How to Play Wargames: Strategic Planning and Battlefield Tactics

In the world of tabletop gaming, few experiences match the intellectual challenge and immersive storytelling of wargames. Whether you’re commanding historical armies across ancient battlefields or maneuvering futuristic forces through sci-fi landscapes, wargaming offers a unique blend of strategy, tactics, and historical appreciation that has captivated enthusiasts for generations.

This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know to get started with wargaming, develop your strategic thinking, and master battlefield tactics that can lead you to victory.

What Are Wargames?

Wargames are tabletop games that simulate military conflicts across various time periods and settings. Players take on the roles of commanders, making decisions about unit movement, combat engagement, and resource management. Unlike many board games, wargames typically incorporate elements of:

• Historical accuracy
• Realistic combat mechanics
• Command hierarchies
• Supply lines and logistics
• Terrain effects on movement and combat
• Morale and psychology

Modern wargaming has evolved from its origins in 19th-century military training to become a diverse hobby with games spanning historical periods from ancient battles to hypothetical future conflicts.

Getting Started with Wargaming

Choosing Your First Wargame

The world of wargaming offers incredible variety, which can be overwhelming for newcomers. Consider these factors when selecting your first game:

Scale and Complexity:

• Introductory Games: Look for games marketed as “gateway” wargames with streamlined rules like “Memoir ’44” or “Commands & Colors”
• Medium Complexity: Games like “Bolt Action” or “Flames of War” offer more depth while remaining accessible
• Advanced Systems: Complex games like “Advanced Squad Leader” or “Empire of the Sun” provide incredibly detailed simulations

Historical Period: Your personal interest in certain historical periods may guide your choice:

• Ancient warfare (Greeks, Romans, Persians)
• Medieval conflicts
• Pike and shot era
• Napoleonic campaigns
• American Civil War
• World Wars
• Modern conflicts
• Science fiction or fantasy settings

Game Format:

• Hex-and-counter games: Traditional board games using hexagonal grids and cardboard counters
• Miniatures wargames: Games using painted miniatures on terrain tables
• Block games: Using wooden blocks for fog-of-war mechanics
• Card-driven games: Where cards determine actions and events

Essential Equipment

To begin your wargaming journey, you’ll need:

1. The Game Itself: Rules, maps, counters or miniatures
2. Reference Materials: Quick reference sheets and player aids
3. Dice: Most games use specialized dice for combat resolution
4. Measuring Tools: For miniature games that don’t use grids
5. Notebook: For tracking orders, supplies, or victory points

For miniatures games, you’ll also need:

• Painted miniatures representing your forces
• Terrain pieces (hills, forests, buildings)
• Gaming mat or table

Understanding Core Wargaming Concepts

Command and Control

Most wargames model the challenges of battlefield communication and coordination. This might include:

• Command points: A resource spent to activate units
• Command radius: Limiting how far orders can travel
• Chit-pull systems: Random activation that creates uncertainty
• Initiative: Determining who acts first in critical moments

Understanding these systems is crucial because even the strongest forces can fail when poorly coordinated.

Movement and Terrain

Movement in wargames typically accounts for:

• Movement allowance: How far units can travel in a turn
• Terrain effects: How different landscapes impact movement
• Formation changes: Deploying from marching to battle formations
• Zones of control: How units restrict enemy movement nearby

Skilled players use terrain to their advantage by:

• Securing high ground for observation and fire advantages
• Using forests or buildings for concealment
• Forcing enemies through chokepoints
• Protecting flanks with impassable terrain

Combat Systems

Combat resolution varies widely between games but generally considers:

• Unit strength: Raw combat power
• Combat modifiers: For terrain, supply, morale, etc.
• Combat results: Determining casualties, retreats, or routs
• Combined arms bonuses: For coordinating different unit types

Understanding the specific combat mechanics of your chosen game is essential for developing effective tactics.

