Episode 13: Command, Not Control: Expectations Management and Roman History in "Commands and Colors: Ancients"

"No plan survives first contact intact." A useful aphorism, but how do you internalize the lesson and learn to deal with plans that go awry from the get-go? 

 

"It ain't over 'til it's over." How do you teach the value of perseverance and the reality that the tide can turn at any moment? 

 

"You have to play the hand you're dealt." Decisions are rarely made with perfect information, and even more rarely are problems solved with the ideal set of resources. How do you help kids learn to avoid "analysis paralysis" and work with the information and materials on hand? 

 

This week begins our series of deep dives into games we're playing to enrich our study of Roman History and equip our kids for living. "Commands and Colors: Ancients", a tabletop board wargame, not only makes historical battles come to life in a tangible way, but offers a starting point for learning valuable lessons in managing expectations and dealing with limited knowledge. Laura and Chris discuss game play, the value of studying battles within a wider history curriculum, why Commands and Colors' "fog of war" simulation is uniquely suited to helping develop decision making skills using imperfect information, and how to get the most out of a game session. 

 

Recommended  Games:

 

Commands & Colors Ancients – This ancient battle simulation is reasonably simple and fast playing, with many scenarios being playable within an hour once the rules are understood. The base game contains battles from the Punic Wars.

Expansion #1: Greece vs. The Eastern Kingdoms - This expansion works well with studies of Greek and Hellenic history, but includes scenarios for conflicts between Greece and Rome.

Expansions #2 & #3: Rome vs. The Barbarians and The Roman Civil Wars - These expansions cover Romes campaigns in Northern Europe and the critical period in the late Roman Republic that sets the stage for the development of the Roman Empire.

Expansion #4: Imperial Rome - What it says on the tin. This expansion includes scenarios for the most significant battles during the imperial age. The focus shifts from Rome's expansion to the defense of the territory it has gained. 

Expansion #5: Epic Ancients II - This expansion is currently out of stock and currently in pre-order for a second print run. GMT Games P500 program gauges interest in future games and reprint runs through a pre-order program. Games that reach 500 pre-orders get slated for print run, and those who pre-ordered get the game at the P500 price, which is discounted from the retail price. As of the date of publication for this episode, Epic Ancients is approximately 100 pre-orders away from a second printing. If you're interested in playing this with a larger group, consider a P500 pre-order. 

Expansion #6: Spartan Army - This expansion is another one best suited for studies in Ancient Greek History. The focus is on the Spartan army between 669 and 338 BC, and includes the conflicts between Sparta and Argos, the Persian and Peloponnesian wars, and the decline of Sparta as Macedon grew in power.

Vassal Module: Commands and Colors Ancients - If you're looking for a way to learn gameplay, the Vassal Engine provides a computer desktop display of the gameboard and opportunities to play with others online and by email. 

YouTube Tutorials - Along with simply searching the game title and particular scenarios (there are videos of nearly every scenario now), look here and here for excellent tutorials from Charlotte Area Historical Gaming.

 

Can't see the links? Podcatcher turning my painstaking labor into plaintext? Come visit the podcast page at  https://played.podbean.com/ and get the full experience, complete with all the links in perfect functioning order. 

 

Intro and Outro Music:

"Crunk Knight" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/