I'm going to try and collect interesting articles on key moments in wargaming history in this thread. I realize for younger folks whose first wargaming was miniature gaming - likely GW, we may not realize where this stuff came from.
Avalon hill - was the big initial introduction to wargaming for the masses
http://www.urbanitebaltimore.com/sub.cfm?i...&articleID=1214Gary Gygax and Dungeons and Dragons brought 'fantasy' to the gaming world. GW literally was making cribbage boards and selling them until they heard about this product Dungeons and Dragons and decided to start selling Dungeons and Dragons it in the UK.
http://z2.invisionfree.com/herdstone/index...pic=14010&st=15 Personally, I still remember chainmail. I might even still have a copy somewhere. I eventually put it up for Dungeons and Dragons and other wargames-- even though you could mix them together. Eventually they came out with Battlesystem specifically for D&D. Ah, the good old days.
http://www.google.ca/click?sa=T&ct=res&cd=...=0&u=74860&xr=0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battlesystem No problem.
The best part then was that when someone cried out, "Hey, ten thousand orcs against a hundred elves? That's cheesey!"
It was so simple to respond, "Yeah? I'm the d.m., so shut up." ;)
- Ken
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Wars Possibly the earliest civilian wargame game courtesy of warpmaster.
Here's another link that I don't think you've gotten. Lots of information in general about wargaming here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wargame A review of third edition WFB (the first 'modern' recognizable edition of WFB IMO)
http://imperatorcarnifex.wordpress.com/A very nice compilation of no longer available old GW rules including the storm of chaos Daemonic legions list
Asrai list 