The First Charge

Are you ready to explore military history and historical miniatures wargaming? If so, Xenophon's Ghost aims to help you. 

I started miniatures wargaming about two years ago, and I have wondered about its future. The games can be brilliant artforms, reflecting hours of work at painting miniatures, creating terrain, and designing rules. Most importantly, wargaming is fun and a nice change from cyber-oriented activities that dominate popular culture. However, I have pondered about the hobby's ability to thrive.  Will the next generation take up the hobby? What are the barriers to entry? How is the hobby being influenced by the internet? Can we use wargaming to increase knowledge of military history among youth and adults alike? What game mechanics will appeal to youth? Those are the questions that I plan to tackle on this blog and through my gaming.  I am developing rules for the American War of Independence (AWI) meant to incorporate game concepts that may be more appealing to the next generation of gamers.  I will also be documenting my war games with my pre-teen children.

Right now, I am playing De Bellis Antiquatis, an ancients wargame also known as D.B.A.  I am also playing games in the horse and musket period using my AWI rules.  My third project is painting Napoleonic miniatures for LaSalle, a tactical Napoleonic rule set.