Thanks for this introduction, it is very cool ! Are there "multi-ages" wargames? An "universal" game system that would allow you to play different battles through the ages. For example, with the same set of rules, you would be able to play from Ancient to end of middle age battles. Then you would just need to create new tokens & maps. I am looking for this, because even if reading/testing/sharing rules does not takes so much time, it can take several games to fully master.

Good start. For a long time I've felt that to better understand the game design task, game mechanics development, and the psychology of wargamers, designers and reviewers need to participate in more strategic discussions about why we design and play wargames. Like Freud studying sex in the 19th century, I find that the answers to explain our hobby are still buried in our subconscious minds. We spend a lot of time studying a particular game situation, but we spend almost no time trying to understand why we like certain games and dislike others. As designer, the answer to this question is far more interesting than worrying over rules questions, OOB mistakes, etc. We should be discussing which games we like and what we like about them. And why we spend so much time thinking, talking, and replaying specific historical battles like Waterloo, Gettysburg, Bulge, Kursk, etc. What are we really trying to accomplish by playing wargames? Insight or excitement? The thrill of our own victory or the answer to the question why Lee lost? Why is it important to some that games seem "realistic" while others care more about competition and play balance. Many of us claim we play wargames because we are interested in history. Interested in what way? Do we spend as much time reading history as we spend playing games? Again, what do we hope to get out of our wargame experience. The feeling of victory, deeper historical understanding, or is it often just the hipster status of "knowing" about the latest shiny, new titles. Something is definitely going on here, but we still don't know what it is, do we Mr. Roberts?

This is one of the best intros to wargaming that I have watched. I think you should put a kriegspiel tag so that people searching for the topic could find this channel faster. Keep up the good work!

Excellent video, especially the part about 'Does wargaming encourage violence?' Some people make this claim but there is no evidence I have ever seen to support it, nor have I ever heard the claim made by an actual wargamer.

Hâte de découvrir les prochaines vidéos!

Hi from New York City crappy USA. I just found out about your channel from your interview on Bonding with boardgames. Please, give your name in the introduction. Wargames promote war the same way that the Cristian Eucharist promotes cannibalism. Subscribed

Really great opening video. Well done. Great to see a short history of war gaming and a discussion of some of the issues it always seems to throw up with non wargamers. Your hard work shows in the commentary and the production values. Looking forward to the next instalment. G

Looking forward to seeing how the series pans out.

Informative video. Thank you.

You are Excellent! Thank you!

Great video for people who want to get into war gaming or (like me) want to get back into war gaming. Nice to see Ace of Aces on your shelf. That’s one game from my youth that I held on to.

Great breakdown!

Great video with a very interesting topic and a goal that is needed for our aging wargame population. You have earned yourself a subscriber

Have you read any of C Thi Nguyen's philosophical accounting for the purpose of play/games? He posits a different reason for games, as way to experience various forms of agency. It's a neat idea!

Very interesting !

Great video. Looking forward to future episodes. What card game is being played at 6:37 (next to Cuba Libre)?

Salut ! Super vidéo ! C’est quoi le jeu de cartes vers la fin de la vidéo ? Avec les joueurs qui jouent trois cartes face cachée ?

"- What is a Grognard ? - What is a Hex and Counter ? - Are wargames promoting violence?" Also: Why would someone give a KZfaq channel the silly name of HOMO Ludens? I think that's the question most of us would like answered, whether most of use would admit it or not. At the very least, the LGBTetc crowd's going to accuse you of "cultural" (mis)appropriation.