Developing Strategic Thinking

The Principles of War

Many wargames reflect actual military principles that have remained relevant throughout history:

1. Objective: Define clear, achievable goals for your forces
2. Concentration of Force: Apply superior power at decisive points
3. Economy of Force: Conserve resources for critical moments
4. Maneuver: Position troops advantageously before engagement
5. Unity of Command: Coordinate your forces effectively
6. Security: Protect your vulnerable units and supply lines
7. Surprise: Attack where and when the enemy least expects
8. Simplicity: Avoid overly complex plans that can fall apart

Developing Your Battle Plan

A successful wargame strategy typically involves:

Pre-Game Analysis:

• Study the victory conditions carefully
• Assess the strengths and weaknesses of your forces
• Analyze the terrain for advantages and disadvantages
• Consider your opponent’s likely strategies

Strategic Planning:

• Develop a primary objective aligned with victory conditions
• Create supporting objectives that enable your main goal
• Allocate appropriate forces to each objective
• Establish reserves for unexpected situations
• Plan for contingencies if your primary strategy fails

Mastering Battlefield Tactics

Offensive Tactics

When taking the fight to your opponent:

Frontal Assault:

• Direct but costly approach
• Requires significant force advantage
• Often needs supporting elements

Flanking Maneuvers:

• Attack enemy from sides where defenses are weaker
• Requires mobility and coordination
• Can force enemy to divide attention

Envelopment:

• Surrounding enemy forces from multiple directions
• Cuts off retreat and supply lines
• Requires careful timing and sufficient forces

Penetration:

• Breaking through enemy lines at a weak point
• Creating exploitation opportunities
• Requires concentration of force

Defensive Tactics

When holding ground against enemy advances:

Defense in Depth:

• Multiple defensive lines
• Absorbs initial attacks while preserving forces
• Allows for flexible responses

Elastic Defense:

• Planned withdrawals to more favorable positions
• Trading space for time
• Preserving forces for counterattacks

Strong Point Defense:

• Heavily fortified key positions
• Creating interlocking fields of fire
• Channeling enemy into kill zones

Combined Arms Tactics

Modern wargames often reward coordinated use of different unit types:

• Infantry: Holds ground and clears difficult terrain
• Armor: Provides breakthrough power and mobile firepower
• Artillery: Delivers indirect fire support
• Air support: Offers reconnaissance and strike capabilities
• Engineers: Improve defenses or overcome obstacles
• Reconnaissance: Gathers intelligence on enemy positions

Effectively integrating these elements creates synergies that multiply your overall combat effectiveness.

Common Wargaming Mistakes to Avoid

Even experienced players can fall into these tactical traps:

1. Force Dispersion: Spreading troops too thinly across the battlefield
2. Neglecting Supply Lines: Advancing beyond sustainable logistics
3. Inflexible Planning: Failing to adapt when circumstances change
4. Underestimating Terrain Effects: Not accounting for movement or combat penalties
5. Poor Reserve Management: Committing all forces prematurely
6. Objective Fixation: Pursuing original goals when better opportunities arise
7. Failing to Reconnoiter: Moving blindly into unknown situations

Taking Your Wargaming Skills to the Next Level

Study Military History

Successful wargamers often draw inspiration from historical commanders and battles:

• Read military history focusing on decision-making
• Study classic battles related to your preferred game periods
• Analyze historical tactics and their effectiveness

Join the Community

Wargaming thrives on community engagement:

• Find local gaming groups or clubs
• Participate in online forums and discussions
• Attend conventions and tournaments
• Subscribe to wargaming magazines and YouTube channels

Analyze Your Games

After each game:

• Review key decision points
• Identify successful and unsuccessful tactics
• Consider alternative approaches
• Discuss insights with your opponent

Conclusion

Wargaming offers a unique blend of historical immersion, strategic thinking, and tactical challenge that few other hobbies can match. Whether you’re drawn to the historical accuracy, the social experience, or the pure intellectual challenge, wargaming provides endless opportunities for learning and enjoyment.

By understanding fundamental wargaming concepts, developing sound strategies, and mastering battlefield tactics, you’ll not only improve your chances of victory but also gain deeper appreciation for the historical realities that these games simulate.

Begin with games that match your interests and experience level, gradually building your skills and knowledge. Before long, you’ll find yourself thinking like a true field commander, anticipating your opponent’s moves and crafting brilliant strategies of your own.

Whether commanding Roman legions, Napoleonic divisions, or modern mechanized forces, the principles of wargaming remain consistent: plan carefully, adapt thoughtfully, and execute decisively. Your next victory awaits on the tabletop battlefield!