Crafting A Roleplaying Experience for Kids

Many gamers who entered the hobby during the “Dawn of Roleplaying” (otherwise known as “The Early Eighties”) who start families seek to expand their gaming opportunities to include their children, sometimes as an offshoot of existing gaming activities and other times to rekindle a hobby set aside in the course of handling a deluge of adult responsibilities. While various companies have published many “introductory” roleplaying games over the years, most focused on luring fans of game worlds (including kids) into the companies’ mainstream game lines. These don’t always work right out of the box -- usually having a roleplaying savvy gamer among the players helps -- and the rules and/or the setting aren’t always ideal for introducing children to roleplaying games, especially particular groups of kids exploring roleplaying games with a parent-gamemaster.

The introductory roleplaying games explored in the last Hobby Games Recce dispatch remain admirable efforts; but ultimately kids need an experienced parent-gamemaster to craft their first roleplaying game experience best suited to their particular interest in an engaging genre and their ability to understand and play within the rules mechanics. This essentially boils down to the parent-gamemaster adapting a familiar roleplaying game rules set to a younger audience and their setting interests.

Generic game systems best lend themselves to this process, though gamemasters with time and a keen analytical mind can distill the mechanics out of any setting-specific game and port them to other genres. Some very good child-oriented roleplaying games exist, though these, too, benefit most from an involved parent-gamemaster.

Formula

Whether using a game system specifically designed as “kid friendly” or adapting an existing system meant more for “adult” players, parent-gamemasters might keep this “formula” in mind:

Cool Setting + Easy Rules = Fun for Kids

Note the setting comes first; that’s the teaser for kids. Few children want to play games with complex mechanics without the promise that the adventure setting offers some fulfilling rewards. The setting may be original or based on a popular media property that captures children’s imagination and attention. Most parent-gamemasters who entered the hobby through some iteration of D&D channel their enthusiasm for the dungeon-delving, hack-and-slash genre to their kids. Some children like medieval fantasy dungeon adventures with elves, dwarves, goblins, and treasure. Others might prefer typical science fiction adventures. Many prefer to explore specific settings based on well-established and appealing licenses that captivate kids’ attention; they want to play in the world they read about in books, see in films, and watch on television, visiting the same locations, fighting the same foes, and engaging in the same kinds of misadventures.

The rules should be familiar to parent-gamemasters to the point they can easily distill core elements -- character generation, combat/skill tests, adventure elements -- into a meaningful game experience appropriate for the age of children joining the game. Parent-gamemasters might follow a philosophy of emphasizing action, character, and setting, with the rules as a secondary storytelling aid. Taking the part of gamemaster requires serving as both game moderator and rules encyclopedia so players don’t have to worry about knowing all the rules. In his recent reflections on the Tom Moldvay edited Basic Dungeons & Dragons, Al at the Beyond the Black Gate blog noted that “Having fun = Not worrying about the Rules,” at least from the players’ perspective. That premise should serve as the foundation as a parent-gamemaster crafts a roleplaying game experience for a younger audience, whether distilling existing game systems to their level or explaining rules during play.

As children grow into the system and understand its nuances one can always increase the complexity of the game system by slowly adding optional rules left out from initial play, as agreed upon by everyone involved. Remain open to the philosophy the recently released Lego board games always include, an interesting concept regarding modification of existing rules engines: “The secret to changing a game is to change only one thing at a time. That way, you can see if the change makes the game more fun. If it does, keep it and then try another. Changing a game is always more fun when done together. That way everyone knows the rules and knows what is being changed.”

Easy Rules to Customize

Several game systems stand out as ones ideal for customizing to a children’s introductory roleplaying game experience. Some include iconic game elements from our own youth -- like polyhedral dice, classic terminology, hack-and-slash dungeon crawls -- while others continue pushing the boundaries of innovative game design in concise formats ideal for busy parents with little free time on their hands. All these recommendations assume an adult with experience running roleplaying games shepherds kids through the game processes, from creating characters (or pregenerating them) to teaching rules and leading them through some basic adventures. Some are genre-specific, others are generic and require more work to customize the systems to a setting that engages children’s interest and imaginations.

Any Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set: Why re-invent the wheel? Start with a streamlined version of any D&D starter set (and I’ll include the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Beginner Box here, too). Longtime gamers might still have some version of an original Basic Dungeons & Dragons rulebook gathering dust on their shelves, and the current D&D starter sets have the benefit of a low price point compared to other professionally published games. One might also try one of the numerous D&D retro-clone like Swords & Wizardry, Warrior Rogue Mage, or Labyrinth Lord (though I don’t consider Old School Hack in this category, as it’s more a hybrid of retro-clone merged with some innovative new gaming concepts; see below). While the rules for D&D-style games might seem complex for kids, a good parent-gamemaster can distill the essentials into a playable format while retaining some of the iconic concepts and terminology like hit points and armor class.

Old School Hack: Those seeking a D&D-style play experience with some innovative rules and presentation might check out Kirin Robinson’s Ennie Award-winning Old School Hack (available in free PDF format online). While it simulates “old-school” gaming, the game actually incorporates some intuitive, innovative rules. The graphically appealing and well-organized layout makes each page feel like a quick-reference handout, from the actual character sheets and class descriptions to sections explaining combat rules, monsters, and treasure. The visual representation of each character’s actions in the combat round by either cards or the hex arrangement can help younger players understand the tactical advantages of taking certain actions before others and the importance of resolving challenges through a set sequence. (I’ve gushed about Old School Hack in a previous Hobby Games Recce dispatch….)

Risus: The Anything RPG: S. John Ross’ key contribution to the collective roleplaying game evolution stands as a basic game framework one can easily customize. (It's also availible online for free.) Players define characters with clichés to which they assign dice, which they roll to succeed against challenges and lose as “hit points” of a sort. The concise, intuitive rules take very little time to read, comprehend, and customize to nearly any setting. Parent-gamemasters can help kids understand the concept of clichés, but once they do, and can use them to craft a character, they can learn how to justify using them for various tasks, especially those not usually associated with a  given cliché…which is part of the fun behind Risus. Subtle nuances in optional rules allow for more storytelling and character depth using “hooks” and “tales,” and greater game power by “pumping” die rolls or using “funky” dice. Those using Risus have a wealth of resources available from the game’s active online fan community, which releases material ranging from the generic to the setting-specific. (I’ve talked about Risus in the context of short and sweet roleplaying games in a previous Hobby Games Recce dispatch….)

