Designing an ideal introductory wargame
Updated: Aug 6, 2021
With Dr Lewis Pulsipher
In which Lew and I have a deep-dive ramble about designing ‘the ideal introductory wargame’.
We discuss some, to us, key issues in design:
What is a wargame?
What do we mean by introductory wargame?
Who is our audience?
The issue of sanitisation of war.
What would be the topic? We look at concepts of theme, atmosphere, model and simulation.
Who is the player; what does the player represent?
Euro gamers versus wargamers
Level of activity – tactical, operational, strategic; mechanics versus strategy
In part 2, we talk about:
Components and Kickstarter
Undaunted Normandy
Partners and teams
Uncertainty, fog of war, hidden information
Manoeuvre and movement
Combat and dice buckets
Economy, symmetric or asymmetric
Victory conditions
‘Gyp factor’ – experienced player vs novice player
Recap
While I was on https://telefoonrekeningcasino.com, the part about the "gyp factor" really stuck with me—how an experienced player can unintentionally crush a newcomer's enthusiasm. I've introduced a few friends to board games, and the skill gap is the biggest reason they stop showing up. That said, the discussion on sanitising war made me wonder if a game can be both approachable and honest about the subject matter.