Historical Wargaming Time Periods

Historical wargaming encompasses a wide range of time periods, each offering unique settings, armies, and strategic challenges. Here are some popular historical time periods frequently explored in historical war gaming:

Ancients: This period covers warfare from ancient civilizations such as ancient Greece, Rome, Persia, Egypt, Carthage, and the Hellenistic empires. Battles like the Battle of Marathon, Battle of Thermopylae, and the Roman conquests are often recreated.

Dark Ages and Medieval: This period includes the Dark Ages, Viking Age, Crusades, and medieval warfare. Battles like the Battle of Hastings, the Siege of Acre, and the Battle of Agincourt fall within this period.

Renaissance: The Renaissance period focuses on conflicts from the 15th and 16th centuries, including the Italian Wars, Wars of the Roses, and the rise of the Ottoman Empire. Famous battles like the Battle of Pavia and the Battle of Lepanto are often simulated.

Horse and Musket: Big armies using column, line and square tactics. Combined arms is in use with artillery, infantry and cavalry. This period includes two very popular time periods:

Napoleonic Wars: This period centers around the wars and campaigns of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, featuring the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte and the French Empire. Battles like Austerlitz, Waterloo, and Borodino are frequently recreated. Also referred to in general terms as the Horse and Musket period.

American Civil War: The American Civil War, fought between 1861 and 1865, is a popular historical period for war gaming. The conflict between the Union and the Confederacy offers a range of battles, including iconic engagements like Gettysburg, Antietam, and Bull Run. Also referred to in general terms as the Horse and Musket period.

Modern: Time period from approximately WWI until today.

World War I: World War I, fought from 1914 to 1918, introduced new technologies and tactics. War gaming this period allows players to simulate trench warfare, tank battles, and aerial combat. Battles like the Battle of the Somme and the Battle of Verdun are commonly reenacted.

World War II: World War II is a particularly popular era for historical war gaming, offering a vast array of battles and campaigns. Players can simulate major operations like the D-Day landings, the Battle of Stalingrad, the Battle of the Bulge, and the Pacific island-hopping campaigns.

Modern Conflicts: Wargaming modern conflicts allows players to engage in battles from the late 20th century to the present day. This includes conflicts like the Korean War, Vietnam War, Arab-Israeli conflicts, Falklands War, Gulf War, and contemporary conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.

These are just a few examples of the time periods commonly explored in historical wargaming. Within each period, there are numerous specific battles, campaigns, and theaters of war to delve into, providing a wealth of options for historical war gaming enthusiasts.