Remembering PRESTAGS

Bad Python

Bad Python ruined the PRESTAGS card so it has needed to be laminated.

Totally Awesome

Ah yes, I see it. The game library includes 5 PRESTAGS games. There are 2 of Chariot, and only Yeoman is missing.

Someone must have bought the last Yeoman on ebay.

What battle is this?

Hints: Three battles vs one, longbows against cavalry, first row dismounted, narrow battlefield, Python now owns Yeoman.

Question two: what happens next?

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:

All is quiet on the western front

Edmund Halley set a high benchmark when he predicted the date of the arrival of a comet and the part of the sky it would appear in.  In one stroke he removed the mysticism from comets and showed how mathematics would revolutionise our lives. He did have an enormously powerful ally - the genius of Issac Newton who discovered the theory of gravity and showed how it impacted all the bodies in our solar system. However, he backed up that theory by an exhaustive search for past sightings of comets. Just pause for a second and imagine the effort that would take in 18th century England. No internet, no glossy books on comets, and no local library. In fact most of the data he trawled would have been in bizarre books of semi-religious rantings and of dubious accuracy.

How we wish that weather forecasters, political pundits and economic futurists could even approximate to the brilliant success of Edmund.

Thus I turn to us bloggers poor attempts to emulate Edmund's greatness. I note today that at the close of trading for 11 November 2015, the Dow Jones is unremarkable.

While I have little respect for the lack of insight behind this index, I do acknowledge that if the world economy collapsed, it would have a sharp downward line, as shown in the graph of the Great Depression.

So, I think we can safely conclude that the markets have not crashed and the world economy is puttering along in a generally uninspired fashion. Prediction: Rememberance Day Crash, Status: Debunked!

What about my own humble prediction a few weeks later? I promise you it does not come close to the meticulousness of Edmund's, and I suggest that is remains as a prediction mostly due to the fact that it is still a future possibility. The big problem with my prediction is that I need the US to stop pumping money into their economy before it will work. There has to be a few months for the investors to detect that their market trading investments are now worthless - it won't happen the day after the interest rates rise:

This is something I was expecting to have happened by now. If it doesn't happen before mid December, I'll have to go out and buy my copy of Yeoman the old fashioned way.

Sorry - I could not resist another picture of Peter's generals partying on my economic surpluses.

Let me finish with one more Huzzah! for a brilliant "Man in White Coat", who even knew we would see a comet in 1986!

 

A Pi For Python?

The Python has been asking me to put a date on the economic collapse, and to bet my PRESTAGS Yeoman game on it. I've already told him I'm not an economist or financial expert and my Yeoman game is too precious.

However, I will put my money where my mouth is and commit something to my prediction. And I will give a date.

I predict the economic collapse will happen by Remembrance Day 2015, in other words by 11 November 2015. And if I am wrong I will give Python a small but sexy little computer on which he can install his Python language. I already have the computer, new in its packaging.

Now the question is, if I am right what will the Python give me?

 

Finarvyn, Merctime, kesher, Otto Harkaman & derv Discuss PRESTAGS

My compliments to Finarvyn, Merctime, kesher, Otto Harkaman and derv!

Who are these persons? They are a D&D (Dungeons & Dragons) discussion group that held a discussion about PRESTAGS in the period 27 May 2015 to 3 June 2015. Yes, PRESTAGS lives and is appreciated by other wargamers in addition to our good selves.

I include both the link to the D&D PRESTAGS discussion on the internet in addition to a colour pdf that I have made of this discussion and uploaded to this website so it is preserved for posterity: Download D&D PRESTAGS Discussion

The D&Ders have recalled how they used PRESTAGS to recreate fantasy battles, including mixing PRESTAGS counters with other counters from fantasy wargames in the 1970s. This is a sample from Finarvyn:

I was also pleased to hear about an army captain teaching university students how to play PRESTAGS as told by Otto Harkaman:

Otto writes that he now has "all of the PRESTAG rules which I've acquired in a sort of a quest like fashion" which reminds me of my own quest 35 years after the publication of PRESTAGS to complete my own collection by purchasing two missing games on ebay. I had Spartan, Legion and Viking from the 1970s, but I had to acquire my own copies of Chariot and Yeoman as I approached the age of 50. I think Python still needs Yeoman to complete his collection.

