Narrative Driven Wargaming

September 27, 2023
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Grognard Games Let's Play RPG's
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In the world of digital combat simulations, where strategy meets storytelling and camaraderie reigns supreme, this cooperative DCS campaign unfolds like an epic tale on the virtual battlefield. Gone are the days of just flying solo, or an endless dogfight without purpose, these campaigns are more like a modern RPG but instead of being set on the tabletop with dice it’s set in DCS with actual players flying the aircraft, being Air Battle Managers, Air Traffic Controllers, and even legal counsel. This isn’t your grandpa’s hex and counter.

Strike Command : The Commandering – A Cooperative Let’s Play

March 30, 2017
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CMANO Strike Command
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Strike Command : The Commandering

This will be a cooperative Let’s Play where you, the reader, vote on actions, procurement, and strike missions. It’ll be in the soul of Strike Commander using the CMANO engine. Interested in being a jet plane mercenary? Take a look!

Combat Mission : Black Sea – First Contact

We finally have our first contact in the cooperative Let’s Play of Combat Mission : Black Sea (From now on – CMBS). Read more about it here : http://138.197.0.38/2016/10/04/combat-mission-black-sea-double-blind-game/

A brief recap, our entire Russian Motorized Brigade is moving into position to block an incoming NATO force. This isn’t just me and an opponent, this is a cooperative team of 20 individuals each in command of a Platoon or combat asset. On the other team is another 20 or so individuals. There’s a Brigade CO, Company Commanders, and Platoon Commanders. Some of our specialty forces, like Engineers and such, also get a commander. What’s it like? Well, like herding cats. The first turn is under our belt and we have the first kill!

Combat Mission Black Sea : Double Blind Game

One of the greatest problems with wargames is the perfect knowledge issue. I see the entire battlefield while you also see the entire battlefield. The fog of war is, for the most part, non-existent. Card Driven Games add a new element as you may not know what abilities your opponent has or whether or not he can activate a unit. PC games are able to act as a moderator, a referee of sorts, and give you that blind issue. But still, you are (usually) an omnipotent commander who relays orders.

Let’s Play Decisive Campaigns : Barbarossa – Suddenly then Slowly

July 28, 2016
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Decisive Campaigns : Barbarossa Grognard Games
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We’ll do more of these – a giant strategic map at the start, and end of each two turn (8 days) block.

The first month was definitely the goldilocks days. We had plenty of fuel, short supply lines, a steady blitz, and the encirclements were epic.

Do I need more Eastern Front? Conflict of Heroes : Awakening the Bear

My son asked me, “Dad, why do you like to play games with guys in grey jackets fighting guys in brown jackets?”

Which I thought was pretty observant for a 6 six year old. And I really didn’t have much of an answer. So I explained it that he likes to play trains, I like to play wargames. Simple enough I guess, but it kind of stuck with me.

Let’s Play Decisive Campaigns Barbarossa : Where’s the Juice?

July 11, 2016
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Decisive Campaigns : Barbarossa Grognard Games
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Here we are! Turn three and our Panzer divisions are finally starting to show some wear and tear. Plus I have to define some cards, as my Aide de Camp is proud to remind me of.

Let’s Play Decisive Campaigns Barbarossa : Onwards to Minsk!

June 29, 2016
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Decisive Campaigns : Barbarossa Grognard Games
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The Assault Begins

Hello and welcome back to Turn 2 of our invasion of Russia. Our first turn had us encircling Brest-Litovsk and also making pocket big enough to trap a whole bunch of Soviet units around Bialystok. Up North things are heating up and on the Romanian front we are just getting moving. For the moment our supply situation is looking good. This will change quicker than an M5 Stuart crossing an open field.

Let’s Play Decisive Campaigns Barbarossa : Invasion Time

June 20, 2016
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Decisive Campaigns : Barbarossa Grognard Games
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First off we’ll set out some ground rules for the game. The first round will be a single turn. After that each of these posts will represent two (2) in game turns or eight days. If this pace seems too slow then we’ll bump it up and see how it feels.

As far as strategy I don’t intend to differ much from the game layout. But this will depend on what is my main objective. I may swap a Panzer Corp from one theater to the next if it’s necessary. Ideally I’ll make strong headway into Leningrad, Moscow, and Rostov. But if it comes down to it, I’ll focus on the main objective.

As far as political guidelines, I’ll try to focus on keeping everyone in supply and moving along happily. Since I’m not an expert by any means it’s likely I’ll support Hitler and get the extra political points. Pissing off the Train Nazi is to be avoided, the same with the Truck Nazi. In a perfect world one of the Panzer Corp Commanders will like me. Past experience tells me that no one will like me come October. But hey, that’s the fun of it.

Let’s Play Decisive Campaigns : Barbarossa AKA Time To Piss Off The Train Nazi

May 20, 2016
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gaming Grognard Games
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Decisive Campaigns : Barbarossa is VRDesigns take on the War in the East. Actually, it’s not, it’s just Barbarossa. That’s a huge distinction we need to get out of the way right now.

This is not War in the East.

This is a different game on the Eastern Front. It models not only the movement of troops and supplies as we’d come to expect but more interestingly it models the political in-fighting and clash of personalities that nearly crippled the German Army in 1941. I recently read Brian Fugate’s book on Barbarossa and I was amazed at how often the Germans almost tantrumed themselves right out of the war. Literally like a bunch of angry school children. There were egos, prejudices, and of course rivalries.