Phil Barker
Encyclopedia
Phil Barker is one of the major figures in the development of the modern hobby of tabletop wargaming, particularly that of ancient warfare, and is a co-founder of the Wargames Research Group
.
In the 1960s he was a methods engineer at British Leyland. However, in the 1970s he took voluntary redundancy to became the first person in the UK to work full time on wargames writing and rules design. At the time, he was also a keen horseman, a skill which he used to advantage in carrying out experiments in the use of cavalry weapons.
, though his interest lapsed during his time serving in the army. In the early 1960s he gamed alongside founders of the modern hobby such as Donald Featherstone
, Tony Bath
, and Charles Grant
. At the beginning he did not play ancients. His introduction to ancients was at a wargames show to which he had come to put on a modern warfare demonstration. There he met Tony Bath, and from him he acquired his first ancient wargames figures, an army of Byzantine flats. By 1968 he had written several sets of wargames rules - for ancient and medieval warfare, the American Civil War, the Second World War, and 1966-period wargames., He then began to focus on warfare of antiquity and, in 1968, and, along with Bob O'Brien and Ed Smith, founded the Wargames Research Group
. One of the basic principles of the WRG was that wargames rules should be based on the study of the nature of warfare of the period being modelled, and Phil was initially the researcher of the group. He published his best-known work, the Armies and Enemies of Imperial Rome, in 1972.
The first edition of the WRG's War Games Rules 1000 BC to 500 AD was published in 1969 and immediately made a great impact. Charles Grant
later wrote
(DBA), a completely new set of rules for the Ancient period, which led to a follow on series of rules using similar mechanisms known collectively as DBx. While not enjoying as dominant a position as his earlier rules, these remain popular world wide. Probably one of the more important developments from DBx is the use of standardized base frontages for mounting figures. When Barker's ancient rules standardized the frontages for 25mm figures at 60mm and 40mm for 15mm or smaller figures, other rule sets for ancient and medieval wargaming also adopted them. This has allowed people throughout the world to use their figures for almost any rule set and to be able to play against opponents from other parts of the world without having to re-base their figures. This is something that is not the case for other historical periods, where often figures will have to be re-based when changing rule sets.
Phil Barker was a founder member of the Society of Ancients
, serving on the committee for many years and contributing regularly to their magazine Slingshot. In 1994 he was elected Life Vice-President.
Wargames Research Group
The Wargames Research Group ' is a British publisher of rules and reference material for miniature wargaming. Founded in 1969 they were the premier publisher of tabletop rules during the seventies and eighties, publishing rules for periods ranging from ancient times to modern armoured warfare, and...
.
In the 1960s he was a methods engineer at British Leyland. However, in the 1970s he took voluntary redundancy to became the first person in the UK to work full time on wargames writing and rules design. At the time, he was also a keen horseman, a skill which he used to advantage in carrying out experiments in the use of cavalry weapons.
Introduction to Wargaming
Barker began wargaming as a boy using H.G. Wells Little WarsLittle Wars
Little Wars is a set of rules for playing with toy soldiers, written by H. G. Wells in 1913. Its full title is Little Wars: a game for boys from twelve years of age to one hundred and fifty and for that more intelligent sort of girl who likes boys' games and books.Little Wars is considered by some...
, though his interest lapsed during his time serving in the army. In the early 1960s he gamed alongside founders of the modern hobby such as Donald Featherstone
Donald Featherstone (wargamer)
Donald F. Featherstone is a British author of more than forty books on wargaming and military history. He wrote classic texts on wargaming in the 1960s and 1970s....
, Tony Bath
Tony Bath
Tony Bath was a British wargamer who favored the ancient period. His Hyboria campaign, based on the Conan the Barbarian stories of Robert E. Howard, is sometimes cited as the first fantasy wargame. It is even said to have included role playing elements. The Hyboria campaign did not contain...
, and Charles Grant
Charles Grant (game designer)
Charles Grant was a game author who helped popularize the hobby of tabletop wargaming. He is best known as the author of The War Game.Born in Scotland, and served in the Royal Air Force in World War 2. Later in Scotland Yard's Special Branch. Contributor to Military Modelling and Battle...
