As you head into this extended holiday weekend in the U.S. with plenty of opportunity to play some games, I encourage you to ponder a bit about the holiday and the games we play. Growing up, the first more serious tabletop games I learned to play were Risk and Axis & Allies. Those were my intros into the larger gaming world which led to my passion for gaming and the freelance work I do today. When I was younger, I honestly did not put much thought into the war themes of those games. I played them because they were fun. I enjoyed the battles and trying to outwit my opponent.
As I grew older, I understood the impact of war more through schooling and listening to stories from my uncle, a Vietnam veteran. He did not share often, but when he did, he opened my eyes to a greater understanding of the impact of war. It put my video game and tabletop gaming into a new perspective. These games were not just abstract mechanics but represented real events in our history. Real people who were impacted.
Fast forward to today, and some war themed games are very popular. The Grizzled and its new expansion are getting a lot of press among the game personalities. Reflect on the history and impact of war as you play some of these currently popular RPG and tabletop war games like Advanced Squad Leader, The Grizzled, Achtung! Cthulhu, World War Cthulhu, Memoir ’44, Risk, Tide of Iron, Axis & Allies, Heroes of Normandy, and more.
These RPG and tabletop war games are fun to play, challenging you strategically and tactically. Whenever you play them, take a moment to reflect on the history these games depict. Remember those that have fallen in the wars. Respect their sacrifices. Enjoy the freedoms you have, including the freedom to enjoy these games.
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