Donald Featherstone's "Wargaming Pike and Shot"

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Today's post takes a look at wargaming royalty, Donald Featherstone's book on gaming the pike and shot period.


I picked up a first edition (1977) from a certain online auction site for a fiver, which seems to be a bit of a bargain.

So what is inside?



The briefest of brief introductions to the period, followed by 15 scenarios. If I was new to the period I would be very disappointed with the introduction, as it does not really sell the period to me. There are no descriptions of arms or tactics. I don't know about how 'accurate' the 13 other scenarios are, but the English Civil War scenarios are reasonably acceptable, albeit succinct.

Each scenario has two maps; there are no other illustrations or photographs..

The most amusing part of the book are the appendices. In the 'rules' section, the late Mr Featherstone, is somewhat acerbic about all but those rules from the Wargames Research Group and one D.F. Featherstone. I wonder if Mr Featherstone and D.F. Featherstone were related?* The 'availability of wargames figures' will make hard reading to 25mm gamers; a foot figure priced at 8p, and a mounted figure at least double that. Again Mr Featherstone makes clear his distaste of all but 25mm sized figures.

The bibliography is rather slanted towards books written by D.F. Featherstone.

A second edition has a slightly more colourful dustjacket.

This one is perhaps best left in the annals of history, unless you are suffering from insomnia, and find a copy for a knock down price.


* as I clearly have to explain my humour to some, of course I know that they are one and the same.


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