Innovations in Wargaming

John Curry has been performing trojan work over at the History of Wargaming Project Project and my copy of his latest publication arrived this week. It had been a pretty grim week and being able to lie on the couch and read something genuinely fascinating really gave me a lift in the old morale.

This book covers a variety of different games, most of which do not involve toy soldiers. In brief, this is a cracking book, buy it, even if you never play any of the games from it - it is a good read and in terms of thinking about the hobby certainly has some of the most intellectually challenging stuff I've come across a long time. It is not often one gets a rush of that sort of new star enters his ken nonsense, but this book is full of it.

Paddy Griffith who I had the honour to game with albeit by email and albeit briefly is a significant contributor to this book. Much like dealing with the man himself, reading his chapters are a fascinating if sometimes intellectually bruising experience.

Highlights include -

- Space Invaders on the Rhine.

The only toy soldier game in the book covering hall games using 1/300 scale armour and presenting a Red Storm Rising style scenario. So very tempted by this.

- Bob Cordery's essay on war games design. Engaging, readable and full of "Why didn't I think of that?" common sense.

- Paddy Griffith's appendix on Historical Committee Games. More commonly known in my circle as LARPs, but probably some of the best writing about the mechanics of this sort of game that I've read. This includes a game set in China in 1927, which I hope to play soon.


In fact the worst thing I can find to say about this book is that it isn't a looker by any stretch of the imagination. Brains to burn though.

Quite simply stuffed with good things. I can't wait for the next volume.




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