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Simulating War: Studying Conflict through Simulation Games
Over the past fifty years, many thousands of conflict simulations have been published that bring the dynamics of past and possible future wars to life.
In this book, Philip Sabin explores the theory and practice of conflict simulation as a topic in its own right, based on his thirty years of experience in designing wargames and using them in teaching. Simulating War sets conflict simulation in its proper context alongside more familiar techniques such as game theory and operational analysis. It explains in detail the analytical and modelling techniques involved, and it teaches you how to design your own simulations of conflicts of your choice. The book provides eight simple illustrative simulations of specific historical conflicts, complete with rules, maps and counters.
Simulating War is essential reading for all recreational or professional simulation gamers, and for anyone who is interested in modelling war, from teachers and students to military officers.
In this book, Philip Sabin explores the theory and practice of conflict simulation as a topic in its own right, based on his thirty years of experience in designing wargames and using them in teaching. Simulating War sets conflict simulation in its proper context alongside more familiar techniques such as game theory and operational analysis. It explains in detail the analytical and modelling techniques involved, and it teaches you how to design your own simulations of conflicts of your choice. The book provides eight simple illustrative simulations of specific historical conflicts, complete with rules, maps and counters.
Simulating War is essential reading for all recreational or professional simulation gamers, and for anyone who is interested in modelling war, from teachers and students to military officers.
363 pages, Paperback
First published January 19, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
June 23, 2019
Argues the value of simulations and wargaming, and outlines many different ways of using them. While I didn’t need a lot of selling on this it had some good arguments and interesting ways of using them, to include using them as a tool to better understand why historical events unfolded the way they did. It also had numerous interesting techniques for making better simulations and wargames, to include using multiple players with diverging interests to simulate factionalism and realistically portray why larger more powerful nations sometimes don’t win because they fail to unite.
January 18, 2013
While the author makes many good points about conflict simulation for historical insight, he often belabors those points unnecessarily. Worse, he undermines his own efforts by using questionable 'internet personalities' to support his contentions; he presents circular arguments; and he self promotes to the point of annoying the reader.
As an example of the author's tendency to both self promote and belabor consider a typical sentence:
"Roma Invicta?, was designed by my student Garrett Mills in 2007 as his project within my MA course on conflict simulation" (p.136)
OK, we 'get it' the simulation was developed by a student of yours, who therefore must have taken your course. Perhaps it's just my preferences, but I believe the above sentence could have made its point more clearly in one third to one half the length.
So it's unfortunate that this book wasn't more firmly edited. It is a decent book if one can tolerate the author's style, but I believe it could have been much better at half the length.
I recommend that wargamers and educators consider this book given the caveat that its style won't be for everyone. I do not recommend this book for others.
As an example of the author's tendency to both self promote and belabor consider a typical sentence:
"Roma Invicta?, was designed by my student Garrett Mills in 2007 as his project within my MA course on conflict simulation" (p.136)
OK, we 'get it' the simulation was developed by a student of yours, who therefore must have taken your course. Perhaps it's just my preferences, but I believe the above sentence could have made its point more clearly in one third to one half the length.
So it's unfortunate that this book wasn't more firmly edited. It is a decent book if one can tolerate the author's style, but I believe it could have been much better at half the length.
I recommend that wargamers and educators consider this book given the caveat that its style won't be for everyone. I do not recommend this book for others.
November 14, 2018
The first section of the book I enjoyed about the theory of wargaming. But the second section of the book, about gaming mechanics, I didn't find very interesting. However, the third section of the book contains six wargames (maps and counters have to be assembled, but they are there) has some interesting topics. By reading the first two sections, you understand the author's intent on the purpose and the reason for the mechanics with the six games.
If you really want to understand how to design historical board wargames, this is a very useful book. I read it because I was wanting to understand more of the theories of wargaming, especially for professional use (i.e., members of the military or politics). I did find some of it useful, and probably find several of the games provided useful, but this is really more about designing the games then what I wanted. Still, it is was worth the read.
If you really want to understand how to design historical board wargames, this is a very useful book. I read it because I was wanting to understand more of the theories of wargaming, especially for professional use (i.e., members of the military or politics). I did find some of it useful, and probably find several of the games provided useful, but this is really more about designing the games then what I wanted. Still, it is was worth the read.
