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Eric Walters's Groups
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Professional Educators
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Battle for Normandy AAR…
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Lone Wolves
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Block games
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Eric Walters's Discussions
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I've found the internal debate (i.e. the debate in my head) has been to either play a lot of games poorly or a few games well. I prefer the latter model, but then you must, as you say, find that set of holy grail games that one chooses to become goo…
I've recently printed and built "To the Last Man." I was able to play the game and get an idea of its look and feel beforehand thanks to BGG and Cyberboard. It's an excellent game, one well worth the bother.
I _hope_ it is just by unfortunate accid…
I'd love to see more open source work, but I'm especially thinking of computer games. That would allow not just designers, but the developers, to look "under the hood" to see what makes a good game work. Even if that education is taken to commercial…
I haven't seen much in the way of Napoleonic games as of late, and I think the COA system always lagged a bit because the rules changed quite a bit and there have been lots of questions surrounding a new, more playable system. I think if someone can…
What I think will be coolest about the concept is the use of touch displays to pick up and move counters, etc. and swipe the display with a finger to quickly scroll and view the map. All this while having a live chat window or audio option to talk t…
I have a feeling I'm going to be doing some sort of live, hot seat playing on an iPad-like device within the next few years...should be interesting.
Stephen, I love all these game systems too. I will say I think OCS is the "holy grail" of operational-level simulation--with the stipulation that I rarely have time/space to play even one of the more simple titles (e.g., KOREA: THE FORGOTTEN WAR or…
Will wargaming migrate from Desktop Publishing (DTP) to true Freeware/Open Source designs? We see this with VALOR & VICTORY, a squad-level WWII tactical ground combat system that's been out on the internet since 2008. I have no idea how many people…
Profile Information
- Your introduction to consim gaming:
- When I was 14 back in 1974 I saw the old Avalon Hill MIDWAY game in a hobby shop where I always bought plastic model ships that I liked to build. Got that game instead of a TAMIYA light Japanese aircraft carrier model kit and it's not been the same since. Joined the Strategic Games Club in high school and started playing DIPLOMACY, NUCLEAR DESTRUCTION, PANZER BLITZ, PANZER LEADER, RICHTHOFEN'S WAR, FRANCE 1940, MOSCOW CAMPAIGN, FAST CARRIERS, WOODEN SHIPS & IRON MEN, and THIRD REICH fairly frequently.
- Your favorite game(s):
- Advanced Squad Leader system (AH/MMP) -- been a quarter of a century and it's still so fresh.
East Front Series (GMT) -- Good balance between size and complexity
Civil War Brigade Series (The Gamers/MMP) -- explains the crazy stuff that happened in Civil War battles more than any other sytem.
Rommel in the Desert and Pacific Victory (Columbia Games)
Korsun Pocket (PWG) -- my favorite monster game of all time
Operational Series Games (The Gamers/MMP) -- best system to model this level of war
Tactical Combat Series Games (The Gamers/MMP) -- best tactical system ever; I love how the OODA loop is modeled here.
Great War At Sea/Second World War At Sea series (Avalanche Press) -- the tactical resolution is a bit gamey, but I love these naval games nevertheless.
Fighting Wings series (Clash of Arms) -- complex yes but worth it.
Campaigns of Napoleon series (Kevin Zucker/OSG) -- Another game highlighting different command and control capabilities at the operational level
Assault series (GDW) -- my favorite modern hypothetical tactical combat system
- What game(s) are you currently playing (solitaire, FTF, PBEM, etc.) or wish to play next?
- WHERE THERE IS DISCORD -- solitaire game on the Falklands.
- What game(s) have you played recently?
- A VICTORY DENIED: CRISIS AT SMOLENSK, 1941 (quite a puzzle--replaced PANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN in my book
- In general, how much time do you spend gaming?
- Not nearly enough
- How big is your game collection?
- Over a thousand titles, although I seriously need to cull it down
- Your local game club(s) and/or where you reside (let's network!)
- Two excellent clubs--Tidewater ASL Gamers (TAG) and Tidewater Area Naval Gamers (TANG)
- About Me
- Married for the past 14 years to a lovely woman, Sue, who not only puts up with my weird hobbies, she actually supports me doing them! No children (we married relatively late in life). Been in the Marine Corps for 28+ years, so I think I'll make it a career!
- Personal Interests (favorite activities, movies, shows, books, music, etc.)
- Writing military history, reading military history, fine pure malt scotch, bourbon, and cigars, modern classical music as well as "shoegazing" stuff, fine arts, and far too many other interests because I'm a naturally curious guy.
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Bird of Prey--Jim Morrison
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Eric Walters's Blog
Open Source/Freeware Wargames--A Future Trend?
Will wargaming migrate from Desktop Publishing (DTP) to true Freeware/Open Source designs? We see this with VALOR & VICTORY, a squad-level WWII tactical ground combat system that's been out on the internet since 2008. I have no idea how many people have played the game or built their own game sets from the PDFs on the website. But I like the idea of collaborative wargame design, development, and playtesting. Is this a future tr
… Continue Posted on February 8, 2010 at 5:30pm — 4 Comments
The Quest for the Wargaming Holy Grail
I've noticed that we don't often hear about a proliferation of titles on the same subjects quite like we used to. Of course, these days, the diversity of genres and subjects is simply staggering--had someone told me fifteen or twenty years ago that card-driven wargames on World War One, especially one on the Middle East and Turkish theater (PURSUIT OF GLORY), were all the rage, I would have not believed it. Twenty or thirty years ago, we didn't have this kind of diversity--even in… Continue
Posted on February 6, 2010 at 9:57am — 7 Comments
MMP's WINTER OFFENSIVE 2010 Tourney-Fest, Bowie, MD
For those inclined towards ADVANCED SQUAD LEADER and other Multi-Man Publishing (MMP) titles, this is the wargaming event to be at. While starting at 5 p.m. on Thursday evening, it's hit full swing on Friday at the Comfort Inn right off the Route 301/Route 3 Exit of Route 50 in Bowie, MD.
