Donald Featherstone (wargamer)
The founding father of modern hobby wargaming, whose rulebooks and passion turned historical battles into a global living-room pastime.
1918–2013 (age 95)·British physiotherapist, military historian, author & wargamer·Birthday: March 20·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Donald Featherstone was a man whose peacetime vocation was healing bodies as a physiotherapist, but his lifelong passion was reconstructing the chaos of battle. After serving in World War II with the Royal Tank Regiment, he began writing military history with a practical, hands-on bent. In the early 1960s, he published 'War Games', a book that did something radical: it provided clear, accessible rules for everyday people to refight historical conflicts with miniature soldiers. This book lit the fuse for the modern wargaming hobby. Featherstone became its tireless evangelist, authoring dozens of manuals covering everything from ancient warfare to World War II. His writing style was clear, enthusiastic, and inviting, demystifying complex tactics for a generation of enthusiasts. More than just a rule-writer, he was the hobby's central correspondent, connecting isolated players through magazines and conventions, effectively building the community that still thrives today.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Donald was born in 1918, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Donald Was Born
The biggest hits of 1918
Donald's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1918Born
World War I ends; Spanish flu pandemic kills millions
President: Woodrow Wilson
1923Started school
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1931Became a teenager
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1934Could drive
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1936Could vote
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1939Turned 21
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1948Turned 30
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1958Turned 40
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1968Turned 50
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1978Turned 60
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 70
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 80
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2013Died at 95
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
Key Achievements
- Authored the seminal book 'War Games' (1962), which catalyzed the modern hobby wargaming movement.
- Wrote over 50 books on wargaming and military history, covering a vast range of periods and conflicts.
- Served as a prolific columnist and editor for wargaming magazines like 'Wargamer's Newsletter'.
- His work established foundational rules and concepts still used in historical miniature wargaming.
Did You Know?
He was a champion sprinter in the British Army and later a professional physiotherapist for Southampton Football Club.
He served as a tank commander in the Royal Tank Regiment during World War II.
His personal wargames collection featured thousands of meticulously painted miniature soldiers.
He was a founding member of the Wargames Research Group, a major force in developing wargaming rules.
“The unpainted lead mountain is the curse of the wargamer.”
