RE: All Ye Olde Grognards!

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RE: All Ye Olde Grognards! - 8/6/2005 8:19:06 PM

KG Erwin

Posts: 8981
Joined: 7/25/2000
From: Cross Lanes WV USA
Status: offline

Well, guys, my very first board wargame was AH's "Stalingrad", which I got in 1967 (at the tender age of 10). At the time, my best friend was also a miltary fan, so I had someone to play against (he usually got the best of me). As time passed, I got several more of the old AH games, including "1914", "Afrika Korps", "Midway", "Alexander the Great", "PanzerBlitz", and "Panzer Leader". In the early 70s, I also acquired some of the SSI games, such as Jim Dunnigan's massive "War in the East", the first and only "monster" game I bought.

With the coming of the 80s and the beginning of the PC revolution, I got a C64 and some of the early SSG classics ("Battlefront", "Decisive Battles of the ACW", and a few others).

At this point the old boardgames were relegated to the closet, and I've never looked back, even though I've kept almost all of them.

I have a feeling of nostalgia for the boardgames, though, as the beauty of some of the maps, and the tactile sense of handling cardboard counters, can't be replicated in a PC game.

PS I was happy when PC games began to take on a "retro " feel, with games like "The Ardennes Offensive" and Schwerpunkt's "Russo-German War", and John Tiller's "Battleground" series. These have contributed to the new Golden Age of Wargaming (1995 to now) , partially by harkening back to the First Golden Age (1963-1975?). The 80s were a time of transition, in my view, from the paper maps to the computer screens.

< Message edited by KG Erwin -- 8/6/2005 8:29:50 PM >

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Post #: 31

RE: All Ye Olde Grognards! - 8/6/2005 8:22:51 PM

Hauberk

Posts: 19
Joined: 7/25/2005
Status: offline

My first board game was "Devil's Den".The truly difficult part was finding someone to play it with.

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Post #: 32

RE: All Ye Olde Grognards! - 8/6/2005 8:32:58 PM

Hertston

Posts: 3564
Joined: 8/17/2002
From: Cornwall, UK
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Dave Briggs

Success!!! Couldn't find any Win95 option for running the install program but I did get bold and manually copied two .dll files, Wing32.dll and BWCC32.dll, from the install disk. Had to make a few attempts but WinXP mercifully directed me where to place the files in my Windows directory. The game runs great. Now to see if I can install Hannibal and Caesar and the Editor program. No reason why they shouldn't run also. But then computers can be very fickle. Damn, I'm a happy sonofabitch!

Hoorah!

For the record (and on the off chance anybody digs this up again) you set W95 compatibility as for any other file, "explore" the CD, right click the file, select properties and then the "compatibility" tab. Its a useful tip for any early Windows game - everyone thinks to try it on the actual game executable, but not on the installer.

(in reply to Brigz)

Post #: 33

RE: All Ye Olde Grognards! - 8/7/2005 10:00:57 AM

Grognard

Posts: 216
Joined: 6/24/2004
From: Madison, Wisconsin
Status: offline

Started with AH Gettysburg - still have it. Favorite was GDW's Avalanche. But then that was trumped by Victory Games "Gulfstrike". Best rules for a complicated subject I've ever seen.

God bless Avalon Hill.......

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Post #: 34

RE: All Ye Olde Grognards! - 8/7/2005 11:24:24 AM

plasticpanzers

Posts: 67
Joined: 7/20/2005
Status: offline

Been around for a long time. First started playing
board games in the 60s with AHs Tactics II and the like. Went thru the just about all the old boxed
and bagged games available back then (hundereds of
different games and companies back then!). Started
computer games on the Commadore64 to Apple IIc and
onto the PC. Still play boardgames and minatures.
PC games make it easy for solitare and are colorful
but its was fun to have 10 people playing the old
Drang Nach Osten on a 4 x 8 tabletop with 3000 plus
counters!
Tim

(in reply to Big B)

Post #: 35

RE: All Ye Olde Grognards! - 8/8/2005 1:27:49 AM

Zap

Posts: 3639
Joined: 12/6/2004
From: LAS VEGAS TAKE A CHANCE
Status: offline

I liked 3Riech. I play only computer games now as a preference.

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Post #: 36

RE: All Ye Olde Grognards! - 8/8/2005 6:11:58 AM

RocketMan

Posts: 718
Joined: 7/19/2004
From: Delaware, USA
Status: offline

I used to play board games all the time when I was younger, but with a wife and three kids it is pretty much impossible to set up one that would not be destroyed in a few minutes. Also, it is almost impossible to find the time for the multiple sessions it takes to finish even a moderately complex board game, even if you could find an opponent who wanted to play.

PC games on the other hand, are easy to set up, easy to save and easy to find an opponent for, because the opponent can be anywhere in the world.

Even the VASSAL engine will not make playing board games as easy as it is to play PC games because most board games require multiple decisions to be made by each player during a turn. So again, to play even a moderately complex board game on the computer will require multiple sessions where each player is available at the same time, or it will take forever just to complete one turn.

However, even with all the limitations board games have, they are almost always better games than PC games are.

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Post #: 37

RE: All Ye Olde Grognards! - 8/9/2005 4:14:01 AM

Brigz

Posts: 1162
Joined: 1/20/2002
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: RocketMan

Even the VASSAL engine will not make playing board games as easy as it is to play PC games because most board games require multiple decisions to be made by each player during a turn. So again, to play even a moderately complex board game on the computer will require multiple sessions where each player is available at the same time, or it will take forever just to complete one turn.

