Matrix Gaming has nothing to do with that Keanu Reeves movie with all the special effects. It's a unique gaming idea invented by Chris Engle that resembles role-playing. The beauty of the game lies in its simplicity. The referee sets up the scenario, which includes a map, cast of characters, and the objective. Each player gets a character. This could be anything from Rommel in N. Africa to the Paris mob during the Reign of Terror.

Each of the players gets to make one matrix argument each turn. This argument takes the form of an action, result, and three reasons why it would succeed. The referee rates the strength of each argument and a die rolls determines whether it actually happens. Some arguments will cause trouble for other players, or result in conflicts, which must be resolved with additional arguments. Each successful argument adds to the matrix of information in the game. The players can use this matrix on future turns as fodder for their arguments. In this way the players create the story. Matrix games (MGs) come in all flavors, so what can they do for the wargamer? I see three broad uses:

Campaign in a Day

The MG concept can be used to play an entire campaign, or even an entire war, in a single evening. The arguments can be resolved quickly, and the campaign will progress rapidly. The MG rules are especially good for handling the kinds of conflicts that are difficult to cover with traditional war game rules: politics, propaganda, supply, fortifications, etc. Players like to think outside the box when playing a campaign. This can frustrate a referee when a players wants to do something wild such as "My men disguise themselves as civilians and infiltrate the enemy lines," or "we cut down a bunch of logs and paint them black so they look like cannons," or how about "we put a radio on a fishing boat and send it into the harbor to report on enemy shipping." The MG game rules allow the players to try anything they can imagine. They will be successful only if they can justify their arguments with some good reasons. Check out the description of my first attempt at this - a Viet Nam campaign.

PBEM Campaigns

MGs are tailor made for play by email. The players simply email their arguments to the referee each turn and he judges and rolls for each argument. The players then get a summary of all the successful arguments. This would be a great way to generate some interesting battles. Small conflicts could be resolved using MG rules; the better ones could be played out on the tabletop using traditional war-gaming rules.

Politics By Other Means (PBOM)

PBOM is the name Chris Engle uses for his marriage of MG rules with miniature wargaming. Basically you play the game using your favorite miniatures rules but the players also get one matrix argument each turn. This is a great way to handle unexpected events and not so innocent bystanders. Often a referee will use a set of event cards for these little surprises, or run the extra characters themselves. The MG approach puts all the power in the player's hands, and the only limit is the player's imagination.

What a fun way to spice up "fringe" historical games like Wild West shootouts and pirate raids! My first experiment with this kind of game was set in Darkest Africa.

The rules for Matrix Gaming can be found on Chris Engle's Hamster Press web site (http://www.io.com/~hamster/). You can also learn a lot by joining his MatrixGamer discussion group at Yahoo Groups (http://groups.yahoo.com/). The discussion group is, by and large, a friendly and helpful group. This is also a great place to join a PBEM matrix game. Another good source of information is the Matrix Gamer newsletter, which is archived at Magweb (http://www.magweb.com).

Firebase Dustin

A Matrix Game Experiment

My first attempt at a matrix game took about half an hour to prepare. More preparation time would have been helpful, but you have to take what you can get. There were some bumps along the way, but this first experiment was a success. The game went so quickly that we played it twice in one night, and everyone seemed to have a good time. The players were Charlie, John, and Ceasar (veteran war gamers) and Dustin, an enthusiastic newcomer.

The Scenario

I divided my gaming table into six zones, and laid out some terrain - villages, roads/paths, woods, hills, and jungle. One player commanded the local force VC. These were veteran winter cadre, familiar with the area. They had been lying low, but now it was time to start causing trouble. Their force consisted of three rifle platoons, a HQ, and a recon platoon. Their HQ started the game in a hidden bunker. Coming from the North to help them were some main force VC - three rifle platoons, a sapper platoon, and a HQ. Somehow the players thought that this force was NVA, and I didn't catch the mistake until it was too late, so I let it go. There were two American commands. Each had three rifle platoons and a HQ. Each side could receive reinforcements or fire support with a successful argument. The Americans could either walk onto the map from the South, or use helicopters to land in any clear terrain. After turn one helicopter transport required a successful argument. Each platoon and HQ unit was represented by a miniature figure.

