Glasgow and District Wargaming Society

News
Welcome!

GDWS is the home of wargaming in Glasgow since 1969. This site tells you all about the society - what we do and when we meet. You can also browse through our extensive collection of display games that highlights the very best this fascinating hobby has to offer.

The new pandemic measures mean more physical spacing between tables and other safety precautions. But we have plenty of space and so are able to continue playing.

Duncan MacLeay Memorial Napoleonic Open Day
Glasgow and District Wargaming Society will be holding a Napoleonic Open Day on Sunday 22 May 2022 from 10:30am to 4:30pm at our Glasgow base. This is also a tribute to our former member, Duncan MacLeay, who kindly left a bequest to the Society in his will for such events.

We are inviting members and other wargame clubs to run Napoleonic themed games (display or participation) on that day. It can be at any scale or rules as long as it has a Napoleonic or Revolutionary Wars theme. There is no charge, lunch will be provided and there will be prizes!

If you are interested in running a game please let us know by the end of April at the latest. You are of course also welcome just to attend on the day.

To the Strongest Competition
We held a mini-TtS competition in April. Pictures on the blog.

SOTCW is back
The Society of Twentieth Century Wargamers is being relaunched. You can download the first edition of the newsletter 'The Runner' here. The Journal will also be coming back and the first edition will be published in January. A membership form is in the newsletter.

AGM
Our AGM was held on 12 September 2021. A schedule of meetings is on the meetings page. Our Open Day will be held later this year, partly due to the pandemic restrictions but also to fit in with a planned Napoleonic event. Watch this space!.

French v British using Black Seas rules

Anniversary Feature

2019 was the 50th anniversary of Glasgow and District Wargaming Society.

In 1969, helped by Dundee Wargames Club, eight members gathered in St Nicholas Church Hall for the first meeting of GDWS. The Society grew rapidly in the 1970’s, no doubt aided by the incentive of a pie and mash lunch! Members participated in the regional competitions that led to the formation of the Federation of Scottish Wargames Clubs and UK conventions.

Relations with the priests had always been cordial, but the church hierarchy decided wargaming wasn’t compatible, leaving GDWS homeless. After a couple of moves the Society found its current home on the south side of Glasgow.

Here a few photos of members collections from 50 years ago.