MMP sa… Continue
MMP sa… Continue
Posted on January 15, 2010 at 6:55pm — 1 Comment
The End of FIRE AND MOVEMENT Magazine
Farewell to a faithful friend--in Issue 150 of FIRE AND MOVEMENT magazine, its editor, Jon Compton, announced he was leaving AND Chris Cummins dropped the news that this was the last issue of the publication (those with issues remaining would be issued a credit voucher). As some of you know, Jon moved from the West Coast to work with Mark Herman over at Booz-Allen Hamilton doing wargaming and so it's to… Continue
Posted on January 3, 2010 at 8:43am — 9 Comments
SETTLERS OF CATAN game makes front page of WALL STREET JOURNAL, 17 Dec 2009
Apparently this game is all the rage in Silicon Valley as it teaches the basics of entrepreneurship, at least according to this WSJ article entitled "An Old-School Board Game Goes Viral Among Silicon Valley's Techie C… Continue
Posted on December 31, 2009 at 11:00am —
Comment Wall (22 comments)
- At 1:44pm on February 6, 2010,
Matt Severns said… - dang!
- At 12:28pm on February 6, 2010,
Matt Severns said…
- Eric?Spreadsheet?
- At 8:56pm on December 11, 2009,
Tom said… - Hey Eric, its your birthday? Happy birthday!
Have you tried any of the Barbarossa series from GMT?
- At 11:09am on December 11, 2009,
Matt Severns said…
- HAPPY BIRTHDAY
- At 10:13pm on November 27, 2009,
Larry Winslow said… - I like ASL Historical stuff. Maps that look like satalight image are good. But the game still needs to be a game.
- At 9:30pm on November 27, 2009,
Larry Winslow said…
- I have not seen his recent stuff, but I have spoken to DG an number of times. another writer of note is David Nash....Hells Gate. Have you read.
- At 12:10pm on November 26, 2009,
Nicolas Eskubi said… - Thanks a lot Eric!, hope soon A las Barricadas 2nd Edition will be in preorder, LBF1940 uses the same "engine" but with the logical improvements of the WW2 era, great game too ;-)
BTW, Happy Thanksgiving Day for all of you!!
- At 10:10am on November 17, 2009,
Byron Collins said… - Well I hope you fared well in Ocean View after that nasty storm. Quite a noreaster. The Italian theater has always been my main interest and it's really quite overlooked in wargame design (I think). I'd rather focus on something different instead of another Bulge or D-Day game, even if it's a bit less popular. Definitely stop by ODMS sometime. It's always fun and the guys are cool. I'll be there this Thursday evening doing some gaming.
- At 5:48am on November 12, 2009,
Byron Collins said…
- Eric,
I didn't know you were in Norfolk. Cool. I stayed home today since it's supposed to be the worst day of the storm. As long as I have power, I'll be doing some design most of the day- working on Spearpoint 1943 right now. Glad you're interested in my San Pietro game- I showed the map to a bunch of people at Fall-In in Gettysburg this past weekend and explained the command system a bit. A lot of people were really interested in it. I don't think it's ever been covered in a wargame which surprised me. I game in Hampton a lot at a place called The Hangar- it's a club called ODMS (Old Dominion Military Society) that mostly plays various miniatures games, but occasionally board games as well. These guys are running their 2nd annual Williamsburg Muster in February for 3 days. You're welcome to game with us anytime. The club's site has more info on the convention and the place we hang out (http://www.odms-club.com). Hope to see you there sometime.
- At 12:46am on November 10, 2009,
Matt Severns said…
- I really like how BG turned out.....now to find time to play it in my 50 hour work week...
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Are they the same car (basically)? VW owns Audi.
I'd like to personally invite you all to read a full preview (13Mb PDF link) of our new fast-playing (30 minutes) tactical WWII card game, Frontline General: Spearpoint 1943 in our newsletter. I'm happy to announce that we've just passed the 200 p…
Thanks!
Count me in Jim!
Didn't we just have a special election.....God we get to go through THAT yet again....
I've found the internal debate (i.e. the debate in my head) has been to either play a lot of games poorly or a few games well. I prefer the latter model, but then you must, as you say, find that set of holy grail games that one chooses to become goo…
Chris:
Really - that's a good point. I wonder if the Audi folks realized the message they were sending out with this one. I doubt if anyone found it funny in the least.
Smitty
The fact that Carolyn like KAtie, married men like us tells us they are good and special people.
My wife Carolyn teaches special ed. I wouldn't trade jobs with her for any amount of money. Very difficult work indeed.
Group to discuss boardgame Map Making.
Where amateur and published map makers can discuss and assist each other with techniques and methods used in creating boardgame maps.
(not a group for arguments about what map style or software app is best)
I've recently printed and built "To the Last Man." I was able to play the game and get an idea of its look and feel beforehand thanks to BGG and Cyberboard. It's an excellent game, one well worth the bother.
I _hope_ it is just by unfortunate accid…
Yes, this was a creepy ad. I looked at the Audi website to compare this car to others. Oddly enough, you are unable to compare it to the VW SportWagon TDI, which gets exactly the same mileage.
Lately, I've been mad at Newsweek, due to issues of bias that are beyond the realm of this group. However, tonight I read a very good article on its web site, regarding layoffs.I was once in a meeting at a former employer, and we were going over th…
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