Needless to say I agree with many of the comments in this very interesting discussion, especially "we ought to have a thread about SPI's wonderful PRESTAGS wargame",  "As far as historical eras go, anything that can spawn from the dawn of time through the Middle Ages has to be awesome" and "there is a good sized cult following of the games". I'm not sure how large the cult actually is, but PRESTAGS certainly deserves a cult, it was a wonderful wargame and it still is awesome.

Well done chaps. PRESTAGS lives!

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!

John Michael Young

The Python, ever the determined researcher, has gone back to the early Strategy & Tactics magazines and found John Young's death notice (S&T 69), and an interesting reference to John in Notes From Underground (S&T 66). I reproduce these:

I share at least three things with John Young: a degree in history, experience with water pistol fights, and a love of wargames (especially ancient era ones). Thanks again Python for finding these references.

SPI Ancient Units

I have come across a pdf document on the internet called "SPI Icon Library". I attach the document  Download SPI_Icon_Library here.

What is particularly interesting is that all of the PRESTAGS units are included, plus others from ancient era games. I recognize units from Conquistador. I can't think what game the Loch Ness Monster was in! There are lots of extra cool cavalry units that the Python will love.

A Very Sad Discovery

When this Blog first commenced it recognized the brilliance of John Michael Young, the designer of PRESTAGS.

I never knew until today that John Young (born 2 September 1947) died in May 1978, aged only 30. This was only three years after PRESTAGS was published. I will have a Mass offered for him.

Below are two photographs from early SPI days. In the first photo, John Young is standing next to Redmond Simonsen and his face in hidden. In the second photo, John is sitting down and having a smoke while playing a wargame.

John Young was employed as SPI's accountant and he designed games in his 'spare time'. I read in boardgamegeek that he was assigned to pre 19th century wargame design although he also seems to have designed one American Civil War game and a World War I game.

The games for which he was the primary designer include at least the following:

1. Chariot
2. Spartan
3. Legion
4. Viking
5. Yeoman
6. Borodino
7. Austerlitz
8. The Fall of Rome
9. The Marne
10. Lee Moves North
11. Musket and Pike
12. Rifle and Saber

I pray that John Young is at the great wargame convention in the sky, enjoying a game.

A Boys Weekend Lottery Ticket

To celebrate the fact that it is only one week until the Boys Weekend, I have decided to purchase a Boys Weekend lottery ticket. This is strictly on me, my treat, but any winnings will be shared in equal thirds with the Python and ThygoCanberra.

I wanted something special, so I chose the US MegaMillions lottery which has a current jackpot of US $87 million. I'm going for 5 games (because there are five PRESTAGS wargames) running for five draws on 2 August, 6 August, 9 August, 13 August and 16 August (Australian time). This covers the Boys Weekend and the days around it.

The MegaMillions has ridiculous odds of 1 in 259,000,000 to win the jackpot, and involves selecting five main numbers (from 1-75) and a Mega or Power Ball (from 1-15) for each game. Even with a total of 25 games the odds are still an insane 1 in 10,360,000. There is more chance of being struck by lightning, or of Thygo being abducted by aliens during the Boys Weekend, than winning this jackpot.

Having chosen the lottery, my next  task was to choose the numbers. Of course, these numbers needed to be related in some way to PRESTAGS, so I gave it my best shot.

Game #1 is the Chariot numbers. PRESTAGS was published in 1975, and Chariot is the first of the five games, so 19 and 75 were obvious choices. I then got some iconic Chariot game units, and derived 4 from the movement allowance of the class 6 leader (only Chariot has class 6 leaders), 22 from the fire strength and range allowance of the bowman, 33 from the melee strength and movement allowance of militia spearmen, and a powerball number of 9 being the unique movement allowance of the chariot unit. The number 22 is also of PRESTAGS fame thanks to the adventures of MI 22.

Game #2 is the Spartan numbers. The cover of Spartan carries the subtitle "The time is: Summer 202 BC". This provides 20 and 2. Looking at some iconic Spartan game units, we derive 37 from fire strength and range allowance of the ballista, 43 from the melee strength and movement allowance of professional spearmen, and then 64 from the melee strength and movement allowance of the big boys, the professional pikemen. Last but not least is a nice powerball 6 from the movement allowance of elephants.

