The key points of military science and principals.
My personal journey in researching this topic.
How it can help you as a designer and player.
Warning
I’m not a soldier and I have never served.
A lot may disagree with my opinions on the matter.
I’m simplifying and deconstructing a very complex subject.
How did I get started?
Flanking?Patrol Path?
Cover?
Ambushing?
My initial reading material ...
I became a better player ...
… and a better designer.
So what is war?
Violence & Death?
No, that’s incidental!
David Baron
Even if violence and death are the most visible consequences of war, they not it's core nature.If you're thinking about war stops at the violence then you will be blinded at it's true nature and reasons for being.
It’s all about power?
But how do you gain true power?
By conquering!
But what are you trying to conquer, gain and control?
Oil …
… and people!
No these are just pawns!
My answer?
Territory!
David Baron
Generals understand terrain, look for it’s tactical and strategical values.
At its most basic?
It’s about marking your territory.
Borders
Chess
How do you win in chess?
By defeating all your opponent’s pieces?
Or by taking control of the board?
You defeat your opponent by immobility not destruction.
We fight and play to dominate territory.
Beat the level!
Nature
Do you we play to learn the skills to resolve conflict?
War is the highest expression of human
conflict.
History
The birth of a hobby ...
Kriegsspeil Little Wars by H.G. WellsSimulation Gamification
David Baron
Militarism and gaming have always been connected.
David Baron
But the concept of a "wargame" meant to simulate battlefield conditions has more modern roots. A Prussian staff officer named Georg Leopold von Reisswitz is often credited as the first to author a set of rules designed for this purpose. His son called it Instructions for the Representation of Tactical Maneuvers Under the Guise of Wargame, which later became known simply as Kriegsspeil (the German word for war game). The game was considered quite revolutionary at the time and included rules for gridded map movement, terrain, fog of war, limited communication between players, and an umpire to maintain the pace of play. Eventually, it became adopted by the Prussian General Staff as an educational training tool. Prussian officers would later claim that their brilliant victory in the 1870 Franco-Prussian War had been thoroughly "play-tested" and developed with the use Kriegsspiel.
The line of influence ...
Gary Gyax
Wargamer
Romero & Carmack
Fundamentals
Strategy & Tactics
Strategist Tactician Soldier
Long Term Short Term Instant
TIME
RESOURCES
David Baron
Originally strategy was understood to govern the prelude to a battle while tactics controlled its execution.
David Baron
Putin is thinking years ahead. While Patton is day to day but a solider is moment to moment.
David Baron
Cannot be distracted by the consequences of your actions but only execution.
David Baron
Putin cares about how he will position Russia in 5-10 years.
David Baron
Patton was a bad strategist because he couldn't think beyond the next battle.Putin would probably be a bad soldier because he sees the entire chessboard and would be distracted.
Player Types
Planner Stealther RamboLikes to execute according to a
plan.Likes to take decisions while in
the being on the battlefield.Likes to provoke situations and then react accordingly.
PATIENCE?
TIME TO ACTION
David Baron
How they games?
David Baron
Does the qualities that make you a good strategist, tactician or solider expresses themselves when you play games?
There’s a lot that we can learn from those military designers who refined their castles over the centuries through the dark ages. They lived in an environment much like the internet of today — chaotic, with their constructions under constant attack. Today’s attackers are crackers operating with digital swords, but the principle and effectiveness of a Defence in Depth approach is much the same.
Defence 1: Contemplating the attack of a castle, the invader was first faced with natural features that worked in favour of the castle. The castle was typically situated at the top of a hill, which made it easy to spot invaders, hence slowing down any attacking army, and made it difficult for attackers to move themselves and any armaments into position.
