Here’s where you’ll find details of my writing projects, some of them traditionally published, others self-published. This covers books, magazines and work on other blogs where appropriate, as well as occasional one-off projects.
Books
The Wargaming Compendium by Henry Hyde
Imprint: Pen & Sword Military
Pages: 520
ISBN: 9781848842212
Published: 17th July 2013
Hardback RRP £35
Written and designed for Pen & Sword by Henry Hyde
The Wargaming Compendium is currently out of print and I have recently negotiated the return of all rights to me, which will allow me to work on and then publish a second edition via my own Gladius imprint.
The book achieved Best-Seller status in several categories on Amazon UK, US, Australia and Canada
Wargaming is a fascinating, engrossing and exciting pastime that encompasses a wide range of different talents. In the course of pursuing his hobby, the average wargamer uses the skills of artist, designer, sculptor, illustrator, historian, librarian, researcher, mathematician and creative writer, as well as the more obvious ones of general, admiral or air marshal for large games, or perhaps lieutenant, commodore or squadron leader for skirmishes.
Not only is wargaming a pursuit which calls upon many skills, but it also covers many aspects of combat, spanning the history of our planet. With science fiction gaming, we plunge into imagined worlds many thousands of years into the future and a fantasy gamer, of course, deals with eons of imagined history, as anyone who has read The Lord of the Rings will know.
A wargamer may find himself recreating an encounter between a handful of adversaries one day, or a massed battle involving perhaps hundreds of miniature troops the next. Moreover, it is possible to play wargames that recreate warfare on land, on sea, in the air or, in the case of science fiction, even in outer space.
This book aims to demonstrate the wonderfully varied hobby of wargaming with miniatures, looking at the broad scope of what it has to offer as well as detailed explanations of how to get involved, including comprehensive rules for gladiator combat, Wild West skirmishes and the horse and musket era, as well as lots of advice for anyone new to wargaming.
Whether you’re a complete newcomer to the hobby, or a veteran of many years, you’ll find plenty in The Wargaming Compendium to entertain and inspire you.
Contents:
1. Basic Concepts of Wargaming
Understanding how wargames work
2. A History of Wargaming
A brief overview of how the hobby has evolved
3. Choosing a Period
A gallop through military history and beyond
4. Something to Fight For
Creating battlefields for your miniature armies
5. Assembling Your Forces
Planning, purchasing, painting and organising your forces
6. From Small to Large
Duels, skirmishes, large battles and campaigns – with rules!
7. Shot, Steel & Stone
A complete set of horse and musket era rules
8. Learn by Playing
A small battle explained, and how it links to a campaign
9. Other Aspects of Wargaming
Naval games, air wargames, roleplaying and more
10. Advice for the Digital Age
Digital photography and blogging
11. Resources
Books, museums, manufacturers, wargame shows and more
Note: I carried out all the design and layout work for this book, including the cover design, following discussions with the publishers who admitted that they were ill-equipped to handle such a niche project!
Wargaming Campaigns by Henry Hyde
Imprint: Pen & Sword Military
Pages: 526
ISBN: 9781473855915
Publication: June 2022
Hardback RRP £40
Will be available in hardback, Kindle, ePub and eventually paperback.
Written and designed for Pen & Sword by Henry Hyde
Buy Wargaming Campaigns from Pen & Sword
The book has already achieved Best-Seller status in Sweden!
Most miniature wargames take the form of simulating a single battle with the opponents either winning or losing and that’s that until the next game. Such games can be a fun test of tactical skill but it can be even more rewarding if they form part of a wider campaign. In a campaign, the players commanding the forces have to make the decisions at the strategic level that determine the context of any battles that occur. The outcome of these battles will, in turn, have strategic consequences for the ongoing campaign.
Although campaigns can be very rewarding, many wargamers are deterred by the need to produce maps and devise mechanisms for strategic movement, Intelligence, logistics, recruiting reinforcements, keeping track of casualties etc. Henry Hyde’s excellent book greatly eases this task with masses of sound advice, concrete suggestions and even a full set of campaign rules useful for any period upto AD 1900. ‘Whatever historical or fantasy setting your prefer, Henry shows that even simple campaigns can add extra fun to your gaming.
Contents:
1. An Introduction to Campaigns
Starting at the Beginning
2. Campaign Generalship
Mastering strategy
3. March to Glory
Campaign Rules for All the Ages
4. Where Are We Going?
Creating maps for your forces to fight over
5. With or Without Umpires—or Opponents
The Role of the Umpire and Solo Campaigns
6. We the People
Personality-Driven Campaigns
7. Skirmish and Roleplaying Campaigns
You don’t need thousands of troops to play campaigns
8. Whether the Weather May Be Wet or Fine…
Considerations of climate in wargame campaigns
9. War at Sea
Naval aspects of campaigns
10. Air Power
Adding aerial warfare to campaigns
11. Digital Campaigns
Making use of modern technology
12. Making Campaigns Work
The Wars of the Faltenian Succession
13. Standing on the Shoulders of Giants
Learning from well-known wargame campaigns
14. All Roads lead to Rome
The sheer variety of ideas for campaigns
Note: As with The Wargaming Compendium, I carried out all the design and layout work for this book.
Magazines
Until September 2016, I was editor and designer of the monthly Miniature Wargames with Battlegames. I was originally the editor/publisher/designer of bi-monthly Battlegames from March 2006 until its purchase by Atlantic Publishers in December 2011. Digital back issues are available from my Payhip shop.
