Welcome to Gary Mitchell's Wargames Page.
These days Gary is most infamous in gaming circles for his role-play-wargame 'Space Vixens From Mars' (see 'Conventions Page' for forthcoming shows using the 'SVFM' ships and miniatures, and 'Merchandise' for the 'shop' page). Historical and fantasy spin-off rules are currently in playtesting - and that's detailed there too.
Due to space being the final frontier Gary is currently selling-off his 15mm and 20mm armies to go entirely 25/28mm. Interested? Mail mitchellsmith@tesco.net and he'll tell you if he'd got left what you want.
Thus far Gary has written two purely historical novels - 'Pax Romana' , 'The Legend Of Arthur' and the quasi-historical 'Amazon' . As a historical gamer one of Gary's main interests is counterfactual history, the 'what might have been' conflicts of the past. From Operation Sealion, to Anglo-French intervention in the ACW, 'The Old Git' has an angle on it.
In addition to full gaming rules 'Blitzspiel' comes complete with easy guides to getting started, research, modelling, and with starter 'army lists' suggesting basic forces for the major conflicts of history. All rules are numerically cross-referenced for ease of play and provide a complete system for gaming military developments throughout the ages.
After general play information the rules detail how to organise forces for battle - this explanatory chapter also includes a 'points system' to ensure games are fairly balanced between competing armies of differing quality. Instructions are provided on how to set up a playing area and deploy forces, plus a helpful 'Sequence Of Play' and a unique 'Nightfall' system for halting games for re-starting at a later date.
The rules next cover the mechanics of play - the Command and Control of forces, their Manoeuvring over the table, Shooting And Firing, Close Combat, and finally Field Engineering and fortification. Provision is also made for warships and aircraft.
As suggested above 'Blitzspiel' is more than just a set of rules - it is a complete game system. Appendix 1 explains how to conduct further research, choose and paint a model army and terrain, and includes a useful bibliography plus details of how to contact local wargames clubs and manufacturers.
Appendix 2 contains rules for running a wargames campaign, whilst Appendix 3 details variations to 'stands' players may wish to use - such as non-standard armoured vehicles and how to classify the more unusual troops and stratagems from history.
Appendix 4 is the most exhaustive, providing an historical overview and guide to each of the distinct historical eras identified by the rules - The Ancient Era (to c.500 CE), The Medieval Era (c.500 to c.1490), The Renaissance (c.1490 to c.1700), The Flintlock Era (c.1700 to c.1850), The Industrial Era (c.1850 to c.1925), and finally The Mechanised Era (since c.1925). Each section includes a brief history of military development within the period and short 'starter' list guides to the historical armies that could be fielded, together with details of their weapons, equipment and doctrine.
Finally blank templates and a quick reference sheet are provided as aids to play.
Novice or grizzled old veteran looking for something new - 'Blitzspiel' is for you.
Interested? See 'For Sale Page'
A big 'Blitzspiel
game was played on 18th June 2005 - the 190th anniversary of the Battle Of Waterloo.
The battle was refought on five hours using over 1500 figures. This time the French won
Wellington's 'damn close run thing'. 'Blitzspiel' let's you fight even the biggest battles rapidly and with historical accuracy - in this case Grouchy did delay the Prussians - Napoleon did chuck the Imperial Guard in early - and Wellington decided Hougomont was indefensible!! Also - for those of you into counter-fictional history - Major Sharpe didn't shoot the Prince of Orange!
Gary has also designed many rule sets 'The Universal Soldier', (land warfare), 'La Garde Recule' (a Napoleonic set with Pete Lowe), 'England Expects' (Napoleonic naval), 'Sink The Belgrano!' (C.20th naval) and 'Les Champs De Mars' (a DBA derivative). He has also devised 'Diplomacy' variants and the board game 'Grand Strategy' . In the mid 1990's Gary produced a successful set of sci-fi role-play and combat rules entitled 'Invasion Of The Geography Teachers From Mars' (not to be confused with the Radio Boscombe tape of the same name, these have now evolved into 'Space Vixens From Mars - The Adventure Game' ).
