Daz
I disagree (and I'am busy guy, as everyone of us)
A.
I'm busy, true: if I play a 100 turns pbem game (not a special lenght, we know), I'll take 300 days to end the game. 1 year to do 3 days of war? there is something that doesn't work.
waterloo-HPS games, 50 turns, 150 real days, 5 months, 5 months to do 1 day? The day of decision? For whom? For a nitpicker?
B.
If you introduce PBEM as another mode to play, everyone will play only pbem, it's too comfortable
But it's not wargame, IMHO
Repeat my example: Waterloo in HPS games, 50 turns, 150 real days, 5 months, 5 months to do 1 day? The day of decision? For whom? For a nitpicker?
It's not "to take decisions" as commanders do (or quite so)!!
Arjuna, what do you think about this? Please, don't ruin your beautiful 'creature'!
Let's give a glance to what I call the "PBEM escalation"
I play TOAW pbem with my friend
GAME 1
I start a scenario - 20 units - 15 turns
1^ turn, I open my PC and I play half an hour, and I'm very satisfied. I have to understant terrain, understand briefing, my OOB, and I have to decide my strategy
2^ turn satisfaction
3^ turn - - 5 - 6 same as before, everything it's ok
turn 7 - the turn before I've decided what to do, in this case ... five minutes and I've finished
turn 8
as for turn 4, 5 ,6, etc
turn 10
attention: as for turn 7, satisfaction is lessening
End game - a very good experience! IT SEEMS THE HEAVEN OF WARGAMERS
GAME 2 - 3 - 4 - as for GAME 1
GAME 5
Now I'm very rapid, in some case I'll finish my move in 3 minutes, I spend more time to send my files than in "effective game"
Game 7
I start to search greater scenarios
GAME 20
I play only grater scenarios
If I open PC and play I want to have some satisfaction, and satisfaction can be obtained only if I have 100 units or more (let's say, my argument is a logical matter, units can be 50, or less) and (this is very important) I have to move them!!!
Micromanaging increases.
I don't "command as commanders do", but I move units, I'm the uber commander=GOD.
If you give a glance to our PC-played-wargame as WITP-AE and compare it with our boardgame or 3D games (played, not designed), the escalation that I describe is evident.
200 turns, huge maps, neverending iperdetailed AARs
Designers start to design this kind of games, there is no space to others, escalation seems inevitable
I play only megascenarios, micromanaging dominates market and minds of designers and wargamers (can I call them wargamers?).
To win I don't have to take good decisions in a 'normal' time, but I have to micomanage better than my opponent. And in my 'digital loneliness' I can easily find the time for obsessive micromanaging
It's "to command" as commanders do (or quite so)??? I don't think so.
(My argument is a logical matter, obviously if I consider your last game my phrases are not true, I want to explain a concept, let's say)
-)
PBEM is the death of true wargame
LAN is the way to a new life
Cmd Ops is our PHOENIX
-)