Blog Posts – Worth Reading

Hi All,

We mentioned a few weeks back that we had migrated all the previous Wargame Design Studio (WDS) Blog Posts across from the old site. This gave us a chance to look over some of the content and it became apparent that it was worth highlighting some of the more interesting posts.

Here is a list of posts that are worth your time.

The ‘So you want to design a Wargame’ series is a great series of ten posts that discuss the steps we must go through to deliver a game to you. This covers everything from mapping, order of battle creation to graphics, research, and scenario creation, using the Battle of Crete from Panzer Battles North Africa 1941 as an example.

The order to read these posts in is:

1. So, you want to design a Wargame? Link
2. The German Order of Battle at Maleme, Crete Link
3. The Allied Order of Battle at Maleme, Crete Link
4. Mapping Maleme, Crete Link
5. Unit Imagery for Maleme, Crete Link
6. Vehicle Graphics for Maleme, Crete and Beyond Link
7. Map Graphics for Maleme, Crete Link
8. Scenario Creation for Maleme, Crete (Part One) Link
9. Scenario Creation for Maleme, Crete (Part Two) Link
10. Scenario Creation for Maleme, Crete (The Final Part) Link

Mike Avanzini has been involved in designing Orders of Battle for John Tiller games for many years. He shared some of his learning and approach in a series of eight posts under the heading of ‘Researching an Order of Battle’. Mike’s specialty is the Eastern Front but found the task of doing the Italians in the Mediterranean a refreshing new challenge.

The posts in order are:

1. Researching an Order of Battle – Getting Started Link
2. Researching an Order of Battle – The Germans Link
3. Researching an Order of Battle – The Germans (continued) Link
4. Researching an Order of Battle - The Soviets Link
5. Researching an Order of Battle – The Soviets (continued 1) Link
6. Researching an Order of Battle – The Soviets (continued 2) Link
7. Researching an Order of Battle - The Italians Link
8. Researching an Order of Battle – The Italians (continued 1) Link

Mike Prucha and Dave Michas, the team behind the refreshed Panzer Campaigns France ’40 and the new Scheldt ’44 shared a play test from one of the new France ’40 ‘Prucha scenarios’.

You can read about it here:

• France ’40 Gold – Play test on the Meuse Link

Play testing Is obviously a key part of any games design and three further playtests were documented. The first covered an in-depth review of play using the new variable victory points and the second was another Prucha/Michas play through prior to the release of Panzer Campaigns Scheldt ’44. The final playtest was the first impressions of an upcoming title, Panzer Battles Moscow.

• Battling with Variable Victory Points - #410121_01v Compass Tobruk Link
• Sheldt '44 Play Test! Link
• Panzer Battles Moscow - the First After Action Report Link

There is a lot of additional resources included with every game that players may not be aware of. On our new Wargame Design Studio website, you can find these under the ‘Updates & Downloadable Files’ under each product. In the leadup to releasing Panzer Battles North Africa 1941, we posted blogs covering several examples of these resources.

The applicable posts are listed below:

1. North Africa Player Notes – The Italians Link
2. North Africa Player Notes – Operation Compass Scenarios Link
3. North Africa Getting Started – Terrain Link
4. North Africa Freebies – Planning Maps Link

In a similar vein, both the background and research and references for Panzer Campaigns Scheldt ’44 was provided in the following blog posts:

1. Panzer Campaigns Scheldt ’44 – Research and References Link
2. The Belgian Resistance Link
3. Panzer Campaigns Scheldt ’44 – Design Notes Link

And finally, one of my favorites explaining the vagaries of research and the lengths we some time go to ensure we have the best possible data.

• KV-85 Tanks and Rabbit Holes Link

There are obviously a lot of other posts in the ninety odd that we have published to date, but if you want further insight into ‘what we do’, you couldn’t get a better understanding than the above.

A further reminder, that the WDS Winter Sale started this week with everything reduced by 25%. If you are missing a title in a series, or more importantly want to try something new, there is never a better time to visit our website https://wargameds.com/ and pick something up for the Holidays!

We plan to share the results of the recently released survey soon, if you have not yet completed it, you can still let us know what you think here: Link to the Survey