The War Drobe: Full Immersive Gaming

The jackets, including ACW, RJW, WWII, ECW...
My recent posts have included a few shots of what I like to call our War Drobe.  In my games room, there's a small cupboard which houses all our various costumes we use for realistic supercampaign gaming.  They've attracted some comments (not to mention a few stares from the unenlightened) so I thought I'd allay the rumours and newspaper speculation with some pictures.

This all started when I decided to get into reenacting - I started with the American Civil War (which I don't do any more), and now I do English Civil War.  I think reenacting and wargaming go together quite well; a lot of the rules I write factor in lessons I've learned from reenacting.  For example, I now know that wheeling is, in practice, an incredibly difficult manoeuvre to pull off.  This ties in with my reading on the subject - so now, in Two Splendid Lines, any unit attempting a wheel rolls two 'mishap' dice.

Of course, with hats and jackets to hand it was only a matter of time before they were worn for wargaming... and it grew from there.  Part of the fun is making a new uniform cheaply - very few of these are bought 'as is' from a reenacting supplier.  Most start out life as old-fashioned jackets and blazers from second-hand shops, with some buttons sewn on.  They're not very realistic up close, but they only cost about £10 - £15 and make gaming a lot more fun.




Every campaign has its own unique aspect - from Supercampaign IV, we have the homemade (thanks Mum!) flag of the 4th Texas, complete with rather rustic-looking hand-painted battle honours, and an Enfield rifle (part of my other hobby).


Anyway, thought I'd share.

Ed

Comments

  1. Fantastic!
    For being mashups, those coats do look rather authentic and well made mate.
    Hard for me to do likewise.... it's this bloody great noggin you see - blasted hat makers rarely have my size! (Refers to lovely "so-called XL" conferate kepi that is now in my child's costume box...)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks mate! The ACW ones and the German navy jacket are pre bought, the others are mashups, it's just fun to try and do something like this on a limited budget.

      Ah, a fellow phrenologicaly superior human! I'm a 60/61 so I often struggle on the hat front too...

      Delete
  2. An excellent post, I similarly struggle for hats but for the complete opposite reason

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm a thoroughly pin headed 58.

    I did write a few words on dressing up. http://devos4.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/the-un-usual-world-of-cosplay.html I suspect that the full set of No1 Dress I have upstairs might be good for Iron Guard or a commissar, if only I could still fit in it....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha yes I had that same issue for a remembrance service last month. "I can't understand! It was fine when I was measured for it seven years ago..."

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts