Mark is very geniune about his acceptance and desire to grow the hobby, he has no hidden agendas and is honest about what gaming means to him. Basically everything I would expect from an early 80's metal/underground metalhead. Cheers Mark \m/.
Always great to hear Mark talk about gaming. His passion for it, and his desire for others to enjoy it is inspiring. A terrific ambassador for the hobby.
The General did sometimes analyze the game in so much depth that they basically solved it. To play ideally you need to do X, Y, and Z on each turn. Afrika Korps is probably the best example of this. There's almost no point to playing the game at that point. I don't resent anyone playing a game the way they want to, but sometimes maybe I just want to try something new and don't care if I am playing the most efficiently.
Great interview and great editing 😊. Mark is a treasure and has absolutely the right idea about enjoying the games. Fred and Liz make a great interview team. A great contrast.
What a nice interview ! Thank you Fred and Liz for inviting Mark. A true lover of "paper time-machines". I like the way Mark & you state that every gamer is creative because you cannot immerse in a fictional word if you are not creative yourself. So, in a way, wargames is a tool to make history creative (and that's the difference between a history book and a history game). Also I smiled when Mark put ASL and Squad leader in his top 5 ;) A great interview once again !
On Mark's comment about standing at the Angle at Gettysburg looking out over the field. I"ve been there, and done that, and had the exact same reaction.
Thank you Fred! What a great video! This interview with Mark is really nice. I am really interested in the hobby and would love to get into it, but i don't know how. just a couple of small questions...What games would you recommend to get into the hobby of wargaming, specifically for those that aren't very familiar with board games, and also those that are a bit familiar with board games. Also, would you say that as long as someone is interested in the game, they can learn any game?
Glad you enjoyed it! I made a video a while back that might answer some of your questions, but maybe I should do a new top games to get into wargaming video. Here is the link: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-YEqITgeNKpQ.htmlsi=0FT-z1fFkEcqJ4hl
When Mark mentioned that Normandy footage with that American soldier dropping like "a sack of potatoes" I knew immediately what he's talking about. I get emotional over it too. Ever since i was old enough to understand my mind has been filled with questions about him. What was his name? Where was he from? Was he missed by a lot of folks when they got that letter about his death? Did he believe in the mission to liberate France, or was he answering the call to adventure? Just a few of the questions of the many thousands i've had over time.
I do enjoy winning, but it's more about how I get there. I know my opponent enjoys winning too, so I may as well throw them a bone right :)? Anyway, I mostly play solo anymore and one of the reasons why is that I am mostly interested in consuming the physical production of a game and thinking about the system. Winning, while enjoyable, is almost beside the point. I don't even need an opponent to appreciate the things I enjoy most about games.
Following up on Mark's comment about numbers, I'm currently reading Bruce Catton's Army of the Potomac - and I really find the book unsatisfactory because it's not sufficiently analytical. When I wrote for Strategy & Tactics magazine, the real appeal for me was its data-driven approach to history. S&T sacrificed the story part of history for sharp analysis. And that analysis revealed the history better than the long-winded historical narratives I had read elsewhere. That said, I agree wholeheartedly with Mark that the best wargames are not buried in numbers. The best games advance theories that use numbers to convey a proof. And proof is not about combat factors and DRMs. Proof is what determines the outcome despite the numbers. Factors like geography, leadership, morale, speed, and surprise are far more important than combat strengths and weapon specs. The truth in history is between the words and beyond the numbers.
7 years war is a fascinating period! Im working on a ruleset for it in 2mm (and a hex&counter campaign that pairs with it of the 1756-1757 invasion of Saxony and Bohemia).
@HomoLudens1871 it was born out of my struggle with wargame win conditions. With a campaign system, all of a sudden you may choose to withdraw to preserve your army instead of fighting to the last
@@markherman50 I think you accidentally replied to me instead of making a normal comment. But while you're here... I've played Fredricksburg and the Wilderness battles from Rebel Fury and really enjoy the narratives they produce!
Re: the “Don’t ruin my fun” crowd, I take an opposite view. The hobby is about history, and no book (or game) is the last word; history is an endless argument and that’s the point - an opportunity for reflection, argument, searching & experiencing. That’s the joy of the hobby in my experience.
