As a wargamer, I find a great way to engage a wargamer is by thinking about combat is by thinking about the type of terrain you're fighting in and be open to manipulations of that terrain for advantage. If not mechanical advantage, consider narrative advantage--a character in the desert dives into the dune and has a few seconds to bury themselve partially to avoid being in the open. Maybe this provides them some cover, or a round where the enemy doesn't attack them, some kind of feedback for tactical problem solving. That bit of versimilitude can really keep a wargamer focused.