This is a short, softcover book of 40 pages measuring about 135 x 205mm. It’s really more of a well-produced pamphlet, issued in collaboration with the Wargames Research Group.
It attempts to give a wide ranging overview of wargaming as a hobby: origins, how games are played, how to get started, build armies and construct terrain. For such a short volume it does an admirable job, and pretty much gives a good sense of how the hobby would have looked in the mid 1970s.
Phil Barker’s text is engaging, clear and concise. There are no rules included in the book, and that was probably a sensible a decision in such a short volume. But, everything else you would need to get started is there, including addresses of major suppliers, societies and further reading lists.
The main theme of the book is that it is, in essence, a 40 page advert for WRG. No opportunity is missed to highlight how important and universal their rules are. However, there are also some little gems in here. Mostly due to Phil Barker’s writing style which is playfully provocative at times.
Good Condition it has age discolouration on most pages and is a bit musty from storage. The cover is quite faded and marked. See photos, this is the actual book, not a stock shot.