Discerning Reality in the Fog of War

“Many intelligence reports in war are contradictory; even more are false, and most are uncertain.”

— Carl von Clausewitz

Games remain excellent learning tools to help train our minds to estimate the situation presented by the current game state and devise a course of action to pursue on our next turn. People use these skills of observation, collation, and evaluation all the time in various everyday situations. Some make a career out of it, like intelligence analysts, military commanders, and political decision makers. Others take a more carefully considered approach to make decisions in their everyday lives: how to find a job and whether to take one offered; how to use one’s finances to best improve one’s situation; how to proceed on an academic or career path; how to approach and resolve interpersonal conflicts. Games offer a “safe-to-fail” environment in which to practice our observational and decision-making skills, but the real world often remains unrelentingly merciless when we make mistakes. But too often the “fog of war” hinders our ability to clearly discern the reality of various situations. And while games can help hone our skills in evaluating factors in our decisions to move forward, the real world presents us with far too many uncertainties, biases, and even “bad players” intent on distorting and influencing our perception of the situation.

One Battle, Multiple Games

 “There is nothing insignificant in the world. It all depends on the point of view.”

— Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Every gamer has their favorite genre periods and game systems, whether for wargames (both miniature and board), roleplaying games, or board games. Some folks maintain avid interests in numerous favorites. In many cases — but perhaps mostly with wargamers — players enjoy multiple games on the same subject, each title emphasizing something different about the theme. This seems almost stereotypical of wargamers, who fixate on historical periods or even focus on single battles: Gettysburg, Rorke’s Drift, Cannae, D-Day, and, of course, Waterloo. People interested in specific episodes in history rarely settle on reading just one book about them; they read several, often expanding their curiosity further into the period, and sometimes even related subjects. No one book tells the definitive story; neither does one single game perfectly depict a historical event. Different books contain new research, approach from a new perspectives, or incorporate particular biases; multiple game rules simulate conflicts differently in how their systems account for or interpret historical factors. Just like reading several books with different perspectives can broaden our understanding of a historical period, so, too, can multiple games on a subject present different ways of modeling a conflict and hence give us varied experiences from which to learn, both about the history and about effective simulation techniques.

Designer’s Cards-or-Tables Dilemma

 “Random chance plays a huge part in everybody’s life.”

— Gary Gygax

To use cards or not to use cards? That’s a question some designers might consider when developing mechanics for a particular game. Cards can deliver a similar infusion of effects we get from rolling dice on random tables. Differences exist in the two systems, but the result — generating a randomized element from a thematic list — remains the same. I’m debating whether to use cards or tables for a game I’m in the early stages of developing, a solitaire simulation focusing on supplying the Warsaw Uprising of 1944. As a player I love cards: the tactile nature, the space for illustrations, blurbs of lore, and stylized icons for values and functions. But at this early stage, and from a designer’s perspective, I’m leaning toward random tables as an expedient to focus more on concepts and system rather than give in to my urge to obsess over physical components.

Holiday Game Gift Recommendations

We are well into the uncontrolled spiral into the holiday season. Plans for gatherings. Shopping and preparing for feasts. Hauling out the house and yard decorations (if we haven’t done so already). And the inevitable hand-wringing over finding gifts for people who matter in our lives. As the blog focuses on the adventure gaming hobby, I limit myself to recommending games that might engage people on readers’ gift lists. It’s been a while since I wrote a game-oriented holiday gift piece. “Holiday Gift Ideas for Non-Gamers & Kids” (2016) and “Themed Gaming Gift Ideas for Non-Gamers” (2017) still offer some solid advice; however, thanks to the nature of our capitalist markets and short attention spans, many titles on those lists have long since become out-of-print collectors items, though one can possibly find them on the secondary market. This year I offer a short list of quick ideas useful for those last-minute purchases and generally available at most game stores and even some larger retailers.

Wargame Calendar Challenge

“Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe.”

