Thursday 20 June 2024

Bad news: One less Ilkleylad

This is a gaming blog and just about everything here is about, or connected to, wargaming. This post is no different except, it's to tell you that my friend, longstanding wargame partner and rules co-author/developer died earlier this month and will no longer add his presence to the games played out here - including the Peninsular campaign, which has stopped. My thoughts are with his wife Heather and his family. I am going to miss him very much.

Funny thing is, considering the amount of time we spent in each others company over the years, apart from lots of shots of Peter's hands, crotch and various unidentifiable parts of his anatomy at table-level, I have very few photographs of him; possibly the best photo I have is this one that appears in the November 2011 issue (#289) of Wargames Illustrated - in this issue we played out a naval game, based on the Battle of Rhium 429BC, for editor Dan Faulconbridge (who operated the camera). The game used Fleet of Battle rules which Peter was key in developing (see WI issue 278).

6 comments:

Neil Patterson said...

My condolences.
I lost a kindred gaming spirit about 5 years ago.
It was around about when I'd just suffered a traumatic close family bereavement, so was somewhat preoccupied.
We had lost touch, but had made contact again and I had tried calling but got no reply.
I stumbled across some items on eBay which I recognised as his and thought he was getting rid of stuff, but the seller name wasn't his.
I googled his name and found his obituary.
It's a blow, as you often envisage involving him in that campaign you haven't yet got around to yet or catching up for a wargames chat, but then realise you never will.
Neil

David said...

That is very sad news indeed. Commiserations for your and his family's loss.

Peter Douglas said...

Sorry to hear about your freind's passing.

JAMES ROACH said...

Thanks, guys

When the battle is over I'll detail the mods - for this battle it's mainly to do with fighting to/from town sections.

There are a few others, like the whirling mass formation, which allows double strength light cavalry horse archer units to shoot twice - it's available to Turcomans (not Seljuks, which are medium/heavy shock cavalry armed with bows - more in keeping with their use and potential).

Also a saving throw mod Vs ferocious units (Western mounted knights), and impetuous units which must charge the nearest enemy unit within reach if they roll a 10 to activate.

I've also done away with ammunition chits - bows go out of ammo if they hit on a 10. Lances break similarly on a 10. Light javelin go out of ammo if they hit, others on first activation to shoot. I don't do arrow and lance chits - I just have universal replacement 'munition' chits which 'reload units' until they 'go out of...' again. With the amount of shooters in Crusades armies it cut down on an awful lot of chits having to be moved about all of the time and cleaned up the table somewhat.

David Morfitt said...

Very sorry to hear that. One of the very worst things about getting older is losing friends and family.

Chris Hahn said...

My sympathies James, for your loss, his family's and other friend's loss, and for another irreplaceable casualty in the ranks of the wargaming community.

I dare to suggest that you will have many treasured memories of playing at war with the gentleman over the years.

Again, my condolences, if a bit tardy in their delivery.