Not necessarily. You are correct if you are playing with Vassal by email. However, the beauty of Vassal is you can play live online for free and play your game almost as if you had an opponent sitting across the table from you. What ever you do, your opponent sees it immediatly and can interupt you to respond. Very easy to do.

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Post #: 38

RE: All Ye Olde Grognards! - 8/9/2005 5:02:22 AM

33Vyper

Posts: 542
Joined: 10/20/2004
From: New Westminster BC
Status: offline

AH War at Sea....god the hours spent trying to have Italy rule the waves

AH War in the Pacific....still have that one in the closet somewhere.

AH Lufftwaffe....hours and hours.....and yes...hours spent bombing trying to bomb the Reich into submission.

(in reply to Brigz)

Post #: 39

RE: All Ye Olde Grognards! - 8/9/2005 5:22:04 AM

RocketMan

Posts: 718
Joined: 7/19/2004
From: Delaware, USA
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Dave Briggs

Not necessarily. You are correct if you are playing with Vassal by email. However, the beauty of Vassal is you can play live online for free and play your game almost as if you had an opponent sitting across the table from you. What ever you do, your opponent sees it immediatly and can interupt you to respond. Very easy to do.

Thats why I said -

quote:

ORIGINAL: RocketMan

to play even a moderately complex board game on the computer will require multiple sessions where each player is available at the same time

(in reply to Brigz)

Post #: 40

RE: All Ye Olde Grognards! - 8/9/2005 6:57:59 AM

ilovestrategy

Posts: 3611
Joined: 6/11/2005
From: San Diego
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: 33Vyper

AH War at Sea....god the hours spent trying to have Italy rule the waves

AH War in the Pacific....still have that one in the closet somewhere.

AH Lufftwaffe....hours and hours.....and yes...hours spent bombing trying to bomb the Reich into submission.

wow, AH War in the Pacific and War at Sea. I remember playing those looooong ago

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Post #: 41

RE: All Ye Olde Grognards! - 8/9/2005 7:02:31 AM

Brigz

Posts: 1162
Joined: 1/20/2002
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: RocketMan

quote:

ORIGINAL: Dave Briggs

Not necessarily. You are correct if you are playing with Vassal by email. However, the beauty of Vassal is you can play live online for free and play your game almost as if you had an opponent sitting across the table from you. What ever you do, your opponent sees it immediatly and can interupt you to respond. Very easy to do.

Thats why I said -

quote:

ORIGINAL: RocketMan

to play even a moderately complex board game on the computer will require multiple sessions where each player is available at the same time

Sorry, I guess I missed your point.

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Post #: 42

RE: All Ye Olde Grognards! - 8/14/2005 10:24:59 AM

degen

Posts: 166
Joined: 9/8/2000
From: California
Status: offline

The first real board wargame I played was Breitenfeld from Strategy and Tactics magazine. My favs during that period were Panzer Gruppe Guderian (a classic), Sniper, and the Melee/Wizard series. After many years off from wargaming, I picked up Steel Panthers 3 for $5 from a bargain bin at the CompUSA in Bakersfield. I started playing SPWAW after that along with some RTS games, like Warcraft 3. About two years ago, I got back into board wargmes and started collecting and playing them rather than computer games. The biggest difference to me is that while computer games handle the paperwork for you, board wargames afford you more control over the situation.

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Post #: 43

RE: All Ye Olde Grognards! - 8/14/2005 10:27:17 AM

degen

Posts: 166
Joined: 9/8/2000
From: California
Status: offline

Dave Briggs, I just noticed you are also from Sacramento. If you get a chance, e-mail off line with your gaming interests and possibly we can get together to play.

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Post #: 44

RE: All Ye Olde Grognards! - 8/14/2005 5:04:47 PM

Hard Sarge

Posts: 22741
Joined: 10/1/2000
From: garfield hts ohio usa
Status: offline

I started playing boardgames back when I was young, pretty much had all the AH games that I could fine, then then go nuts as I waiting for the ones they talked about doing

in 73 Joined the Marines

got away from it for a bit, then found some people who used to play, so we got started back up

we had a long training mission, and when we got back to base, we got a weekend pass, my friend had a car, and we drove up to NYC for Origins, I was able to buy one of the first copies of SL there, even better got to talk to the designer, while he was trying to show off the game

when he found out I was a Cpl Squadleader in the Marines, he pulled me aside just to talk and ask questions, things that he had tried to do in the game, and how would we do it in real life, my friends got tired and left to look around, while I stayed and talked to him for a few hours, it was a very good talk

later when my friend was getting out, they still wern't selling the game in the NC area, so he begged and traded with me, so I gave him my copy, later on was able to get a new verison

only later, did I find out what one of the games sold at Origins when it first came out, was worth !

but, it was very used, it played it all the time

LOL

my Friend and I, during our first game we ever played, had a lot of interest from the other Marines, he was new to our unit and pretty cocky, a battle of the buldge add on, when the game was over, I had crushed him as the GE

while I changed so we could get something to eat, the duty NCO asked him how good was I, he replied, that either I am a Genius, or I cheat, but he can't figure out how I was cheating !!!!

ahhh, the good old days

HARD_Sarge

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