— H.G. Wells

One of the perks of my time working at West End Games was going along with the sales director to the GAMA trade shows to promote our game lines, notably the Star Wars Roleplaying Game. The trade show has changed a great deal over the years, but way back then exhibitors often chummed around with each other (also promoting their games) and traded product or gave away promotional items. Much of the “loot” I brought back I shared with colleagues (primarily dice), but a few I kept. On one trip to the GAMA trade show Osprey Publishing was celebrating its 25th anniversary; the promotional item staff gave out was a gorgeous, hardcover Osprey Illustrated Military Diary 1997. I never wrote in it. But it inspired me to explore historical periods and conflicts beyond what interested me at the time...and, as my wargaming hobby has expanded over the years, it’s tempted me with a historical game challenge: to run a game every week associated with a timely event.I have long admired the amazing graphic design behind the Osprey military history books. They often rely on primary photographs and original maps, but the highlight for me comes from the amazing original artwork depicting combatants, their equipment and uniforms, and the actions they fought. They’ve informed several of my historically based roleplaying game projects and have helped me research numerous elements for miniature wargames.

Historical Games

 “Your library is your paradise.”

— Erasmus

French Regency style chess pieces
and box, early 20th century.

I have among my collection several historical games; not games with historical themes, but actual games played throughout history. My library also includes a small section with books about historical games. These foundational basics of ludic entertainment, some surviving for millennia, often remained a luxury of the privileged classes, though over time many have become more accessible to the general populace to occupy and divert their occasional leisure time. Some artifacts in my collection have particular personal significance, others I’ve acquired years later as I explored my interest in this branch of gaming sometimes overlooked by the 21st century adventure gaming hobby. They’re telling artifacts from a time when games remained accessible pastimes and not niche-market products in a capitalistic society.

Culling the Game Collection

 “Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

The West End Games Star Wars Roleplaying Game shelf.

I am a pack rat. I hate sorting through my stuff and deciding to get rid of any of it, whether to trade, donate, recycle, or trash. Especially books and games, which hold an almost sacred significance for me. But lately, for various reasons, I’ve found myself more closely examining books and games acquired over the years. Many still have sentimental meaning; many still provide a sense of wonder and joy when revisiting them; many remain relevant to my writing and game design interests as inspiration and reference material. Yet some, probably more than I’m willing to admit, do not. Their luster has faded, my interests have moved along, or I’ve kept them despite their never really having measured up to my expectations or needs. So this year I’ve reluctantly embarked on a campaign to cull my book and game collections...for which I have outlined a general rationale; nothing hard-and-fast, but some flexible conditions under which I’m willing to part with items in my collection.

Museum Gift Shop Games

 “Many a trip continues long after movement in time and space have ceased.”

— John Steinbeck

At the NASM in 2023 with my
favorite Grumman G-21 Gooose.

Summertime in our family always means trips to museums and historical sites. My parents frequently tried to expand our horizons and engage our interests on day trips and week-long vacations. As a parent myself I’ve tried to nurture curiosity in my son with similar excursions as best we’re able, notably weekly day trips during the summer months. Our visits often end in the gift shop seeking some souvenir of our experience...or more often books and other materials to help us explore a topic on our own at home. Related games, however, remain extremely rare finds in gift shops. Although I know other places to look to find games exploring topics found at museums and historical sites, other people might benefit from easy, affordable ludic introductions in expanding their horizons.*

Exploring Star Trek Again

 “It is possible to commit no errors and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life.”

— Captain Jean-Luc Picard

Kirk and Khan pass nearby, trading shots,
in a Star Trek: Attack Wing game.

We’re a fandom family. Even so, our enthusiasm has limits; like most fans, we have our favorite films, books, and television/streaming shows. It’s not comprehensive. Even within a genre we can’t watch and read everything, nor must we like one thing because we happen to enjoy another, similar thing. Some past media fades as our interests change (and sometimes as the media changes). But overall we enjoy immersing ourselves in fantastic fictional universes that cater to our tastes. Star Trek remains perhaps one of the oldest fandoms among science fiction aficionados. And yet I suppose I’d characterize my activities regarding Star Trek over the years as “dabbling.” But now my teenage son’s getting interested in it after seeing Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan on the big screen (after a viewing of the classic Trek episode “Space Seed” that introduces Khan). So we as a family are exploring it (again, for some of us) and we’re enjoying some father-son Star Trek gaming, too.

