CLAWs Forums » Wargames and Boardgames

"Warhammer" the sham wargame

(46 posts)
  • Started 17 years ago by StormMaker
  • Latest reply from StormMaker
  1. (below is an email response to mpittermann email post about the satus of wargaming in Cape Town. His email is at the bottom. No insult to mpittermann intended)

    No disrespect intended but I think it is a very sad indication of the sorry state of wargaming if the current situation in CT is only that of Warhammer and the products of Games workshop. I am sure to be flamed for this but Gamesworkshop and its products are to wargaming, as Diesel to clothing retail. Saying that Warhammer is the CT wargaming scene is like saying that Kate Moss is the only coke sniffing ramp model out there. Warhammer is fun, visual, and textually rich but it is not a great example of a war game and has more luck than strategy. Anyone can play warhammer (although few can paint it).

    What about other wargames; ASL, Munchkin, Killer Bunnies, Diplomacy, and a host of great board games like Coursanne and other whose names I butcher and misspell. Given that CCG have channelled a fair amount of the need for the strategic rubbing nose of opponent in skilful ego glee crush, wargaming should be at the intellectual heart of CLAWS (Thor's hammer callouses, its even in the name of the organisation!)

    Roleplaying is cathartic, allows for psychological development, thinking skills, problem solving and so much more. But through wargaming are rising world dominators made. If CLAWS and the CT community are not playing strategy games (cards, boards and computer alike) we become soft and ripe for invasion.

    So come back to the boards people; they may sting your flesh at first; but the pain is worth it!

    Storm Maker

    >>> "mpittermann" <mpittermann@yahoo.co.uk> 2007/02/21 05:23:54 pm >>>
    Since the question about wargaming cropped up, this is the current
    situation (as far as I know) in CT.

    Sundays at Wizards from 10am - 4pm. (Interest has dropped off recently
    with not many people pitching. Games usually need to be organized in
    advance). Mainly Warhammer 40K. About 1 fantasy player available that
    I know of (me, though still learning)). Also the terrain for the
    tables her is shocking, though is looking to improve soon (hopefully)

    Monday Nights at Boys and Men's Hobby Shop (www.hobbyshop.co.za) R10
    lets you play for the night. 12 Permanent tables set up, all with
    varied terrain. Mix of Fantasy and 40K. Mainly 40k. Usually runs 2 40k
    tournaments a month entry usually R50.

    Alternate Sundays is Warhammer Fantasy at Tokai Library. Not sure on
    times, and which alternate Sundays it starts, but can find out.
    Usually 2000pt Games.

    This is all the regular stuff. Impromptu games still happen but are
    more infrequent.

    Current wargaming on campus is lacking due to the lack of terrain for
    actual wargaming, and players, and venues with tables big enough.

    Cheers

    Posted 17 years ago #
  2. dystopia
    code monkey

    in the cthfuschia posts there was a lot of talk of play by email diplomacy. i have someone's copy of diplomacy and have often thought that it would make a fantastic play by email game. i am willing to host a game, but i would need some assistance (mostly to keep darkoutthere from killing me). we can start almost as soon as there are enough players and we can agree on how it wouid be run

    Posted 17 years ago #
  3. I offer my diplomatic pouch to your cause

    issue will be gettinga map that can be accessed by all (possibly a good quality digital camera?)

    Posted 17 years ago #
  4. dystopia
    code monkey

    my thought was to use a digital camera and email the layout of the board after each turn. only problem is that i don't have one, so i would need a lovely assistant. now we just need some more players

    Posted 17 years ago #
  5. I take it you mean an updated image of the game board in progress? I have a digital camera, and I live close to Lucas. Depending on how frequently you'd want to "redraw" the board, I could hop over and take photos.

    Alternatively, it may be easier to grab a map and stick things on it in The GIMP.

    But, we may be reinventing the wheel here; it looks like there are already facilities for playing online. Maybe one of the existing services will be suitable:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diplomacy_(board_game)

    Posted 17 years ago #
  6. Ok, sign me up, find a server and let me know, make sure it's one that alows for private games.

    Posted 17 years ago #
  7. Okay so the academic part of me quibbles about the reliability of the data on Wiki; but by the Sith's Dentist, Wiki is an awesome resource. Just looked at the Diplomacy page and the software to play. So as the non computer Humanities dude can I ask the science officers for a viable recommendation (maybe Realpolitik?):

    (Below taken from Wiki site)

    Software to play
    Crockford Diplomacy Map - made for computer play, can be used as conference map
    Diplomacy AI Centre - for automated play using the Diplomacy AI Development Environment (DAIDE)
    floc.net- a site devoted to presenting the map layouts of 48 different diplomacy servers.
    jDip - Open Source computer version of the game in Java
    Njudge - an automatic email Diplomacy adjudicator program
    Palmpolitik - Diplomacy for a PalmOS PDA
    phpDiplomacy - Internet based implementation of Diplomacy, written in PHP.
    Realpolitik - an Open Source computer version of the game, highly popular for internet play.

    Posted 17 years ago #
  8. Also take some time to check out The Diplomatic Pouch - "The Official Home of the Worldwide Diplomacy Hobby" http://www.diplom.org/index.py

    Also something more local i.e. South African is The Embassy - Home of South African Diplomacy.

