My wargame light bulb turned on after I heard "pillar of wargaming" Don Featherstone speak at Siege of Augusta a few years ago. My perspective changed significantly, from one of men "playing war" to recognizing the true theoretical nature of what the hobby is founded on. I began appreciate the extensive knowledge hobbyists have, and the details requires to presenting a factual simulation of a particular time period. This perspective of history piqued my interest, and I've sought to inquire, what intrigues people to wargame? Why do women tend to shy away from the hobby? and How might wargamIng attract potential female enthusiasts? (I know this is unwelcome for some men.) I have assimilated the value and importance of wargaming. Featherstone's talk, illustrating his own gruesome war and wargaming experiences, was a starting point. Obviously, wargaming is a great learning tool. Unfortunately, the psychological aspect is too often missing from many historical games. Sure, wargaming seeks to simulate strategies and tactics from particular battles. Detailed analysis of topology, morale, troop movement, uniforms, and technology can enhance the accuracy of the scenario and augment enjoyment. However, morale is a very loosely used term in wargaming; it is qualified from high to low. Depending on the morale, the troops simply advance or retreat, respectively. It is the morale facet of wargaming, the human element, that I think may attract more women to the hobby. If the details involved in wheeling exactly a certain distance to represent actual troop movements are incorporated into a game, why can't more detailed humanistic morale factors also be integrated? Morale can be defined in terms of a group, but there is also individual morale which could potentially have great impact. What affects individual and collective moan in turn affects the overall decision making process. Facts and emotional states both influence the decisions an individual will make. War, like all other events, does not occur in a vacuum. Decisions are made under conditions affected by the impact of objects, experiences, people, and other salient issues, which affect the human psyche. Despite their disdain for stereotypes, women are "into" understanding the psychological condition or, if you will, "getting in touch with feelings." However, this enters a realm beyond the mere everyday emotions. It involves trying to understand the mental state under various circumstances. How does this all tie into attracting women into wargaming? Having interviewed soldiers from Gen. Patton's Third Army, hearing first hand accounts of what they endured, and hearing what Patton was like as a leader, gave me some "firsthand" exposure. It gave me clearer insight into what it must have been like to have been there myself. The Veterans ALWAYS discuss the human aspects of war through their experiences. Having spoken with Vietnam veterans gave me an appreciation to the impact of societal views on their "emotions" while in combat. These men showed me how the human mind and its perceptions can be changed under unique controlling factors, which can and do alter decisions. This aspect of humanism has lead me to have heightened desire to either wargame or reenact these time periods. It all bolls down to being able to 'identify" with the emotional state of mind and how it impacts a decision. To walk a battlefield not only to see the type of terrain involved, but to imagine and consider the impact of carrying a pack, in the heat, with worn out boots, with death looming, with a constant barrage of artillery, being controlled by hate, guilt, and fear, being forced to confront ethical dilemmas, battling desensitization, and constantly dwelling on safety and security adds realism and identification. I think that women would appreciate the psychology involved in the decision making process. Since we tend to over analyze intent and motive, I think that the potential budding female wargamer or reenactor might be intrigued by releasing that "need" by making decisions and being involved in the psychology of situations. Not all women might find this interesting but for those that enjoy military history, the psychological aspects rather than the "hard-core" tactical aspect might allure these women to the hobby. Granted, tactics are a major focus and emphasis of any war simulation, but more of a humanistic component can be integrated. I (in my freely admitted lack of extensive exposure) have rarely seen this integrated except for the "morale rules.' The games that attempt to develop this more deeply gear it towards men (i.e. high morale due to obtaining women and grog). For example, one "Ethical Wargamer scenario of My Lai, Viet Nam, the summation states 'All battle simulations must have some 'game mechanic' to replicate the emotional aspects, unknowns and 'uncontrollables' of war." These are represented by such things as troop morale effects, limited intelligence, and random events. 'Game mechanics' can also be devised to replicate and observe ethical aspects as well." And here is my main focus, these "game mechanics" effected from a participatory standpoint can give significant insight to the social- mechanics of the event. There is more to morale than merely obtaining a simple pleasure or experiencing a random defeat. How might a Vietnamese non- combatant feel when his or her family has just been decimated? How might a father feel hav,ing seen his son murdered and daughter raped? How might a doctor or nurse feel in a makeshift hospital in the civil war, seeing young men tragically disfigured by non other than her own countrymen? Not all non-combatants can be ignored. Many such people throughout history, though categorized as such, have been instrumental in battlefield success and failure. Consider WWII female resistance members, many of whom were liaisons to the Germans for the purpose of acquiring information. What was the impact of Korean "comfort women" on Japanese and Koreans during the war? Women might find trying to identify with the emotions of these simulated people inspiring. What about the soldiers in the field? Don't you think thoughts of home were constantly tormenting them? What if a soldier or leader received a "Dear John letter?" How would this effect him, his 'morale," his "will" to fight, and in turn his men? These emotional states do drive people to action, whether it is simulating a war game or fighting a real war. These emotionally driven aspects might appeal more to women. I do want to acknowledge all who spend so much effort to make wargaming enjoyable. It is not my intent to focus on what the wargaming hobby is lacking but rather to laud those veteran wargamers like Don Featherstone and further encourage incorporating the human perspective. live learned much from wargaming, and besides, it makes my nipples hard. Back to Dispatch December 2000 Table of Contents Back to Dispatch List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 2000 by HMGS Mid-South This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com