Thoughts on Star Wars: Battle of Hoth

 “My lord, there are so many uncharted settlements. It could be smugglers, it could be....”

— Admiral Ozzel

Last week, on its Facebook page, Days of Wonder released information and photos about a Star Wars: Battle of Hoth board game based on Richard Borg’s venerable Commands & Colors (C&C) game system. The news rapidly spread across the adventure gaming hobby internet landscape. Although stodgy old former reporters like myself might prefer to wait for some official press release on a website, I could not ignore this news (though one might argue such announcements on social media are now more acceptable or reliable than any official communication on something so antiquated as a corporate website). My production manager at West End Games uttered some colorful sayings in appropriate circumstances. The buzz surrounding this announcement brings one to mind: “Opinions are like [DELETED]; everybody has one.” (You can fill in “[DELETED]” with your imagined appropriately common and arguably vulgar body part.) I’m sure everyone concerned will debate the game with every teased bit of news until well after it’s released. Normally I wouldn’t wade into forum discussions — and I won’t — but I thought readers might care for my opinion with some perspective from a longtime Star Wars fan, a veteran gamer, and a gamer dad, all in the context of the business of making money in these uncertain financial times. I’m very excited about Star Wars: Battle of Hoth, but, like any game consumer, I take into account many factors, including personal ones, when considering whether I would ultimately purchase the game. For those few who wonder or care, I’m still undecided, but leaning toward passing on this one.

Emulation as Inspiration Strategy

 “Originality is nothing but judicious imitation. The most original writers borrowed one from another.”

— Voltaire

We find inspiration in many forms, whether for our game endeavors or other aspects in our lives. Emulating things we admire is one step along the path we take creating something new. We often look to similar sources for inspiration on our immediate projects. How does one game handle this kind of mechanic? How does another simulate a particular situation or dynamic? I’ve encountered emulation as inspiration strategy throughout my creative life, even as a teenager newly immersed in roleplaying games...and inspired to create my own fanzine based on the industry publication, Dragon magazine, I admired. This strategy works for our developing games in both form and function. We look to other games to see what graphic and component elements we might adapt to our own designs. We also draw on our exposure to mechanics when developing our own games, whether roleplaying games, board games, or wargames. Having a familiarity with numerous game systems can help us in designing our own, offering inspiration from a wide field of experience to create a more accurate game simulation experience.

Multiple Cardplay Choices

 “Life is not a matter of holding good cards, but of playing a poor hand well.”

— Robert Louis Stevenson

I’m thankful my son and I have found the time and motivation recently to (sometimes) resume our Thursday after-dinner “game night.” I’ll admit I occasionally cajole him into a weekend afternoon game (when I’m not outside engaged in the Sisyphean task of yard work on numerous fronts) in an effort to disengage him from his electronic devices. My task becomes easier when I have a menu of games to suggest, titles we’ve played before he particularly enjoys. Lately most of our favorite games rely on card mechanics; they’re not all card games per se, but board games where cards determine how one can manipulate the pieces and conditions on the board. More often than not this pleasantly complicates the decisions players face. Do I use a card for its stated effect — usually something bending the rules to my advantage — or do I spend it to take some kind of “standard” action? This kind of cardplay dilemma expands the decision space an extra level without adding too much complexity in learning the game.

A Pilgrimage with Game Diversions

 “The Road goes ever on and on / Out from the door where it began. / Now far ahead the Road has gone, / Let others follow it who can!”

— Bilbo Baggins, The Return of the King

This past week I made a pilgrimage from my home in Virginia to Indianapolis, IN, to attend the funeral of a beloved uncle...and to spend time with family members mourning his passing and celebrating his extraordinary life and the inspirational impact he had on so many lives. Along the way I distracted myself stopping at two game stores to pick up a few small diversions to feed my and my family’s gaming interests. Now that I’m back home I’m busy unpacking, doing laundry, resuming tasks I left off last week, taking a break to examine my gaming goodies, and getting back into some sense of routine...and spending a little time to reflect on a long four-day trip.

