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Sunday, 22 February 2015

Extreme Portable Wargaming

It was our wedding anniversary this weekend, so we got away from it all by going camping. Well, we stayed at a bed and breakfast for one night, so we could go out for a romantic meal, and then we went camping.

Whilst we like the odd walk, we don't go off on long hikes, and for us camping is really a chance to get away from it all, unwind and do bugger all. Catherine likes to go fishing. I wander around taking photos. And we read a lot and drink tea.

This time I thought that I'd try some gaming. After all, I'd put together a 9" square gaming area with terrain, and shown that it was possible to fight battles on it. So I lobbed two armies, the terrain and a few other bits and pieces in a box, and took them with me.

Here's our campsite. It's simple but functional, and meets our needs for a couple of nights away


And here is portable wargaming at its finest. Well, nearly. The board on my lap is probably too big, but is just a plastic box-lid I grabbed on the way out of the door. Really I need to find one of those lap trays that were all the rage a few years ago.


Anyway, on the board you can see two six-element Liberation armies ready for a fight using the cut-down version of my Liberated Hordes rules. Because I decided that with two days of portable wargaming to be had I could justify trying a mini-campaign. The results will be in my next post.

7 comments:

  1. Kaptain Kobold,

    I salute your contribution to the cause of portable wargaming! Years ago I took a 2 foot square of green felt and cardboard units markers on holiday with me and managed a wargame on the table of the flat we had rented for the fortnight, but I never managed to do what you have done and taken wargames figures with me.

    I can see why you would want to use a lap-tray, but would a small fold-up picnic table do just as well, especially as it could be used for it designed purpose as well?

    I look forward to reading all about your mini-campaign.

    All the best,

    Bob

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    1. Thanks. The advantage of a lap tray is that I can have it on the picnic table *or* on my lap. The whole game, including the off-table bits, is portable.

      Our one folding table is used for the stove, but we have considered getting a second. There was a fixed picnic table next to our campsite, but it wasn't shaded. So I sat under our tarpaulin. I did set up a short post-campaign game the next day n the picnic table, but two moves in it started raining. So I picked up my board and went back under the tarpaulin :)

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  2. Respect - this is impressive stuff all round!

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  3. I'm jealous of you: camping and wargaming! With all the snow we've had this year, my wife and I keep our spirits up talking about how in a couple of months we can go camping. Now I just have to wok on my portable war-game.

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    1. We wouldn't consider camping in winter here - sometimes the temperatures may drop to as low as 10 degrees C (50F) :-D

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  4. That is hardcore! Nicely done, Sir!

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  5. Ooo, Portable wargaming. Big fan and love it! Had plans to do something similar after my 1'x1' OHW game with my daughter but this has now become just another project on the evergrowing list!

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