Remembering PRESTAGS

PRESTAGS Article

I have found a nice pdf article about the PRESTAGS games, with a focus on the different units. The article is titled "Ancient and Medieval Armies" by Jerrold Thomas and it is a scan of a Moves Magazine article.

The link is:

http://www.spigames.net/MovesScans/Prestags_Article.pdf

There are also some nice maps showing unit types and map movement. One example is the battle of Arbela:

Another example is the Battle of Casilinium:

A clear conscience is a good thing

There is nothing worse than a long shopping trip will ill defined purchase goals, UNLESS you have an old S&T magazine that you can read during the breaks. I have long enjoyed this boon, but have always felt guilty that the authors of this fine publication have not benefited in some cases.

Well, I am pleased to report that Strategy and Tactics have entered the digital age and have published their archives on the web for a very reasonable sum of US$ 19.95 per annum. The issues goes back as far as Issue 74 (so I still have a tiny prick on my conscience) but they seem to intend to go back to the beginning. Games are not included, but that is fine. While I have perused the odd old rules, it is mostly the articles I enjoy. As an added bonus, they also have 60 issues of the Moves magazine, for which I only every bought one (as a poor student who needed maximum game play for meagre outlays), and I know they have some nice alternate scenarios and AAR. Further, they have the Modern War and the World at War issues, so I think I will not be finished reading all these before Judgetment Day.

Does anyone what to go furnitute shopping with me?

Please note that Strategy and Tactics articles are completely devoid of pictures of scantily clad barbie dolls (of historical or present dimensions) so represents fine literature for the discerning Christian gentlemen.

Moves, Nostalgia and Strategy I

The Python always shares his excitement when a new Strategy & Tactics magazine arrives. Now that I have subscribed my own excitement will be up to the same levels as the Python.

However, I didn't want to wait two months so I ordered a Moves magazine on eBay. Massive excitement today as my Moves magazine arrived.

This is no ordinary magazine, this is issue number 26 published in April/May 1976. Almost 40 years old and in excellent condition. All the nostalgia from the mid 1970s and SPI's glory days came flooding back to me, and this will keep me pumped for at least a week. There is a very interesting article titled "Field Report: SPI's Friday-Night Follies" by Phil Kosnett which provides a glimpse into SPI's Friday night play testing and the various personalities involved. I've made a pdf copy of this article for the Python: Download SPI's Friday-Night Follies.

I love the SPI Order Form in the middle of the magazine, which includes the five PRESTAGS games and they were only $8 each.

I notice the game "Strategy I: Strategic Warefare, 350BC to 1984" which is described as "Perhaps the most extensive simulation every produced, it covers all the aspects of warfare in seventeen scenarios from Alexander the Great to the potential nuclear holocaust". Did we ever come across this game? It sounds like it has great late-night and red-wine gaming potential.

I have looked up Strategy I on boardgamegeek and it is a very early game, 1971, designed by Jim Dunnigan, Stephen Patrick, Redmond Simonsen and our own John Young. It is for 2 to 8 players with 4 players recommended. We should track down this game!