Beginner's Guide to Strategy
Gaming
Beginner's Guide to Strategy
Gaming
was released in 1986 by Diverse Talents, Inc., the
publishers of
Fire &
Movement. Subtitled as "Fire & Movement's Staff Study
Nr. 1", this publication was really a special edition of the
magazine, printed on the same newsprint style paper as the
magazine at that time. However, the cover and the first and
last inside pages were also in slick paper, and there was a
sturdy cardstock insert containing an operational level
mini-wargame.Similar in
concept to Jim Dunnigan's book The Complete Wargames
Handbook, the publication was intended as an introduction
for novices to the hobby. Chapters included a welcome to
wargaming (called "strategy gaming" in this publication), a
section on "the basics" explaining such things as charts,
maps, and counters, a glossary of terminology, notes on
solitaire play, guides to computer gaming, multi-player grand
strategy games, principles of war, an article on naval games,
a two part article on how play the included introductory
wargame, "A Beginners' Wargame Library", and a final chapter
on how to get started in the hobby.
The Beginner's Wargame Library
makes suggestions on which games the novice should consider
investing in, and the titles are broken down by period rather
than genre, so tactical, operational, and strategic titles are
all considered together, as are land, air and naval based
titles. With all those games taken in some, no tactical
games were recommended for the First World War, while in the
Second World War era, Storm Over Arnhem was the
editor's choice as a good introductory wargame.
Play is exciting and slick. The rules allow players to move
and fire during each other's turn, giving the feel of
simultaneous movement without a lot of clumsy mechanics. The
German tactic of setting fires to flush out hidden British
troops is simulated by the use of fire counters which allow
the blazes to spread if the British fail to extinguish them.
Rules for ammunition shortages, British reformed units, and
random events are also included. Storm Over Arnhem
emphasizes action, but never at the expense of history. For
those that believe historical simulations are hopelessly dense
and endlessly tedious, here's a game to prove otherwise.
Also recommended was Beachhead
by Yaquinto, "a small-scale, tactical level Pacific island
invasion game that moves at a fast clip and places no small
amount of strain on your decision making skills."
Unfortunately, both games are now
long out of print. In the modern era, tactical games get more
representation, with two of the three titles selected being
tactical level titles: Avalon Hill's Firepower and West
End Game's Air Cav. |

Beginner's Guide to Strategy Gaming
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