"Most Popular Wargaming Modes" Topic

Given the list of wargaming modes in this thread, which is obviously definitive and above reproach as a series of random people on TMP posted to it, which type of game do you play most often?

Player v Player
Player v Player (umpired)
Player v Player (computed moderated)
Player Team v Umpire(s)
Narrative Game
Players Play Both Sides
Cooperative Play/Same Side
Collaborative-Competitive
Rolling Games
Multi-player v Multi-player
Player v Player v Player …
Solo Wargaming (player as umpire)
Solo Wargaming (automata/computer as umpire)

For me, it is:
1) Player v Player v Player …
2) Collaborative-Competitive

Multi player vs Multi player with umpire. (me)

Player v Player
Players Play Both Sides
Multi-player v Multi-player

Rolling Games: Only in the hay

Solo Wargaming (player as umpire) Rarely--I always lose.
Solo Wargaming

Player v Player

Player vs Player

Multi player versus Multi player with or without an umpire

Thanks etotheipi, this is what I should have done!

Thanks etotheipi, this is what I should have done!

No. What you did was necessary to get this conversation rolling. I appreciate the replies to your post and hope more inputs and discussion around the nature of wargaming "modes" occurs there.

Mine is the same as yours etotheipi, with one addition.
1) Player v Player v Player …
2) Collaborative-Competitive
3) Player v Player (umpired) with plans in the future for
4) Multiplayer co-operative.

Player v player
Team v team

Players vs. Players. Most of our games are multi-player.

Usually we play multi-player vs multi-player, usually with a referee. The referee is also the creator of the scenario and author of each side's orders.

Usually
Player v Player
Player v Player (umpired)
Team v Team (umpired)
or quite often Player v Player/Umpire – the umpire dices for which force he takes so its not as mad as it sounds.

Player vs player or players vs GM controlled forces

Multi-player v Multi-player

THRE IS ALWAYS ONE:-

Definitely Player v Player most and best.

Narrative? Our Player v Player are mostly about a story so I struggle.

occationaly Player V Multi (never nore than 2 on multi side)- (training and or short of players.

Unsure what colaberative copetative is – we play nicely so that isalways this even if we are on opposite sides.

colaberative copetative is

It was defined on the linked discussion. Collaborative Competitive is when teams of players have some common, but also some competing objectives.

The Antarctic zombie game is a classic example. Nobody is strong enough to go it alone and survive, but there are limited spots on the helicopter out. Everybody has to work together, but people also have to position themselves to be ready to grab one of the two slots for final survival.

The question is not if people will turn on each other, but rather when. Go too early or without enough resources and you will be beat down by the crowd. Wait too long and you will get beat out by someone else. Focus on yourself too much and the others will let you become a meat obstacle for the zeds.

Most of the miniatures games I see and play in here and at conventions are classic multi-player competitive – two multi-player sides duking it out.

I have run a lot of games and campaigns in collaborative-competitive or collaborative-cooperative mode, though usually again with two sides *each* running in collaborative-competitive/cooperative mode against the other side. It requires more involvement from the players, so isn't always a big success, and it's more work for me to set up.

I think collaborative-cooperative mode is a great format for otherwise boring scenarios. I've run WWI naval games this way, where the players are all Germans and their goal is to plan and coordinate an attack on a Russian bay or strait in the Baltic. Since most of the Russian forces are static (mines, forts) or crappy (expendable torpedo boats, minelayers, old cruisers, maybe a pre-dreadnought), this is a way to make a fun game where one side is supposed to lose.

I've always meant to run ACW naval games this same way (all players Union, GM runs the forlorn hope of Confederate batteries, gunboats and an ironclad), but have yet to get it together. I hope to run Age of Sail games this way someday too, but have yet to find or write the rules that would let me pull it off…

- Ix

Player v Player
Solo (experimental games)

I like the experimental games mode.

Do you mean self-moderated games for the purpose of exploring a game or scenario (or something else?) as opposed to self-umpired games against a non-player opponent?