'The Wars That Never Were'. MW 81 Feb. 1990
'A Little Trip - New Orleans 1815'. MW 112 & 113 Sept./Oct. 1992
'StaB 2002'. MW 235 Dec. 2002
'Cortes - Mission Impossible'. MW 236 Jan. 2003
'The Amazons - Girl Power To The Nth Degree'. MW 309 Jan. 2009 (for more on this theme see the author's novel 'Amazon' ).
Book Review 'Armies Of Arcana' MW 310 Feb. 2009
Book Review 'Arthur And The Fall Of Roman Britain' MW 310 Feb. 2009
Book Review 'Aethelred II - King Of The English' MW 314 Jun. 2009
'The Royalist Army Of The English Civil War And The Battle Of Edgehill / The Roman Army And The Boudican Revolt. Pt 1. MW 182 July 1998
'The Royalist Army Of The English Civil War And The Battle Of Edgehill / The Roman Army And The Boudican Revolt. Pt. 2. MW 183 Aug. 1998
'The French Army Of Napoleon And The Battle Of Corunna / The British Army Of 1944 And The Battle Of Normandy. Pt. 1. MW 184 Sept. 1998
'The French Army Of Napoleon And The Battle Of Corunna / The British Army Of 1944 And The Battle Of Normandy. Pt. 2. MW 185 Oct. 1998
'The English Army Of The Early Middle Ages And The Battle Of The Standard / The Parliamentary Army Of The English Civil War And The Battle Of Selby. Pt. 1. MW 186 Nov. 1998
'The English Army Of The Early Middle Ages And The Battle Of The Standard / The Parliamentary Army Of The English Civil War And The Battle Of Selby. Pt. 2. MW 187 Dec. 1998
'The British Army Of Wellington And The Battle Of Salamanca / The Modern Russian Army, the Cold War, And Struggles Since. Pt. 1. MW 188 Jan. 1999
'The British Army Of Wellington And The Battle Of Salamanca / The Modern Russian Army, The Cold War, And Struggles Since. Pt. 2. MW 189 Feb. 1999
'The Ancient Britons And The Defence Of Hengistbury Head / The Union Army Of The American Civil War And The Battle Of Elhorn Tavern. Pt. 1. MW 190 Mar. 1999
'The Ancient Britons And The Defence Of Hengistbury Head / The Union Army Of The American Civil War And The Battle Of Elhorn Tavern. Pt. 2. MW 191 Apr. 1999
'The German Army Of 1944 And The Battle Of The Bulge / The Medieval Welsh And Their Struggle For Independence. Pt. 1. MW 192 May 1999
'The German Army Of 1944 And The Battle Of The Bulge / The Medieval Welsh And Their Struggle For Independence. Pt. 2. MW 193 Jun. 1999
STARTER GUIDE SERIES 2
'The Prussian Army Of The Wars Of Liberation'. MW 223 Dec. 2001
'The Soviet Army Of The Great Patriotic War And The Battle Of Kursk'. MW 224 Jan. 2002
'The Scots Army Of Robert The Bruce And The Battle Of Bannockburn'. MW 225 Feb. 2002
'The Imperialist Army Of The Thirty Years War'. MW 226 Mar. 2002
'The Austrian Army Of The Napoleonic Wars'. MW 227 Apr. 2002
'The Modern United States Marine Corps'. MW 228 May. 2002
'The Seleucid Empire'. MW 229 Jun. 2002
'Queen Victoria's Army And The Battle Of Rorke's Drift'. MW 230 July 2002
'The German Army Of 1941 And Operation Barbarossa'. MW 231 Aug. 2002
'The Confederate Army Of The American Civil War And The Battle Of Newmraket'. MW 232 Sept. 2002
'The Swedish Army Of Gustavus Adolphus'. MW 233 Oct. 2002
'The Army Of The Roman Republic And The Battle Of Zama'. MW 234 Nov. 2002
'Dr Who - The Regicides Of Pokeham'. #53.
'Planning Ahead - Space Vixens From Mars, Book 6'. #53.
'PDF And The SFSFW'. #54.
That's it - apart from mentioning that Gary has (past and present) collected over a hundred wargame armies from all periods of history.
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