Beary Simple Wargame: Rules Objectives

 The main objectives for the Beary Simple Wargame are:

1: Concise Rules

    Rules should be easily memorized by adults.  After a few plays, hopefully clever children will be able to play without being constantly reminded of the rules.

2: Fast Play

    Kids have short attention spans.  They want to play with all of their toys every day.  Something that takes too long will not be played frequently

3: Thematic

    Kids play games.  They don't simulate warfare.  Every action should have an in-game explanation.   

4: Gridded

    Kids don't want to measure with a ruler or tape.  Gridding minimizes fiddliness and speeds player turns. Gridding should also reduce need for precision in moving pieces when there are long reaches for short arms.  

5: Modular

    As players age/improve, complications/expansions should be layered on to provide more strategic depth. 

6: Minimal Stat Keeping or Markers

    If it feels like homework, kids aren't going to want to play.  There should be no writing required during the game.  If markers are needed, they should be very thematic, very clear, and very rare.

I have a rough outline floating in my head of a IGO-UGO system with each player activating 2-3 units per turn.  For now there will be no limits on which units can be activated or tests to determine if the unit obeys.  Combat would be an opposed D6 roll.  Combat results in: No Change, Defender Counter-Attacks, Defender becomes scared, Defender runs away.  Unit types would be held to 3 (maybe 4) to start and as kids improve, additional types would be added.  Ideally, I'd like to build up to the trait/point system that Ganesha Games uses and multi-based units receiving group orders from dedicated officer units, but that may be several years away. 

No painting yesterday.  We put up the Christmas tree.  Which really means we spent way too much time messing with dead bulbs on the pre-lit tree then ending up putting string lights around it.  This tree only has to limp through this season.  Hopefully, we're in a new house next Christmas.