WWII Rules for 54mm wargaming
Pete Panzeri
Someone on rgmh asked about 54mm WWII Wargame rules,
... but I can't find the post to repond to. So, here is a review on one set
of WWII Rules for 54mm wargaming forwarded to me from Charley Elsden, the
Author.
54MM WWII RULES -- "RECON AND RUSHES"
The Toy Soldier Company, 100 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10024 (phone
201-792-6665; FAX 201-792-2626) has released MWANer Charles Elsden's RECON
AND RUSHES: 54mm Miniature Rules for the WWII Period ($19.95: postage
$6.75).
This is a 37-page 8 1/2" X 11" effort contained in a three-ring binder. In
addition, there are seven cardstocks reference sheets printed only on one
side. MWANers will know of Charles' passion for 54mm wargaming figures and
he is to be congratulated on getting his "labor of love" rules published!
Charles states that although they are written for 54mm, they will work just
as well with 25mm, 20mm, and 15mm as well as figures and vehicles are
individually mounted. Scale is one figure/vehicle equals four. He has
fifty
figures to an infantry company and four tanks equals a company. He provides
basic information for game units for infantry, HQer's company, support,
mechanized, reconnaissance, tank, transport, combat engineers, paratroopers,
commandos, partisans, air squadron, and boat squadron. There are seven
phases in each game turn. Movement is standard--infantry 6", tracked
vehicle
12", and wheeled vehicle 24" with terrain modifications. The basic rules
cover 12 pages while the rest of the rules book is concerned with "optional
rules." These optional rules include air and naval rules. "Heroic Role
Playing" is covered which can add some interest to a game! A set of tables
are provided for each section. There are rules for AFV repair, vehicle
ramming effects, prisoner interrogation, paratroop drops, offboard artillery
fire, mines, infiltration, and much more. I can see where we "non-54mm"
wargamers can learn something from Charles' rules and apply them to our own
wargames for WWII. Nice job, Charles! The one negative factor here, in my
opinion, is the steep cost--$26.70 including postage. I highly suspect that
this is due to wargamers (us) and 54m collectors (them) are operating in two
different worlds as to cost of items. They may be a little more used to
paying a higher cost for their toys. This is unfortunate as I think Charles
has put a lot of work and love into these rules and they should see a wider
audience than I think they will at this price. At any rate, the contents
are
highly recommended!
***
By Hal Thinglum -- published in MWAN #104 (March/April 2000 p. 131).