News As History - July 24, 2008
News As History - July 24, 2008 |
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Wargame Reviews Return to Wargame Main Page Return to Wargame Reviews Index War Games 2000 I have been gaming since the early 60's and in the last 15 years all I have heard is doom and gloom as the wargaming population ages and numbers decline. Well, I am here to tell you it is not dead and will not die if products like the CD, War Games 2000 by MindSim are any indication. This CD is quite a package. For a old grognard and educator like myself it is a refreshing, comprehensive source of all that is good in wargaming. For the novice, it is an invaluable introduction into the multi-faceted world of wargaming. This baby has it all: Books & Articles, Databases, Games and Rule Sets, WWWeb Resources and, perhaps most impressive, a bibliography you will not believe. The books range from a James F Dunnigan wargame classic, The Complete Wargames Handbook revised for 2000 to military history classics like The Principles of War by General Carl Von Clausewitz and Sun Tzu's The Art of War, Uncommented, and numerous others in between. What more could the veteran or novice gamer want? Here they all are. The paper by Colonel Wilbur E. Gray, The Applicability of Commercial Conflict Simulations to Military Intelligence Training and Education, I found to be particularly interesting and informative. We have always known our "hobby" had a serious side Colonel Gray brings it home. Every piece in this section of War Games 2000 is a must read for any wargamer. In this day and age, who can survive without the computer and their databases? War Games 2000 is no exception. The Wargames Database is the brain child of Lt. Colonel M. Evan Brooks who retired in 1998 from his position with the National Defense University, Wargaming & Simulation Center. Mr. Brooks served in Desert Storm where he received the Southwest Asia Service award with 3 campaign stars and a Bronze Star. The database is accompanied by an article by Matt Caffrey (Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Air Force Reserve), Professor of Wargaming and Campaign Planning at the Air Command and Staff College, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. The DB contains a cross-referenced, comprehensive list of over 4300 wargames. Have you forgotten the name of the old favorite or perhaps the company that produced it/ well you can find it here. Educators, looking for games from a certain period war or event? You can find it all here. I have spent hours just poking around looking for new and old titles. This has got to be the most extensive listing of game you will find anywhere. The other database is The Computer Wargames Anthology. This is a complete reference guide for computer games in existence. My favorite section is The Worst in Advertising . You have got to read these! The game and Rules Set segment is a real gem. It includes game rules that run the gamut from Ancient Naval Rules to the highly acclaimed tactical wargame TacOps, by Major I. L. Holdridge, USMC (retired). The Operational Art of War demo is a great addition to anyone's library. Another favorite of mine is Aide-de Camp 2 . If you have never heard of this have a computer and love "paper" wargames but have few opponents this one's for you. Check it out. The CD is worth its price just for this segment alone. The WWWeb Resources meets a need that is ever changing. In one place you will find al of the current web resources for the serious and novice wargamer. They range from commercial sites to clubs. One hope would be that this segment would updateable via the web as resources grow and change. There were even some sites that I have never visited! Consider this segments to be your wargaming Internet yellow pages. Finally, and for any historians among us, I have saved the best for last. Most historians spend hours examining bibliographies looking for those gems that have yet gone undiscovered. Well here you have them all. Want to read up on wargaming throughout history and learn the secrets of success? This extensive bibliography provides outstanding listings of writings that will keep you busy for years or remind you of all those you read oh so many years ago. Military History as Wargaming Sources provides an excellent background material on a variety of military related topics throughout history. Many of these sources will reference a particular period or battle while others will provide you a broader overview of military and war throughout history. Military Decision Making is designed to provide a sample of the vast number of publications related to the topic and provides the reader with starting points into this field. U.S. Security and Military Strategies Bibliography is a detailed and extensive list of sources that provide excellent background information on the various aspects of strategy, from pure military strategies both tried to new and military-political strategies so important in today's world as well as times past. All those yellowed, wrinkled bibliographies sheets I have been keeping since before the computer age suddenly became outdated. Anyone doing serious research in these fields will find these segment a must. So where does all this leave us? With an excellent piece of superior work that will appeal to many. Educators will find the bibliographies and resources invaluable. They will be able to get their students involved with wargames quickly and easily. Grognards will not only relive the "glory days' but might just pick up a thing or two. Novice players will find all the resources they need to become immersed in our hobby. Game designers will find much of their homework already completed and awaiting them. From those with a passing interest in wargame to our friends that cut their teeth of Tactics II and Remagen Bridge this CD is an invaluable addition to the CD tree. |
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