The length of your ideal "average"war game"

[Conquistador]

Just for fun but what is your preference?

[Dr. Zombie]

It really really depends.

I voted two to three hours. But I have played very enjoyable games that lasted whole days/nights. It really depends on the circumstances and the company.

[Red Orc]

I absolutely agree with Dr Zombie.

I've played really enjoyable skirmishes in less than an hour. I've played really enjoyable tactical simulations that lasted a few hours. I've played stupid and enjoyable everything-including-the-kitchen-sink battles that have taken days.

And I agree with the other thread too!

[Conquistador]

Having played the complete multiple map SPI scenario in the Wellington's Victory (I think that was the monster game's title) over a complete three day weekend in the 1970s I can agree that game and company make a huge difference.  hence the no right answer part.  Now days, I really want things wrapped up in a matter of 2 to 3 hours for a "non-Monster" game at a con or in someone's house.  Especially if I have to cook dinner for the family that day.

I enjoyed one game at a con (4 hour slot) where the one side was slaughtered in 90 minutes (new players decided to try the possible instead of the safe, had bad dice rolls, and failed to recover/adjust plans fast enough;) then we changed sides and had close run decision in about two hours because the game mechanics were easily learned.

Gracias,

Glenn

[zorg]

Two hours? I prefer much less - if a single game takes one hour, I can have multiple games in an evening, with different set-ups, parameters, switched sides...

[Daeothar]

I'd say 2 to 3 hours. But then, you asked for an ideal duration.

In reality, even a 100 points Infinity skirmish usually takes well over 3 hours with me and my friends, as we are usually chatting away during the game, seriously hampering the speed of the game. It does not even matter which game we play; it always seems to be dragged out due to the good times being had. Heck, even a game of Munchkin takes us an entire evening!

And that's the whole reason we play the games anyway; to enjoy ourselves. And you can't put a time on good times!

Then again, we've all played our shares of tournaments, and on the whole, we then managed to play our games within the allotted timeframes (with the odd exception here and there of course ).

Still, all things considered, my ideal time would be about 2 hours per game, so that in an ideal world, it would be (theoretically) possible to have two games in one evening. But leave it to chatty us to not make that a reality. Ever...

[King Tiger]

Your average game, less than 2hrs, but I've played plenty of bigger or more detailed games that go over this.

[FramFramson]

2-3 if I just want a fun afternoon of it, but with some advance planning I'd be happy to play an all-day game or longer.

[dijit]

Ive played several all day games and got thoroughly bored, so 3 hours is the most before I want to do something different. I prefer the 1-2 hours limit.

[carlos13th]

I would like it to be possible to play in a few hours. If you are with friends shooting the shit and it takes longer all well and good but I don't like the idea of having to play for hours on end to play a single game. Unless of course you have planned a massive game with a bunch of friends.