Inspired by "Small Wars"

I think the greatest compliment I can give a game designer is "Thank you, you inspired me to play and from there I made my own version of your game." Small Wars is already worth its weight in gold to me (see below, also see The History of Wargaming Project - Small Wars):

I played one solo and one group game of "Six Months in the Sahara" French Foreign Legion (FFL) game. Both games ending with the FFL being overrun with hostile Arabs, dying (if not lead) in the finest tradition of The Legion (see below, the "homemade board):

What is more the "system" was taken one step further and applied to the apocalyptic world of "The Walking Dead" (see below, spoiler alert "everyone died" in a glorious do or die battle at the end):

The sign of a good game is one you enjoyed playing. The sign of a great game is when it inspires you to make one of your own for others! Thank you Mr David Wayne Thomas, the fun continues as I contemplate the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

Book: Small Wars (from The History of Wargaming Project)

Courtesy of John Curry's History of Wargaming Project subscriber email and Bob Cordery's (Wargaming Miscellany) post this little tome caught my eye (see below, and it's a beauty!):

It concentrates on asymmetrical wargame and fills a gap I have in COIN games (or could be seen as a starter into this area). The figure count required is low and te ingenuity level is high. Having read each section you want to play.

• ISAF Operations
• Colonial Foreign Legion
• Afghanistan (Soviet Era)
• Bush Wars (Africa) 
• 1920's Ireland: The Flying Column
• Vietnam

Note: I am not on commission but it is a little gem, see link below (Note: It is in the Solo Wargaming Section although I think the games would be best run with an umpire and group of players over a pint).

Small Wars