Want a game with wizards and warriors? Try Frostgrave. Today, however, there are dozens and dozens of skirmish wargames that cover a wide range of themes. Ten years ago, you would have had a hard time finding an inexpensive wargame to play with your child, let alone a game that might be of interest to both of you.
Click here to read some of Robin’s Geekdad posts on Shadespire. Update: If you’d like more details about Shadespire, fellow Geekdad, Robin Brooks has a YouTube Channel devoted to it. Shadespire: $51 - 8 minatures (for 2 players), 32-page rulebook, gameboard Warhammer 40K Starter Box: $135 – 53 miniatures, 280-page rulebook, two supplemental books, and more Not knowing if you or your child will enjoy a certain skirmish wargame, it’s nice to know that a skirmish wargame rulebook and some miniatures can often be had for around $50.Įxample Traditional Wargame vs. It’s not unheard of for skirmish wargame players to buy more miniatures, more terrain, and other accessories, but this is typically after paying a small entry-level fee to try a skirmish game first. This isn’t to say that costs can’t soar after you or your child finds a skirmish wargame you enjoy. This isn’t the case with skirmish wargames that are designed to be played with small-scale armies (typically under 20 miniatures in total), require a single rulebook (although expansion books are available for popular games), and usually need a smaller amount of space (4′ x 4′ or less) to play. This money is often spent over time as a player finds a game he/she enjoys and wishes to continue playing, but the fact remains that a traditional wargame can mean a significant investment where army sizes can push 50+ or even 100+ miniatures, official rulebooks can number in the dozens, and terrain is needed for covering a 4′ x 6′ or larger table surface. Traditional wargames often require a major investment - hundreds and even thousands of dollars are spent on armies and dice and books and terrain. The differences between a standard wargame (such as Warhammer 40K) and a skirmish wargame (such as Shadespire) are many, but for parents looking to start playing a tabletop wargame with their kids there is one key difference that parents are sure to appreciate - a low entry-level cost. A few skirmish wargames can be played solo most will need at least two players, but this is a small price to pay as a parent for reducing digital device time (as well as receiving the nine remaining benefits below). You’ll also find that most skirmish games have zero digital requirements - you’ll need dice, a manual/rulebook, and some miniatures. A typical skirmish wargame can also be finished in under two hours, so you’re not trading four hours of digital gaming for four hours of tabletop gaming. There’s no doubt why kids love the digital experience with its instant gratifications - You’ve Leveled Up! Achievement! You Have a New Power! Games are fun, and digital games always provide an opponent, especially when Mom or Dad or Big Sister are busy.Ī good skirmish wargame can provide that bit of competition that a kid enjoys, including the advancements that make long-term game playing so fun. There are always reasons to give your kids just a little more time, and all of a sudden they’re playing those digital devices for 2+ hours a day. Your kids start out with one hour a day, but then they finish homework or it’s raining outside or they’re sick in bed or… you get the idea. I welcome your opinions in the comments below.Įlectronics can often turn into a runaway train. This type of wargame is called a skirmish wargame, and since I’ve introduced my boys to this style of play I’ve discovered some real benefits that I’d like to share with you. They can touch the miniatures and the houses and trees and move them all around. Thankfully, there’s a type of wargame that isn’t too complicated for them to play. And I never got to play.ĭecades went by before I would get my chance to play a wargame, but once I did… I was hooked. I was told the rules were too complicated. I saw the table covered with miniature houses and trees and a lake (possibly a river), and I wanted to play. I watched a group of men move around large blocks of soldiers and then roll dice and argue over distances and whether or not this group or that group of painted soldiers were tired or scared. I saw a large table covered with sand and hundreds of hand-painted metal miniatures when I was a kid, and that image has stuck with me for decades. I’ve been fascinated with wargames almost my entire life.
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