"Writing AARs that don't get in the way of playing the game" Topic

Does anyone else find that documenting your battles for AARs or Wargaming Journals gets in the way of actually playing the game?

In my recent solo endeavors I've tried documenting my game move by move, but it seems like such a chore. Are there any preferred methods for documenting wargaming sessions?

1) Move-by-move, down to the individual dice rolls
2) Turn-by-turn, summary of the goings on during a turn
3) Take a few notes and a few photos and wing it from there
4) I write my AARs from memory.
5) (Other method)
6) I can't be bothered to write AARs

Any further suggestions?

7) Map-marked simultaneous movement, creating its own record of the game.

Rick

A bit challenging to do.

Take a pic each turn, and have the players log their moves/actions each turn, including any results.

Adding a column, or columns for die rolls, and a notes section for important issues is helpful too, especially for the latter.

I tend to type the moves as I go into a draft blog entry. I write as much or as little detail as I want to convey – ranging from individual dice rolls to simply "all units moved". I take a picture at the end of every turn and also for key bits during some turn. I indicate in the notes where to insert the picture. I may not actually insert it if the quality is poor or it is not really required.

After the game, I go back and edit it, fix up lots of grammar and spelling mistakes. I also may add in notes around mechanisms, and try to err on the side of deleting more words rather than adding them.

This is a combination of 1) and 2) – the level of detail required to convey what you want for the turn.

I don't find it a chore writing up AARs.

So in other words, unless there's something interesting happening, or the rolls are particularly important, documenting the specifics is probably unnecessary.

Same as Shaun Travers mostly.

Yes it does get in the way unless for you that is part of the experience.
I like writing AARs so whilst it may not be as much fun to take notes as it is to move men I like the end result.
A bit like painitng, I don't like painting very much but I do like the end result…

3) & 4) as it would slow down the game for me and the other players. Doesn't apply for solo as I don't play solo.

Play the game as normal; just record it on video as you play. Then use that video as a reference while writing the report. The video is also helpful when recreating a pivotal scene for a photo. You could also have a third party or the non-active player take pictures and/or notes.

No. An AAR should be written after the fact, hopefully while the events are still fresh in your memory.

Umm, why not a little pocket recorder? You can do some narration as you move.

Bring a secretary along and dictate? Miss Jones, take a note please: To the south lay water –
there was no way we could cross that. To the east and west two armies
squeezed us in a pincer. The only way was north; I had to go for it
and pray the Gods were smiling on me. I picked up the dice and threw
two sixes. Caldecott couldn't believe it…

LOL

"So there I was…"