Leadership through (War) gaming
From Chess to Kriegspiel and beyond
The first known wargame was Chess, originally developed in India and modified later in Europe. By the Napoleonic period the Prussian Army had developed War games using metal pieces and dice to produce that randomness factor we all know in life. The first set of civilian wargame rules were published in Britain at the end of the 19th Century and since then the hobby has blossomed and diversified.
Modern Gaming & it’s popularity
Wargaming has waned and re-sprouted with design (as in general gaming) having developed in leaps and bounds. There are more and more gaming companies sprouting up. Gone are the days where (board) games were produced by a relatively small number of companies and where one set of tabletop rules per period were the norm.
Now tabletop miniatures come with glossy rule sets and artwork and design concept is as important as the period; campaign or battle. The balance between playability and realism see-saw back and forth as designers attempt to find the correct balance. The biggest name is by far Games Workshop however it is merely the tip of the wargaming iceberg.
Modern Gaming and it’s business relevance
Let us take one game as our first example. Borodino 1812 by Columbia Games. Now I am a fan of the games Columbia produce but let us examine the immediate benefits.
Could you be the Next Napoleon?
Napoleon they say was worth 20,000 men on the battlefield. His ability to not only rule a country, but to develop an effective fighting force that could operate with modern equipment both independently and as part of La Grande Armée. A player able to emulate Napoleon’s qualities can be successful but nothing is assured. The opposition can also have the same qualities (though their army is not of the same structure).
Now you may be the next Napoleon but lets give you three or four team members each with their own skills & foibles.
And most of all....
Summary
Wargaming is an ideal tool to both instil leadership, express initiative and finely hone planning & teamwork skills. A huge range of games are available covering the full extent of history and beyond but that is no comparison to tabletop gaming where a plethora of rules and models allow for both historical re-enactments & hypothetical scenarios.
For those new to wargaming just add a knowledgable umpire and play on...
From Chess to Kriegspiel and beyond
The first known wargame was Chess, originally developed in India and modified later in Europe. By the Napoleonic period the Prussian Army had developed War games using metal pieces and dice to produce that randomness factor we all know in life. The first set of civilian wargame rules were published in Britain at the end of the 19th Century and since then the hobby has blossomed and diversified.
Modern Gaming & it’s popularity
Wargaming has waned and re-sprouted with design (as in general gaming) having developed in leaps and bounds. There are more and more gaming companies sprouting up. Gone are the days where (board) games were produced by a relatively small number of companies and where one set of tabletop rules per period were the norm.
Now tabletop miniatures come with glossy rule sets and artwork and design concept is as important as the period; campaign or battle. The balance between playability and realism see-saw back and forth as designers attempt to find the correct balance. The biggest name is by far Games Workshop however it is merely the tip of the wargaming iceberg.
Modern Gaming and it’s business relevance
Let us take one game as our first example. Borodino 1812 by Columbia Games. Now I am a fan of the games Columbia produce but let us examine the immediate benefits.
- It is a scenario with a known outcome
- The game mechanics are relatively simple
- Each side have defined, but flexible, start positions (and you can always use free deployment)
- There is a huge variance of strategy & tactics that can be utilised by both sides
- A side must plan ahead to both carry out a successful plays
- Resources are finite
- Randomness is built in to the game system
- Fog-of-war ensures a sense of realism
- The three Army organisations can encourage team-play & co-operation towards a common goal
- The game can last only three or four hours
Could you be the Next Napoleon?
Napoleon they say was worth 20,000 men on the battlefield. His ability to not only rule a country, but to develop an effective fighting force that could operate with modern equipment both independently and as part of La Grande Armée. A player able to emulate Napoleon’s qualities can be successful but nothing is assured. The opposition can also have the same qualities (though their army is not of the same structure).
Now you may be the next Napoleon but lets give you three or four team members each with their own skills & foibles.
- Can you allocate them to the correct Corps and the give them the task to which they are best suited?
- Now can you control them?
And most of all....
- Can you conquer your own indecision, your own willingness to please, your own personal feelings?
Summary
Wargaming is an ideal tool to both instil leadership, express initiative and finely hone planning & teamwork skills. A huge range of games are available covering the full extent of history and beyond but that is no comparison to tabletop gaming where a plethora of rules and models allow for both historical re-enactments & hypothetical scenarios.
For those new to wargaming just add a knowledgable umpire and play on...