Author Archives: jimr

About jimr

As a semi-retired professor, I have time to indulge myself with hobbies. Solo wargaming with 54mm figures using One Hour Wargame (OHW) rules and an expanded card deck is my style of play. https://rohrerj.blogspot.com/

New rules needed for light armor integrated with infantry?

Posted on February 11, 2021 by jimr

By Jim Rohrer Tanks appeal to many wargamers, but their star has been waning for a long time.  Heavy tanks are tough to airdrop so they are not useful for flexible rapid response.  They have a long logistical tail and … Continue reading →

Posted in Periods - Modern | 1 Comment

Classic-style wargaming: figures and terrain

Posted on February 4, 2021 by jimr

By Jim Rohrer The writing of Charles Grant has opened my eyes to some ways the wargaming hobby has changed.  Grant used 1/72 Airfix figures out of the box, sometimes apparently unpainted and unbased.  Today, hobbyists are naturally led to … Continue reading →

Posted in Gaming conventions, Wargaming | Leave a comment

Vietnam War gaming

Posted on January 27, 2021 by jimr

By Jim Rohrer Wargames Soldiers and Strategy Magazine No. 111 (Dec/Jan 2021) contains a few articles about the Vietnam War.  The editor expressed some reservations about this theme, since some readers may feel it is too soon to game a … Continue reading →

Posted in Periods - Modern, Periods - Twentieth century | 4 Comments

What vehicles are out there?

Posted on December 19, 2020 by jimr

By Jim Rohrer Wargaming in eras after World War I requires vehicles.  Each decade, the variety of vehicle types increased.  Deciding which types to include in your battles is one issue.  Another is where you obtain the vehicles.  This brief … Continue reading →

Posted in Periods - Modern, Periods - Twentieth century, Periods - World War II | 2 Comments

Matchbox Humvees

Posted on October 24, 2020 by jimr

By Jim Rohrer Matchbox cars are about the right size for some tabletop wargaming. The ubiquitous Humvee was sold by Matchbox in several paint schemes. Thinking of their potential for patrol scenarios or mechanized assaults, I recently bought some of … Continue reading →

Posted in Periods - Modern | Comments Off on Matchbox Humvees

Avalon Hill board games

Posted on September 19, 2020 by jimr

By Jim Rohrer Paul Le Long reviewed “Bull Run: First Major Battle of the American Civil War,” published by Avalon Hill in 1983 and designed by Richard Hamblen.  His review gave me hope that other Avalon Hill board games might … Continue reading →

Posted in Board games | 6 Comments

Its not about …

Posted on September 12, 2020 by jimr

By Jim Rohrer Having been involved with Lone Warrior long enough to see two issues of the journal come out, and having read most of the material on the website, and having fought a lot of solo battles using a … Continue reading →

Posted in Solo wargaming | Comments Off on Its not about …

The chess board as the ultimate portable wargame

Posted on August 15, 2020 by jimr

By Jim Rohrer Wargaming on a chessboard combines the advantages of playing on a small space, portability, and using a grid.  Some special rules are needed to avoid confusion.  For example, no diagonal movements are allowed.  One-Hour Wargames rules lend … Continue reading →

Posted in Periods - Medieval, Wargaming | 5 Comments

Old Science Fiction

Posted on July 18, 2020 by jimr

By Jim Rohrer I have been reading a science fiction trilogy by Pournelle and Greene (“Lord of Janissaries”). It is priced at $8.99 on Kindle and contains 896 pages (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013RCXRNY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_d_asin_title_o00?ie=UTF8&psc=1). Jerry Pournelle (1933-2017) has always been a favorite of mine … Continue reading →

Posted in Periods - Dark Ages, Periods - Science fiction | Comments Off on Old Science Fiction

Embracing steampunk

Posted on June 23, 2020 by jimr

By Jim Rohrer Some readers might assume, based on the title of this post, that I am completely out to lunch. Steampunk? What possible relevance could weird stuff like that have for solo wargaming? Answer: Warhammer. We all know how … Continue reading →

Posted in Periods - Nineteenth century, Periods - Pulp era, Periods - Science fiction | Comments Off on Embracing steampunk