Renaissance wargamers.

[Not Connard Sage]

…or at least the more well known ones.

They seem to be little heard of these days – George Gush and Charles Wesencraft virtually created ‘renaissance’ wargaming in Britain in the 1970s. Are they still with us?

Charles Wesencraft must be nearing his centenary now, and Gush has been quiet for years.

 

Obvious contrarian and passive aggressive old prat, who is taken far too seriously by some and not seriously enough by others.

[Guy Farrish]

Good question. I don’t know.

I thought they were both still going but that would make  Charlie W c93 and I’ve no idea how old George G is.

They both agreed for John Curry to republish some of their stuff. But that must be about six or seven years ago?

I can’t really remember many  other champions of Renaissance gaming back when those two were active. That’s maybe as much a function of poor memory as anything else. I was a member of The Pike and Shot Society back in the eighties and there were people I remember reading in the Arquebusier – Ian Wilson was a name? Dominance and later Husaria rules? Dominance was Gush on steroids with 20 sided dice from memory. Wally Hearl another? The latter was supposedly a writer of romantic fiction under a pseudonym (probably  not Barbara Cartland but you never know). I may have to lurch up to the attic and dig through the boxes of ancient lore.

I suppose periods don’t get dominated by a few ‘names’ now like they did then.

I wish Daniel Staberg would publish some of his research on the Pike and Shot period. You keep hearing rumours about book deals but so far nothing has emerged.

[Whirlwind]

Guy Farrish wrote:

Wally Hearl another? The latter was supposedly a writer of romantic fiction under a pseudonym (probably not Barbara Cartland but you never know). I may have to lurch up to the attic and dig through the boxes of ancient lore.

Wally Hearl wrote one of my favourite lines ever to appear in a wargames magazine.  In his article in Miniature Wargames 23 on refighting Steenkirke:

Steenkirke – The Re-enactment

Here is one re-enactment I doubt I will ever see!

Not entirely convinced he picked the right subject matter then…

[Not Connard Sage]

While age-related memory loss is a thing, another is that the people you remember inspiring a much younger you are starting to drop off the perch, or at least clocking up some serious years.

Which is what inspired this thread 🙂

Obvious contrarian and passive aggressive old prat, who is taken far too seriously by some and not seriously enough by others.

[jeffers]

I remember the Steenkirke article well – it was at the back of my mind when I started my League of Augsburg collection. Great writing.

More nonsense on my blog: http://battle77.blogspot.com/

[Hafen von Schlockenberg]

Peter Gilder used to run huge Italian Wars games, I believe.

 

[deephorse]

Hafen von Schlockenberg wrote:

Peter Gilder used to run huge Italian Wars games, I believe.

He did, though I never attended one of those because the period didn’t appeal to me.  I remember his Leaning Tower of Pisa model which had started out life as a table lamp!

Play is what makes life bearable - Michael Rosen

[Olivero]

Ian Wilson is still active, I recon/think/guess/believe. Should be here on the picture (who?dunno…) westburywargamers.com

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