D6 System: In any of its incarnations -- from the classic D6 Star Wars Roleplaying Game to more contemporary iterations like Cinema6 and Mini Six -- the D6 System remains an intuitive, easy-to-learn roleplaying game one can quickly customize for younger players. Mini Six in particular lends itself to customization across genres in its overall presentation and approach, and encourages parent-gamemasters to pick and choose which rules options they prefer for various mechanics. (As a fan of the D6 System and its various incarnations, I’ve briefly discussed Mini Six in a previous Hobby Games Recce dispatch….) Since the D6 System remains available through an Open Gaming License arrangement, one can find many materials, from rules sets to entire settings, free online.

New Developments Every Day

Introducing children to roleplaying games has swiftly become a trend in the adventure gaming community, as demonstrated by a surge in online discussions, game materials, blogs, and free or for-pay products. DriveThruRPG and its affiliates recently highlighted the host of games it offers geared toward children, and a site search for “kids” reveals a host of possibly appropriate games ranging from those tailored specifically to young kids’ interests and abilities and those with child-like settings they might find engaging. A general internet search for “kids D&D” or “roleplaying with kids” returns a flood of results -- more than most humans can meaningfully comprehend -- demonstrating my firm belief that the internet has caused such an exponential explosion in the sharing of ideas that it threatens to overwhelm humanity’s collective sense of reality.

Most of the recently released games cater to parent-gamemasters seeking to introduce their kids to roleplaying games the way they first began…with old-school renaissance retro-clone-style hack-and-slash, dungeon crawl action. Some, like the Warriors Adventure Game mentioned previously at Hobby Games Recce, tie the game to a particular setting, and others, like Argyle & Crew, use original premises that relate directly to the rules. These more recent entries require more exploration on my part (and thus more time than I have at the moment) before I can knowledgeably discuss them; but they’re worth investigating yourself and watching for future developments:

rpgKids: With claims kids as young as four years old can play it, rpgKids seems ideal for introducing young children to a very basic roleplaying game experience. Creator Enrique Bertran packed the rules, introductory scenario, character cards, and hero/monster tokens into a 24-page PDF rulebook; and one can purchase the rules bundled with the Adventure Pack (four scenarios plus related maps and tokens). Wired’s GeekDad column offered some first-hand insights on the game in a recent feature. Definitely on my list of things to explore as time allows.

Argyle & Crew - Soppet Adventures: Another game claiming kids as young as four years old can play it, Ben Gerber’s Argyle & Crew links gameplay to physical sock puppets (the eponymous “soppets”), whose physical properties, as created by children, serve as the character sheet. The soppets help break down barriers of play acting and encourage imaginative play. Wired’s GeekDad column offered some first-hand insights on the game in a recent feature.

DungeonTeller: A basic roleplaying game experience geared toward kids, Dungeon Teller is available free through author-illustrator Doug Anderson’s Blue Boxer Rebellion blog (which also explores elements of early D&D in the context of both the old school renaissance and games for kids). The early version rules set includes iconic character classes for kids to play, with lots of special abilities, an innovative luck/hit point system, and the chance to roll handfuls of dice. Anderson posts updates and expansions for the system on his blog, along with artwork he’s rendering for a new version and entertaining insights on D&D. Definitely a work-in-progress worth following.

As always, I realize I’m overlooking some very worthy entries in the recent spate of introductory roleplaying game resources for children. This missive isn’t meant to be a comprehensive survey or encyclopedia of such games, only a brief overview and cursory exploration. I’m always interested in hearing about new developments in all aspects of the adventure gaming  hobby, so please don’t be shy about dropping me a line with suggestions.

Roleplaying Games for Kids

Introducing children to roleplaying games might seem like a recent trend in the adventure gaming hobby, despite its evolution from a marketing urge by established game publishers to a personal quest for many parent-gamers seeking to interest and involve their kids in one of their own favorite hobbies. Then as now it presents numerous challenges in merging engaging settings that captures children’s imaginations with workable rules systems within kids’ comprehension and attention spans.

Publishing a roleplaying game solely to introduce a younger audience to the adventure gaming hobby has long remained the “holy grail” of game companies. Many felt an introductory product would help create a new generation of players to fuel future sales of existing product. One finds many admirable efforts in this vein given the hobby’s short and prolific history; however, their degree of success varies wildly, and no one product stands out as being quite the iconic introductory success publishers would like. Some of these weren’t necessarily marketed as introductory roleplaying games specifically for children; most catered to fans of a particular license or genre seeking to play out their fantasies within the scope of a roleplaying game. A few examples of introductory products come to mind, not all of which were or are suited to children, even with adult guidance; but they offer some insight into past approaches and pitfalls of designing roleplaying game products with newcomers in mind:

Dungeons & Dragons: Throughout most of its publishing history, most editions of Dungeons & Dragons have had some introductory boxed set available to lure unsuspecting game enthusiasts in mass-market toy stores into the roleplaying game hobby. They usually come in boxed sets with a variety of components, depending on the TSR/Wizards of the Coast budget at the time; some include the bare essentials of player book, gamemaster guide, and polyhedral dice, while one even came with unpainted plastic miniatures and CDs with sound effects to accompany the obligatory beginner adventure module included in the box. One might argue the original Basic/Expert Dungeons & Dragons experience was an early effort to introduce a younger audience to the terminology and gameplay of Advanced D&D.

Prince Valiant: The Story-Telling Game: A long-lost gem of the introductory game genre, the Prince Valiant game was designed by Greg Stafford and published by Chaosium in 1989, based on the extensive knowledge he poured into the Pendragon Arthurian roleplaying game. The game system relied on only two attributes, Brawn and Presence, and resolved game conflicts with coin tosses (though some of us preferred six-sided dice with 1-3 as “tails” and 4-6 as “heads”). The text was generously embellished with amazing Hal Foster line art from the comic strips, which helped to maintain visual interest in the rules and, in many cases, illustrate basic game concepts with examples from the comics. The game introduced basic roleplaying game concepts through the storytelling perspective, complemented by its comic-strip provenance. A rare treasure these days -- I found my copy in New York City’s The Compleat Strategist when it maintained a storefront in the subterranean shopping concourse of Rockefeller Center.

