"Magazine Scenarios" Topic

I have been thinking a little bit recently about what makes a good magazine scenario from the point of view of the player (or umpire) and this is what I came up with: link

What do you look for in scenarios in wargaming magazines?

1. Scaled map of battlefield.
2. Description of forces in real terms (includes arrival times and places.)
3. Description of terrain (including weather.)
4. Objectives of both sides.
5. If there was a historical battle or has been a game, a description of such is a bonus.

For me the ability for the scenario to be translated into my preferred periods.
favorites were WW2 Kasserine Pass= Sci fi
AWI = renaissance.

I'm in agreement with Robert Piepenbrink:
1. Scaled map of battlefield.
2. Description of forces in real terms (includes arrival times and places.)
3. Description of terrain (including weather.)
4. Objectives of both sides.
5. If there was a historical battle or has been a game, a description of such is a bonus.

As a sometime writer of magazine scenarios this is a really useful discussion. There's very little to no actual feedback about what is put into print.

I wonder if generic "table top teaser / command challenge"-type scenarios get played more or less than the rules-specific or period-specific stuff.

The simple scenarios in the back of Neil Thomas' One-Hour Wargames book seem to have been quite popular, regardless of opinions on the rules themselves.

The gold standard for me has always been the Battle Stations scenarios from Wargamer's Digest. A clear description of the general situation, opposing forces, terrain conditions, and objective, with accompanying map and order of battle. In later format ones, the attacking side also had additional orbat and deployment info printed elsewhere in the magazine. Also printed elsewhere in the issue was a suggested solution to the tactical challenge presented (although these sometimes went a little Kobayahi Maru…)

Scanned pdfs of many of the scenarios are in the Files section of the Wargamer's Digest Yahoo Group: link

Whirlwind, I'm usually fine with period-specific, even if it's not my period. Von Trinkenessen is right: you can usually adapt within limits. But rules-specific can be much harder, especially if it's written in code ("Category C LMH" or "500 points") or written for someone's proprietary universe. Really, I'd except a handful of popular "franchises"--Conan, Tolkien, Star Wars and Star Trek--but when you have no idea what the troop types are, it's hard to adapt the scenario.

And I make regular use of both the Thomas and the Grant generic scenarios. I'm also building up files of period scenarios when I can find them, but mostly of period battle maps, which come in handy.