The Vanity Project (part 1)

As regular followers will know I write a set of wargames rules most years. Sometimes I go back and revisit earlier efforts and make changes. There's nothing like a 5 year break to realise what rubbish you wrote previously. I learnt that from Stephen King.

Many of my sets are available as free downloads, over top right. People who end up playing my games at COW will usually be handed a printed set, together with a playsheet in the desperate hope they might then write up the game for The Nugget magazine or otherwise provide me with feedback. Occasionally (very occasionally) I get asked if I intend to publish.

Generally my feeling has been not to bother, and just post the files here. But then, I did that book earlier in the year, and it seemed that it wasn't that much of a faff to self publish. So why not?

The main "Why not" is that it takes time to get things right, and I don't really want the thing to cost me money. Well, not a lot of money. And suffering the humiliation of no one at all buying a set of rules from a generally unknown wargames writer.

Still, vanity is a terrible thing.

And then I was asked to run a session at the Society of Ancients conference. So I dragged out "To Ur is Human" and decided that it might be suitable. Of course, as previously covered on this blog, I felt I needed to make some changes to the combat system. And tighten up some of the wording. Oh, what the hell. Why not just work them up for publication? After all I'm going to end up printing out a half dozen copies or so and collate them at home. Why not get Amazon to do that. And then I can charge people £5 for a souvenir.

So that's what I'm doing.

Wish me luck.

Or go to Amazon and buy a copy, when it's released.

Comments

  1. Is that a pre order then? Shall I put you down for half a dozen copies?

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  2. Trebian,

    Go for it! Now that you've been bitten by the publishing bug, what will be your next book?

    All the best,

    Bob

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    1. I have a local history book to write, but that means more research. I think Va T'en Guerre and Va t'en Ecosse would be next.

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    2. Trebian,

      That sounds like an excellent plan!

      All the best,

      Bob

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    3. Thanks for your support. It was your session at COW that convinced me that self publishing for wargames rules was something I should do.

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  3. I really must explore this blog's archives. I don't know how it got under my radar for so long.

    I'm quite taken with the RCW rule set with their accompanying propaganda and recruitment posters. Every now and then I toy with the idea of the RCW with specific attention to the war against Poland. I read a book on it about 40 years ago, full of maps, of which I hand drew some of the early ones. An operations level game based on that could be a goer.

    Trouble is, I have so many projects going on, I simply dare not start another!

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    1. I can't explain why it took you so long to find me, - we both comment on Wargames Miscellany from time to time, and Bob sometimes mentions the blog. He's a good sort, like that.

      There are two sets of RCW rules up there. RAWG I haven't played for a while and I know there are a few rough edges in them but they do the job at a high level. And the posters are a joy.

      RTTRD are more recent and work at a lower level. They have an intricate and infuriating command and control system, which I'm quite proud of.

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    2. All my bad. I suspect I thought this blog was already on my reading list. It was only when I finally did a check that I realised it wasn't. That isn't the first time that has happened!

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    3. What ever the reason it is good to have you on board. Be sure to tell all your friends.

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  4. I too will be purchasing a copy. It will push me to finally invest in some HaT figures for the era.

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    1. Pre-sales have doubled overnight! A run away success. Thanks for your support.

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