Pokemon Jr. Adventure Game: Possibly the most successful in execution -- though not sales and continued play -- of the professionally published roleplaying games for kids, this game attempted to introduce younger kids (6+) to gaming in the Pokemon universe without the complexities of the collectible card game produced by Wizards of the Coast at the time (before losing the license). Designed in 2000 by the venerable Bill Slavicsek and Stan! (both West End Games and Star Wars Roleplaying Game alumni), it included an extremely simple Pokemon combat system and a book of linear adventures through which kids could play. While it represents a solid effort to design an introductory roleplaying game product for children based on a popular setting, it failed to reach and retain a large audience; plans for supplements supporting the game line were scrapped after Wizards of the Coast lost the Pokemon license.

Lord of the Rings Adventure Game: Iron Crown Enterprises’ 1991 attempt to lure new players into its complex yet well-established Middle-earth Role Playing system used a much simplified rules set based more on the company’s Middle-earth Quest books than the main game. Programmed adventures walked individual players through the basic rules and a gamemaster through the nuances of running a game for several players. The books came in a box with maps, dice, and cardboard characters with stands; two full scenario supplements were also released. It’s doubtful the adventure game lured too many games into its more complex cousin, which already had an extremely loyal following, and the company lost the Middle-earth license in 1999, ending any plans to support the introductory product. (And while subsequent Lord of the Rings roleplaying games had far better, full-color production values, they were clearly produced for an audience steeped in the intricacies of roleplaying games.)

Star Wars Adventure Game: This was my personal contribution to the introductory roleplaying game genre. With the release of the Star Wars Special Edition trilogy re-release (way back in 1997) West End Games hoped to draw more fans into its roleplaying game with a introductory boxed set with a host of components: player and gamemaster booklets, an adventure campaign book, cardboard stand-ups, maps, and dice. I took a hiatus from editing The Official Star Wars Adventure Journal to develop the intro game in-house. I’ll admit the Lord of the Rings Adventure Game influenced my approach in providing programmed adventures for both players and gamemasters; I also attempted to distill the more expanded, complex rules that sprouted with each new edition of the Star Wars roleplaying game toward a more basic form, more like the game’s first edition. The game was published in time to capitalize on the Star Wars Special Edition re-release to movie theaters; again, evidence remains purely anecdotal that fans who picked up the intro boxed set at Toys R Us and the other, limited mainstream venues in which it appeared moved on to play (and purchase) mainline Star Wars Roleplaying Game materials.

Warriors Adventure Game: This 54-page roleplaying game available for free download online introduces fans of the popular Warriors novels (about cat clans living in the wild) to roleplaying, providing guidelines to create their own cat characters and interactively create their own stories in the Warriors setting. The game uses some standard roleplaying game elements like ability scores, skills, and knacks, but leaves out the random nature of die rolls in favor of “chips” players can spend to improve their scores in trying to overcome particular obstacles during the game. Players take turns each scene as the “Narrator,” giving everyone a chance to run the game. The game includes a short sample adventure, plus game information for the major cat characters from the books. One of the better games for kids seeking to explore roleplaying games on their own.

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Beginner Box: The only contemporary entry in this list, the intro box for the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game (an iteration of the popular D&D 3.5 edition rules as released under the Open Gaming License) serves as an example of what a current introductory boxed set looks like in this day and age of slick, full-color booklets, cardboard stand-ups, dice, pawns, and maps. Although the level of game complexity remains based in D&D 3.5, the beginner box presentation and streamlined rules gradually introduces game concepts to newcomers. I regret I’ve not yet acquired a copy to evaluate first-hand, but the model seems to work for Paizo Publishing, though much of Pathfinder’s popularity rises from its firm grounding in D&D 3.5 and its hordes of followers who rejected the latest D&D 4th edition and its many changes.

No doubt a web search for roleplaying games for kids would turn up a number of sites offering general surveys of acceptable materials offering varying degrees of success and numerous genres that may or may not interest a particular group of children. The “RPGs for Kids” listing provides relatively comprehensive and recent guide, but most all the entries fall under the category of games that are good for parent-gamemasters to introduce kids to roleplaying rather than ones kids can pick up on their own and start playing.

I’m sure I’m inadvertently forgetting or overlooking some key examples individual gamers remember -- this isn’t mean to be an exhaustive survey or dissertation on the subject -- but most of the above-mentioned, professionally published games rely on potential players’ previously established interests in a particular license, setting, or genre. While these products -- and others -- purport to introduce the concept of roleplaying games and iconic setting to newcomers to the adventure gaming hobby, they’re not always well-suited for bringing children into the gaming fold. These games are either specially designed for people new to roleplaying or are easy and inspiring enough for an experienced gamer to introduce to non-gamers. Roleplaying games remain an esoteric pastime that many of us learned not out of the box on our own but from others who showed us how to play. Few are ready right out of the box; at the least they require an adult gamemaster to learn the rules and translate that presentation to the level of children with limited attention spans; at most they require lots of effort to port existing game product to a child-acceptable level, possibly including pre-generated characters, simplified rules, and modified setting material.

One might argue many games exist adults can easily to use to introduce kids to the roleplaying game hobby; but finding a game that, in and of itself, is a good introduction to teach kids, without an adult, to play roleplaying games is a far more difficult creature to find or design. Which leads me to surmise that the best approach to introducing kids to roleplaying games comes from a knowledgeable parent-gamemaster customizing a game to the interests and attention spans of a particular group of children, and not from any “ready to play right out of the box” kids can explore on their own.

Where does that leave parents seeking some elusive product that can magically entice their children into an enthusiastic interest in the roleplaying game hobby? The solution requires a bit of work, but ultimately crafting a roleplaying game experience for kids in an engaging setting customized from an easy rules-set familiar to the parent-gamemaster seems the best option; one Hobby Games Recce will explore further in the next post.

Showcase Games

Although we generally play games in the form in which they’re initially produced-- with the original components in their intended format -- some enthusiasts enjoy crafting elaborate versions of or accessories for those games, a phenomenon I call “showcase games.” These forms of existing games employ custom-made, often oversized components to create an interesting spectacle for onlookers and a memorable game experience for players.