Game #3 is the Legion numbers. The cover of Legion also has a subtitle: "The time is: December 50 BC". This is great, a 12 and especially a 50. The 50 is a must for the PRESTAGS rantings of the over 50 year old wargamers. Turning to some iconic Legion game units we have a 39 from the melee strength and movement allowance of Byzantine cataphracts, a 44 from the melee strength and movement allowance of the classic swordsmen, and a 65 from the melee strength and movement allowance of barbarian infantry. To give Python another cavalry unit, we derive a powerball 2 from the melee strength of oriental cavalry.

Game #4 is the Viking numbers. Vikings means Thygo and something distinctive is required. The Viking game includes special rules [3.6] for viking ferocity, and the first viking attack odds can be accelerated up to 6-1. This gives a 36 and a 61. The iconic Viking game units include third class leaders with a movement allowance of 9, the crossbowmen with a fire strength of 2 and a range allowance of 3 producing 23, and the axemen with a melee strength of 3 and a movement allowance of 4 producing 34. For the powerball number we can't go past the viking ship with its lengthy unique movement allowance of 15.

Game #5 is the Yeoman numbers. The cover of Yeoman has a very precise subtitle: "The time is: Morning 24 June 1314". Perfect. A 24 (which is also the fire strength and range allowance of the late arquebusiers) and a 13. To these numbers Yeoman can add a 30 from the combat bonus and movement control radius of a 4th class leader, a 47 from the melee strength and movement allowance of heavy cavalry, and a 73 from the huge range allowance and fire strength (using this order) of the heavy artillery. And what about the last powerball? I like the simple 4, the range allowance of the unique Yeoman late arquebusiers. Plenty of gunpowder in Yeoman: hopefully enough to blow the MegaMillions towards PRESTAGS!

There we have it, the unique PRESTAGS lottery numbers. Having selected these deeply meaningful numbers, yesterday I proceeded to purchase the 5 games x 5 draws. After a wait in Australia (mostly while I slept) a trusty agent in the United States purchased a MegaMillions ticket with the PRESTAGS numbers, and sent me a scanned copy. This is for the first draw, the following draws will be the same:

Win or lose, the PRESTAGS numbers have now been used, and PRESTAGS boys are happy. Good luck for the Boys Weekend.

WE HAVE BEEN GOING ONE YEAR!

A huge thank you to the Python and Thygo, and all the other contributors. May this mad blog prosper for another year.

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A Big Thank You

A big thank you to PythonMagus for taking me to New Zealand.

And a big thank you to Paul for choosing my class photograph for the t-shirt.

All You Get is Complaints

It may have been a mistake to let the other units know I'm going to New Zealand. All I'm getting now is complaints. They should have shown some initiative like me with my long range exploration, insteading of sleeping in their counter boxes. Where were they when I advanced deep into the server room?

Rest assured Paul and PythonMagus that I will deal with these complaints, and hopefully you will not be bothered.

I received a complaint from Swordsmen SD 9. I have responded "Perhaps next time".

I received a complaint from Professional Spearmen PS 5. I have responded "If I could bring any unit it would be yours, unfortunately the logistics and long term bookings prevent a change of plans at short notice".

I received a complaint from Bowmen BW 4. I have responded "If you're going to fight over your bows you can stay at home until your learn some discipline".

I received a complaint from Militia Spearmen MS 7. I have responded "Do I really need to tell you what the chance is of a militia infantry unit travelling with a militia spearmen unit? You are pathetic. You look more scared than scary".

I received a complaint from Professional Pikemen PP 2. I have responded "I've said it before and I'll say it again, I have never understood where the professional comes from. Are you defending against sparrows?"

I received a complaint from Viking Fleet VF 3. I have responded "A whole fleet unit is a tad excessive. And I'm not sure that the boat will comply with the baggage requirements".

I received a complaint from Elephants EL 2. I have responded "You will be missed, however quarantine rules prevent your travel".

I received a complaint from Barbarian Infantry BI 19. I have responded "You are correct, I do owe you a favour. Let me see what I can do, especially if it is only the seven of you. I will need to speak to Mr Python".