February 1, 2017
One of the most intriguing books I've read in a long time. The author teaches military history and uses simulation gaming as one of his core teaching tools, having students study specific conflicts and play games designed to model their dynamics and factors, then design their own.
I've been doing this since high school, over forty years now, and can attest that looking at situations through the eyes of the commanders on the spot in this way gives one a much more solid appreciation of what happened and why, as well as what might happen in hypothetical situations.
Sabin provides added value by not only explaining how to design games, but also providing a primer on using a popular freeware system, Cyberboard, to build and play original games or play any of a great variety of games created and archived online by others.
For any student of military history, this is one of the books I'd recommend if I could only list a dozen.
I've been doing this since high school, over forty years now, and can attest that looking at situations through the eyes of the commanders on the spot in this way gives one a much more solid appreciation of what happened and why, as well as what might happen in hypothetical situations.
Sabin provides added value by not only explaining how to design games, but also providing a primer on using a popular freeware system, Cyberboard, to build and play original games or play any of a great variety of games created and archived online by others.
For any student of military history, this is one of the books I'd recommend if I could only list a dozen.
September 8, 2015
Bravo! Professor Philip Sabin provides a clear and thorough explanation and demonstration of the hands-on method he uses to teach military theory and history at the university level. His approach involves analyzing the forces and dynamics involved in the conflicts studied, converting the resulting data into simulations that allow users to step into the roles of the people whose decisions drove the outcomes, and thereby gaining a deeper understanding of what was possible, what those people chose to do, and why.
Strongly recommended for students of military history and possible wars of the future.
Strongly recommended for students of military history and possible wars of the future.
November 15, 2022
An interesting study of tabletop wargaming design for educational and recreational purposes by someone who is intimately familiar with the subject matter, having designed many games himself and taught classes on the subject. It’s not surprising that the book, therefore, reads largely like an academic textbook. It was a little surprising that it also feels a little self-absorbed at times, with references to Sabin’s own work, the work of his students, etc. It’s a testament, therefore, to how good the rest of the book is and how clearly the ideas are laid out. that I could overlook the scattered navel gazing moments. Sabin uses the first two parts to he book to explain the systems and mechanics of wargaming, detailing why he believes this approach or that works best. It may feel remedial to some gamers, but I think this is where the book shines. Do we weigh down the experience with detailed chrome to enhance the accuracy of the simulation, or do we abstract or streamline parts to make the experience more enjoyable or digestable? His third part is filled with examples of play. I recommend this book to anyone who has any kind of interest in wargaming or simulation gaming, but it’s difficult to recommend to anyone outside that small circle.
June 16, 2024
Well, that was something ... different.
This, essentially, is a scholarly thesis on the use of wargaming in an educational setting - like another reader, I found the first part (about the theory) interesting, the second part - containing example games - less so (perhaps because of my lack of real interest in anything beyond WW1 in the air).
Like being forced to study Shakespeare in school, I found this to somewhat suck the fun out of the activity in question.
Still, YMMV, as the saying goes ...
This, essentially, is a scholarly thesis on the use of wargaming in an educational setting - like another reader, I found the first part (about the theory) interesting, the second part - containing example games - less so (perhaps because of my lack of real interest in anything beyond WW1 in the air).
Like being forced to study Shakespeare in school, I found this to somewhat suck the fun out of the activity in question.
Still, YMMV, as the saying goes ...
May 14, 2019
It feels a bit like the author does not believe in himself and feels like he has to justify every single sentence.
Every point is drawn out forever and with numerous references to himself and his students. It feels more like an academic paper than a book.
Interesting concept, a lot of good points, but hard to read.
Every point is drawn out forever and with numerous references to himself and his students. It feels more like an academic paper than a book.
Interesting concept, a lot of good points, but hard to read.
June 15, 2020
A really good intro to the field of conflict simulation, and it's also really helpful for people who have a lot of experience to think a bit more in-depth about the design decisions made, and how to design for effect. Seeing practical examples of conflict simulation coupled with the author's notes on why some decisions were made was extremely illuminating!
