Wargames, Soldiers & Strategy

Wargaming is a big hobby with many diverse factions and perspectives: striking a balance that pleases everyone can be truly challenging! We like to think what sets Wargames, Soldiers & Strategy apart from other historical wargaming magazines is its focus on having fun, no matter what kind of wargamer you are or what your background is. WS&S is a light-hearted publication, that pays particular attention to games themselves and how to play them: it doesn’t get bogged down in lengthy historical expositions or recycle content you can read yourself in any history book. While popular periods like WWII, the Napoleonic era, and the ancient world get frequent coverage, we also try to feature the unexpected, with articles on spies, monsters and gangsters to name but a few.

WARGAMES SOLDIERS & STRATEGY MAGAZINE

Editorial

MINIATURE REVIEWS • A look at some of the newest miniatures, terrain pieces, and more from across the wargaming world.

THE MAKING OF AN UMPIRE • According to the dubious online dictionary that Google throws up, an umpire is “an official who watches a game or match closely to enforce the rules and arbitrate on matters arising from the play”. I suppose that’s not a bad description, at least in a sporting context, but in a wargame the role involves so much more. Whilst having an umpire is not always a popular option for wargamers, in an age where gaming remotely via Zoom or similar has become the vogue, it is a role that often naturally falls to the game organizer, but it is also a vital role that can add incredibly to any game. But what makes a good umpire?

THE MEN POURED IN A DEADLY VOLLEY • On the morning of 19 December 1862, the cavalry column commanded by General Nathan Bedford Forrest rode south down Cotton Grove Road toward the town of Jackson, Tennessee. He was totally unaware of the ambush that lay ahead. Federal troops lay waiting just over the crest of the ridges on both sides of the road.

KILLING ALEXANDER! • Several times the Persians attempted to cut the head off the Macedonian snake and kill Alexander. Darius must have asked how many ‘lives’ this boy-king could have. In the end, the closest that the Persians came to a winning ‘kill Alexander’ strategy was in those first confusing moments at the Battle of Granicus. This scenario attempts to recreate that initial fight, as the Persians attempt to ‘Kill Alex!’

THE LAST DAY OF ST ELMO’S • After the fall of the island of Rhodes, the Order of the Knights Hospitaller of St. John were bequeathed the island of Malta by Emperor Charles V. From there, the knights raided Ottoman strongholds, intercepted fleets, and strangled the Turkish dominance of the Mediterranean, as pirates and privateers from both sides ravaged the region.

ONLY MOVEMENT BRINGS VICTORY • As a rule, wargamers are fascinated by elites. Look at any table and you’ll see every French Napoleonic army with ‘unbreakable’ Imperial Guard battalions or ‘musket-proof’ Cuirassier units. The same is true of World War II, where every German army has the almost obligatory Puma or Panther tank.

URSULA AND ELNA • Following the D-Day landings, the Allies tried to break their way out of the bocage country into more open territory where they could make swifter advances. The town of Saint-Lô was strategically situated at a critical crossroads that would allow the Allies to carry this out. Early in July, the Americans were able to push forward and form a bridgehead over the Vire Canal. The Germans were keen to push back this bridgehead whatever the cost.

TANKS ABOUT TOWN • Tanks were seen as the cavalry arm, providing the ability to reconnoitre, charge, and smash the enemy. Cavalry, of course, work best in open ground, when they can use their speed and manoeuvrability to maximum advantage. And so do tanks, where the open ground gives them the chance to gain advantage over...