In defense of hovertanks

sparky00 · 09-03-2019, 05:45 PM

[QUOTE=ColBosch;2282845 Ogre is not, and has never been meant as, a serious examination of potential future warfighting. Its entire design process stemmed from practical concerns: how many counters MetaGaming could fit into what would become a MicroGame.[/QUOTE]

Concur.

I have always suspected, from the day i bought my first copy of Ogre back in the late 70's, that it was intended as something of a rebellion against the hugely complex wargames that were in their heyday at the time.

I imagine Mr. Jackson saying something along the lines of "what if we made the absolute simplest hex & counter wargame possible? No 85-page rulebook, minimal terrain effects, no Line Of Sight, 1 D6 roll to resolve combat, No 28-column CRT, no auxiliary tables or factors. No 16-phase turn sequence. Quick to learn and quick to play. Can we do this and still have it be a fun game?"

Clearly, I believe the answer to that is a resounding yes. Despite having a relatively small player base, Ogre is alive and well, and still undergoing active development. I cant think of another hex & counter wargame from that time that is still growing ( maybe ASL?). After 40 years of development, its rulebook is still only 32 pages, and that includes the GEV rules. Its still fast and fun to play. That's why I believe Ogre is the greatest hex & counter wargame of them all. Its still around and being developed and enjoyed 40 years later, despite not being loaded with technical minutia.

09-03-2019, 05:45 PM	#8
sparky00 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Parma, OH	Re: In defense of hovertanks [QUOTE=ColBosch;2282845 Ogre is not, and has never been meant as, a serious examination of potential future warfighting. Its entire design process stemmed from practical concerns: how many counters MetaGaming could fit into what would become a MicroGame.[/QUOTE] Concur. I have always suspected, from the day i bought my first copy of Ogre back in the late 70's, that it was intended as something of a rebellion against the hugely complex wargames that were in their heyday at the time. I imagine Mr. Jackson saying something along the lines of "what if we made the absolute simplest hex & counter wargame possible? No 85-page rulebook, minimal terrain effects, no Line Of Sight, 1 D6 roll to resolve combat, No 28-column CRT, no auxiliary tables or factors. No 16-phase turn sequence. Quick to learn and quick to play. Can we do this and still have it be a fun game?" Clearly, I believe the answer to that is a resounding yes. Despite having a relatively small player base, Ogre is alive and well, and still undergoing active development. I cant think of another hex & counter wargame from that time that is still growing ( maybe ASL?). After 40 years of development, its rulebook is still only 32 pages, and that includes the GEV rules. Its still fast and fun to play. That's why I believe Ogre is the greatest hex & counter wargame of them all. Its still around and being developed and enjoyed 40 years later, despite not being loaded with technical minutia.