Review: Circleville Boardgaming Group
Conflict Simulations or “Consims” have been around since the dawn of time. CHESS is a consim game and was developed in India in the 7th century to teach military strategy. The game of GO was developed over 2500 years ago in China, the oldest game continually played in existence, is also considered a tabletop consim.
Writer H.G. Wells in 1911 and 1913, penned books titled FLOOR GAMES, and LITTLE WARS which contained rules for miniature based military gaming.
During the World Wars, military games for propaganda purposes were produced by all sides.
The Avalon Hill Game Company is generally credited with producing the first commercial consim, TACTICS II in 1958 here in the United States.
Since that time tabletop consims have been created for nearly every military event that has ever occurred or will occur. Also, rules for the use of miniatures have been developed for nearly every military era in the past, present and the future.
You can refight the famous battle of CEASAR, at ALESIA, as he had surrounded a town the only to be surrounded himself by a relief force. He built ramparts facing in towards the town and then facing outwards and defended both ways.
You can refight the famous battle of GETTYSBURG as PICKETT’s Units charge the Union line.
You can refight the famous battle of the 101st Airborne during the BATTLE of the BULGE in WWII.
You can refight battles yet to be over star systems far away.
Consims, wargames, can range from the very simple, with just a few pieces taking up little space and a just an hour. Or, range up to games that take up entire tables with thousands pieces taking months to complete.
One such mega war game was featured on THE BIG BANG THEORY. The Campaign for North Africa recreating the entire war for Africa in WWII was played by Sheldon and his friends.
Consim games come in many sizes and complexities. If you have a taste for military type games, there is an entire world of wargames waiting to be discovered by you! There are even magazines related to military gaming that come with a game in every issue. Simple consim games such as BATTLE CRY (US Civil War) or MEMOIR’44 (World War II) are a good games and a great way to start in the hobby to actually see if you enjoy these types of games.
Be sure to visit the Circleville Boardgaming Group Facebook page to keep up with all the events they have.
