Tabletop Wargames: A Designers’ and Writers’ Handbook

by Rick Priestley, John Lambshead

Unlike chess or backgammon, tabletop wargames have no single, accepted set of rules. Most wargamers at some point have had a go at writing their own rules and virtually all have modified commercially available sets to better suit their idea of the ideal game or to adapt favorite rules to a different historical period or setting. But many who try soon find that writing a coherent set of rules is harder than they thought, while tweaking one part of an existing set can often have unforeseen consequences for the game as a whole. Now, at last, help is at hand. Veteran gamer and rules writer John Lambshead has teamed up with the legendary Rick Priestley, creator of Games Workshop s phenomenally successful Warhammer system, to create this essential guide for any would-be wargame designer or tinkerer. Rick and John give excellent advice on deciding what you want from a wargame and balancing realism (be it in a historical or a fantasy/sci-fi context) with playability. They discuss the relative merits of various mechanisms (cards, dice, tables) then discuss how to select and combine these to handle the various essential game elements of turn sequences, combat resolution, morale etc to create a rewarding and playable game that suits your tastes and requirements"

Genres: Games, War, Nonfiction

160 pages, Paperback

Published September 16, 2016

About the author

Rick Priestley is a miniature wargaming designer.

Reviews

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know if I would say that I'm a fan of any of Rick Priestley's games but I can say I found this book informative. I would definitely recommend it to any insipiring game designer.
First, let me tell you what this book is not. You will not find a detailed analysis of various wargames and a disection of their rules. You will also not find a formulaic approach that descibres how to develop a wargame as a series of steps or some kind of flow chart.

What you will find instead is a thoughtful redux of game concepts and advice on how to approach the design of rules. THe authors have chosen an interesting writing style where a topic is often introduced as a series of toughts or considerations which should lead the reader to a particular conclussion rather than just stating an assertion and trying to prove it via some analysis. This style can be a little offputting at times as it takes a few pages for the authors to "get to the point".

The book covers model scale and physical contraints, design considerations, probability, writing game rules and considerations on english grammar, army list design, and finally campaigns.
The book is far from perfect but highly worth reading. I would have liked to see a little more about probability and statistics. It could also use a digital edition.

[Joe Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don’t expect detail instructions on how to design game rules, but it explains the thought process on how to layout rules books, differences in randomizing devices (like dice), time / distance ratios with miniatures sizes and scope of what a game is to cover (individuals, skirmishes, battle, etc.), how to balance scenario designs, the basics of grammar and words selection for clear understanding, and etc. Overall, I found it interesting with a good dose of humor in it, but I was hoping for more.

I especially found the thought process of the Games Workshop’s “buckets of dice” and three steps to finalizing the effects of combat in their games very interesting, especially since one of the authors of this book was the founder of that system. Even though I still don’t care for it over a two or one step process, I now have a much greater respect for the system. I also the idea behind the “points system” for units cost to be interesting as well as in comparison with chess. I do wish more game designers would provide more information into their thoughts process and why they did the things in designing their games (like in Neil Thomas’ books) as I think that would help people to better understand how to play the game within the spirits it was intended to be done.

[David Cuatt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was rather disappointed by this book. There was a lot of theory and even math which made it look like game design is more of a science than an art. I was hoping for more actual examples of rules and scenarios, perhaps even some templates to help organize your thoughts when starting to write. Also, the emphasis throughout the book was on designing games for publication and following what's popular right now. My interests lie in tried and true historical gaming and scenarios, not in using points to build armies for competitions at conventions.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic but light game design overview from Rick Priestley of Warhammer fame. The weight of the book was perfect for me and gave a little insight into designing wargames and the kind of things that are important and what to think about when designing.

I'll never create a wargame but I'm curious about the process and this book gave good insight without getting bogged down in too much detail or statistics. It's a quick read and would most likely be a perfect depth for gamers curious about the design process.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very good overview of wargame design. Written much like a decent rulebook, with some top dry humour sprinkled in. It lacks in detailed critical analysis of any particular system, historical or personal insight into the development process of any of the games the authors designed, not to mention gossip or scurrilous opinion. However, its narrow focus provides a fantastic entry point into a deeper understanding of the fundamentals of a wargame design. Required reading for anyone in the hobby, highly recommended to those with an interest in game design in a broader sense, and of interest to those whose appreciation of concise books about craft is subject agnostic.

[Pedro · Rating 4 out of 5]

More a 3.5.