Thursday 17 June 2021

One book challenge

 If you were to be transported to a desert island and allowed to take only one hobby related book what would it be and why? No kindles etc allowed, no where to recharge them btw.

36 comments:

  1. Definitely Duffy's "Fight For A Throne", the 'bible' of the '45. Or if more precisely wargames related, Featherstone's "Wargames Campaigns", the start of so many dreams.
    Ronnie

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    1. Currently rereading the Duffy, excellent work.

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  2. Don Featherstone's 'Wargames' - the book that got me going in the hobby .

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  3. Would have to be a 'survival' book.

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    1. I think survival activities would rapidly become the 'new' hobby.

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    2. Jim, I think that "How To Survive On A Desert Island With Only One Wargames Related Book" is the only title not produced by at least one former member of the SAS.
      Ronnie

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    3. Hi Ronnie. Now, if Les Stroud was a wargamer he would surely have written it by now. Jim.

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    4. I still have my SAS survival guide on the bookshelf, every thing you need to know. Published 1986 by John Wiseman I think. Also got the Urban one too, great reads.

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  4. As you have said "hobby related" it would have to be Charles Grant "The Wargame" with "Charge" as a close second. Would have to spend a lot of time whittling 50 figure regiments out of wood!

    In the original film version of The Time Machine by BY Wells the intriguing question of "what three books would you take to restart civilisation?" is posed at the end - you could at least have given us the same option! ;-)

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    1. The whittling would pass the time well. Great choice of book. Three would have been too easy :)

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  5. That's HG Wells......I hate text autocorrect!

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  6. "Charge", preferably in the hardback original version.

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    1. Hardback excellent choice as it could be used to fight off wild beasts:)

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  7. Another vote for Duffy here. The Military Experience in the Age of Reason. My favourite read. It’s a decent length to. I like the Wargame and the War Game but they’re a bit too brief and the pictures would make me pine too much for the old life.

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    1. That is such an excellent Duffy read. Lots of inspiration.

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  8. A difficult questions since there are so many hobby related titles. But if it had to be just one, then Charge! Or How to Play War Games by Young and Lawford. Always a fun, interesting, and inspiring book to revisit.

    Best Regards,

    Stokes

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  9. Hello there tradgardmastare,

    The Campaigns of Napoleon by David Chandler. I would improvise armies using pebbles!

    All the best,

    DC

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    1. Plenty of sand for a sand table too.

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    2. Love the image of pebble armies on a natural sand table!

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  10. My copy of the Greenhill Napoleonic wars data book. With it you can recreate every battle, campaign and many smaller actions for the whole period.

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  11. Dupuy and Dupuy - Encyclopedia of Military History. It'll keep me in projects for a few decades!

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    1. I had that years ago, had forgotten about it, it would be an excellent choice. Certainly loads to keep you busy.

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  12. I was going to say Preben Kannik's Military Uniforms of the World in Colour (Blandford)
    but
    it would probably have to be War Games 1962 by Donald Featherstone.
    A highly readable and encouraging writing style, three sets of classic rules, three game reports with photos and a rules appendix for Close Wars, all in one book. Space to make rules notes in the margins and end of chapters and even a couple of useful blank end pages to make paper soldiers and flags with, if you aren't making pebble armies on a giant sand table of an island ...

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    1. An excellent visual treat versus a fantastic primer, decisions decisions!

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  13. One Hour war-games or One hour skirmish war-games.
    Very little carving of figures and they are not old school.

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  14. I would have to go with “Charge” as well. Although I’ve always been interested in miniatures, that was the book that got me into gaming.

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    1. Charge is such an excellent book, certainly fuel the daydreams so well.

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  15. I think Charge!, yes. And even without minis, I could play on a literal sand table with NATO-marked unit cards cut from driftwood and marked with charcoal!

    Wouldn't even need dice; I'd simply use average results and only tactics, ranges, etc would affect the outcome.

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    1. Excellent practical plan but I fear I would try to make dice or draw numbers pebbles from a palm frond bag.

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  16. Elting "Swords around the Throne"

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  17. Different choice Duke but filled with such inspiration.

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