Behind the scenes of Little Wars and Floor Games

Another witness to the birth of Little Wars
manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2020/12/24/r-thurston-hopkins-on-rls-h-g-wells-and-little-wars/

Wells' toy soldier chapter in The New Machiavelli 1911 anticipating Floor Games and Little Wars

manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2021/01/15/h-g-wells-the-new-machiavelli-1911-toy-soldiers-floor-games-and-little-wars

You might be interested in the information on this page. The notes at the end of the Introduction and Text sections discuss some of the topics in your post, such as the identity of the ill friend.

Scholarly Editing
2017, Volume 38

Little Wars by H. G. Wells
Edited by Nigel Lepianka and Deanna Stover

scholarlyediting.org/2017/editions/littlewars/intro.html#page_info

I tried posting to your blog but it didn't show up.

Two more of Wells' friends identified, who were involved in the development of Little Wars
manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2021/01/22/mr-w-and-a-dear-friend-who-died-two-more-invisible-men-behind-little-wars-1913/

The Poor Child's Magic City - scrap modelling for rich and poor, rural and urban in the early of Floor Games and Little Wars 1913

manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2021/01/24/the-poor-childs-city-e-nesbit-on-teachers-schools-and-making-magic-cities-in-wings-and-the-child-1913/

Three more early players of Little Wars identified - and Mr. H.G. Wells and author friends join the War Propaganda Bureau in WW1.
manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2021/02/05/three-more-players-of-h-g-wells-floor-game-little-wars-1913/

Good stuff.