I picked up a copy of the latest issue of "Miniature Wargames" magazine a few days back, whilst on holiday (issue number whatever for September) and had my customary flick-through before settling down to read the bits I like the look of at my leisure some time later.
I got to the back cover.
My eyes lit up.
Here is why...
Picture the scene.
It is just after Christmas in the year of Our Lord, 1973.
Six year old G left his native Gloucester a few months previously as his father sought work elsewhere. You can imagine how gut-wrenching this was to your poor scribe...
Occasional Wargamer Brother Kev had, amongst other things, received a boxed game produced by Parker Games (I think) for Christmas and, with several of his friends around to our house for something of a Yuletide party, that boxed game was brought out and set up on the kitchen table. Occasional Wargamer Brother Kev played the Germans - he was strange like that...
I remember his friends Mel and Steve, but no one else, but I do remember the game had all sides portrayed and I got the Dutch.
I should apologise at this point, as I did not even know the Dutch had been in the Second World War let alone the fact that the Germans had bothered to capture any of them. Having since seen photos of the bombing of Rotterdam and learned rather more of 20th Century history in the ensuing years, I can only beg forgiveness for my ignorance from our Batavian cousins.
Now, as we all collected rope, keys, avoided Germans, etc, I got out through the wire and made my bid for freedom. Occasional Wargamer Brother Kev sent a sentry after me. I rolled the dice and moved. He played a card and...
"Shoot to Kill" was displayed upon the card. He shot. I died. I was out of the game. My first foray into a game I have played loads of times since ended sadly.
AND HERE IT IS AGAIN, IN ALL IT'S GLORY!!!
Occasional Wargamer Brother Kev has mislaid his original copy and seems to think I have it. I do not. If I should, by some miracle, ever find it in the cavernous dump of old things that is my loft, I will naturally return it with profuse apologies, but, in the meantime, perhaps I should just buy myself a copy of this issue and perhaps get one for him for Christmas 2016...
THIS IS A SERIOUS MUST-HAVE!!!
There is a big, family holiday set for the end of July 2017 down in deepest Somerset. I will be there, as will Occasional Wargamer Brother Kev, Nephew Nick and various other worthies. This game is DEFINITELY getting an outing.
G
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