"War games using hexes or squares?" Topic

My long time gaming partner got moved a long way away for work. We want to use webcams to keep playing games. I'm looking for war games that are suited for gaming over the internet. Trust is not an issue as we rarely care who wins, so we don't need that kind of monitoring software. Any cool suggestions?

BloodBowl
Ogre
BattleTech

Square or grid table top brings to mind the rule system devised by Joseph Morchauser.

To the Strongest.

Some good free stuff here: link

and here: link

There have been some good ones in magazines over the years – any periods you are specifically interested in?

Square Bashing by Peter Pig. They are WWI rules but I have seen a number of variants on the web for other periods.

Check your Six, Canvas Eagles (WWI), and Knight's Cross (WWII) for air combat.

The old Blue Sky series of WWII aerial rules uses hexes too, as I believe so does the newer version (though I'm not sure it is still in print).

You could play Memoir'44 online against each other. No need for setting up the board and using webcams.

Memoir '44, Command and Colors, etc. For a simplified version, ditch the cards and use the dice for activation. Instead of holding X number of cards roll that many dice. For every infantry symbol, activate and infantry, for cavalry/armor likewise, etc. Use an online dice roller, assign numbers to the various symbols.

There's also computer based stuff:
Move your pieces on your screen, export data file to buddy, repeat.
cyberboard.brainiac.com
link

Online game tables:
Most that I've found are subscription based. You play via web browser connected to their cloud.
roll20.net
d20pro.com

If you're looking at webcams, I've seen some games where the referee setups a table and takes a picture of what the player's miniatures can see. The referee emails those pictures to the player who writes commands. The referee follows the commands, resolves fire, and emails results and another set of pictures to the player. Time consuming, but gives a whole new 'perspective' to the player.

And another idea – Move to board games like:
Starship trooper, Memoir 44, Federation Commander

Square Bashing and PBI use a grid by default and a lot of games can be adapted to it with no fuss.

Stalk-I from CinC. OOP, but I still see them around. A fair number of people did PBM with it back when it came out.

Any game. Just put a square grid or hexgrid down on the table and game away.

Articles in both the latest Miniature Wargames (404) and the next (405) on this very subject.

John Treadaway

Strategos/Lost Battles.

The Society of Ancients had a PC version of Strategos and I think lost Battles has similarly been adapted.

Phil
Ancients on the Move

Heroclix uses a grid with number and letter assignment

Bob Cordery's portable wargames
link
link

I've been thinking that maybe squares are more suitable for earlier periods with more linear warfare; and hexes better for more modern periods from about the Boer war onwards. Any views on that?

I think some boardgames would port to miniatures.

I've thought of doing a 6mm Quar version of something like Band of Brothers.

andy

If you use webcams, why do you still need the grid?

It should be obvious from the photos where each unit is located.
And if a range or movement distance doesn't work out exactly, give the benefit to your opponent, as real gentlemen do ;-)

All of Richard Borg's systems (Memnoir, C&C, Great War are done playtesting with miniatures first.

Maybe some suitable historic rules at runtus.org