Field Days - an update on the Battalion rules - and the new draft Bugle rule

 This is indeed proving to be more complex than I anticipated.  The aim is to give a greater challenge for the player, and an added level of friction - at the battalion/regimental level - but without losing the essential Little Wars nature of the thing.  The first tests have delivered fairly good results when a battalion attacks a company, dug in - but they do not give the right Edwardian toy soldier type feel .

This will not do.

So, back to the drawing board, and bugles.

And an inspiration from the Militia Camp at Niagara, in 1906 - found in the library at the Royal Canadian Military Institute, last month.  

Bob has also sent me some Bugle calls - which have been transferred to the Field telephone.

Niagara Camp, Ontario, 1906

So, this is the initial draft for the Battalion Bugle rules for Funny Little Wars.  Suitable to be used by one designated battalion in a larger game, or a couple of Battalions in a smaller game.

                                                    The Bugle Rule for FLW

All unit activations and manoeuvres must be initiated by playing the corresponding Bugle Call during your turn.  To simplify matters, there are six available Bugle calls.

1. Battalion orders : Players create a secret Bugle call list for the first five moves -from the list below. They are played by the umpire  and they are played in order without changing them.  However, the Umpire will play Alarm if enemy forces are spotted or open fire and the Battalion must stop, and deploy.  The Battalion commander then has two minutes to sound orders - and prepare a new set of Bugle calls.  These are passed to the Umpire.  In a move were no bugle call is made, follow the last call.  

2. The CO may use one new Bugle call in this five move phase to override the sequence.  

3. Friction/Fog of War: The Umpire privately rolls a D6.  If a 5/6 is rolled the Umpire will play a 'wrong' call at the next Bugle call turn.  If the battalion commander does not spot the mistake, the Battalion must follow the mistaken order!  If he spots the mistake, carry on with the original call.

Bugle calls are 

1    Orders - 

2    Form Line - move into attacking order from column or line

3    Halt - when played twice = retire

4    Double - used as 'move forward' - played once = forward, twice = left, three times = right

5    Charge - charge

6    Alarm!  - used by the Umpire

Example

Move 1 - Form line

Move 2 Double - played once = forward

Move 3 No call - keep moving forward

Move 4 Double - played twice = move left

Move 5 Halt

A demonstration of the Bugle Call, 'Form line'

The initial six Bugle calls are available here.

                                    https://www.youtube.com/@FLWFunnyLittleWars

Off we go ...

Field Days - enhanced Battalion rules for Funny Little Wars - new rules, for testing

 

Funny Little Wars and Garden Campaigns are situated in the 1913 'Edwardian' world of HG Wells.  The next project is to deepen the Little Wars rules in this era, without drastically overcomplicating things.  

So 'Militia Field Days for FLW' is designed to give some new challenges for Army Red (Great Britain and her Dominions) as they exercise in the Field, from Shorncliffe and Aldershot, to Australia, Canada and beyond.

The first test will be fire and manoeuvre - as a Battalion launches an attack against an entrenched enemy.  The British army of the Little Wars era had a highly accurate and fast rate of fire, which was aimed at the 'fixing' the enemy so that a bayonet charge could be delivered. Naturally.  

The usual FLW Battalion will be split into two x company units, and to begin there will be no character figures and the toy soldiers will fight to the last figure, as in Little Wars. Character figures will then be added. 

          To date, this is proving to be fairly tricky ...  more to follow.     

 

Field Days - enhanced Battalion rules for Funny Little Wars

Warning!  This post includes non 54mm toy soldiers

Here at FLW HQ - central - it is very hot!  

When writing Funny Little Wars, the aim was to keep the spirit of the Wellsian original, but add some tweaks to make it more playable.  HG had alluded to these ideas at the end of Little Wars and these featured in Garden Campaigns.  

I have been thinking about how the rules could be more nuanced for a smaller game - in which less toy soldiers are deployed, but an extra level of complexity is added.  But, not too much complexity ...

At the heart of FLW are the volunteer soldiers of the pre 1914 world - and these units would exercise every year in 'Field Days' to test out their military skills - especially marksmanship and fire and manoeuvre.  Can we replicate these exercises in a game?

The answer has been to hold some Field Days here - which in 1913 were played from the Australian deserts, to Salisbury Plain to Ontario.  Army Red and Blue are the teams, but Army Brown and White also appear in the real war games of the era, and Southland and Northland.

The first playtest is being played with 1" figures, which HG suggested were permissible for an indoor Kriegsspiel - please see Garden Campaigns.  

Attacking - Red/Infantry

1 x Battalion - 

Defending - Red/ Light Horse - dug in.

1 x Company - 

To date, the defenders have won three - nil.  The attacking battalion C/O and RSM have to choose where to place themselves.  It's tricky ...

I also think there should be Bugle calls in FLW.  This is a challenge.

And here is the real thing...

and to reassure everyone in toy soldier land, some proper scale miniatures kept an eye on the proceedings, which will move outdoors at the next opportunity.

