"Board Wargaming.....Uniquely American?" Topic

Since I do both miniature (primary) and board (secondary) wargaming, was just thinking this morning how all the major historical board wargaming publishers I can think of through the years have been American (from AH and SPI through GMT, MMP Decision Games, etc.). OTOH, we see a pretty even shared history of miniature wargaming with the UK.

Is there a reason for this? Did the hobby never take off in the UK and Europe in a large way? I know Euro games are popular, but mainly talking about your traditional map and counter wargames.

The Avalon Hill/Rand connection is the basis with two boardgames a year evolving into SPI's one game a month. The UK spurred miniature rules at first.
I started in 1968-it's been quite a ride.

SPI games were huge in the UK in the 70s, with some people playing Avalon Hill (although at the time they were very expensive – only dads played Avalon Hill), but with the advent of computer games they died away, and the only military board games I see these days use plastic figures. That's my experience, anyway.

The Wargamer magazine, with it's monthly-game-in-a-zine format and associated product line of World Wide Wargames titles, was a UK effort that competed head-to-head with SPI. Simulations Canada was, of course, Canadian.

Back in the '80s, I think it was, I saw some pretty advanced cardboard-and-paper board wargames published in Japan – all on WWII subjects, in fact all that I remember were Pacific War titles, Japanese Empire vs. the Allies.

The International Team was an Italian company that published a series of board wargames. More recently, Wings of War/Glory was developed in Italy.

I think 'Euro' gaming dates to the '90s, when European designers took board gaming in a new direction, not directly tied to military conflict. That style of games remains popular.

I would agree that today electronic games have eclipsed paper-and-cardboard board games in most markets, although old-school hex wargames are still being published in numbers that surprise me. As an old grognard myself, I can tell you that most board wargame collectors never play most of the games they own, just like most miniature wargamers never paint most of their lead figures. It's the stockpiling/hoarding/collecting behavior that keeps the markets open to new product.

Doesn't the French magazine Vae Victis have a game in every issue?

Good catch, James.

Note that I never meant to say that ONLY American board wargames companies existed, merely that when taken as a whole, and compared to miniature gaming, it seems to have been a mainly US niche for a long time in terms of large publishers.

Just curious why it never took off elsewhere to the same degree as did miniatures and RPG's.

In My Opinion…many Europeans had and have anti-military, even pacifist inclinations, as a reaction to the horrors Europe experienced in the 20th century. I think this is the reason European game designers took board gaming in a non-military direction. This attitude could change, as the generation that lived through WWII and the immediate post-war hardships dies off, and their grand-children face a new world in a new way.

The pure size of the American market was a huge boost that helped cover the costs involved in boardgame printing before the days of manufacturing in China.

The US retail distribution system allowed Avalon Hill and SPI to sell in every bookstore across the country that cared to stock them. A marketing advantage not as readily available elsewhere.

Avalon Hill brought out this new fangled hex thing in the late 50's, selling games from his garage at first and then they became massive. it was nothing to have a print run of 100,000. Today print runs of 2000 – 4000 are nearer the norm. Likewise there has been a massive fall off in S&T magazine subscription.

I know a UK importer who used to bring in 72 copies and now might only do 6.

The Wargamer magazine (Kieth Poulter) was a UK production initially (1st 6 I think) and then Keith and his mag went to the US.

There is a fairly vibrant community in Spain, Italy and France, with home grown designs coming from them. Poland is also starting to produce some hex and counter games.

What seems strange to me is that in the US, the companies seem to keep on changing their die cutters … Like all the printers do it. Any enquirers that I made here (UK) has always been met by 'that's too specialised'.

Don't forget that many of the games made famous by AH originated elsewhere. Russian Campaign, War at Sea African Campaign were all design and published by Jedco Games in Melbourne, Australia. World in Flames was another Australian game.