Still liking the idea of modifying a wargame ? Awesome ! Let’s begin.
When making changes, I recommend starting with the smaller, easier ones first to see how it pans out. This is especially true if you need to purchase extra pieces and parts. The last thing you want to do is buy new units and markers that cost a bundle and not use them because you never found a good niche for them. Therefore, here’s a way to progressively make changes.
Tweaking the Rules
The simplest way to begin changing a wargame is by using the rules already present within the game itself. Making small tweaks can go a long way, especially if the game has some innate complexity. Sometimes, that’s all you’ll need to bring that extra fun that was missing.
You might want to try several games by adjusting one rule at a time rather than making a bunch of modifications at once. It’s easy to “break” the game with too many changes and if you implemented several at once, you’ll have a hard time figuring out what’s causing it.
If you’re lucky, by now you’ll have found a rule or two that seems off or even completely pointless. You’d be surprised , but it’s not all that uncommon. Sometimes it’s a rule that’s just plain bad, sometimes it’s because your playstyle is different from the designer’s. Even the best game builder can’t make a good call 100% of the time, and that’s OK. It’s actually a perfect opportunity to try some changes.
You can be extremely gradual if you want to. I remember once changing the cost of a unit by a single point of currency and the end result was far too drastic to make sense. We therefore had to try a few more tweaks before coming up with one that worked.
If simply adjusting the rules doesn’t bring you the new experience you wanted, then the next two options are available.
Adding New Rules
Adding new rules to a game has one huge advantage : it’s cheap ! No extra units or any other items to buy, just more mechanics. If you think there is enough room for new sets of rules to be applied, I recommend that you try this first. It’s less likely to unhinge the game design at first. It’s also fun to fully explore the potential you can get out of what’s already on the board.
As always, I suggest you start with small rule changes and see where it takes you.
Adding New Units or Pieces
The rule adjustments and new mechanics aren’t giving you what you want ? Looks like it’s time to add even more to your game.
This is where you can be the most creative, and where you also need to know your game inside and out to not ruin it. You have an endless amount of possibilities, from the realistic to the truly bizarre. It’s why I believe it best to know very well what goal it is you seek. After all, you will be spending money on the game now, so you need to make a wise decision.
Personally, I’ve paid some games twice over in terms of what I bought to bring new units to them. There are also many times I came very close to buying even more because I saw good sculpts for units and stopped, simply because I couldn’t think of a smart way to put them in the game.
When adding new stuff, I suggest you do some research to find units that make sense within the game’s historical context. For example, I doubt adding aircraft carriers in a 1914 setting will work unless you make substantial changes to the base game. That runs the risk of denaturing the whole thing, and that’s usually going to end up bad. Therefore, having some knowledge of how things worked in that period of history will give you insight on what you can realistically and cleverly add to your game.
Some Guidelines For Tweaking
- Decide historical accuracy VS gameplay : How much historical accuracy you should put in is up for debate. My preference is towards helping gameplay, so I get inspired by history, but I don’t let it completely take over. For example, Axis & Allies tends to have a certain bias towards the Allies (which is historically accurate). However, I prefer something that can be more balanced to give both sides a decent fighting chance.
- Implement one new unit at a time : Adding one new thing in a game can be complex. Do yourself a favor and refrain from putting in a ton of stuff at once. It’ll be impossible for you to figure out what’s causing the game to break. Also, you may not realize all the interactions that your new unit will cause once other smart players try it out. Give yourself a chance to fail and to adjust. You’ll get the best out of your modifications.
- Beware the “super weapons” : It’s tempting to add unbelievably powerful units to the game. It has that feeling of gloom and doom for your enemies to know you are unleashing a terrible beast onto them. Truth be told, however, this is the worst type of unit to add in a game. The reason is simple : it’s either going to be too weak to be useful, or far too powerful to make sense. You want a good wargame to give you options to win the game; if this devolves into a one-trick poney, it’ll get boring really fast. On the other end, a weak super weapon is no fun at all. Concentrate on adding stuff that brings a fun new dimension and where players can choose if and how much they should invest in it.
- But what if I want to add super weapons ? Then please do ! Just be aware of this pitfall and tweak away ! Let me know what good outcomes you end up getting, I am genuinely curious !
- Be mindful of making the game too rigid : This one is similar to the super weapons warning. You should be careful that whatever you add doesn’t kill all possible outcomes except one. A game that quickly devolves into a single strategy is boring and uncreative. I bought games that were relegated to oblivion because we figured out that there was just one way to win. Wargames are fun because they involve a complex enough setup. You should have varied scenarios based on choice, player mentality and counterplays. This makes it more compelling to play and, most importantly, replay !
- Avoid turning the game into a book of laws : Adding some complexity to a game can make it much more fun. Turning it into a rulebook consulting nightmare is sure to kill your enthusiasm and your friends’ as well. Keep the rules simple, and their strategic implications fun.