Yesterday I spent about an hour and a half watching a talk on YouTube by John Curry, who is – amongst other things – the creator of the 'History of Wargaming' Project, an academic who teaches wargame design and cyber security, a writer, a wargamer and wargame designer, and a long-time member of Wargame Developments.
His talk was entitled HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT: THE INFLUENCE OF HOBBY WARGAMING ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ART AND SCIENCE OF PROFESSIONAL WARGAMING and was one of the regular online talks delivered by the Georgetown University Wargames Society.
During his talk, John described the history of hobby wargaming and covered some of the crossovers between hobby and professional wargames. His main contention is that the professionals have much that they can learn from the hobby wargamers, and that the latter are an as yet almost untapped resource of ideas and experience.
If you are interested in the history of hobby wargaming and its relationship to professional wargaming, I recommend that you follow the link and watch this talk.
That was interesting. I especially enjoyed the point about Megablitz. And I see you got an honourable mention!
ReplyDeleteNundanket,
DeleteI’m glad that you enjoyed the talk, inspite of the mention of old codgers like me!
All the best,
Bob
Interesting presentation, Bob. I didn't stick around for the Q&A, but found John Curry's address very interesting and informative. OF COURSE I made a rough sketch of the INVASION map. Methought it would be just the thing for a war between Ruberia and Azuria.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Ion
Archduke Piccolo (Ion),
DeleteIt has been interesting to meet some of the ‘parachuted in’ professional wargamers. Some “years ago I was talking to a couple of German Luftwaffe officers who had no idea that it was a German who had invented the first modern wargame. As part of their career development, they had been posted to fulfil the role of supporting the Luftwaffe’s use of wargaming but had no understanding or knowledge of what they were taking on.
All the best,
Bob
Hi BOB,
ReplyDeleteI'm a bit put off by all of this- I had no idea that there was such a thing as 'Professional Wargamers' and that these people differentiate themselves from what is regarded as 'Hobby Wargamers'...it is like the world over where a select few consider themselves above others- and better than the rest. Let us face it- we are all 'Hobbiests'and I certainly wouldn't enjoy the company of a wargamer who considers himself a 'Proffessional Wargamer'. Perhaps I've missed the point. Regards. KEV.
Kev Robertson (Kev),
DeleteOver the past ten years there has been a growth in the use of wargaming in many areas of government and commerce, and as a consequence there has been a growth in the number of ‘professional’ wargamers. They design and run wargames on a full time basis.
Many of the professionals also play hobby wargames, and almost all the leading professionals acknowledge that their hobby gaming informs their professional work. I think of myself as an amateur rather than as an professional … but as I now make a living as a writer and wargame designer there are some people who regard me as a professional.
All the best,
Bob
Bob,
ReplyDeleteSurely the distinction being made in the talk is between those who design and stage wargames for military (and other) training purposes, which are necessarily set in the present or near future, and hobby wargamers who game for their own pleasure and entertainment, often in historical or fantasy settings.
When Lt. von Reisswitz designed kriegsspiel he was acting as a professional wargamer because the purpose of the wargame was to train his fellow Prussian officers; when Brigadier Peter Young and Lt.-Col. James Lawford wrote Charge! they were acting as hobbyists because the game was not intended to train British Army officers, but to entertain them when off duty or in retirement.
It is not the same distinction as is made, for example, between professional and amateur sportspersons or actors, which focuses on whether the player/performer makes a living from it and - sometimes unfairly - is used to suggest that the former are ipso facto 'better' or more skilful than the amateurs. I remember being in an am-dram group with Maurice, a travel agent by profession, who was a very talented actor and had appeared in far more shows than a professional actor we met who had spent the previous year 'resting' and had nothing like his breadth of experience.
Best wishes, Arthur
Arthur1815 (Arthur),
DeleteI cannot fault your argument. The difference between professional and hobby wargaming certainly depends upon the objective of the wargame. There is, however, a considerable overlap between the two, and the role of the gifted amateur in professional wargaming is currently under recognised by some so-called professionals. It’s a phenomenon I have come across at CONNECTIONS UK, where I was treated with barely disguised distain by several ‘professionals’ … until they discovered that I was on first name terms with the organisers and had helped to develop the Matrix Game.
You analogy with am-dram is well made. I’ve know professional and am-dram actors … and the latter are often far more experienced and ‘professional’ in attitude than some of their ‘professional’ colleagues.
All the best,
Bob
Rather than "amateur" and "professional", I prefer to see the distinction as being between "gentlemen" and "players".
ReplyDeleteJohn Armatys,
DeleteI think that I prefer your designations. It’s probably the only way I’ll ever be a gentleman.
All the best,
Bob
These "links" between hobby and professional wargaming always confuse me.
ReplyDeleteThere of course a few examples where some insights from hobby wargaming have been used in pro wargaming and vice versa, but I've always considered them the exception rather than the rule.
After all, the design goals are different. One type of wargame is designed to train officers for making decisions in, and the understanding of, current of future conflicts. The decision space and reliable results of the simulation are paramount. After all, it's a training tool.
The other type of wargaming is designed to be a fun game, inspired by military history. At best, we might get some insights in historical military campaigns, but the main goal is to have a good time amongst armchair generals. Anyone who thinks a hobby wargame is a training for war is slightly delusional, IMO.
That doesn't mean some of the more serious hobby wargame designs touch on some pro wargaming designs; or some mechanics or procedures cannot be shared. But that's a very weak link.
Phil Dutré,
DeleteThe history of wargaming is full of examples of crossovers between the two wings of wargaming. After all, wasn't it von Muffling who, on seeing the original kriegsspiel - which was designed to be used by the College of Pages - stated that it was not a game, but training for war.
Some of the more influential professional wargames either began life as hobby games or were originally developed by amateurs (e.g. Matrix Games, Jane's Naval War Game, the Dunn Kempf wargame) and then adopted by the professionals. To this day, almost all of the best professional wargame designers that I have met at places like CONNECTIONS UK are also hobby wargamers, and will admit that they use what they have learned from the latter to inform the former.
I don't disagree with your basic argument, but some parts of the military certainly see hobby wargaming as a useful aid that helps develop the right sort of thinking. This is why the US Marine Corps - amongst others - is building up a stock of hobby wargames for its personnel to use.
To my way of thinking, hobby and professional wargaming are on the same 'spectrum', with different designs occupying different positions on that spectrum. I see very little difference between the wargames that occupy the centre of the spectrum (i.e. those that can be used by both hobby and professional wargamers) other than the fact that one wargame design might be used for pleasure and the other for training. What I do find sobering is that many of the newer professional wargame designers I have met (i.e. those who have come from a military background with no prior wargaming experience) are several stages of learning behind many hobby wargamers, and could really learn a lot from playing some hobby wargames.
All the best,
Bob
I tend to agree with Phil Dutre, especially his third paragraph. And, frankly, that is all I ask from my wargames.
ReplyDeleteHowever, it is perfectly possible to play some professional military training games, such as von Reisswitz's Prussian kriegsspiel, for hobby purposes - I have done so.
Arthur1815 (Arthur),
DeleteAs I have written in reply to Phil Dutré, I see both types of wargame being on the same spectrum, and that one can play different wargames to achieve different purposes, and design wargames that can achieve both hobby and professional goals.
Like you, as I get older I look to my wargames as a means to have fun, enjoyment, and mental stimulation ... but it is interesting to note that some of the wargame designs I have been involved in developing are being used by the military. The use might not necessarily be for training but for understanding the how's and why's battles are fought, particularly when applied to historical examples.
All the best,
Bob