Solo Wargaming

[@Blutgang]

Hi. I'm 56 been gaming since around 1979. I played lots of the old Avalon Hill games with Squad Leader series being my fav and still have. It wasn't until the mid 80s I had others to play so was a solo player a long time. I found all the benefits you list and enjoyed myself. Still solo play time and again and just getting back into miniature games.

[@MiniatureAdventuresTV]

I think Solo gaming is often thought of as a 'niche' part of the hobby, but I think its something we all should consider if we have the facilities (ie space) for it.

[@Blutgang]

@@MiniatureAdventuresTV my old avalon hill games have a chart on each box showing solo playability. Was helpful buying when I was young.

[@johnscarr70]

Sylvester and Asquith's books arrived yesterday. There's a world of difference in the 15 or so years between publications, but definitely both useful. Have used Sylvester quite a bit in the past. As an exclusively solo player, it's been invaluable.

[@robertmills8640]

I use solo gaming to learn new rulesets before introducing them to others.

[@cdiiw5463]

Great video. I agree totally. I'm a yankee so there was nobody to play these games with near me so I grew up playing solo. I really enjoy it, and I love all the games coming out these days that have dedicated sections to solo play. The pandemic demonstrated the value of solo play too and hopefully lessened the stigma that surrounds it.

[@duncanrichardson5306]

The pandemic has shown me that far more people play solo than I'd thought and it's great to see lots of info being shared now. That advantage of being able to play over several days is one that attracted me and makes all the set up time more worthwhile.

[@MiniatureAdventuresTV]

I'm playing a historical solo game right now (for a video to come out in a few weeks) that took me a week to set up and several weeks to get started while I fiddled with the orders of battle. I've been playing (and filming) it slowly over a week now and I'm less than half way through!

[@leonleese4919]

Playing solo makes you think about the rules you are using. ie it has always been said that that the time in a move for a line to advance 100 yards is 2 minutes but all other things that happen would take between say, 7 to 15 minutes. Because the rules say that’s how it is but solo play let’s you think more about why this is.

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Love to hear someone else referring to Mr Babbage! :D There's some great suggestions in there - my copy of Donald Featherstone's Solo Wargaming has been thoroughly well thumbed-through by now.

[@MiniatureAdventuresTV]

I like the simplistic approach of Mr Babbage but its also good to have some other ideas to fall back on and Featherstone's book is excellent.

[@TheHobbyGrotto]

This is a good thing to draw people's attention to, solo wargaming is quite underrated I think, though as you mentioned in the video the recent world events have certainly given more people reason to try it!

[@MiniatureAdventuresTV]

I imagine solo games are having a renaissance at the moment. But I think its the sort of thing where having a games room (or shed, loft, basement etc) to retreat to is essential. I couldn't have done solo games before I got my Operations Room.

[@TheHobbyGrotto]

@@MiniatureAdventuresTV 100%, an Operations Room is where it's at!

[@GrayArmyGaming]

Appreciate the advocating for solo play! I have been doing this for years, and I love it! Have been a lot of solo games during Covid. Not many of my friends understand my love for solo play, so it is great to find someone who gets it! 😊👍 All the best to you!

[@MiniatureAdventuresTV]

Glad you agree. Lost of us have become a solo players out of necessity but i think its worth keeping it up.

[@lesliebeilby-tipping6854]

Good thoughtful chat. I have never felt the need for solo gaming, I think I would pursue gaming with figures but on-line. Years ago the club I used to be a member of did play campaigns by email, to produce clashes that we would play-out at the club meeting. This worked well until people interest lessened or there work patterns meant that they could not attend and then the games all got out of step. At the moment I am just enjoying getting stuff done, and even revisiting boxes of figures that could just be improved.

[@MiniatureAdventuresTV]

My group is just about to commence a play-by-email game set in the Seven Years War. Two teams acting as generals will be issuing orders to their brigades and the umpire has to interpret those orders and play out the turns. He will send out an update and pictures when new orders are needed, or a crucial point is reached. I've taken part in two of these before and they have been great fun (I would say that of course, because I won them both). This time it's not one on one but two opposing teams so coordinating the team is going to make things a lot more interesting!

