WaPo Magazine article on designer Volko Ruhnke

[bayonetbrant]

In the world of war games, Volko Ruhnke has become a hero

In the game as in real life, the Afghan government and Coalition are ostensibly allies. And in the game as in real life, "ally" has loose meaning. I ignore him and drag his troops to the south to make a move against the Taliban. He scowls as Ruhnke beams. Ruhnke wants us to undermine each other. This is how he designed the game. This is how we learn.

Ruhnke is obviously enjoying his roles as party host, rules expert and teacher. He leans in. He speaks only when needed or pressed, and his explanations arrive with cheerful excitement but also a hint of gravitas, like that of a father patiently conveying hard facts to his children.

"So you're telling me terror is always effective for the Taliban?" the Afghanistan vet squawks. "It shouldn't always work; it has to have the possibility to backfire."

Ruhnke answers without hesitation: "It always works. But remember, I'm not going for a high-fidelity model of district-level counterinsurgency operations." He adjusts his frameless glasses. "That particular instance of terror is what happened in Nuristan over months of time ... I'm most concerned about delivering the inter-factional pressures and politics."

Later, when I need the long-gone aid money, I fire back at the vet. "What are you doing over there, Karzai? Remember, this is our cash. Share."

Ruhnke jumps in again, building bridges. "Tell Jason it's not corruption. It's just your traditional way of running things. You have to live here; he'll eventually leave." The Taliban leader across the table makes no attempt to stifle a giggle as he reaches for pretzels.

Ruhnke thinks of a day, however remote, when his games might sit on store shelves next to the classics. He sees people just like us having epiphanies through gamed agitation, quick bonds such as ours forged within an intense, inhabitable narrative. But mostly his goal is as unique as it is stark: to educate by providing tabletop insurgencies for any board gamer who would like one.

much, much more at the link

[Barthheart]

Just read that. Very good article.

[LongBlade]

Fun read. I like his style of decoration.

[Ubercat]

I'm amazed by the COIN series of games. They aren't THAT complicated but the innovations and brand new game mechanics take some getting used to. There are many subtleties that don't become apparent until you actually start playing, no matter how many times you read the rules first.

I just started a 4 player Vassal game of Andean Abyss using Dropbox to exchange logfiles and it's a blast.

[bickford]

Gotta love Brian Train! (co-designer)

...seems to me that BGG has rather more, and more vocal, resident Fascists...

(from CSW)

http://talk.consimworld.com/WebX/.1dd517eb/1409

[bayonetbrant]

I've met Volko, and booked him onto a panel at Connections where he met Brian Train.  Nice folks, both of them, and very fascinating.

Volko's style of design is to definitely to make people uncomfortable with the choices arrayed before them - not because they are bad choices, but because you will often be left wondering "man, what if I did that differently?" and radically changed the game.  I think that's one reason his games have a ton of replay value.

The one thing he doesn't lack is enthusiasm.  It can seem a little understated at first, but he loves evangelizing wargames and will talk about them until you make him stop.

[Nefaro]

I'm amazed by the COIN series of games. They aren't THAT complicated but the innovations and brand new game mechanics take some getting used to. There are many subtleties that don't become apparent until you actually start playing, no matter how many times you read the rules first.

Agreed.

I have Labyrinth and I've had it half set up twice before but not yet played.  The rules weren't thick or hard to understand but the concepts are definitely something I'm not used to in game rules so I tend to re-read a lot of stuff and try to think through how it would play out.  I should probably just set it up and play as I learn straight from the rules.

If I can ever finish getting through the rules and stick to a playthrough, I'm sure I'll love it.  It's been hard getting motivated with a few of the games I picked up in the last few months.  Notably the ones that are off the beaten path, like this.