As I look back over my past year of gaming, I see a lot of tactical level stuff.

GBoH,

MoI,

WaW, TCS, Boots on the Ground and Combat Commander etc. From these experiences I have enjoyed immensely the stories that play out in my little mind. Some historical, some really too low level to be anything than a random skirmish (BotG/CC).

On the other hand some are so overwrought and painful to execute on that I spend more time being Platoon Ldr/CO Co, Bn leader that I am lost in the miasma of leadership rules conformity or historical exactitude to see the tactics for the tree. The play is there, the story is there, but its like drawing a tooth out to get there….with no anesthetic.

I find myself falling into commonalities, tricks that work, same old approach: ” Ahh yes, Ancients; All Cav flank, grind away, Center prepare to push up when I say…3…2…1 ! Bam battle over. Ahhh another featureless plain conquered. Bravo.”

Or, “Hmm its night, zero visibility, lets fire smoke, and sneak thru the trees to the edge and fire at  those guys….Whoot After 3 rounds of fire I suppressed them.  That’ll show ’em.”

“Hey, Look a Soviet Tank- relax, fire the ATGM. Boom dead. Next…..”

“Heh,heh, I have a special card to play, flip- boom u die.”

At what point my friends does the ‘reality’ of attrition based combat on the tactical scale become a grind and no longer a satisfying tactical puzzle, conundrum, problem to solve?

How do we measure that?

Is it the game system/mechanics behind the attrition fatigue?

At what point do we say – whoa Nelly, ease up. x # of rolls to kill a platoon/Squad/company/phalanx/legion/tribal unit thingy thing is enuff!

When is the “tally the DRMs, roll the dice, get a result, do a rout/morale/are we ok check, oops I’m stuck here for a turn or 3” process too much? 5 times a turn? 100 times a campaign? 1000 times in 2 days of game time?

What are the most incremental, attrition (low increment losses based) simulations you play ?

Do you like these games? Why?

Is this what you want?

Is this what you expected?

How does one adapt ones thinking and enjoy this?  I don’t know if I can.  I want to experience and understand the fire and movement principles, the formation adjustment challenges, the risks of loss of cohesion, the risk of of lack of cover, attacking up hill in Column, the effective range of my slingshot,bow, rifles and MG’s. How will flanking help me here? Where should I place my MG’s? Who is most reliable in a crunch?

I want to be rewarded for the tactical effectiveness of my F&M.  How much pain do I want to endure to achieve that reward? Yeah. It all feels kind a painful at the moment.

Should I be playing Battalion/Regiment or Divisional Level instead?

Am I a tactical woosie?

Do I need a “strategic break”?