  

Board games provide the best possibilities for conversion to showcase games. European parks (and a few American ones) sometimes feature oversized chess pieces, with boards painted or inlaid into the pavement. Some renaissance festivals stage “living” chess games varying from ones with attendees wearing hats or holding pennants to note their particular pieces to ren-faire actors taking the role of pieces that engage in staged combat sequences to win over contested squares.
  
Many high-end board games -- what folks might call Euro-games or German-style games that dominate the market these days -- provide beautiful components, but they’re designed to fit into a game box; some gamers go one step further and create showcase versions by increasing the size or details, such as the Settlers of Catan boards made of oversized hexes with diorama terrain and large custom pieces frequently featured at major game conventions. Looking through the photos for some games at BoardGameGeek.com often shows how players have crafted their own showcase components for a favorite game using techniques from simply enlarging components to crafting more elaborate pieces from miniatures and terrain cross-purposed from wargames and roleplaying games. Avid wargamers certainly have the existing resources to turn military themed board games into more visually impressive games. Some convert combat-related board games -- often called “battle games,” like Richard’ Borg’s epic Memoir ’44, Battle Cry, and Command and Colors: Napoleonics -- drawing on their existing resources of painted soldier and vehicle miniatures, field mats, and modeled terrain features to play out scenarios from the board game in the much wider wargaming format. Some board games -- most notably the aerial Wings of War (newly reincarnated as Wings of Glory) and the line of Axis & Allies Miniatures games, but also the recently released mainstream Battleship Galaxies from Hasbro -- blur the line between board and war games and offer pre-packaged showcase games in their original forms. They combine high quality, pre-painted minis as “pieces” and combine basic wargaming concepts in easy-to-understand board game rules.
  
Miniature wargames are naturally showcase games unto themselves since they often require vast tables of terrain, objectives, and painted unit miniatures to create a diorama upon which participants recreate historical battles or fight fictional ones. Gaming conventions featuring such games offer tables covered in amazing terrain and intricately painted miniatures; I’ve seen many impressive ones, including a table-sized diorama of an ancient Egyptian tomb valley for Crocodile Games’ WarGods of Aegyptus and a miniature wargame table depicting the siege of Rorke’s Drift, complete with hordes of Zulu warriors. Although they offer a fantastic visual spectacle that often draws onlookers, the rules frequently used tend toward the more complex, not exactly ideal for attracting new players either to the game or the hobby. The aforementioned “battle games” and board games with miniatures and basic rules seem more appealing to newcomers dabbling in the hobby.
    
Roleplaying games seem the least likely to lend themselves to showcase games since the action often takes place within the players’ imaginations, aided by frequent consultations of character sheets, rule books, and occasional maps or battle maps with hastily drawn dungeons and minis denoting the position of heroes and adversaries. Transitioning roleplaying game action to a showcase game setting doesn’t really enhance regular play, but can prove an attractive visual spectacle to draw interest from newcomers to the hobby. Showcase roleplaying games often consisting of elaborate dioramas with painted minis similar to those used in wargames, but tailored to the particular roleplaying game’s setting; using these visual props during gameplay helps transition players familiar with board game concepts to the different paradigm of pieces as characters and the “board” as an environment in which to move them and with which they can interact. While working on West End Game’s Star Wars Roleplaying Game we ran demo games at GenCon using a massive mine diorama showing both the above-ground installations and subterranean works, complete with painted Star Wars minis; the demos and visual presentation drew newcomers to the game and helped them learn basic game concepts (and possibly interested them in purchasing the game).
    
Like many things in the adventure gaming hobby, showcase games remain true labors of love -- though some might claim they’re cries for attention -- given the vast amounts of work required to craft such spectacles. Because they’re custom-made they have limited use. They often require adequate space to set up and play, and work best in places where their visual appeal can draw an appreciative audience. Their creators don’t necessarily make them to be sold, since they’re meant to impress rather than make money; though for many wargames, individual terrain components can often find use in other games, so selling them off doesn’t make sense to those actively pursuing the miniatures wargaming hobby.
   
Where do you find showcase games? Your best bet still remains gaming conventions (or fan cons with gaming programming tracks), particularly miniature wargaming conventions. On rare occasions they serve as impressive centerpieces at library gaming events for kids, teens, and adults, museum functions, game days, renaissance festivals, or other venues catering to geeky interests. Such novelties look amazing and provide a more enjoyable play experience for participants, but they’re best in public environments where such visual spectacle can promote games and encourage enthusiasm for the hobby.
 
My Own Showcase Gaming Materials
  
I’ll admit I don’t have the time, money, or much inclination to create showcase versions of games I love. I suppose the closest I came was when I was working for West End Games and doing frequent demos for The Star Wars Roleplaying Game (D6 version) at conventions and stores (back when I had time and inspiration). I built several set pieces, as I call them, to arrange into game dioramas to use with painted Star Wars miniatures. The most impressive was a diorama of downtown Mos Eisley based on the map from Tatooine Manhunt, including the cantina and a nearby docking bay. My brother built a customized wooden box to house the entire diorama (about 3 x 6 feet when open); a combination of painted metal miniatures and Galoob MicroMachine figures populated the Mos Eisley streets, and appropriately scaled models of a YT-1300 freighter, Lambda-class shuttle, X-wing fighter, and other vehicles could dock in the landing bay. I later crafted other, smaller set pieces, including piles of rubbish simulating a starship junkyard and a bunker, barracks huts, and speeder hangar tent for an Imperial scout post.
   
I have some ancient Egyptian-themed temple and tomb diorama materials and associated figures I occasionally use for running Pulp Egypt scenarios or displaying at vendor’s tables at conventions to tempt passers-by. They generally attract interest when statically displayed and enhance the play experience when used to help visualize the action at the gaming table. I also have a few boxes of miscellaneous medieval fantasy minis and terrain pieces that don’t see much action these days (I’d done some demos on the road for West  End Games’ Hercules & Xena roleplaying game way, way back…).
  