June 18, 2022
This book has been on my to read list for a long time and has languished on the book shelf for at least several years. Started reading it yesterday and finished today. It's not something that you read expecting to read it only once. It does give numerous examples of games designed by Sabin that j=he utilizes in his classes and the examples of play are fun to read and follow along.
February 21, 2020
An intriguing discussion about the utility of wargaming in education. Sabin makes a strong case for the use of simple wargames in the study of historical conflicts.
July 12, 2021
had to read it to understand counterfactuals and simulating historical events through gaming and i hated it bc im hot and not a nerd
February 28, 2012
Whereas the author's previous work, Lost Battles, focused on the study of ancient battles using wargames to help test and propose theories regarding the course of those battles, this book is focused on the wargames themselves and how they can be used in a classroom environment.
To that end, the book is divided into three main sections. The first deals with the theory of using wargames as teaching tools, discussing the pros and cons of board wargames vs. other methods of simulation, such as computer simulations or umpired roleplaying exercises.
The second section deals with the mechanics of designing a board wargame that can be played in a classroom setting. The author refers to these as "microgames" to distinguish them from the bigger and more complex recreational wargames. Earlier in the book, the author defines a microgame as a game that is playable in 150 minutes or less with a maximum of 100 counters, a 17"x22" map, and 7500 words of rules and examples of play. In this section the author describes how to go about designing a game that will meet those restrictions and still offer valuable insight into the topic being covered.
In the course of describing how to design a microgame, the author goes over many common mechanics used in recreational wargames, even those not useful in microgames. In explaining why those mechanics are unlikely to work in a microgame, the author goes into enough detail to make this section useful both to those designing microgrames and those designing full wargames.
The final section gives no fewer than six complete mircrogames as examples of what can be modeled and taught.
Overall, this is a very interesting book, and one potentially very useful to educators and both professional and recreational wargamers.
To that end, the book is divided into three main sections. The first deals with the theory of using wargames as teaching tools, discussing the pros and cons of board wargames vs. other methods of simulation, such as computer simulations or umpired roleplaying exercises.
The second section deals with the mechanics of designing a board wargame that can be played in a classroom setting. The author refers to these as "microgames" to distinguish them from the bigger and more complex recreational wargames. Earlier in the book, the author defines a microgame as a game that is playable in 150 minutes or less with a maximum of 100 counters, a 17"x22" map, and 7500 words of rules and examples of play. In this section the author describes how to go about designing a game that will meet those restrictions and still offer valuable insight into the topic being covered.
In the course of describing how to design a microgame, the author goes over many common mechanics used in recreational wargames, even those not useful in microgames. In explaining why those mechanics are unlikely to work in a microgame, the author goes into enough detail to make this section useful both to those designing microgrames and those designing full wargames.
The final section gives no fewer than six complete mircrogames as examples of what can be modeled and taught.
Overall, this is a very interesting book, and one potentially very useful to educators and both professional and recreational wargamers.
November 14, 2015
Simulating War is an interesting book. It deals with tabletop wargaming, and specifically how to use such games to learn more about actual conflicts, whether in a classroom setting or through private study. The book consists of three parts. In the first part the author discusses the theory of wargames design and how they can be of use in teaching about historical conflicts. The second part gets into the design of wargames. This includes good summaries of past and current design trends (hex maps vs. square maps, Combat Result Tables vs. target numbers, etc.) and how to select the right design options when designing your own games. The third part puts the information from the first two parts into practice, as the author presents eight separate games that he has designed for use in his classes on military conflict. For each game the rules are presented, along with a discussion of why the rules were designed the way they were, and an example of play is presented. These games vary from a multi-player game of the second Peloponnesian War that barely has a map at all and just has numbers of generic "armies" in vague geographic areas to a World War II infantry battle game using a hex grid and defined unit counters. I found the discussions of wargaming rules very interesting, and I especially liked how the author discussed the design process for the included games. As a wargamer, I find this book very useful in understanding why games are designed as they are, and I recommend it to any other board wargamers looking for more insight into the design of the games we play.