And I even received a complaint from Militia Infantry MI 1. I have responded "No".

(I'm sorry about Eric's lack of proper attire. It tarnishes the good name of militia infantry everywhere. I shall write to him separately. And yes, Derek's helmet is a joke).

Thank you

I just want to thank Paul for inviting me to dinner last night.

I also want to thank PythonMagus for letting me travel to New Zealand for the OSDC.

MI22 is ready.

First, Second and Third Platoons, MI 22, preparing for New Zealand:

Reserve Platoon, MI 22, preparing for New Zealand:

Elite Commando Platoon, MI 22, preparing for New Zealand:

(OK, a bit of an exaggeration. This is Elite Commando Platoon as leader MI 22 imagines it to be, after training program).

(No one makes decent uniforms for militia infantry any more).

A Fellow Traveller

The famous PRESTAGS unit, Yeoman Militia Infantry 22, freshly returned from itsreconnaissance of the serverhas requested permission to join the great adventure in New Zealand.

In recognition of this unit's panache, I have secured a ticket for MI22 to accompany the Python and I on our travel to New Zealand  Middle Earth  Boys Weekend  Geek's Conference Legal Conference.

Mark This Day

Mark this day as a big day for PRESTAGS.

First, PythonMagus has taken Moderni Agone (code for computer PRESTAGS) to the beta testing stage. An amazing achievement in such a short period of time. I look forward to driving him crazy as I reveal all the bugs. To celebrate I have created the Moderni Agone category and gone back and added this to relevant posts.

Second, the first wave of PRESTAGS.com rewards have arrived. Yes, PRESTAGS mugs and PRESTAGS playing cards.

I will send these to the Python and Thygomoonshine as soon as I can. Suggestions for the second wave of PRESTAGS rewards are most welcome.

PRESTAGS of the Rings

In 1977, SPI published "War of the Ring", a board wargame based upon JRR Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings". The game included a strategic adventure and wargame, and two related games, "Sauron" and "Gondor".

Being both an avid wargamer and a complete Tolkien fan, I purchased "War of the Ring". I still have this game, and indeed it resides it my boxes of 'the best of the best' along with (needless to say) PRESTAGS.

For fans of PRESTAGS, published two years earlier in 1975, there was a wonderful treat with "War of the Ring" (WOTR). The treat was: many of the awesome PRESTAGS counter pictures were used in the counters for WOTR. I have studied both of these epic games and I have identified ten (10) units where the same counter picture was used.

Number 1. The PRESTAGS axemen and (surprise, surprise) the WOTR Dwarves.

Number 2. The PRESTAGS archers and (again, no surprise) the WOTR Elves.

Number 3. The PRESTAGS heavy cavalry and the WOTR heavy cavalry of Rohan and Gondor.

Number 4. The PRESTAGS swordsmen and the WOTR swordsmen of Gondor.

Number 5. The PRESTAGS Improved bowmen and the WOTR Mordor Orcs bowmen.

Number 6. The PRESTAGS militia spearmen and the WOTR spearmen of Elves and Gondor.

Number 7. The PRESTAGS oriental horse archers and the WOTR Rohan horse archers.

Number 8. The PRESTAGS barbarian infantry and the WOTR Orcs (entirely appropriate).

Number 9. The PRESTAGS elephants and the WOTR Haradrim Mumakil elephants. The hobbits called these oliphaunts.

Number 10. The PRESTAGS ballista and the WOTR catapults.

There are of course many unit counters that are unique to each of PRESTAGS and WOTR, with ten examples in the following collage. However, for me there will always be a special bond between these two games, both from the great SPI at the high water mark of their game publications in the mid to late 1970s. Back when I was in high school. And mad about wargames. And mad about Tolkien. And still am.

Now THIS is a counter!

So, do you think this is a counter?

Come on, really?

This is not a counter.

 

You want to know  what a counter is?

Now THIS is a counter!!

These images are to scale. The counter above is the swordsmen counter from The Renaissance of Infantry, a game in Strategy & Tactics No.22 (I believe published in 1970).

The counter to the right is the castle counter from the same game. Yes ... Wow!

The Renaissance of Infantry is the father of Yeoman, the fifth of the PRESTAGS games.

