Board Battlers Needed. Is this your forte in the computer age?
Battles of 45 & 46 to be Re-fought on Boards
Way back in 1995, now that was the dawn of the Internet Age, Decision Games in the USA were creating board games that we all played in our 'parlours' [which meant the place where we all used to talk to oneanother!] It was a similar pursuit to jigsaw puzzles. All the family got involved together. Snakes and ladders, Monopoly even. We did not compete with mysterious names on the internet or even against ourselves.
Well, amongst Decision Games creations was one appropriately called The '45 - The Jacobite Rebellion of 1745. It was designed by Geoffrey Geddes four of whose ancestors fought with the Prince. The first, John, was with the Duke of Perth but garrisoned and later captured at Carlisle. He was however pardoned when he changed sides! Andrew was less fortunate serving with Lord Ogilvy. He was imprisoned and died. William served with Lord Lewis Gordon's Regiment, was captured and met Andrew's fate. The fourth, Alexander, served with Gordon of Glenbucket's Regiment, was imprisoned at Carlisle and transported - which leads us to Geoffrey!
click to enlarge the images
Prestonpans Wickedly Slighted but Read On ...
It must have been for these family reasons that Geoffrey resolved to exclude the Battle of Prestonpans per se from the game design and lump us in with 'the capture and holding of Edinburgh for the Prince'. In such circumstances one is tempted to dismiss the game out of hand but on closer reading it becomes apparent that the What If? query after Derby can at last be answered here on the board. Geddes has quite specifically set out conditions under which the Prince can triumph. There's a thought....
... and here's another. Is there anyone amongst our Supporters here online, or known to you, who is nostalgic for the auld board games or in a time warp and still playing them? If so, your time has come to serve the Prince. Volunteers, please step forward and stand beneath his banner again and carry his armies past Derby to London and complete Victory.
Contact us urgently at waukin@battleofprestonpans1745.org ... and we will get a competitive league game running maybe!
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P.S. If you want to buy your own copy and not be friendly here, then go to Decision Games '45 web page.[Ed.]
Published Date: July 2nd 2007
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