me getting royally and Roubardly whipped severely as so after General Hartwig's similar beating in advanced cavalry training. I guess we can label those "object lessons." I have also relied heavily on the wonderful tactical papers and battle suggestions at the War College, some of which saved my bacon and in some games...I need to re-read some of them before trying those scenarios again. So I do pay attention, but it is the retention of what I learned...when under pressure...that I need to work on.
I have also had, as someone below mentioned about General Peters, a very kind offer by a couple of my experienced opponents, to give me tips and explanations of where I went afoul.
If I were in a crap game it would probably be said that I am trying to make my point the hard way...the club does indeed have practices, special departments and avenues of training if one seeks it. I am sorry if I seem to have implied otherwise. My point is that the people who might learn of us and think about joining might be more inclined if they learned a little more about what we have to offer <b>BEFORE</b> they have to commit to their "enlistment papers." Of course they can access the club rules and see the armies and maybe read the old newsletters and see the albums. But if on the websites that advertise links to the ACW there was a line or two specically addressing newbies with that link expressing a friendly welcome to new members maybe more people might click on the club site and be enticed...and maybe I am all wet.
Thank you Antony...there is reason why you are administrative timber and so well-regarded. In fact you are all impressive diplomats for the club...even General Peters [:D]
Thanks.
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="3" face="book antiqua" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Antony Barlow</i>
<br /><blockquote id="quote"><font size="3" face="book antiqua" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by tciampa</i>
<br />and actually designing a couple of boardgames that got published - Port Stanley Wargamer No.28 a collector's item).<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">Tom, I used to have that game on the the Falklands War and liked it a lot but sadly it got lost along with many of my old games when I spent some time abroad in the 90's. I should try to get another copy off ebay. Good memories[:)]
By the way we do have a Training Officer in the AoC (Gen Roubaud) to give new recruits further insights and experience through manoeuvre games as we identified that some recruits drift away if they don't find their feet quickly. Perhaps more can be done but that does at least acknowledges that there is an issue for new recruits who just need a little extra practice before being exposed to highly competative opponents with more experience. The War College is a very useful resource too and I have learned a lot from the articles there. I note that you have had some good tactical discussions in the 'Quartermaster's Depot'. That's a good place to get help and insight too.
[url="http://homepage.ntlworld.com/a.r.barlow/acw/acw.htm"]General Antony Barlow[/url]
[url="http://homepage.ntlworld.com/a.r.barlow/aoc/XXAoC.htm"]XO, Army of the Cumberland[/url]
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