A Right Bloody Mess has Arrived!!!
Well butter
my bollocks and call me Nancy!
After two
years of hard graft, A Right Blood Mess aka ARBM is finally here.
So what’s got
me all hot all bothered? ARBM provides the wargamer everything they need to understand
the Australian (Civil) War, the events leading up to it and the first year of
the conflict.
The Australian
War starts on the 9th April 1933 with the secession of Western Australia, the Northern
Territory (which together form the Dominion of Westralia) and Victoria. Detail
is provided about the kidnapping of New South Wales Premier, Jack Lang, on the
13th May 1932 by the New Guard, allowing players to include this earlier confrontation.
ARBM is a
sourcebook, with detailed information about the leadup to civil war, the
factions involved and their capabilities and resources. Limited information is
provided about the first year of the conflict so that gamers may take the setting
where they will. It is rules and scale agnostic for the same reason.
The setting
is based in fact and most of the detail is historically accurate, including the
content and distribution of the armed forces, various factions, armaments
factories, etc. This will hopefully allow players to explore the gamut of plausibility
from “very historical” to “whimsical.” A good example of the latter is the
1930s cars produced by Eureka miniatures and the complementing Maximillian 1934
rules published by Mana Press.
The book is a 6.1”
x 9.2”, full colour, cloth bound hardcover running to 282 page, plus dust
jacket. Price is A$80 or £45. Copies will be on sale at Eureka Miniatures or by
contacting me at arbm1933@iinet.net.au.
Below is the
Table of Contents to give you a better idea of the book’s scope. The structure
of each faction’s information is at the bottom.
Happy gaming,
Matt
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Page
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Table
of Contents
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1
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Preface:
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3
3
4
5
7
8
14
17
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Section
1:
An
Overview of the Australian Civil War.
Federation:
The Depression:
New South Wales Crisis:
The Gathering Storm:
Descent into Civil War:
The Australian War:
Alternate versions of
Alternate-History:
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19
19
25
30
33
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Section
2:
Australian
Armed Forces Pre-Secession.
Australian Army:
Royal Australian Navy:
Royal Australian Air
Force:
Civilian Weapons:
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35
40
40
42
42
44
44
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Section
3:
Descent
into Chaos.
Standardisation:
Uniforms:
Organisation:
Small Arms and
Equipment:
Artillery:
Wargaming Figures:
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51
51
53
55
77
101
124
142
155
166
177
184
195
203
203
203
205
218
221
223
226
228
228
229
229
229
229
230
230
231
231
233
234
238
241
242
243
245
246
246
247
248
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Section
4:
Faction
Guide
A New Australia:
Known Factions 1933:
Dominion of Westralia:
Victoria:
New South Wales &
the FCT:
Queensland:
South Australia:
Tasmania:
Australian Red Centre:
The Riverina Movement:
Australian’s Labour
Unions:
Communist Party of
Australian:
Other Left-Wing Organisations:
United Front Against
Fascism:
Australian Labor Party:
The New Guard:
Fascists within the New
Guard:
The Italian Fascist
Movement:
The Old Guard:
League of National
Security:
Other Right-Wing Organisations:
The Australian Fascist
Party:
The Centre Party:
Blue Shirts:
Silent Knights:
Australia First
Movement:
Black Shirts:
Citizens' League of
South Australia:
The Establishment:
United Australia Party:
Attorney-General’s Department:
Investigation Branch:
State Police Forces:
Societies Underbelly –
Gangs and Criminals:
Australian Immigrants
and Other Groups:
New Zealand:
Italian Immigrants:
Irish Immigrants:
German Immigrants:
Chinese and Asian
Immigrants:
Religions Groups:
Smaller and Ad-hoc Groups:
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249
250
252
253
254
255
256
257
259
259
262
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Section
5:
Wargaming
ARBM:
Repurposing Miniatures:
Potential Rule Sets:
Campaigns and
Scenarios:
Campaigns:
Company to Regimental
Sized Engagements:
Skirmish Games:
RPG-Lite:
Examples of Faction
Creation:
Geelong Workers Union:
The Murray River
Growers Association:
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265
265
265
267
268
269
271
275
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Section
6:
Additional
Information.
Australian Spirit:
Technology and History:
Militia Units:
The Setting:
Going Beyond 1933:
Designers Notes:
Useful Links:
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Faction
Information:
The information present for each
faction listed in Section 4 is
structured in the following manner:
1.
Introduction and Overview:
2.
Military Organisational Structure:
3.
Army:
4.
Air Force:
5.
Navy:
6.
Key Infrastructure:
a.
Mining and Agriculture:
b.
Military Production:
c.
Transportation:
d.
Other Key Infrastructure:
7.
Wargaming the Faction:
a.
Training and Support:
b.
Uniforms and Equipment:
c.
Heavy Equipment:
d.
Primary Allies and Opponents:
8.
Wargaming Figures:
(Note: Not all factions
have every section listed above, the
minor factions only
have those parts that are applicable to them.)
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