Wargaming and Academia

[sunjester]

I came across this interesting article https://www.bowdoin.edu/news/2018/12/taking-on-the-romans-history-through-wargaming.html

[Womble67]

Nice find

Take care

Andy

[Westmarcher]

Ta. Looks interesting. Will try to have a look later (video is about 30 mins long).

[steve_holmes_11]

When I saw the title I wondered whether it would be a rundown of academics who publish wargames.

I know of Phil Sabin (Lost Battles) and Sam Mustafa (Rommel, Blucher, Lasalle, many others).
Don't know whether Paddy Giffith's time at Sandhurst qualifies or not (Have never been sure whether vocational colleges count as academic).


I wondered whether there was a balancing anti-intellectual tendency in the hobby?

The comedians can point be at the handful or two of good ole boys who rule the roost at TMP.
I'm also told that John Curry's forword in Target for Tonight takes an uncalled for pot at"Revisionist historians in their ivory towers".


Can we expand (or correct) the list of academics and anti-intellectuals in the hobby.

[Chris Pringle]

Can we expand (or correct) the list of academics and anti-intellectuals in the hobby.

Professor Nick Murray at the US Naval War College is increasingly influential:
https://bloodybigbattles.blogspot.com/2017/01/wargaming-at-us-naval-war-college.html

And of course our good friend on this forum, Konstantinos Travlos:
https://phdleadhead.blogspot.com/

Chris

Bloody Big BATTLES!
https://uk.groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/BBB_wargames/info

[d_Guy]

Interesting link(s) - thanks all.

Steve - you triggered an ancient memory. In a box somewhere I have Paddy Griffith's Sandhurst Wargame book. Don't remember much about its content only it was a really large, oversized book!

[steve_holmes_11]

I'd hasten to add that I don't mean to sound disdainful about anti-intellectuals.
It requires a great mind to wield Occam's razor with elan.

[Sunray]

Don't know whether Paddy Giffith's time at Sandhurst qualifies or not (Have never been sure whether vocational colleges count as academic).

"Tips" was no mean academic. Wargaming aside, his contribution to military history and the revision of the orthodox approach - ( limited to society, causation of conflict and politics) as opposed to what was achieved or lost via the actual conflict , and a study of the men, tactics, weapons, innovation and (love this one!) luck on the field - raised the bar. 

Even the great AJP Taylor did no have a clue as to what really was the tactics in a so called "Blitzkrieg attack".   PG's lecture to explain what the Blitzkrieg misnomer really represented  was the Battle of Megiddo (September 1918). 

I had the privilege of meeting/listening to both Paddy and the late David Chandler.  Where shall we see their likes again?

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Dr Simon Elliot has published a huge amount on the Romans. He's also a decent wargamer!

[Nick the Lemming]

There's also Dr Phil Hendry (Augustus to Aurelian rules, as well as general wargaming). Chris Pringle hasn't tooted his own horn, but should (BBB, new translation of Clausewitz' "Napoleon's Italian 1796 campaign").

[steve_holmes_11]

"Tips" was no mean academic. Wargaming aside, his contribution to military history and the revision of the orthodox approach - ( limited to society, causation of conflict and politics) as opposed to what was achieved or lost via the actual conflict , and a study of the men, tactics, weapons, innovation and (love this one!) luck on the field - raised the bar. 

Even the great AJP Taylor did no have a clue as to what really was the tactics in a so called "Blitzkrieg attack".   PG's lecture to explain what the Blitzkrieg misnomer really represented  was the Battle of Megiddo (September 1918). 

I had the privilege of meeting/listening to both Paddy and the late David Chandler.  Where shall we see their likes again?

I met Paddy once, an impressive character with plenty to offer.
He buttonholed me at a show and attempted to interest me in Wargame Developments.
Until that point I was completely unaware of his work or standing.
I, being a peniless academic researcher, couldn't imagine travelling cross country to attend weekend conferences (unless it was at my employer's expense).
Thus I missed the wargame developments bus, and an opportunity to spend more time with Mr Griffith.

I became more aware of his standing and contribution to gaming thought, and liked what I saw.
Alas our paths never crossed again.
It saddened to hear of his passing at a relatively young age.

[Last Hussar]

I wondered whether there was a balancing anti-intellectual tendency in the hobby?

Yes.

Orcs

[paulr]

 

[Sunray]

Yes.

Orcs

Same in all aspects of human endeavour.  I would argue that PG and Chandler were a breed apart.  Far removed from the ivory tower, and grounded in the study of how war was waged, as opposed to mere causal factors.   They influenced a generation of military commanders.