Reply To: Sitrep Podcast: Historical Gaming (and Register for Upcoming Gaming Event)!

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Good point, @limburger – I think the main “point” of these kinds of factors (rules of engagement, prisoners, CASEVAC, civilians) is to illustrate the idea of limited warfare.  If you ask me, that’s the real difference between a “Clausewitzian” World War II game and a modern warfare game.  “Higher tech” is just the decoration, and let’s face it, 99% of “modern” war is shockingly low-tech.

The thing is, in a lot of sci-fi or fantasy games, the war is “total.”  I guess 40K is the biggest example.  With “Exterminatus” taking place all over, I guess war doesn’t get more “total” than that.  Star Wars is pretty total, with people blowing up planets five at a time as of Episode VII.  Star Trek maybe?  The Federation often tries to send in some kind of envoy first?

In wargaming, “Fantasy” is really just ancient or medieval war with better special effects.  Again, usually a “total war” model.

So these kinds of limited war factors could certainly be brought into sci-fi or fantasy (especially sci-fi … Darkstar combat usually takes place in a limited-war setting), but the universe setting and background has to be built to accommodate these factors of politics, culture, or economics.

I agree though.  Limited war considerations definitely help a wargame avoid devolving into a simplistic “pushing trays of minis at each other” mash-up.   😀

@suetoniuspaullinus – The new Ares operators look great.  Were you thinking of playing these in a game, or are they strictly for hobby?  I assumed they’d be operating primarily in Africa or the Middle East or central Asia, just from the basing.  I almost wonder if you’re coming up with backstories for them – part of what makes wargaming PMCs so much fun is the freedom it allows in your “characters” or unit creation.