[My Collection, Game Depot, External Links]

Introducing Boardgames

Most people will not be unfamiliar with boardgames. Snakes and Ladders, Monopoly and Risk come to mind readily. Many will also have not played one for a long time. That is not surprising since the mainstream boardgames seem to be of the "roll the dice, move your piece, wait for your next move" genere. Mainly luck driven with little brain power needed. Even Risk becomes monotonous once you figured out some basic rules-of-thumb.

However for those who know where to look, there are many sophisticated and engaging games out there. These games are engaging and challenge players to pit their wits against each other. They sure beat playing computer games with crappy AI and where increasing difficulty simply means more powerful enemy units, that do not necessarily react more intelligently than the weaker ones.

There is also the social element to playing against a human player. Overcoming the computer is one thing, but outwitting a flesh-and-blood opponent through a clever strategem is something else. Nothing beats the look of shock and outrage on your opponent's face when his carefully laid plans are unravelled by your master-stroke of genius.

Throughout the years, I have amassed a collection of games. I started my gaming life strangely enough, with wargames. I then migrated to Role Playing Games (RPGs) and after a dormant period in the University, to German-type games. If you are interested in buying a few games, check out my depot page.

Wargames

Wargaming is a niche hobby. In the past, the hobby was dominated by two large companies namely Avalon Hill Games Company (AH) and Strategic Publications Inc. (SPI). Since the demise of these two giants, a number of smaller publishers have emerged to fill the void. For a definitive discussion of what is a wargame, refer to James Dunnigan's A Complete Wargames Handbook. If you do not already know, Dunnigan is the granddaddy of commericial wargames.

Generally a wargame consists of a mapboard and cardboard counters. The mapboard represents the area over which the conflict is fought. Counters represent the forces that took part in the conflict. Take for example the recent conflict in Iraq. The mapboard can be the country of Iraq and perhaps the neighbouring country of Kuwait. The mapboard will include militarily significant features such as cities mountains and rivers, airfields, bridges, dams and even oilfields. 3/4 inch cardboard counters will represent battalions of soldiers, tanks, helicopters and other equipment.

Typically, players alternate moving units across the mapboard. A hexagonal grid is overlaid over the mapboard to regulate movement and other things such as supply and range. Combat is resolved by comparing the effectiveness of the units involved (normally represented by "combat factors") and rolling dice and consulting a CRT, short for Combat Result Table. Victory is determined by control of terrain features and remaining combat strength at the end of a pre-determined number of turns.

There is no fixed way to play wargames, just like there is no fixed way to play cards. Each game has its own unique set of rules and game components. These reflect what the designer feels are important drivers behind the respective campaigns. For example, Napoleonic games will emphasize morale and leadership while WWII North African campaign games will have intricate rules for supply and logistics. The classic and impulse systems put out by Avalon Hill are just two of many kinds of system. Of late, card-driven mechanics seem to be the state-of-the-art.

Sounds simple? Problem is, most of these games take hours to play. Heck, some of them involve thousands of counters and can take 2-3 hours just to set up. Rulebooks range from 2-pages for simple games to manuals over 100 pages thick, so for the more complicated games, the learning curve is very steep. It was fine when I was a student, but these days, time is a premium. In comes German boardgames.

German Games

German games are much, much simpler to play than the conventional wargame.

Why "German" games? As it turns out, German families spend a great deal of their time doing things together (no, watching TV does not count!) And gaming is a great way for the whole family to participate in a shared activity. This, coupled with some very clever game designers, has produced games that are simple, highly interactive, games that can be played and enjoyed within 1-2 hours. Of course, the Germans do not have a monopoly over these types of games, and the term is used loosely.

These games are very colourful, and span a wide spectrum of themes. The mechanisms are also varied, from clever use of geometry to bidding systems, bluffing and negotiations. Take a look yourself!

Local Gaming Scene

Like most places in the world, gaming in Singpapore is centered around CCGs and FRPs. However, there are people around who play quality boardgames. Our gaming group plays on Saturdays and Sundays. The location is not fixed, but is usually at someone's house, NUS or some other convenient location. Regular game sessions also happen at Settler's Cafe, and Paradigm Infinitum, although the latter consists of the CCG and miniature crowd.

Quick Links

If you are interested in finding out more about wargames, check out the Web Grognards or the Consim World.

If you are interested in finding out more about boardgames, check out the Boardgame Geek or the Brett & Board.

For a more comprehensive list, check out my External Links page.