Wyre Forest Gamers - Nick's Trip to Prague October 2021

Nick's Trip to Prague October 2023

Club founder Nick paid a sentimental visit back to his old wargaming haunts in the Czech Republic during this month and an account of his adventures can be found below: -

In mid October 2023 Nick visited some old friends in Prague and played a couple of Seven Years War games with members of the Prague Wargames club. He would like to return to Prague sometime in 2024 with some of this club's members to spend some time over there sightseeing, etc, but also play some games with the Prague club members. He has kindly provided some details of his gaming activities in the Czech Republic, which you can read below, and there are additional photographs of the games in the Gallery.

When I moved to Prague in 2000 I could not find a wargaming club. There was a Czech version of a Games Workshop store where people played fantasy/sci fi games but there was no historical group. So, after a time trying to 'convert' some of the Games Workshop players I decided to form a club. I posted on various sites and put actual posters up in suitable places. This put a small group of us in touch and we started gaming at people's houses. Over time the group grew and we started hiring halls to play. We also ran some small shows and went on trips abroad to other shows. By the time I returned to the UK it was an active small club.

Since then it has continued to thrive. Nowadays the club rents a small club house which members can use at anytime, although of course it is mainly used at the weekend and perhaps the evenings. It has room for three or four six foot tables. In the years since I left Prague I have kept in touch with some of the members of the club and met them at various UK shows. This recent trip was the fist time I have been able to visit Prague again. I played two games with old friends and new members I hadn't met before. I am hoping this will be the start of greater mixing of the two groups. Hopefully, I will return to Prague in 2024 along with some of the Wyre Forest club members for a break and a few games. Perhaps in the future we can host some of the Prague group coming to visit us.

Both the games were set in the Seven Years War. The first game played was 'British' vs French. The 'British' deployed in 3 groups with British on the left, Hanoverians in the centre and Hessians on the right. The French blocked the advance of the various Germans and concentrated on defeating the British. Part of the French force lured the British forward while others attacked the British in the flank. The Brtish put up a tough fight but eventually were broken. The French then fell on the Hanoverians and quickly defeated them and secured victory.

In this second game it was the turn of another group of Czech players and this time it was Austrians vs Prussians. The Austrians defended but chose to spread out across the board. Seizing on this the Prussians aimed to mainly attack the Austrian left while being relatively passive in front of the rest of the Austrian army. The Austrians immediately attempted to attack on their right in an effort to destroy that but they would perhaps have been better to send help to their centre and right. In the centre the Prussians were tempted by to attack in support of the assault on the Austrian right which had some initial success but ran into trouble. On the Austrian right their attack finally landed and had some success but too late. The main Prussian attack had been delayed by the stubborn resistance of the Austrian Grenzers but made steady progress and defeated the Austrians in this area. This, combined with other losses, brought the Prussians victory.