[@lesliebeilby-tipping6854]

@@MiniatureAdventuresTV You will have to keep an update on your Sunday post!

[@leonleese4919]

For a campaign map use 1 or even 2 Ordnance Survey maps of wales. Ignore the high contours unless you are thinking of an alpine campaign. Reduce the built up area size. I have the old imperial maps I think 1” = 1 mile. When you come to fight a battle, redraw the area to make it more suitable. You could have a large frontage with gaps between brigades. Work out the table movement to match the map movement. Individual generals may March to the Sound of Guns or they may ignore them and continue with orders or be indecisive and not move at all. A lot of modern rule like Sharp Practice govern movement with a die roll so map moves are the same for the solo gamer and the opposing force. It can be frustrating but then look at Lee’s cavalry going missing (Jeb Stuart). You only have to look at almost all Napoleonic battles to find someone who didn’t follow orders or use initiative.

[@MiniatureAdventuresTV]

Excellent suggestions.

[@wargamingchina9174]

Just found your channel, nice presentation. I mainly game solo, its nice to know others play that way also. I hit like and subscribed. Keep up the good work

[@MiniatureAdventuresTV]

Thank you.

[@neuzd]

There's a new edition of Grant's book published by Partizan/caliverbooks. It actually was already out when this video was published. With the premise that I'm not a "true" wargamer and I paint myself mostly as one who likes playing with toy soldiers and following the stories that emerge, I find that Asquith's book is the least useful of all solo wargaming books I read.

[@MiniatureAdventuresTV]

I like the Asquith book also but I'll have to hunt down the new copy of Grant

[@neuzd]

@@MiniatureAdventuresTV caliverbooks, the book id is 28346

[@JakeYoloxD]

Thank you for this information! Awesome video

[@MiniatureAdventuresTV]

Glad it was helpful!

[@JakeYoloxD]

@@MiniatureAdventuresTV Subscribed :D Keep up the good work

[@OW...]

Good info..

[@MiniatureAdventuresTV]

Glad it was helpful!

[@peterlittle6651]

What a great video this is, informative and well narrated. Well done QW.

[@MiniatureAdventuresTV]

Thank you.

[@ashley-r-pollard]

Yep. Working on a set of rules now that will have solo play.

[@GrayArmyGaming]

Would love to see them!

[@ashley-r-pollard]

@@GrayArmyGaming They are for near future, so SF not historical, but if interested email me.

[@GrayArmyGaming]

@@ashley-r-pollard Definitely! 😊👍

[@peezebeuponyou3774]

You were talking about Charles S. Grant's book and holding up a copy of Stuart Asquith's. Which is the one that's expensive?

[@MiniatureAdventuresTV]

The Grant book "Programmed Wargame Scenarios" can he bought second hand but is very expensive. But the Asquith guide has a whole chapter featuring a scenario from the Grant book.

[@billd.iniowa2263]

Have you run into problems with games that use long-ranged weapons Lee? I am trying to do a WWII game solo. Seems it would be easier to solo with a game that has short ranged weapons. That way hidden units couldnt fire until you were right on top of them, ya know? Do games of only infantry work better than games with only Tanks? See, I'm thinking if you had cards with unit types (along with blanks) scattered on the table you may not have spotted a card so it lies dormant. Then come to find out later there was an anti-tank gun there that could have been firing at you all that time. In solo games like this you'd have to throw spotting ranges out the window wouldnt you? But then how does a tank spot an AT gun hiding in woods 1000 yards away? See what I'm getting at?

[@MiniatureAdventuresTV]

If I play solo and one side has something like a long range gun or has the capability for ambush, I'll play them and automate the other side.

[@billd.iniowa2263]

@@MiniatureAdventuresTV Hmm, in WWII everybody had them, lol.

[@duncanrichardson5306]

@@billd.iniowa2263 Some rule sets have target acquisition tables with a random factor that lend themselves to solo play. Even in games against other people you have the problem of players being able to see too much. Rules like O Group limit the ability of observers to contact long range guns too, which means they can't just fire every turn.

[@billd.iniowa2263]

@@duncanrichardson5306 Thanx.