OSG Blog

What is Victory?

Devising Victory Conditions is one of the most complex tasks faced by any game designer. This stage is usually the last step of development, well a...

vintage Talavera battle-map, 28th of July, 1809

Some Ideas About
“The Meat Grinder Revisited”

Drawing on our previous experience of TLNB, I've come across some quite interesting aspects that I'd like to discuss with you. Thank you very much ...

detail of the Chattanooga Quadrigame map by SPI

THE LIMITS OF ART

The physical system available to the wargame designer is the single greatest limiting factor on his design... But the graphic designer can help the...

central map detail of 3-map Katzbach Campaign setup

Preview: Napoleon’s Counterstrike

Five maps, three of which go together to create one 66” x 34” playing area for the Katzbach Campaign. One of our playtesters remarked: “I tell ya, ...

The Battle of Eylau — Who "Won"?

It is no exaggeration to state that without the work of Col. John R. Elting, there would be no Zucker Napoleonic wargames. In particular, his work...

About
Zones of Control

This is a misleading term that many gamers crack their heads on. Instead of trying to imagine exactly what this animal called a “Zone of Control” w...

First & Franklin Presbyterian Church with its soaring spires into a high-cloudy blue sky

DARK DAYS IN BALTIMORE

In December of 1979, I moved from New York to Baltimore to take a job at Avalon Hill. Unfortunately, though I did not realize it at the time, I was...

Kevin Zucker circa 1979 in his Navy bridge coat.

"Days of Pragma"

One day in December of 1978 I stayed home from work with a high fever. Ina intuitively knew to call me at home, though we hadn’t talked in six mont...