Short Games, Multiple Plays

 “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.”

— Vincent Van Gogh

Over the years my taste in games has skewed more toward more concise games that don’t consume vast periods of time yet still deliver meaningful play experiences. I certainly don’t mind spending an occasional weekend afternoon with a more involved game, but more often I find occasions for something that won’t keep us up all night while still delivering a satisfying evening’s entertainment: our occasional weekday, post-dinner “Game Night,” casual gatherings with friends curious about games, or more educational demonstrations showing how games can enhance learning. (I defer to “short” games because it emphasizes the time involved, although “concise” probably conveys a better sense of both time and quality.) Shorter games have their place in the vast adventure game hobby landscape, suitable environments where they best satisfy the host’s intentions, audience needs, and other contextual constraints (such as time). A well-designed short game encourages more streamlined rules comprehension, multiple plays, and time afterward for discussion...all key elements in both enjoying and learning from games. Many games that fit this “concise” profile prove excellent teaching tools when thoughtfully employed as games for learning.

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.

My Favorite “Local” Game Stores

With the gift-giving season upon us I’m reminded (somewhat selfishly) of places we can go to find presents for the gamers in our lives. While consumers have increasingly turned to online venues for purchases, I still firmly believe our brick-and-mortar establishments have a great deal to offer. Like any gamer I have my roster of Friendly Local Game Stores (FLGS) I like to support, though in my case, they’re not as much “local” as “regional.” The nearest is a 30 minute drive, the farthest around two hours...meaning I usually make a day trip out of a visit. As a result I don’t shop at them as much as I’d like, but when I go I budget a small wad of cash to spend to support their efforts and add to my gaming library. Most were around before the pandemic; they managed to survive adapting to online orders and sidewalk pick-up, implementing careful masking and distancing protocols when allowed, cultivating a generous gaming community, and soldiering on with a staunch persistence. I try making the pilgrimage to the farthest ones once a year; the others I visit when I’m in the neighborhood. All remind me of the qualities for successful game stores and current trends in the adventure gaming hobby.

Exploring Vonnegut’s Lost Game

 “I admire anybody who finishes a work of art, no matter how awful it may be.”

— Kurt Vonnegut

I was intrigued when I discovered Geoff Engelstein writing online about a lost strategy game by renowned author Kurt Vonnegut. At first glance GHQ looked like a chess-type game using artillery and infantry, reflecting the author’s experience in northwest Europe during World War II. The design had a pleasingly mid-century aesthetic to it which felt practical for such a game. I enjoyed reading Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse Five years ago and have re-read it once or twice since; but I wouldn’t call myself a fan, though I’m aware of his cultural impact. The more I read about GHQ, though, the more I wanted to explore it as a gaming artifact: a game a then-fledgling author designed, tested, and tried marketing to a publishing company, to no avail, setting it aside, abandoned, for decades until, after his death, someone discovered it and finally released it to the world. Engelstein and the production team at Mars International have revived a lost treasure and provided historical context to better appreciate the game’s origins.

Everybody Wins: Modern Board Game History

“We live for books. A sweet mission in this world dominated by disorder and decay.”

– Umberto Eco, The Name of the Rose

As I get older and our society stumbles through the Internet Age I’m acutely aware of the ephemeral nature of anything I find on the web. Online resources about the history of the adventure gaming hobby and the companies and people who produce our favorite game-related entertainment come and go. Bookmarked sites I used to rely on vanish without a trace. People move on from their website projects, which languish without updates or fade without support for a hosting service. While people can update and expand information on the internet, none of it matters if it eventually disappears. Print books, however outdated, still offer us a more permanent resources. Books about the adventure gaming hobby provide a snapshot of the state of affairs at the particular moment of publication. So I’m delighted when I see a volume like James Wallis’ Everybody Wins: Four Decades of the Greatest Board Games Ever Made documenting notable board games in the context of the prestigious German Spiel des Jahres award.