"Keeping notes for the AAR" Topic

How well do you keep track of what is going on in your battles so you can post an AAR?

I take photos each turn and record the casualties to paper.

Writing a report however, does not have be a blow by blow description but share memorable highlights of the game.

I print out battlefield maps 2/a page, two sided and bring crayons (pens bleed though) for mark up and take pics. I map the significant end of round statuses and take pics of particularly strategic important outcomes (sometimes faking a defeated figure lying down on the table). I can usually reconstruct a reasonable AAR from that.

I take photos each turn. Otherwise depend on my memory. I do record how long each turn takes.

It depends if I am playing in the game or running the game for everyone. If I am the GM I can take my time and take lots of photos each turn.

If I am playing in the game I often get too involved to take photos every turn. So I take photos of significant events such as charges, melees, reinforcements entering, generals getting killed, etc.

I am pretty good about remembering how the game progressed and how the different strategies succeeded or not. I don't do an analyses of every turn. I also encourage the other players to submit their own AARs.

PDF link

Thanks, Nashville. I look forward to reading the manual.

I try to take pictures at the end of every turn. If I'm really efficient, I'll write the turn number on a post-it and take a picture of that, too. I also jot down notes on a yellow pad of who did what each turn. It's not perfect -- at all.

I take pics at the end of every turn and whenever something dramatic or unexpected occurs. I narrate the action into my iPhone so I have a transcript to write from.

I photograph and take notes at the end of each turn. I have notebook just for those notes. It is a time-consuming process, however, so I sometimes write down just a few words if nothing significant happens. I used to write down every turn in the AAR, but if nothing happens aside from movement for a few turns, I just summarize those terms in a single paragraph.

I'm trying to use Google Keep for notes on phone. What I really want is something that will let me take a picture, then dictate a note, with one button press. But you have to do a bit more than that.

Hmmm. I have thought about learning some android programming. I wonder if the parts I'd need are all there, ready to be used.

andy

Photos when I remember, paired with memory…when I remember.

My AARs combine what happened in the game with rule mechanics analysis and conundrums, a few jokes, and the occasional purple prose. Admittedly, my rules commentary applies to my perspective of the game, which is a bit tougher to do properly if playing for the first time…and once, but I've played enough rules over the decades to mix and match commentary to older rule sets.