I explained the terrain and the rules - one argument per player each turn. One change from the traditional rules was that I allowed players to move to a new area without an argument but only to the midpoint of the adjacent area. This was my biggest mistake - I should have run the game using specific movement distances and ranges.

Game One

Ceasar and Dustin were U.S. and they entered the board on foot from the South. John was local VC and Charlie was main force VC, but I'll refer to them as NVA since that's what he thought they were.

Turn 1: The Americans enter from the South, the NVA enter from the North via "unseen paths." The VC moves south to confront the Americans.

Turn 2: The NVA foment anti-American sentiment in the villages as they move south. Dustin sniffs out a VC presence in the first village he encounters. Ceasar moves into another village and wins hearts and minds by killing the local VC tax collector and distributing food and medicine.

Turn 3: Dustin panics and calls in an air strike that levels the village. Unfortunately the VC had already withdrawn. There are many civilian casualties. Meanwhile Ceasar finds out that the friendly villagers were luring him into a trap. He's attacked by the NVA from the front while VC try to ambush his HQ. He manages to withdrawal.

Turn 4: Construction begins on Firebase Dustin. Ceasar calls in an air strike and the village is clobbered with napalm.

Turn 5: Dustin orders gunships to stand by to support the firebase. VC and NVA attack Ceasar's company. He loses a platoon and retreats to the firebase, reeling.

Turn 6: VC scouts Firebase Dustin, preparing for the attack. Ceasar gets lucky and reinforcements are dispatched to help him, but don't arrive immediately. Gunships strafe the tree line near Firebase Dustin.

Turn 7: snipers and mortar fire harass the firebase. Sappers breach the defenses. A nosy journalist arrives and files a report detailing American atrocities in the area - the destruction of two peaceful villages. Future fire missions are put on hold while the brass investigates.

Turn 8: VC and NVA overrun the firebase. Attempts to evacuate the base are botched. The Americans suffer 60% casualties and many prisoners are taken. American reinforcements arrive too late to help.

Game 2

Charlie and Dustin play the Americans. Ceasar commands the local VC and John plays the NVA.

Turn 1: The Americans decide to chopper in and land far to the North. Unfortunately spies have already delivered the American plans to the local VC. Dustin detects the presence of VC in a nearby village when they foolishly shoot at his helicopters.

Turn 2: The VC evacuates the village, warning them that the Americans have come to kill them. Dustin torches the village. Charlie uses an informant to track the NVA to their base.

Turn 3: Dustin tries to attack the VC while they evacuate the villagers but he's driven back. Charlie moves on the NVA stronghold but is driven back and a sniper kills the informant.

Turn 4: Charlie returns to the NVA stronghold and runs into some booby traps. Dustin scouts the next village and occupies it after learning that it is clear of VC. The local VC recruits two fresh platoons from the displaced villagers and gives them weapons.

Turn 5: The local VC infiltrates the occupied village.

Turn 6: Charlie locates an NVA weapons cache and it blows up in his face - another booby trap. Dustin is alarmed when the villagers suddenly flee to the North, spooked by VC infiltrators and the column of smoke rising from the neighboring village (which Dustin burned). Dustin beats a hasty retreat to the South.

Turn 7: Charlie declares his mission accomplished and heads for the LZ. He runs into an NVA ambush, losing a platoon.

Turn 8: Charlie is evacuated by helicopter. Dustin moves onto a hill with the VC in hot pursuit.

Turn 9: On their way home Charlie's copters get a distress call from Dustin and move to help him. The NVA locate Dustin and bring up some mortars.

Turn 10: The NVA mortars pin down Dustin's troops, preventing their escape. Charlie's choppers strafe the VC, preventing them from joining the attack this turn.

Turn 11: The NVA successfully attack Dustin, he loses a platoon. Charlie's helicopters are low on fuel and have to return to base.

Turn 12: Dustin is successfully evacuated but suffers more casualties.