Now, we had it tough...

Back in the 1970s Britain crackled with the static generated by 20 million pairs of crimpelene slacks, men sprayed their hair with an evil smelling laquer called Cossack, the height of culinary sophistication was mechanically reclaimed meat and pubs in Britain were compelled by law to be shut whenever you wanted to buy a drink. Life was brutish (or more accurately Brut-ish), money was short and so we had to get our wargames enjoyment from things like this:

 

 

 

 

You sent off for the Micro series from Tabletop Games in Nottingham. The small bag you received in return for your cheque or postal order contained everything you needed for a wargame - troops, terrain, measuring devices and rules, all bar the latter made of thin cardboard. It might have looked like an Avalon Hill boardgame, with counters representing troops, but you played it like a figure game - the hills even had contours. From what I recall it was actually quite a good game, if visually underwhelming.  However, I only had the Micro Colonial set with the Rorke's Drift supplement, though doubtless there are people out their who can tell us what delights the Ancients package pictured above contained.

Well, come on, speak up now!