I have a cunning plan for my gaming this year. Rather than getting bogged down in a campaign, or in one period or scale, I intend to indulge my wargaming butterfly instincts, and I hope to save money too.
My plan is that every week or so I will play a game set in a historical context in a random year, selected by a game generator spreadsheet, but using the toys that I already have – even if some painting and preparation is needed. The wargames with models will be interspersed with playing through the collection of boardgames (wargames and others) in my loft.
For the first wargame the year 1801 was selected at random. Consulting my book “Timelines of War” I discovered that in 1801 the following took place: Copenhagen (British vs Danish navies), Aboukir (British vs French in Egypt), Tripolitan-American War, French invasion of Haiti.
Ruling out Copenhagen because I don’t have the models, except some 3-decker gaming pieces from a board game), I diced for the other three and came up with Tripoli vs USA.
Reading further about what had been known as the Barbary Wars until Tripoli declared war on the USA in 1801 I decided to play a game based on an attempt by The Tripolitans to break the American naval blockade.
Why? All will be explained in the next post.
General Whiskers' semi-historical wanderings 
Any game that has an officer drinking tea on horseback is off to a flying start. Happy New Year, General!
Regards, Chris.
I made that vignette for a game at the Wargames Holiday Centre. He represents me as the Honourable Sir Armstrong Whitworth C’Nardley-Standde, and now lives in the collection of the game organiser.