The Games of War: A Treasury of Rules for Battles with Toy Soldiers, Ships and Planes (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Here's a Hobby for those who love: toys, games, role playing, military history, action movies, science fiction, paintball, and having friends and family over. This book has it all, from gladiatorial combat to space warfare. Test your skills and luck as you re-fight famous battles or explore the world of "what ifs." Here's your chance to "be" Alexander, Saladin, Cromwell, Washington, Napoleon, Nelson, Lee, Grant, Pershing, Rommel, Patton, Nimitz, or any of the great military leaders of history. "Lead" a patrol in the Ardennes or in Afghanistan. It's paintball without the pain! You can "fly" your Wildcat against a Zero, your Phantom against a Mig. See if you have what it takes to be a "pirate" in the Carribbean. Can you "conquer" a galaxy or "master" magic? The rules contained in this book cover all this and more. They are easy to learn, fast to play, and contain background information for anyone who's not a historian. You can get started on any budget and with whatever space you have available. Rediscover reading for fun! Teaching History? There are sample history "labs" included. Have your class "experience" the past! Watch their interest and enthusiasm grow!

About the Author

This 1971 UIC graduate left the campus with a hobby as well as a diploma. Introduced to wargaming with miniatures in 1968, he exchanged his chess sets and board games for games using model ships and toy soldiers. He became first an illustrator, and later the editor of the International Wargamer from 1971 until 1974. Mr. Bobek ran many miniature games at UIC and various games conventions including Lake Geneva, Madison, Kenosha, Notre Dame, and all over NE Illinois. Professionally, this St. Laurence H.S. grad wanted to teach in Catholic Schools and has done so since 1971. Mr. Bobek has been in Who's Who of America's Teachers. He has been nominated for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science Teaching, NCEA Distinguished Teacher Award, Archdiocesan Heart of the School Award, the Catholic Youth Organization Volunteer of the Year, and received the Queen of Peace High School's Teachers Who Make a Difference Award. Mr. Bobek has been active in coaching at St. Daniel's School since 1974. He is on the School Sports Board, the Parish Pastoral Council, the Southside Catholic Conference Board, and the Region II Board for the Illinois Junior Academy of Science. He has been active chaperoning teens, and for years ran a coed softball league. Mr. Bobek has been one of St. Dan's yearbook editors and currently is the editor of the school paper. He is a Communion Minister at St. Dan's as well as a cantor and member of the Chancel Choir. He has helped with timing and scoring for the Sports Car Club of America, enjoys paintballing, loves digital photography, and is an avid reader.

Product Details

• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: AuthorHouse (December 12, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1434330281
• ISBN-13: 978-1434330284
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #75,943 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Game Collection--in One Book!, April 28, 2008

By	Navalgamer - See all my reviews

As a longtime miniatures and board wargamer I applaud John Bobek's "Games of War"; he has created a work that belongs on the bookshelf (and more importantly, the gaming table!) of anyone interested in the re-creation of historic battles in miniature. Easy-to-understand but quite comprehensive in it's coverage of the subject, he provides the reader with rules-sets and background information on how to simulate every form of combat from Alexander's campaigns to Vietnam and even the present-day struggles in the Middle East. Additional rules allow the beginning gamer to immerse him/herself in gladitorial combat in the Arena, and even Wild West action.
Most impressive to this reviewer is the Author's combination of all of this in one complete, exciting, even humorous collection of gaming rules, hints, suggestions for classroom use, and tabletop combat lore.
In my career at sea (US Navy) I have often faced the question of what types of games to carry aboard with me--limited by storage space and playing time to a few boxed rule-sets and a handful of miniatures. No more! Bobek's book goes a long way toward replacing the numerous rulebooks I used to carry around, and reduces my accessory requirements to a few "minis" and a handful of dice!
I strongly recommend this book to the beginning and experienced gamer as well!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Reviewed by Bill Hoyer, March 22, 2008

By	John Bobek "Wargamer204" (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is a treasure for those seeking to getting started in wargaming and, for teachers, seeking to bringing gaming into their teaching suite. Covering all known periods of history, these fast, simple rules are a great way to introduce friends and students to gaming while keeping the expense on the ultra-low side.

From ancients to modern, from land battles to sea and air battles, this book has suggestions for quick battles recreating history. While not as detailed as commercially available rule sets, it does cover all aspects of wargaming from morale (how casualties and enemy fire can affect your troopers) to fire potential of different weapons.

After playing a half dozen games of different periods of history, I was impressed as to how these rules catch the flavor of a period. If your a teacher looking to introduce your students to gaming and how the different aspects of war can change history, then I suggest that you pick up this book. It is a treasury as the title implies and one cannot go wrong in using it. Game on!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for gamers of all ages!, September 14, 2008

By	B. Christensen (ND, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a nice flexible book for introducing new, young wargamers to the hobby. It's also a fine addition to any gamer's library. There are many simple rules for skirmishes of all kinds throughout history. Most of the rule sets for the different eras are roughly about 3 to 5 pages (there are 39 sets of rules). The ideas allow you to use any figures in whatever scale you chose. Each era covered also includes a bibliography for further historical reading and there are 'labs' for history or social studies teachers to run wargames in the clasroom. Loose, free spirited, and fun rules. 280 pages. I wish I would have had this book when I was 10!