Thoughts on Morschauser’s Frontier Rules

“We may stumble and fall but shall rise again; it should be enough if we did not run away from the battle.”

— Mahatma Gandhi

My large chessboard set-up with “toy” style
terrain and stands of mounted Risk figures.

Earlier this month Bob Cordery posted the text of Joseph Morschauser’s “Frontier Wargame Rules” as published in Wargamer’s Newsletter #62 (May 1967). Cordery’s Wargaming Miscellany blog has long expanded my horizons with his views on gridded wargames and other such diversions. Although I’ve quite enjoyed exploring Cordery’s work in gridded wargames, I’ve never read Morschauser’s How To Play Wargames in Miniature, though The History of Wargaming Project edition has long been on my various wishlists. So I read and pondered the “frontier” game rules from the blog, printed a copy, and ran a few self-play games with a gridded board and some “toy” style figures readily at hand. I discovered a great deal that appealed to my appetite for concise games with basic core mechanics...and a few elements I would fine-tune if I wanted to pursue it for future games.

My Favorite RPGs

 “In our leisure we reveal what kind of people we are.”

— Ovid

Goodness knows I’ve played a good number of roleplaying games over the years. Sometimes I dabbled by reading rule- and sourcebooks, drafting some characters, jotting down adventure notes, even writing entire scenarios. Other times, after all the preparatory play activities, I brought a game to the table with friends or even strangers at a convention. I’ve played one-shots and lengthy campaigns. Along the way I tried numerous rules systems in various genres, with varying degrees of success and satisfaction. Although I’ve enjoyed it all — and some stand out as pleasant memories of my gaming past — I’ve come to admire a few games, both systems and settings, I’d default to if I had more chances to run roleplaying games.

Degrees of Solitaire

“Solitude is independence.”

— Hermann Hesse

I have, out of recent necessity, focused more on the solitaire game experience across all aspects of my adventure gaming hobby. I haven’t had a regular gaming group for a while, but I still indulge in games on my own, enjoying the occasional afternoon with a few like-minded friends around a few board games or the rare instance I attempt to convince them to try a roleplaying game. I find some satisfaction engaging in solitary game activities most of us enjoy: reading and comprehending rules for new games (or reviewing old favorites); developing materials for roleplaying games; painting miniatures and crafting terrain; and reading historical non-fiction to support my gaming activities. But sometimes you just want to play a game. Doing so without other players provides varying degrees of satisfaction depending on the nature of the solitaire play. Looking back on my own experiences, I classified my solo gaming into three categories: player-versus-player (PVP), cooperative, and true solitaire.

Strategic Choices in 300: Earth & Water

 “If you men think that I rely on numbers, then all Greece is not sufficient...but if on men’s valor, then this number will do.”

— Leonidas

I dabble in ancient history both in my non-fiction reading and my gaming...so I’m always on the lookout for something new and interesting. The epoch often engages me with notable military leaders, wars on land and sea, culturally distinct architecture, and the panoply of pantheons. I’d recently read some positive buzz about 300: Earth & Water from designer Yasushi Nakaguro and released by Nuts! Publishing. So I ordered a copy, read the rules, and played a few games with my son, who very quickly identified the nuances of strategy as we alternated playing the Greeks and Persians. 300: Earth & Water is a wonderfully concise game: relatively easy rules to learn (and reference in game); short play time (30-45 minutes); yet containing a satisfying number of strategic choices for players to consider every turn.

Finding Joy in the Past Year

 “Think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure.”

— Jane Austen

I’m slow in my New Year’s appreciations, given how numerous holiday preparations and celebrations in November and December consume my life. That said, I wanted to look back at 2024 to remind myself of the highlights that brought joy to me amid occasional heartache and disappointment...and in the face of the anxieties, hardships, and challenges I — and the world — face in 2025. The Jane Austen quote I used in my last blog post encouraged my usually pessimistic self to reflect on positive events that uplifted us throughout 2024. It comes as no surprise they’re mostly related to games, books, and history. I’m hoping these memories sustain and inspire me through the difficult times ahead.