Wall Street Journal notices wargames
A nice little capsule review of the history of wargames by the Wall Street Journal, Boys, Men and the War-Strategy Game.
Yes the hobby does fill a need but then I heard an ad on the radio today promoting a math-only tutoring franchise. So the schools have a gap there too. Just what is it the public school actually do?
Anyway, my interest started when a high school history teacher used Diplomacy as a class activity so I guess I was lucky. But toy soldiers and Sgt Rock/Sgt. Fury comics had interests too so I may have been fated to be a grognard.
The article doesn’t dwell too much on any sociological thesis of boys, men, war and wargames (which are often labeled, somewhat prissilly, as “conflict simulations” so as not to offend any nearby peaceniks.)
However playing a wargame doesn’t make you a warmonger. In fact, as any soldier will tell you. Peace is preferred. But if war is the enemy then the first rule of warfare is…know your enemy.