. At the beginning he did not play ancients. His introduction to ancients was at a wargames show to which he had come to put on a modern warfare demonstration. There he met Tony Bath, and from him he acquired his first ancient wargames figures, an army of Byzantine flats. By 1968 he had written several sets of wargames rules - for ancient and medieval warfare, the American Civil War, the Second World War, and 1966-period wargames., He then began to focus on warfare of antiquity and, in 1968, and, along with Bob O'Brien and Ed Smith, founded the Wargames Research Group
Wargames Research Group
The Wargames Research Group ' is a British publisher of rules and reference material for miniature wargaming. Founded in 1969 they were the premier publisher of tabletop rules during the seventies and eighties, publishing rules for periods ranging from ancient times to modern armoured warfare, and...
. One of the basic principles of the WRG was that wargames rules should be based on the study of the nature of warfare of the period being modelled, and Phil was initially the researcher of the group. He published his best-known work, the Armies and Enemies of Imperial Rome, in 1972.
Contribution to Ancient Wargaming
Barker's major contribution, however, has been as an innovative writer of games mechanisms. He has described his rules-writing philosophy as simply "It is my aim to produce the most accurate and playable rules I possibly can". However, his succinct writing style has drawn criticism, resulting in the term Barkerese to describe his complex explanation of rules.The first edition of the WRG's War Games Rules 1000 BC to 500 AD was published in 1969 and immediately made a great impact. Charles Grant
Charles Grant (game designer)
Charles Grant was a game author who helped popularize the hobby of tabletop wargaming. He is best known as the author of The War Game.Born in Scotland, and served in the Royal Air Force in World War 2. Later in Scotland Yard's Special Branch. Contributor to Military Modelling and Battle...
later wrote
The event was something of a milestone in wargaming history, not only that concerning the ancient period but in fact any other that could be named. The reason for this was that,for the first time,a book of rules based on firm research and considerable playing experience had been made generally available.The WRG Ancients rules ran to seven editions and were, in the 1970s and early 80's, by far the most popular rules in this period. In 1990, he, along with Richard Bodley-Scott, authored De Bellis Antiquitatis
De Bellis Antiquitatis
De Bellis Antiquitatis or DBA is a fast play set of rules for the hobby of historical miniature wargaming, particularly ancient and medieval wargaming in the period 3000 BC to 1485 AD. These rules allow entire armies to be represented by less than 50 figures. The rules also include a campaign...
(DBA), a completely new set of rules for the Ancient period, which led to a follow on series of rules using similar mechanisms known collectively as DBx. While not enjoying as dominant a position as his earlier rules, these remain popular world wide. Probably one of the more important developments from DBx is the use of standardized base frontages for mounting figures. When Barker's ancient rules standardized the frontages for 25mm figures at 60mm and 40mm for 15mm or smaller figures, other rule sets for ancient and medieval wargaming also adopted them. This has allowed people throughout the world to use their figures for almost any rule set and to be able to play against opponents from other parts of the world without having to re-base their figures. This is something that is not the case for other historical periods, where often figures will have to be re-based when changing rule sets.
Phil Barker was a founder member of the Society of Ancients
Society of Ancients
The Society of Ancients is an international, non-profit organization based in the UK that aims to promote interest in Ancient & Medieval history and wargaming, covering the periods from 3000BC to 1500AD.-The Society:...
, serving on the committee for many years and contributing regularly to their magazine Slingshot. In 1994 he was elected Life Vice-President.
Other Wargames Periods
Phil has wide interests in military history and has written rules in a range of historical periods, including the Napoleonic period and 20th. Century warfare. He has also produced rules on naval subjects, such as 16th. century galley warfare.Publications
- Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars, Wargames Research Group, ISBN 0950029947, 1971,
- Armies and Enemies of Imperial Rome 150AD to 600 AD, Wargames Research Group, ISBN 0904417174(4 editions 1972-1981)
- Ancient Wargaming (Airfix Magazine Guide No.9),Patrick Stevens Ltd., ISBN 0850592127, 1975
- Wargaming Know The Game ISBN 0715804160, EP. Publishing Ltd, 1976
- Alexander The Great's Campaigns (a guide to Ancient political and military wargaming), ISBN 0850593255, Patrick Stephens Ltd., Cambridge 1979
- Phil Barker's Introduction to Ancient Wargaming and WRG 6th Edition Ancient Rules 3000BC to 1485 AD. History of Wargaming Project, 2010 www.wargaming.co