    As to a client for play I would suggest VASSAL (http://www.vassalengine.org). A downloadable module is available from the VASSAL site as are various other war games. Requires JAVA

    Posted 17 years ago #
  9. Forgot The Embassy link - http://www.embassysa.co.za

    Posted 17 years ago #
  10. Depends what OSes the interested parties are using. Playing on the web, on an existing server, would remove the possible complications of everyone having to install something, and/or the time-consuming task of setting up a local server. So I would recommend first checking out the list of places where you can play online.

    But if you guys all use Windows (which I realise is very likely), settling on one client shouldn't be hard. I don't know whether any of the clients can talk to one another. Maybe someone should install a couple and see which one looks best.

    Posted 17 years ago #
  11. Here are the requirements for VASSAL:

    - OS that runs Java (Linux, Windows, Mac)
    - VASSAL download approx 15Mb
    - Internet connectivity for live play - requires port 5050 open on your Firewall
    - The module you want to play, in this case Diplomacy - 11Mb

    Features:
    - Download and play is Free
    - Hosted server in the states - know moving to a distributed Jabber framework
    - Allows for both live and Play By E-Mail via Log files.
    - Various modules available
    - Easy installation

    - Rocks when used in conjunction with Skype

    Posted 17 years ago #
  12. OOPMan
    Moderator

    How about something that doesn't require a PC?

    You know, interacting with other people around a table?

    Kind of the point with games like this...

    Or has no one else ever tried the horror that is WebRPG?

    Posted 17 years ago #
  13. Sitting down at a table is always 1st prize :)

    2 things to consider though:

    1. A few war games allow for more than 2 players.
    2. You need 2-4 hours.

    So how about a monthly general board games get together? This will draw war gamers and non-war gamers a like.

    This leads to the question:
    Are there any board gamers in Claws? (and NO Monopoly DOES NOT count!)

    Posted 17 years ago #
  14. dystopia
    code monkey

    i think all of you have missed the point of my offer. i have the board game, but i think that the get together and play for 20 hours style of play is a little much. also, i don't have the time for that (even on weekends, before you ask). i quite like the idea of moving the pieces around on a real board, and to allow people to come over and look at something tangible. people could come over to watch the turns being played out, or they could wait for the email to go out

    my offer still stands, to run the game as i described it

    p.s i am keen to play board games, i have a swanky one called rune bound that needs playing

    Posted 17 years ago #
  15. I believe the point is to avoid the problems inherent in getting a whole bunch of people with jobs to be present in the same place at the same time. Since Diplomacy is a turn-based game which is played quite slowly, it lends itself far better to asynchronous internet play than roleplaying does.

    Posted 17 years ago #
  16. Simon and I play a lot of Cheapass games (which includes a lot of indie boardgames) with Kevin and Neil, friends acquired through mathematics. We have a regular get-together, and sometimes co-opt other people.

    We once played a wargame with little plastic army men and similarly-sized space aliens, using DIY rules we found on the web. I quite liked it. I will definitely never get into regular wargames with official miniatures (too expensive and time-consuming; V:TES fills that hole in my hobby repertoire, thanks), but I could get behind occasional informal games with generic miniatures and rules.

    Posted 17 years ago #
  17. OOPMan
    Moderator

    I like Board games, well, cool ones anyway :-)

    A few years back, when Tim was still in CT he used to pick up games now and then...

    We played some really cool ones, including the Game of Thrones boardgame and at least one other cool one...

    Posted 17 years ago #
  18. I would love to see how Rune Bound compares to Descent at some stage.

    Posted 17 years ago #
  19. Since these things seem to go together like cheese and bananas, how about we rename this forum category to "Wargames and Boardgames"?

    Posted 17 years ago #
  20. Good idea

    Posted 17 years ago #
  21. There we go.

    Posted 17 years ago #
  22. OOPMan
    Moderator

    Indeed :-)

    Now, how about adding Traditional Card games so we can talk about Warhammer, Diplomacy AND Koi-Koi in one thread!

    Posted 17 years ago #
  23. Eer what is Koi-Koi (besides what stutterers call the fish in the pond)

    But possibly I should say that on the card list...

    Getting back to the board game debate

    I think a Diplomacy game run over email, messages, popping into houses to push armies around is a great idea. A board set up in a central place that can be viewed and backed up with an emailed turn could work, and is low tech. We could take turns in going through the turns and keep track on our own boards.

    The general endorsement of wargames and board games is great too. How about a monthly games evening where who ever has games brings them and who ever pitches plays?

    Could I ask those on the forum to indicate what games they have?

    For my part I have: Munchkin, killer bunies, and pirates of the spanish main (I have lots of little ships to play sea battles with)
    I still am keen to get into ASL (sorry Chris for no email for so long)

    Posted 17 years ago #
  24. OOPMan
    Moderator

    Munchkin doesn't qualify, since it's a crap game :-)

    The pirates game sounds cool...

    Posted 17 years ago #
  25. No problem - but do drop me an email sometime :)

    Posted 17 years ago #
  26. OOPMan
    Moderator

    Could be trouble getting in, since I'm a ways out (N1 city area...)

    Posted 17 years ago #
  27. dystopia
    code monkey

    right, so now that some time has past and the flames have died down a bit, we can try this again. so far i have schpat and stormthingy interested in diplomancy, is anyone else interested? we need seven players

    Posted 17 years ago #
  28. Will the game be pbem? If so what client will be used?

    Posted 17 years ago #
  29. dystopia
    code monkey

    my dear cryophobia, please reread my posts before asking questions that prove that you haven't

    Posted 17 years ago #

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