"Computer moderated rules - worth investigating?" Topic

3 Posts

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ochoin	12 Jun 2026 6:58 p.m. PST
This is a topic I've debated with myself for several years. There have been several discussions on TMP, which I've read. I've been reading about Carnage & Glory and I am still intrigued by the idea of computer-assisted tabletop gaming. BTW, is this the only system available? Do they totally replace printed rule sets? I'd want to use them for several periods (Napoleonics, ECW, SYW, Colonial, etc.). For those who've actually used it (or similar computer-moderated systems), what did it add to your games that conventional rules didn't? Did the computer genuinely improve fog of war, command friction and uncertainty, or did it mainly add administration and record-keeping? Did the outcomes feel historically credible? How practical was it for solo gaming and for games with opponents whose time is limited? Are they mainly suited to large convention/show games? I'm also interested in whether they work well for "what if" battles and campaign-generated scenarios, rather than simply refighting historical engagements. Finally, for those who tried them and moved on, why did you stop using them? As you can appreciate, trying one would involve a fair financial outlay—I don't even own a laptop. I'm interested in experiences rather than theoretical opinions.
doc mcb	12 Jun 2026 8:15 p.m. PST
It has been 20 or 30 years but I played a computer moderated set of fantasy rules. They were okay. I eventually modified them by noticing the factors that the computer could not know except what you told it. Which included where everything was on the table. So it was possible to add a whole layer of command and control, and movement magic, and spells to increase or decrease range of arrows, etc. it was okay for what it did. But then of course I wanted to write my own rules and did.
John the OFM	12 Jun 2026 9:40 p.m. PST
A friend bought a shoebox full of the magnificent 1:300 (1/600?) Thunderbird (?) ACW ironclads. He refused to run games because he couldn't find a suitable computer set of rules. 🙄🤷 Me? I couldn't be bothered. A simple cheat sheet and your preferred dice should be enough.