One of the issues with playing a wargame is size. If you want to play a campaign it is impractical to play every battle and action. There is not enough time to play all the minor actions not enough figure to field all the disparate forces required nor enough table space. My resolution to these problems is 'The Significant Action'.

For example let us take the American Civil War. It can be argued that Gettysburg was the pivotal engagement of the war. Before Gettysburg the South was trying to win and afterwards trying to avoid defeat. Within the battle itself three events are seen as significant, first Buford's delaying action on Seminary ridge, second Chamberlin's defence of little round top and finally Pickett's Charge. I would suggest that Buford's action was the most significant as with out the delay caused by him the others may well have not taken place at all! We might argue therefore that Buford won the American Civil War and anyone wishing to game the war need look no further that that action!!

I'm not really suggesting getting rid of all your lovely figures but pointing out that even the largest encounter resolves around a few, often one pivotal event. What that that event was is often only identified may years after the actual events took place. As a war gamer we are however at liberty to circumvent that wait.

Imagine an encounter between two forces. Not only might there be a major battle but as the two sides manoeuvrer there are also many often small clashes which we could game. Perhaps a cavalry raid on a supply column, or a clash between rival skirmish parties over a farm or hamlet. The possibilities are endless. Now imagine that it was that encounter which future historians would identify as the Significant Action. Perhaps that cavalry raid prevented enough supplies getting through or by driving of the cavalry extra ammo was delivered in the nick of time. Perhaps the farm fought over by those skirmishers was called Hougoumont. Imagine if the French had started off there!

So when playing a campaign I randomly generate a scenario and declare that to be ‘The Significant Action’ deciding the ultimate outcome the that particular encounter in the campaign.