Solo Wargaming

New books on solo wargaming are a rarity, so when one comes along, the author should be applauded. This year, Gregory Ward published 'Wargaming World Solo: Ancient to Modern Solo Wargaming' (WWS). As the title suggests, the book has taken on the ambitious task of writing solo rules that span human history.

Overview

WWS is divided into three parts. First, the author overviews his approach and mechanism to provide a unique solo opponent, a 'Virtual You' (VY). In the second part, the bulk of the book, he goes through the details of deployment, turn sequence, command and control, random events, flank marches and reserves, movement and combat, reactions and decision making and finally, morale. The book's final part contains examples, army lists and QRS. All in 80 pages.

Complete Ruleset for the Solo Gamer

As the above heading suggests, WWS is a complete set of rules. Concentrating on troop and leadership quality as the main driver allows Gregory to use the same primary mechanism for different historical periods, adjusting for technological advances in the movement and combat tables. These rules are self-contained and would allow gamers to set up a quick weekend game.

OR A Toolkit

However, like many, I am already attached to specific rules for my favourite periods. For people like myself, WSS becomes a treasure trove of tools to turn these rules into a better solo experience. These include how to set strategy, tactical approach, deployment, objective setting, hidden movement using markers, and reaction tests. In many instances, the pedigree of these ideas can be traced back to Donald Featherstone and Charles Grant, to name but a few. However, how they have been combined and redesigned makes this book an essential addition to a solo warmer's library.

Next Steps

My next step is to try WWS's tools with my favorite rules: Lion Rampant, Fantastic Battles, and Sharp Practice. Additionally, I plan to use them in my historical refights at Tel Danith (1115), Cheriton (1644), and Vimeiro (1808). This exploration has also sparked ideas for naval games like Dystopian Wars, and experimenting with pre-battle movements, sieges and campaigns. WWS has rekindled my interest in the genre and what can be done.

How long does all this take? Who knows? However, that is the beauty of solo wargaming.