I do engage in miniatures wargaming, though I don’t have a huge amount of gaming materials: some desert and forest terrain pieces, a company of 1880s British soldiers, a horde of dervishes, some painted (and many unpainted) tanks for Flames of War. Frequent readers know of my love for the World War II version of Wings of War; although the basic version is a board game incorporating cards and counters, the use of a few aircraft miniatures greatly enhances the visual appeal of the game. I’ve recently become interested in the World War I version, so I expect to invest in some additional aircraft minis for that period.
 
Overall, however, I prefer to revel in the spectacle of other people’s showcase games; I’m looking forward to Historicon this summer now that it’s held in nearby Fredericksburg, VA, for the next two years.

Gordon & Hague Releases Civil War Minis, Rules

Gordon & Hague Historical Wargames, a relatively new company, recently released a line of 10mm, pre-painted American Civil War miniatures along with free PDF rules, Severed Union. For those of us with limited time and talent for painting miniatures, the Gordon & Hague minis provide a pre-painted mini option; Severed Union offers a basic rules set incorporating many factors that affected Civil War engagements, perfect for those dabbling in miniature wargames (beyond “battle games” like Avalon Hill’s Battle Cry) without overbearing complexities of more detailed rules. Gordon & Hague has provided me with a good customer/player experience, both with quality of the product and its customer service. The miniatures offer a good way to introduce newcomers to miniature wargaming through a popular period and relatively easy rules set, and they mays entice established wargamers to try the period or use the pre-painted minis with other rules.
  
Pre-Painted Miniatures

   
The Gordon & Hague pre-painted miniatures offer a solid selection of Civil War units, including infantry, militia, infantry command, cavalry, scouts (representing both skirmishers and dismounted cavalry), artillery, and generals. At the 10mm scale each base is 1” x 0.75”, small for fighting a skirmish, but ideal for recreating a battle with many units marching across the tabletop. Each base contains a varying number of individual figures (each figure representing 10 men each) depending on the unit: six figures for infantry, militia and their command units, two for generals, three for cavalry and scouts, and four (three gunners and a cannon) for artillery. Typically one stand represents a company of men, while one stand of artillery represents three cannon.
  

While some miniature wargaming connoisseurs might balk at pre-painted minis and the limited detail one might see in that, the paint jobs look fine at that scale and are better than what I could manage with such tiny miniatures. Gordon & Hague’s website encourages hobby enthusiasts to customize their units with additional paint details and base modeling. The website also offers plenty of photos featuring the minis so potential customers can get a good look at the individual units, modeling, and painting.
  
Although the minis originally came in single-base blister packs, the company has since moved toward offering complete boxed armies; the remaining, limited stock of individual blister packs are on sale through the site at 45% off, or $2.19 each until supplies run out. According to the Gordon & Hague website, the reason the blistered minis were on sale is they were the original paint schemes, which apparently were not as well-painted as the more recent minis offered in the army boxes. As long as they last, the single-base blister packs offer gamers the option to purchase specific units (remaining a much more affordable for those of us trying out the period). Civil War miniature wargaming enthusiasts probably want to invest in Confederate or Federal starter army boxes (41 units for $139.99) or grand army boxes (68 units for $249.99); that’s about $3.50 per based unit. The initial army boxes were so popular they sold out, and the company expects a new shipment in early March 2012. Purchasing an army box at those prices remains a serious financial investment for wargamers; one hopes Gordon & Hague looks at other ways of offering boxed sets, such as a starter skirmish set with enough units from both sides to fight small skirmishes.
  

For those without much time, the pre-painted minis offer an alternative to purchasing and painstakingly painting minis, especially when one wants to get them onto the wargaming table to try new rules or scenarios as soon as possible. I don’t have much time; despite being a full-time Stay at Home Dad (SaHD), my toddler and a schedule of housework/home projects doesn’t give me much time for frivolous pursuits like miniatures painting, especially for a gaming genre (miniatures wargaming) and a historical period (American Civil War) in which I only dabble.
  
Free Severed Union Rules
  
Gordon & Hague designed and published the free Severed Union rules available as a PDF download from the company website. Obviously the company would like gamers to use the rules with Gordon & Hague pre-painted minis, but they’d work well with other minis and scales with a little tweaking.
   
The full-color rules include diagrams demonstrating various game concepts (particularly formations and movement), period illustrations, and photos of the pre-painted miniatures on the tabletop. They also include templates to determine fields of fire, flanking, and artillery blast radius, plus counters for various unit conditions from jammed and limbered artillery to units moved at the double quick, marched, or exhausted.
  
The rules begin with overviews of wargaming in the period, including explanation of the different unit types, organizing and building an army, and setting up a game. Turn sequences alternate between players, with steps for rallying retreating troops, movement, a reactionary artillery phase for the other player, firing at range, and close quarters combat. The rules finish with a discussion of terrain and its effects and a summary special rules for different units.
   
Several rules nicely represent tactical elements that figured prominently in Civil War battles. The movement section includes rules for marching in columns and deploying to battle lines, marching at the double quick, mounting and dismounting cavalry, and limbering and un-limbering artillery. After the active player takes his turn maneuvering his troops, the other player has a chance to fire cannon in the artillery reaction phase, giving him some ability to respond during the main player’s turn. Although the close combat rules present the most complicated mechanics in the entire system, they do a good job of simulating the brutal aspects of charges and close action while offering the defending player options in how troops receive the charge.
  
Having used the rules to test out a short scenario, I noticed a few areas that weren’t always clearly defined; but Gordon & Hague seems dedicated to receiving suggestions and adjusting the rules, having offered at least one revision since Severed Union’s initial publication.
  
Online Support
  
The Gordon & Hague website functions primarily to promote and sell the minis, but it also offers resources for Civil War gamers to enhance their experience, particularly with the pre-painted minis. Numerous links promote the free Severed Union rules. The “Hobby Center” page provides several tutorials relevant to miniature gamers but focusing on those using the pre-painted minis, including enhancing them with individual details, adding base flocking, attaching flags to command units, and crafting a customized terrain board; it also provides a listing of websites for scenery and supplies. A brief “New to Wargaming?” provides a general overview of the hobby for newcomers.
  
Given that Gordon & Hague is just getting started, one looks forward to seeing the website offer more articles and tutorials to serve as a focal point for miniature hobbyists.
  
The website’s “About” page offers some insight to the company’s approach, but also hints that it’s looking to expand its pre-painted mini offerings to different periods; many in online scuttlebutt have suggested minis and rules for fighting skirmishes from the American War of Independence as well as other conflicts, and it seems the folks at Gordon & Hague have their sights set on this period next.
  