September 25, 2012
I'm of two minds about this book: the first two sections (covering Theories and Mechanics of wargames) read more like a primer (which in fact they are) about what wargames are and how they can be used in the classroom felt more like a bit of a waste since they were large on the theory and rather vague on the execution. On the other hand, the last section (Examples) is where the book really shines, with Mr Sabin applying the vague theories of the first two sections with 7 different simple designs. The reason that the section shine is not really the games, but rather the explaining of the methods and reasons that were used to craft the systems and what the games tell about specific aspects of conflicts (both modern and ancients). Like the too-rare good designer notes in commercial paper wargames, it is in these that the reader will find value rather than in the games themselves. Reading about the reason why certain aspects of a conflict were simplified is a very interesting read and show how art (and judgement) is used in a strong design.
The first two sections can be forgiven if one keeps in mind that the book is aimed at neophytes or history teachers who don't really know wargames/conflict simulations and are interested in seeing what they are about. For experienced wargamers, skip them.
The first two sections can be forgiven if one keeps in mind that the book is aimed at neophytes or history teachers who don't really know wargames/conflict simulations and are interested in seeing what they are about. For experienced wargamers, skip them.
February 16, 2020
An excellent discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of using simulation games to study or teach conflict dynamics. Very valuable reading if you're interested in the design of war games, which is my perspective. The book covers conflict from ancient times to the modern day, and goes into detail about the challenges faced by those who want to accurately portray conflicts via the medium of a simulation game.
It's also valuable for those who are interested in using games as teaching aids, since Sabin has a practical hands on approach rather than a purely theoretical one. He has used games in his classes and it shows with his relentless focus on brevity and manageable rulesets. The focus is on highlighting the most salient issues in a simulation with the minimum complexity, but the concepts he discusses are also relevant if you're looking to design a more complicated game for a hobby market.
It also includes rules and photocopiable components for several example games, which I haven't had a chance to try out, but will likely be useful for many people.
This is my second time reading, and I found it as engaging the second time as I did the first time.
It's also valuable for those who are interested in using games as teaching aids, since Sabin has a practical hands on approach rather than a purely theoretical one. He has used games in his classes and it shows with his relentless focus on brevity and manageable rulesets. The focus is on highlighting the most salient issues in a simulation with the minimum complexity, but the concepts he discusses are also relevant if you're looking to design a more complicated game for a hobby market.
It also includes rules and photocopiable components for several example games, which I haven't had a chance to try out, but will likely be useful for many people.
This is my second time reading, and I found it as engaging the second time as I did the first time.
May 17, 2016
I didn't really get out of it what I thought I would, or wanted to, but it was definitely worth reading. It's certainly not a manual on how to design a wargame, but it does highlight elements to consider, especially from Sabin's perspective, to boil the simulation down into something easily taught and played in two hours. The modeling aspects and Cyberboard were things I hadn't seen elsewhere, and he includes several games you can print and play, which is a nice bonus to see some of the principles in action.
April 28, 2013
Bonne introduction aux simulations militaires (wargames). L'auteur est néanmoins un partisan farouche des jeux simples et courts, qui ne représentent qu'une petite fraction de cette activité. Mais tout les concepts classiques (échelle, zone de contrôle, grille de mouvements, table de résolution des combats, ravitaillement, etc...) sont bien expliqués.
April 2, 2016
Very interesting, albeit a tad over-focused on his personal experience. I disagree at least partially with his criticisms of computer-based simulation (especially because the most important one, the freedom to operate outside the confines of the designer's imagination, is not really mentioned) but the chapters on design tradeoffs are very good.
November 20, 2016
One of better game design books.
Combines Game Studies, Game Theory and War Studies to good effect, this book really does give some practical tips for creating wargames (even other analogue games).
Using the lens of bespoke games to show how complex systems can be simplified & abstracted and still be useful as an active learning tool.
Combines Game Studies, Game Theory and War Studies to good effect, this book really does give some practical tips for creating wargames (even other analogue games).
Using the lens of bespoke games to show how complex systems can be simplified & abstracted and still be useful as an active learning tool.
January 21, 2014
I'm enough of a wargaming geek that I found his games too simple. I enjoyed his discussion of using the games in academia though, but was quite surprised to find that he thought most commercial games too complex for a masters level student.
January 29, 2014
Excellent book on the art and science of wargame design. It's especially valuable as it is a recent book (unlike many classics in the genre) that takes into account the internet and recent trends in the field.
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March 10, 2013A true classic in wargaming, written by one of its most learned teachers.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews