Grognard.com Archives

Wargames

• SimBase/Simulacrum (board wargames listing) - The SimBase database had been in existence for years. Then Jonathan Arnold set up Simulacrum, an interactive utility for seaching through the data, which has not been kept up to date. There is also an Excel version of the SimBase that has been sporadically maintained by John Kula (confirmed on 1/4/2014). Look here for the latest Simulacrum web site, that also houses the latest issues of Simulacrum magazine. [Editor's Note: John Kula passed away on 23-Dec-2016. He will be missed...]
• Wargames by Period/Subject
• Board wargames published in 1999/2000/2001/2002/2003/2004/2005/2006/2007/2008/2009/2010/2011
• Games published by Avalon Hill, Battleline, Game Designers Workshop (file, website), International Team, Metagaming, Microgame Design Group, SPI, Victory Games, West End Games and Yaquinto (for other lists of wargames by company see Daniel Farrow's Avalon Hill and Yaquinto ludographies).
• Solitaire wargames - List 1, List 2
• 3-Player Wargames
• Scans of Wargame Counter Sheets
  
• Wargame Add-ons, Extras and Freebies (incl public domain, shareware, print-n-play, etc.)
• Wargame Assistance Software/Player Aides
• Demos of Shareware and Commercial Computer Wargames
• Patches, Scenarios and Extras for Commercial Computer Wargames

Wargaming Magazines

• Magazines containing wargames:
  Alea | Alea Iacta Est | Against the Odds | Ares | Battle Market | Battles | Command | Command and Strategy | Competitive Edge (NB: was Gamefix) | Conflict | Counterattack | CounterFact Magazine | Jagdpanther | Line of Fire | Panzer Digest | Panzerschreck | Six Angles | Strategy and Tactics | Taktyka I Strategia (Polish) | Vae Victis | Vae Victis International | The Wargamer (vol.1) | World at War | The Web Wargamer
• Wargaming review magazines:
  Battleplan (index) (index) | The Boardgamer (index) | C3i | E-BROG (Berg's Review of Games) | Europa (index, PDF file) | Fire and Movement (index) | The General (index) | The Grenadier | Interplay | Line of Departure | Moves | Operations | Paper Wars (index) | Simulacrum (index) | The Space Gamer (index) | Victory Insider (index) | Zone of Control (index)
• Full-text online wargaming review magazines: Gauntlet | The Phoenix | Simulations Online | SPI Revival (PDF) | Yaah! Magazine
• online gaming magazines

Wargaming Hobby

• List of game shops (RTF file)/Game Store Locator
• Online game shops/trading posts
• International Gamers Awards
• Origins Awards (from GAMA)
• Game awards site
• Gaming Convention Reports
• Boardgame Players Association/World Boardgaming Championship (attendance stats, Excel file), WAM (convention for card-driven boardgames), UK Games Expo, Prezcon
• Gaming Clubs and Groups
• Opponent finders: Wargame Meetup
• Individual Wargamers Websites and Blogs
• Wargame-related mailing lists, Web-Conferencing Sites, IRC (Internet Relay Chat) channels and RSS feeds

Other Wargaming Resources

Jim Dunnigan's book The Complete Wargames Handbook, and SPI's Introduction to War Gaming (PDF file, 20MB) are dated, but still useful introductions to board wargaming. Another insight into the hobby is an Analysis of Top Wargames, 1958-2008 (PDF), based on data from Boardgamegeek. Finally, the British fanzine The Phoenix covers the SPI era in detail.

There is a terrific article on 'The History of Wargaming' (PDF file, 8MB), by Martin Campion and Steven Patrick, in Strategy & Tactics, 1972, issue 33 - used with permission from Decision Games.

We have an interesting article on the 'Wargaming Clubs of the Warring Clubs Era 1965-69' (PDF file, 153KB), shared by Alan Arvold.

As far as video resources, you can watch a TV story on board wargaming featuring CABS (Columbus Area Boardgaming Society), a promotional film for board wargaming made by SPI in the 1970s and a film about The Sentry Box game store in Calgary.

The book 'Simulating War', by Professor Philip Sabin of Kings College London, is recomended as it "sets wargaming in the context of established scholarly techniques such as mathematical modelling, operational research, game theory and role playing, and explains how it unites all of these approaches in a synergistic whole". Other textbooks for game designers are Designing Modern Strategy Games and Modern Perspectives on Game Design, both by George Phillies and Tom Vasel. Finally, The Grog News blog is a useful source source of news relating games to reality.

You are also encouraged to check out "Tactical Wargamer's Journal", a periodical print publication by Michael A. Dorosh which can be purchased through his Tactical Wargamer web site. It covers all aspects of commercial tactical wargaming, and is a great resource for those interested in the hobby. Michael's site contains a wealth of information on books, board games, computer games, miniatures rules, publishers, role playing games and more. The Tactical Wargamer Web Site is well worth the time spent perusing.

Free Wargames to Get You Started

Of course there's no better introduction to board wargaming than actually playing one! Here are links to two free board wargames that you can "print and play": First Blood and Battle for Moscow.