The Portable Wargame Rule Book

I've been hearing things about this simple rule system for a few months now and it sort of piqued my curiosity. You see I'm not a ver good war gamer, I struggle with most rule systems even if they are advertised as being 'easy and quick to learn'. I just seem to have a mental block (it's the same with D&D, try as I might - and I'd love to play it - my brain just zones out when someone starts to explain to me the rules)...

Anyway, I happened upon a piece on the 'Little Wars Revisited' blog where they had setup a demonstration game based on Bob Cordery’s 'Poratable Wargame' rules...I was captivated!

The chaps from the 'Little Wars Revisited' blog setup a wonderful rendition of the
Portable War-game at the Cavalier Wargames Show in Tonbridge, Kent in Feb 2018.
 The figures were 54mm scale and the scenery was scratch built...Superb!
Picture credit: Mike Lewis - the 'Little Wars Revisited' Blog

I immediately did some Googling and found 'The Portable War-game Website' which give a very nice little history of the development of the rules as we as the rules themselves...

'The Portable War-game Website'

Although this resource is all you might need to get the gist of the rules and get you started, I am a bit of a traditionalist and like a book sat in from of me when learning new things. So I nipped over to Amazon and blew a Fiver on Bob Cordery's book on his game. This arrived today...

I was pleased to note that the book fleshes out some of the concepts discussed on the website, and - furthermore - gives some very interesting 'game reports' which show the rules in action.

Another nice thing is that these rules aren't just for the 'Funny Little Wars' (19th Century Armies) enthusiast, the rules cover various different types of warfare from several different historical periods. Really the rules are just a framework from which you can customise and include your own interests - there is no reason, for example, that you cannot conduct a science fiction or fantasy warfare battle using Bob's rules.

However, I am - it so happens - interested in 19th Century military campaigning and the idea of a short format game which is able to fit on the dinning room table appeals to me. I also like the idea - discussed in the book - that the rules can be modified to facilitate solo play!

I'd really like to make a couple of 'peg' armies and have them battle it out using these rules.