What is war gaming about?

[Sbloom141]

In ‘real life’ I think war is a disgusting holdover from primitive times that we can’t seem to shake off, but the history of it is all very interesting and the pretend-play conflict of miniature battles (even when based on reality) gives you a good chance to exercise the tactical part of your brain. Bloodlust rarely comes into it.

As someone said earlier, it’s like ‘chess with more varuabbles’ And chess started as just a more abstract war game I suppose.

There are plenty of different settings if you want something less historical which might make you feel more comfortable e.g sci-fi and fantasy.

[v_lazy_dragon]

On the theme of wargames without 'war' there are paintball-player and snowballer figures out there...

[Lowtardog]

What trade are you mate, if you have an interest in aircraft that may be an angle to explore

[armchairgeneral]

I would reiterate the comments about modelling. Once you have made that tank, plane or building etc. wargaming gives you an outlet to use it rather than it just gathering dust.

[FramFramson]

Also, if it's specifically war that puts you off, another idea is "adventure" type games, such as those in a Pulp setting (Doc Savage, The Shadow, etc.), which can feature tactical combat (between heroes and goons, or even just competing groups), but are fundamentally structured more around goals and forming a story.   

Which is to say, there are many ways to skin a cat, without any actual skinning of cats being required. 

[JollyBob]

What trade are you mate, if you have an interest in aircraft that may be an angle to explore

How hard would it be to adapt Wings of War or something similar into a Red Bull Air Race...?

Could do some lovely modelling projects for that... 

[JamesValentine]

Glad to see you got allot more useful responses after the first 
Wise asses unfortunately are in this hobby as much as any other

[Clearco]

If you like race games you could try Gaslands without using the weapons in the cars. I have played like that while introducing players and we had some enjoyable games.

Another option could be Palaeo Diet: Eat or be eaten. There the players must colaborate to hunt some animals in a prehistoric setting.

Just a couple of ideas 

[Keith]

Glad to see you got allot more useful responses after the first 
Wise asses unfortunately are in this hobby as much as any other

In all fairness that was a first ever post by a new member which proceeded to describe the whole idea as dim.
I suppose I could have added a smiley or something, but didn’t really feel like it.

Still, from such unlikely beginnings has grown a decent thread. Who knows, maybe it needed a little manure on it to kick things off?

[Plynkes]

I'm not sure the OP meant "dim" in the sense of stupid, Keith, but I can see why you might have thought so. I read it that way at first. I think he/she was trying to convey their lack of illumination on the subject, but it was vague enough language to easily misconstrue. Someone coming on to a forum and saying "I don't see the appeal of wargaming, I think it is stupid" couldn't really complain at being called a troll.

Seems to me we might just have an unfortunate misunderstanding there.

[Keith]

Yep, bad reading on my part so apologies to the OP.

And I can confirm first-hand that wargaming is better than trolling 

[Bugsda]

It's a blood bath without the blood, and sometimes without the bath 

[Antonio J Carrasco]

Can't say for others. To me is just an excuse to pass time with my mates and my son, moving around the table beautifully painted miniatures, while pretending we are cunning generals/warlords. Wargaming is to war, what Fifty Shadows of Grey is to literature.

[SABOT]

Keith, for what it’s worth I am in your trench.

[Arlequín]

I suppose if you want tactics without the war, set up a game setting based on military manouvres.