Personal Experience
  
I’ll admit I’ve had a good customer experience since discovering Gordon & Hague, buying some minis, and playing around with the Severed Union rules.
  
After exploring the Gordon & Hague website and downloading the free rules, I decided to splurge and order a small assortment of miniatures tailored to the local historical skirmish I wanted to re-fight; the Battle of Culpeper Court House -- specifically Custer’s charge of Lomax’s troops defending a departing supply train -- required a unit of mounted Union cavalry (six minis), a unit of dismounted Confederate cavalry (represented by six of Gordon & Hague “scout” minis), a Confederate cannon, and one general stand for each side. The sale on blister packs made this extremely affordable for two reasons: at $2.19 individual blisters weren’t such a huge financial commitment as an entire army box; the blisters also enabled me to purchase only the units I needed to fight this particular engagement, since the army boxes have six stands of cavalry but only three stands of scouts. I was pleased I could order the exact minis I needed at the discounted blister pack price.
  
When my order arrived I found I’d received six Confederate mounted cavalry minis instead of Union cavalry; a quick e-mail to Gordon & Hague fixed the problem and the new minis arrived in the post within two days. The prompt and friendly customer service on the part of Brian at Gordon & Hague -- and subsequent pleasant communications about the rules and minis line -- has made it a pleasure dealing with the company and provided a very positive mail-order experience.
   
Playing around with the rules and tweaking the conditions for my Battle of Culpeper Courthouse scenario I realized the Severed Union rules offer some intuitive gameplay concepts while still accounting for detailed elements that affected Civil War engagements. Die rolls representing the “fog of war” uncertainty elements still determine much of the outcome, though probably more so since this particular engagement focuses essentially on two units facing off with some artillery bolstering the Confederate defenses.
   
I’m often tempted to dabble in new games, though doing so with miniature wargaming rules frequently seems daunting because of the cost in time and effort buying and painting new minis as well as the complexity of different rule systems. Gordon & Hague’s pre-painted Civil War minis and the free Severed Union rules worked well together to draw me into this wargaming period.
  
As an addendum, I’m encouraged to hear the company’s looking to develop pre-painted miniatures for the American War of Independence -- another of my casual-interest wargaming periods given that I grew up in a town with its own Revolutionary War engagement, the Battle of Ridgefield. I’m assuming Gordon & Hague will follow its earlier model by selling miniatures and releasing a free PDF rules set for the period online, a generous strategy that helps boost interest not only in the company’s product but the historical period.

Axis & Allies Miniatures Take Flight

The news that Avalon Hill/Wizards of the Coast is releasing a third Axis & Allies Miniatures game in February 2012 -- Axis & Allies Air Miniatures: Angels 20 -- might seem great for gaming aficionados of World War II aerial battles, but recalls several problematic issues regarding the game’s scale and marketing as well as the company’s tradition of annual holiday layoffs, which included Axis & Allies Miniatures lead developer Rich Baker.

 

Already at issue is whether the release of this game really constitutes “news.” Lead designer Rich Baker announced Wizards was developing the game back in February 2011; and while I don’t consider myself wired into every new development in the gaming scene -- this only recently came to my attention -- I haven’t seen any great deal of pre-release buzz about it online from either Wizards of the Coast or the game’s general fans.
 
Nonetheless Baker recently released more details about the game both on his Wizards community blog and to Axis & Allies Forumini, an online community with a PDF fanzine supporting the Axis & Allies Miniatures games. The game releases on February 21, 2012, with weekly previews of components and gameplay expected to begin in mid-January (a promotional strategy previously used for releases of other Axis & Allies Miniatures sets). The Air Miniatures: Angels 20 base set retails for $39.99 and includes six 1/100 scale (or 15mm) painted plastic aircraft minis -- 2 Me109s, 1 Me110, 2 Hurricanes, and a Spitfire to complete the Battle of Britain theme -- plus tokens, dice, 4 maps, and a rulebook. Those planes are part of the 30 total aircraft offered in the Angels 20 set, acquired through randomized booster packs of three planes each for $24.99; the collection includes aircraft from the major and several minor players in World War II, from powers like America, Japan, Great Britain, Russia, and Germany to Italy and Finland. The scale remains consistent with the core land-based Axis & Allies Miniatures Game. Previous aircraft minis released for that game were 1:240 (about 7 mm) scale, smaller than the 1:144 (12mm) scale used by Wings of War WWII, now WW2 Wings of Glory. This means planes for the Air Miniatures Angels 20 game average about 3 inches long.
 
Scale & Marketing Issues
 
The release of the Axis & Allies Air Miniatures: Angels 20 game in a 15mm scale using the fixed base set with randomized boosters sales model raises some issues for gamers, some minor (the scale) and some major (the marketing).
 
While the scale means more detailed models (albeit without propellers…), it offers varied compatibility with other games; it won’t work representing aircraft from WW2 Wings of Glory (technically 1:144 or 12mm), but it does fall into the 15mm scale for the popular Flames of War game. This shouldn’t be too much of a concern -- it is Wizards of the Coast’s game, and the company should naturally seek to keep people playing its game and not using its models to play and perpetuate interest in other companies’ games.
 
For Air Miniatures: Angels 20 Wizards of the Coast is using a marketing strategy successful for the company in the past, a sales policy pioneered by Magic: The Gathering and continued with miniatures and card game releases; randomizing booster packs so players purchase unknown minis from a given set they must then trade or resell to get what they want.
 
While this is supposed to foster a sense of community among players and a burgeoning after-market industry in cards and minis, it can frustrate gamers who simply want to purchase particular minis they want for a collection without having to go on eBay or find others to trade with in their area (a concern for those of us living in regions one might consider medieval frontiers). The high price tag for boosters -- $24.99 -- is a sizeable chunk of cash to pay for three randomized minis. When was the last time anyone invested in a game without knowing what was inside the box? Granted, the boosters contain three minis from a pool of 30 or so, but that’s not much consolation if someone’s trying to assemble enough planes for a specific campaign or force, such as Flying Tigers versus the Japanese, or Luftwaffe versus Soviets on the Eastern Front. Similar aircraft packs in this scale, particularly for Battlefront’s Flames of War, retail for around $52 for three unpainted minis of a particular aircraft. Gamers must weight their uncertainty options: pay more for specific aircraft they need to paint, or pay half for pre-painted minis they might not necessarily want. At $24.99 this still represents a serious financial gamble with a high potential for consumer disappointment.
 
