"14 YEARS ON, Same game different words." Topic

Well all the text is done and formatted Issue 2 of Manoeuvre Group is just waiting for a cover Photo; time to reflect.
14 years, a ¼ of my expected adult life's, still playing the same game and still having fun. I must admit we never expected that. We wrote Manoeuvre Group when our expectation of rules was growing, DBM, Stargunt II and others, gaming was advancing more tactical, flexible and realism in a relatively fast play format. We were expecting these advances to continue and we would be replaced. Instead fashion war gaming took, over dumbing down, excessive simplification, great for some but not for us. So after 7 years of play moving from 1/72 to the then quite new 1/144 which offered cheap, far bigger games on the same size board without looking too far out of kilter, you could get real world terrain or something like at 1mm=1m and still not have to go to 1/300 which was not for us, as we needed bigger models so we could point weapons a key factor in our rules to eliminate rules and be more credible.
This move did highlight a few deficiencies in our rules when played at a higher level and we were learning more about the real world, we put out a few bulletins to help our growing readership but in the end a re-write was necessary. Asimov said you write your fist ½ million words, throw them away then start writing. We have to admit we have got better at writing over the years especially with the help of my son who is an avid RPG player and rule reader (Alex of Shipyard). Though the fundamental systems have stood the test of time, however Issue 2 is hopefully better written and has more clarity.
There have been a few minor changes to detail after hundreds of games (literally) and loads of player feedback. It interesting that as you read the rules again in its final standard you realize some of the Issues you wondered recently if they were not quite right, but OK, were because you had forgone bits and it's better than you remembered.
The rules we have mastered in 14 years but like chess the game still leaves a lot to be learnt. And so the fun goes on.
As war games designers it's important you are true to yourself, write for who you are and the fun is endless. We look forward to the next ¼ of our adult life and our continued gaming. Budding designers need to realize there work may last for decades. It won't make you rich in money, but to us writing rules was never so much about money a passing on to the next generation as they passed there innovation to us, without which we could not have advanced.
This is a personal view, many (but not all) now seek a different path in their war gaming, multi period, figure centric simple games. This is not supposed to be a rant, just one man's (admittedly opinionated) view of war game rules over the last decade and a half.
As for models the world has moved on unbelievably, the rise of 3D printing has made affordable war games models of subjects that would never make viable casting models. To me war games is still vibrant and fun a decade and more along.
As always your views if not abusive are welcome and you may surprise, surprise not agree with me, it would be a poorer world if we all had the same views. ;-).

Well said, UchCha. The dedication and hard work you and your colleagues have put into this project are worthy of both praise and emulation within our hobby.

Congratulations!

B

UshCha,
Well done! I'm only 7 years into mine. Someone once said game rules are never finished. I'm starting to believe that.

Personally, I encourage negative comments. I've never learned anything from people that tell me how good I am <grin>

Yes, I'd hate to live in a world where everyone agreed with me. I can't imagine no bar fights, school yard bullies to punish, adversaries to vanquish, friends to debate with, etc. How boring!

Keep up the good work.

Wolfhag