A version of Morschauser's Rules for the Colonial Era is on the distant horizon

If you are a regular reader of my main blog you will be aware that I have been spending a lot of time recently working on a version of Joseph Morschauser's 'Modern' Period Wargames Rules.

The original idea was to do this so that I could then try to recreate the rules he used to fight his famous colonial wargames but, as so often happens, I have got myself involved in developing my own version of his rules.

This process is now moving towards a conclusion, and when it gets there I think that it should not take me too long to write a version of Morschauser's Wargames Rules for the Colonial Era. When I do I will report my progress here as well as on my main blog.

Recent book acquisitions

I have already mentioned Osprey's book about the ARMIES OF THE EAST INDIA COMPANY 1750 – 1850 by Stuart Reid and Gerry Embleton (Men-at-Arms series No. 453) on my main blog Wargaming Miscellany.

I have now had the opportunity to read the book, and although it is not a period of colonial history that I know much about or have wargamed very often, it was very good.

Its chapters include:

• Background
• Chronology
• The Early Years
Madras – Bengal – Bombay
• Crown and Company
The Cornwallis reorganisation plan, 1780s – officers' grievances, 1790s – Europeanization of the officer corps
The Great Mutiny
• European Infantry
The battalions, 1748 - 62
Uniforms
• Native Infantry
Battalions and uniforms: Bengal – Madras – Bombay
The Sepoy Line
• Cavalry
Madras – Bengal – Bombay
• Artillery & Engineers
• Plate Commentaries

The other book I recently acquired was given to me by my old friend Tony Hawkins. It is entitled A REVIEW OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN CAMPAIGN OF 1879 and is was written by Adrian Greaves and Ian Knight.

The title is a little misleading as it is not so much a history of the Zulu War, but more a series of biographies of the officers who died. As such it is an invaluable source of information to anyone who wants to know about the sort of man who became an officer in the British Army during the middle of Queen Victoria's reign.