Both the scale and marketing issues feed another concern; unlike Wings of Glory, which one can play using aircraft cards included in the base game instead of models, Air Miniatures: Angels 20 does not have an option to use cards or other markers in lieu of miniatures. Gamers will, of course, find a way and aren’t prohibited from porting minis from other games, even if out of scale, or creating their own markers to use, especially since the base game purportedly includes reference cards for all 30 aircraft in the set. But purists prefer similar scale and historical authenticity, something hindered by the scale and marketing for this game.
 
Designer Involvement
 
One questions Wizards of the Coast’s dedication to the future support and development of the game line when it fires lead developer Rich Baker two months before releasing the latest Axis & Allies Miniatures game. Sure, the company has a long, infamous history of firing staffers (at the December holidays, no less) and hiring them back as freelancers, especially to create supplemental articles and scenarios to post on the website; there’s nothing (to my knowledge) prohibiting Baker from freelancing for Wizards of the Coast, as many former employees have done in their post-Wizards career, so one hopes for the benefit of the Air Miniatures: Angels 20 game that he contributes to it going forward. Overall, however, the move to fire the lead designer doesn’t bode well for development or release of new sets.
 
Kudos to Rich Baker for his excellent work on the entire Axis & Allies Miniatures line and good luck to him in his future work.
 
Personally Speaking
 
Readers who follow Hobby Games Recce know I have an interest in World War II games and a soft spot for aerial games like WW2 Wings of Glory. I plan on checking out the Axis & Allies Air Miniatures: Angels 20 game for myself when it releases (the base set’s already on my Amazon.com wish list…), since World War II -- and the Battle of Britain, along with other aerial campaigns -- remains a focal interest of mine.
  
I’m happy the base set focuses on a particular aerial campaign, one early in the war and perhaps the most integral to the course of the overall conflict; and I’m encouraged to hear the base set has a non-randomized roster of miniatures inside. I’m not a fan of randomized booster contents, and, given their high price point, I doubt I’ll buy into the game much beyond the base set given the financial investment in booster packs and the content uncertainty of their randomization. I’d love to see other “starter sets” with non-randomized miniatures focusing on other classic aerial campaigns, such as the Eastern Front and Pacific Theater (including the Flying Tigers).
 
Having played past Axis & Allies Miniatures rules I’m sure the gameplay remains fun and relatively easy to grasp; Rich Baker and his design team have always made sure the game had an authentic feel without overbearingly complex rules, making for a comprehensible “light” wargame to introduce newcomers to the concept of the miniatures wargaming hobby.
 
I’d be happier if I could also interchange the minis with my WW2 Wings of Glory game and use those game’s minis in Air Miniatures: Angels 20, depending on which game system I ultimately prefer. I’d be even happier as a consumer if I could purchase the planes I wanted instead of gambling that I’d get Finnish and Russian planes.
 
These personal concerns aside, I view the Axis & Allies Air Miniatures: Angels 20 game as a worthy addition to the Axis & Allies Miniatures game line; I’m still on the fence about whether to recommend the game to others based on its high price point and randomized-booster sales model. I encourage readers to research the game before buying it and take an inward look at what they and their player-friends enjoy in an aerial combat game.
 
Resource Post Script
 
Fans of all the Axis & Allies Miniatures games will find the Forumini site serves as a good online resource for the game. It hosts an online community with active forums promoting all aspects of the Axis & Allies Miniatures games, from house rules, new scenarios and campaigns, and rules clarification discussions to upcoming events and new developments (there are already forums set up for the Air Miniatures: Angels 20 game). The infrequently published newsletter contains a nice mix of articles about the historical background, modeling, after-action reports, and opinion with a good-looking layout. Finding the newsletter on the site, however, remains a challenge; right now links sit at the bottom of the right-hand sidebar on the forum pages themselves, not on the home page. If you’re an aficionado of the Axis & Allies Miniatures games Forumini should be in your internet browser bookmarks.

Gaming Expectations for 2012

I’m not one to celebrate much at New Year’s…it’s an odd time we look back at the past year and look forward to the coming one, with the regrets and frustrations of the former tempering the hope for the latter. Still, I’m optimistic when looking forward to my potential gaming activities in 2012 for a number of reasons.
 
Interesting Releases 
The new year promises several game release that appeal to my wide range of interests:
 
After fading with the demise of Italian game company NG International (a.k.a. Nexus) Wings of War: Dawn of War (a World War II aerial combat game) returns with a new company, Ares Games, as WWII Wings of Glory. Although the popular Wings of War/Glory games use cards, the company also produces fine miniatures that help the game come alive visually. I’m looking forward to the return of the game, both to see it reach a broader audience and to continue collecting aircraft for my favorite campaigns, the Battle of Britain, Flying Tigers, and Pacific Theater.
  
Ares Games also hopes to release Sails of Glory this summer. The game promises to use a similar system of merging board, card, and miniatures game elements so players can engage in naval battles from the Age of Sail (1650-1815). If the minis and gameplay are anything like the Wings of Glory games (essentially an accessible, light miniatures wargame), I’ll hope to invest in the rules and some ships to give the system a try.

  
Avalon Hill/Wizards of the Coast/Habro releases Axis & Allies Air Miniatures: Angels 20 in February. The successor to the Axis & Allies land miniatures and War At Sea games focuses on World War II aerial combat with 15mm miniatures. While the initial starter set features six minis focusing on the Battle of Britain, I’m not sure I’ll buy into the expensive, randomized boosters to build my arsenal of aircraft (the subject of an upcoming Hobby Games Recce piece).
  
The folks at Gordon & Hague Historical Wargames, a relatively new venture, not only offer their good-looking Severed Union rules for free online, they sell 10mm pre-painted minis for wargaming American Civil War battles. While some might consider the minis on the expensive side, these pre-painted, based minis offer a good alternative to those of us without the time and focus to purchase and paint metal miniatures for our passing interest in the American Civil War. I’m hoping to get some soon in my continuing quest to find minis and a good rules set to fight out the Battle of Culpeper Court House.
  