 

Field Days - a Sunday afternoon manoeuvre

 The militia forces finally have the opportunity of a run out - as two young visitors to FLW HQ have requested a game.  The available forces are a little slim, as they are all involved in the North American naval campaign, but a game can always be produced at short notice...

Scenario

The fortress guns are under attack from a small Militia field force

Army Red/Garrison - defending 

2 x heavy fortress guns with RGA crew

1 x company of infantry

Signals section

HQ - with piano

The Command Post with Mess piano 

Army Red/Militia - attacking

3 x companies of infantry

2 x light guns

HQ

The Militia baseline - cannons firing

The game was played with (mostly) HG's rules, and my two young visitors were eager and excellent shots.  The poor Toronto Scots were wiped out by one heavy shell, and the garrison had one cannon knocked out.  The Garrison fire being very ably directed.

The Garrison troops were not helped by being in white drill order ...

Play ended as dinner was served, and an honourable draw was declared.  Toy soldier games are indeed for boys of all ages.  And khaki will be the uniform of the future.

Field Days - time for tea

 As the militia are forming up, there is obviously the need for a tea break, and a sing song around the piano.  The Canadian militia figures are pictured here having a break - the naval campaign continues on the other blog ...

But while enjoying the sunshine in FLW land, there are darker clouds on the horizon, and it is anticipated that FLW will return to the South African war later in the year ...

Field Days

 

 

The winter quarters is well and truly completed, and the planned 1870 siege games are nearly ready, but will be postponed by the arrival of the lovely Spring weather, and a resumption of outdoor Kriegspiels, and Garden Campaigns.

On the other blog, there has been much tinkering with the Fred T Jane pre dreadnought rules for the garden, and a mini campaign is under way.

 

Here, it is always good to return to those proper ‘Little Wars’ types, the yeomanry, militia and Territorials of the Edwardian era.  They are being dusted off for some Militia Field Days, as part of the Imperial Defence Committee’s requirements.  The threat can come from anywhere …  Mars, Germany, America??

 

Here we see the Toronto Scottish and Governor General’s band ‘standing to.’  These are the lovely Tunstill’s toy soldiers. 

 

This set (below) is a particular favourite – operating in a very difficult environment. 

And here are some signallers.

 All set for the Field Days, under the watchful eye of Lord K.

Kriegspiel sieges

 This winter quarters has been interesting, with some good reading, painting and planning.  

The first game of the season is also in an advanced state.  This will be an 1870 style siege, using some fascinating military manuals from the period, and featuring the armies of the North German Confederation, or Army Black as they appear in Garden Campaigns ...

Elastolin castles will be a key feature.

There can never be too many Elastolin Castles.

Splendid Little Wars in Sheffield!

 Congratulations to Tim and the team for a very fine 1914 Little Wars game in brave little Belgium - always a FLW favourite!

https://megablitzandmore.blogspot.com/2025/12/the-last-redoubt-belgium-1914-part-1.html

Kaiser Manoeuvres

 

The November shades have arrived and it is now dark at 17h.  This is a transitional time of year, and the time for 'winter quarters' and planning ...

On the other blog, the aim is to develop a FT Jane type of naval campaign set in 190?.

Here, the main effort will be in an indoor Kriegspiel set in the FLW era and using Moltke's practical schemes for the inspiration.  

It is also an opportunity to share some of the photos that didn't make it into Garden Campaigns.  

Over where? Over there ...

 This year's garden wargame activity has been concentrated on garden sieges on the sister Blog;

https://shandyandvauban.blogspot.com/

The summer campaign was based on the Victorian siege exercises in Chatham in the 1860's.  The 'winter quarters' activity is a more Wellsian naval campaign set in North America 190? ...

I hope that you have all enjoyed a happy summer of garden wargaming.

Funny Little Wars - Boer War game at the Conference Of Wargamers

 I was delighted to watch this excellent After Action Report from Bob C.  It is truly the spirit of Little wars and Funny Little Wars, and a Wellsian original.  Bravo to all our friends at WD!

https://wargamingmiscellany.blogspot.com/2025/07/a-new-youtube-video-its-fair-kop.html

And here, another incarnation of Backsight Forethought - he of Duffer's Drift fame.

I now need to get to work on a Campaign drinks cabinet ...

Garden Campaigns - available at Tradition, Stcokholm and the Armoury, London

 

A Kriegsspiel in Sweden

 On a recent visit to Sweden, I had the pleasure of visiting the castle of  Roserberg.

'At Rosersberg Palace, north of Stockholm, time has stood still. The rooms remain almost untouched from the 1795-1860 period, with well-preserved interiors and collections. King Karl XIV Johan and Queen Desideria were the last members of royalty to live here'

It is the most remarkable time capsule - and had some delightful surprises.  

A Kriegspiel, complete with Army Red and Blue!

Erik from Tradition was one of our delightful hosts.  

https://www.kungligaslotten.se/english/royal-palaces-and-sites/rosersberg-palace.html#:~:text=till%20funktionella%20kakor.-,Rosersberg%20Palace,of%20royalty%20to%20live%20here.