Napoleonic Campaign Forum

Very busy day working on the Napoleonic Campaign Forum. I have had a lot of response from the query on the forum (or should that be fora?) regarding the existance of such a forum, and if not is there sufficient interest to start one.

I was really surprised that there was such a good response. And quite a few already run campaigns, some very complicated some quite simple. I have decided that there is no existing forum for this subject, and will start one.

I have never created a forum before, and had no idea how to go about it. I asked for help on the excellent Old School Wargaming forum, and Trevor Wheble was kind enough to offer to set it up for me. For the past couple of days we have been corresponding by email sorting things out.

I wanted to call it Napoleonic Campaign Forum, Trevor thought that was very dry and (thought he did not say so) uninspired. He came up with some suggestions, but I didn't like them. I am one of those people who like live by the principle "it does what it says on the lapel". I wanted the two key words "Napoleonic" and "Campaign" in the title so everyone would know what it was about.

Over dinner last night Jan and I discussed it at length. She is much more clever than I, certainly better able to "think outside the box". We could not come up with a good name, but she suggested that we stick with Napoleonic Campaign Forum and then ask members (when we get some) what name they would like. I think this is the ideal solution, but I am not sure whether you can change the name afterwards or not.

Then I had my version of a brainwave. I would call it "Campaigns of Napoleon". This has the virture that it contains the two key words "Campaigns" and "Napoleon" - as close to "napoleonic" as makes no difference. It has the added advantage that it is the title of David Chandlers excellent study of the period.

It does of course have the disadvantage that it sounds like it would only cater for Napoleons campaigns, and not those of Wellington or any other commander of the period. However "himself" did take part in pretty well all of the campaigns of the period, even in the Peninsular for a short time during 1808.

So "Campaigns of Napoleon" it will be.

I have just had a mail from Trevor confirming that he has set up the forum. However I cannot get it on my browser. So he is patiently working on the problem. With any luck I will be able to enter it later today.

I will then have to work out how to present it, before I post on the forum that it is now ready for use. I want it to look good before anyone else sees it. I think initial impressions are very important, and I don't want possible members put off by a badly presented first impression.

So that looks like being todays challenge - both for Trevor and for me. Wish us luck!