I’m always on the prowl for new games across my spectrum of interest -- roleplaying games, board games, wargames -- often gleaned by announcements at GeekDad, Tabletop Gaming News, and other similar sites.
  
The Hobbit
  
It’s a long wait until the December release of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey; and somewhat incomplete having to wait yet another year for the second half, The Hobbit: There and Back Again, but I’m eagerly anticipating Peter Jackson’s vision of perhaps my favorite piece of fantasy literature (even more so than the Lord of the Rings trilogy). The film isn’t exactly a game, but it’s inspired fantasy gaming and certainly fueled my love for and enjoyment of gaming since my earliest days.
  
Forging A Gaming Group
  
I’m hoping to work a little harder and find a bit more time to bring together a few disparate gamers I’ve casually met from various circles: a father taking his kids to Friday storytimes at the library; a gamer in a nearby county I met years ago at a gaming convention in North Carolina, whom I often see at the annual con, yet can’t seem to find time to actually meet closer to home; the folks at the Friendly Local Gaming Store, Game Vault in Fredericksburg, even if they’re a 45-minute drive away. I also hope to find more time to host a few more casual gatherings for some other friends who aren’t quite as intensely immersed in gaming but still enjoy an afternoon of good board games.
  
Library Teen Gaming Events
  
The monthly teen gaming events at the local library are my one regular chance each month to get out of the house and share new gaming experiences with young people who take an interest in analog games. (The event also offers a digital gaming alternative used more as a filler between games than as a core activity itself.) Though I usually host several core games -- Matt Leacock’s fantastic cooperative board game Forbidden Island from Gamewright, the territorial strategy game Hey, That’s My Fish! and the lamentably out-of-print yet thoroughly intriguing Pirateer -- they’re excellent games and draw everyone into some tense, enjoyable gameplay, both from those who’ve played before and those just learning the rules on the spot.
  
My Gaming Projects
  
Despite my limitations on time and focus, I’m still hoping to pursue several gaming projects. I’m dedicated to continue my generally weekly postings to Hobby Games Recce on a variety of pen-and-paper gaming subjects, from roleplaying and board games to wargames and conventions. I’m resolving to try making monthly updates at the Griffon Publishing Studio website, much neglected as my game-publishing activities are these days given my other responsibilities in life; but with some projects reaching the near-publication stage, the website (and my other online venues) offers a focal point for game insights, designer notes, announcements, and other interesting bits that directly affect me as a designer with Griffon Publishing Studio. Then there are the actual game projects I’m working to bring to publication through Griffon Publishing Studio, including a short solitaire wargame, an Egyptian-themed abstract board game, and a new roleplaying game concept; of course, some materials, like the always-under-development Infinite Cathedral medieval fantasy setting, continue taking shape, and I’m currently retooling its format to allow for multiple, smaller releases instead of one enormous sourcebook.
 
Those are my major gaming expectations for 2012. I’m sure if I thought about it much more I’d find a few additional bits to add, but overall these are the main developments (or resolutions, if you really want to use that term) I’m looking forward to in the New Year.

A Little Holiday Geekery

We had a nice little holiday spent at home by ourselves, with the traditional Christmas Eve dinner of ham, potatoes, kale, and pinkelwurst (with a newer tradition of Virginia spiced plum chutney as a condiment with the ham) and a Christmas morning filled with torn wrapping paper and delightful presents. Given the crazy schedule around the holidays for us, this Hobby Games Recce entry is regrettably short but timely.
   
Among the gifts I received were several that satisfied my inner geek, particularly in the gaming vein:
    
The Hobbit (Illustrated Edition): My parents have always quietly indulged and encouraged my interests in gaming, fantasy, and science fiction, and returned to my roots (and my Amazon.com wishlist) for gift ideas this year. Numerous, full-page illustrations by Tolkien artist extraordinaire Alan Lee grace this edition, which I hope to someday read aloud to my son when he gets old enough to sit still for a bedtime story without copious illustrations on each rigid, cardboard page. My paperback edition of The Hobbit a great uncle bought me many, many years ago is well-read, but in no condition for regular handling anymore. I’ll admit I’m probably more a fan of The Hobbit than The Lord of the Rings for a number of reasons, not simply its shorter length and easier style than the epic trilogy, but it’s classic hero’s quest theme and its much lighter shades of dark, moral severity.
   
Art of the Hobbit: I’m a fan of Tolkien-inspired artwork (as evidenced by my delight in the give noted above), but to see even the most basic or stylized sketches by the author of my favorite of his tales remains an inspiring treat. Recently released in a slipcase edition, this book contains all of Tolkien’s Hobbit sketches, inks, and other artwork keyed to different chapters or iconic scenes, including material for the two famous maps featured in The Hobbit. Needless to say this and the previously mentioned book above have rekindled my inspiration for running some kind of Middle-earth roleplaying game campaign, probably around the time of the Quest of Erebor.*
   
Lego Ramses Pyramid: Despite many reviews frustrated with the rules presentation and gameplay (possibly the reason it was only $9.99, one-third the original price, at the local Target toy department), this game remained on my list for a number of reasons: I love most things with an Egyptian theme; I love Legos; and German game designer superstar Reiner Knizia co-designed it. It was a gift from my son, with help from Mom. I still haven’t had a chance to build or play the game, but I’m looking forward to giving it a try. It’ll make a nice set with my copy of the Lego Minotaurus Game.
   
Overall it was a modest holiday gift haul. I also received many other way more practical gifts, but given the far smaller portion of my life geeky pursuits now inhabit, it only seems appropriate.
   
* Campaign Idea: Pipe-Weed to Erebor
   
This one’s from my old Griffon’s Aerie website, from a “Dispatch” about various roleplaying game campaigns I’d like to run. Gathering at Bree, the heroes agree to guard a train of pack mules delivering pipe-weed to the Dwarves of the  recently liberated Lonely Mountain. They must overcome their differences (and seek their hidden agendas), protect their premium Shire pipe-weed, and make the treacherous passage across Eriador and Wilderland, encountering Orcs and wargs fleeing from a terrible battle at Erebor, and evading dark forces seeking to seize a secret one of the heroes carries.