The PRESTAGS rules refined and streamlined the rules from their parents (such as Armageddon (S&T 34) father of Chariot and Centurion (S&T 25) father of Legion) however I think the magnificent castle counter should have been retained, at least in Yeoman.

 

It is intriguing to compare the counters from The Renaissance of Infantry with those from Yeoman. There are interesting similarities, and interesting differences.

 

I think we need to make our own castle counters, and use them in some of the PRESTAGS scenarios.

What on Earth is PRESTAGS? (2) Credit Where Credit is Due

Before any further posts are published, we should give credit where credit is due. 

The five PRESTAGS games were designed by John Young, and published by SPI (Simulations Publications, Inc) in 1975.

Extremely well done John and all the very best wherever you may be (or, as we say in Australia, you little ripper!)

What on Earth is PRESTAGS? (1) ..."What's in a name?"

You mean you don't know?!

The answer is of such monumental importance and interest that it will require many, many posts to deal with properly.

Let's just start by explaining the name. PRESTAGS = Pre-Seventeenth Century Tactical Game System. PRESTAGS is in fact five games, and each game covers numerous historical battles.

The battles covered are:

CHARIOT  Tactical Warfare in the Biblical Age, 3000-500BC

The Delta (1675 BC), Babylon (1595 BC), Megiddo (1469 BC), Kadesh (1294 BC), Sinai (c. 1225 BC), Qarqar (854 BC), Tabal (706 BC), Charchemish (608 BC), Thymbra (546 BC), Bubastis (c. 3000), Armageddon (609 BC), Lake Regillus (c. 496 BC), The Aequi (458 BC).

SPARTAN  Tactical Warfare in the Hellenistic Age, 500-100BC

Marathon (490 BC), Plataea (479 BC), Corinth (394 BC), Mantinea (362 BC), Chaeronea (338 BC), Granicus (334 BC), Issus (333 BC), Arbela (331 BC), Ipsus (301 BC), Heraclea (280 BC), Asculum (278 BC), Beneventum (275 BC), Cannae (216 BC), Zama (202 BC), Cynoscephelae (197 BC), Magnesia (190 BC), Pydna (168 BC).

LEGION  Tactical Warfare in the ROMAN Age, 100BC-700AD

Numidia (106 BC), Vercellae (101 BC), Apulia (71 BC), Cabira (72 BC), The Sambre (57 BC), Carrhae (53 BC), Pharsalus (48 BC), Second Phillippi (42 BC), Teutoburgerwald (9 AD), Minden (16 AD), Boudiccan Revolt (61 AD), Lugdunum (197 AD), Euphrates (261 AD), Placentia (271 AD), Ctesiphon (363 AD), Adrianople (378 AD), Chalons (451 AD), Daras (530 AD), Busta Gallorum (552 AD), Casilinum (554 AD).

VIKING  Tactical Warfare in the Dark Ages, 700-1300AD

Qadisiya (637 AD), Tours (732 AD), Constantinople (860 AD), Paris (885 AD), Lourain (891 AD), Hamburg (988 AD), Balthusta (1014 AD), Clontarf (1014 AD), Cannae II (1017 AD), Civitate (1053 AD), Cerami (1063 AD), Stamford Bridge (1066 AD), Hastings (1066 AD), Manzikert (1071 AD), Durazzo (1082 AD), Dorylaeum (1097 AD), Hattin (1187 AD), Liegnitz (1241 AD), El Mansura (1250 AD).

YEOMAN  Tactical Warfare in the Renaissance Age, 1250-1550AD

Legnano (29 May 1176 AD), Benevento (26 February 1266 AD), Falkirk (22 July 1298 AD), Courtrai (11 July 1302 AD), Bannockburn (24 June 1314 AD), Crecy (26 August 1346 AD), Agincourt (25 October 1415 AD), Arbedo (30 June 1422 AD), Barnet (1471 AD), Hericourt (1474 AD), Fornovo (1495 AD), Garigliano (29 December 1503 AD), Ravenna IV (11 April 1512 AD), Novara (1513 AD), Biococca (1522 AD), Ceresole (1522 AD), Pavia (21 February 1525 AD).

"What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet"

(Shakespeare, Romeo & Juliet, Act II, Scene II)

As far as wargames go, it does not get any sweeter than PRESTAGS!