Gaming with Kids

Started by Bison, November 06, 2016, 11:24:19 PM

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Nefaro

#30
I'm gonna try a game of GMT's Sekigahara with a 9-year old nephew sometime this week. 

He loves strategy games, and can be pretty crafty at them.  As long as there isn't much reading or referencing to do, in which case his eyes just glaze over and a deficit of attention begins to steamroll.  I recall Conquest Of The Empire, and War! Age Of Imperialism's basic rules, being pretty popular with him at age 8.

So when he requests some game time, I try to choose new games that are picture & symbol heavy.  Plastic pieces are always popular too, of course, but not required.

In the case with Sekigahara the rules are quite light and nearly all the mechanics hinge on the blocks' symbols, matched to similar ones on the cards.  Kinda like a fancy card-driven Stratego on a point-to-point map containing castles and cities to capture.






As a bonus, this can easily double as a 1v1 Beer & Pretzels game that most non-hardcore gamer adults can get into easily, too.  I got it as a gateway lure.   :arr:



Bison

Cool.  I'd never really looked into Sekigahara.  It seems like the wargame niche is really lacking introductory/gateway games, which is not good.  I know there is Memoir 44, Maneuver and the like but I would welcome more variety in gateway games. 

Nefaro

#32
Quote from: Bison on November 14, 2016, 02:40:35 PM
Cool.  I'd never really looked into Sekigahara.  It seems like the wargame niche is really lacking introductory/gateway games, which is not good.  I know there is Memoir 44, Maneuver and the like but I would welcome more variety in gateway games.

Speaking of Memoir 44, I expect to eventually move him up to Battle Cry and C&C Ancients.  But the card-driven aspect of the C&C series is more involved than the cards in Sekigahara.

With this block game, you basically only spend 0-2 cards on your turn to choose how many armies are activated for movement.  For combat they enable an individual block or two at a time (depending on card symbols), with the same Mon symbol in your combating army, to score it's strength in the fight (which goes back & forth until a winner is decided for that battle).

Pretty simple system, really, but the mix of hidden army info, and managing them with very limited resources each turn (the cards), looks like it still makes for lots of strategizing, bluffing, and such.


These types of strategy "Block Games" seem to be a common recommendation for beginners or gateways into wargaming.  The simpler ones, anyway.

bayonetbrant

Quote from: Bison on November 14, 2016, 02:40:35 PMIt seems like the wargame niche is really lacking introductory/gateway games, which is not good.

Tank on Tank
any of the C&C family - C&C, Battle Cry, BattleLore, etc
HeroScape (if you consider it a wargame)
most of the Columbia block games: Hammer of the Scots, Crusader Rex, Texas Glory, etc
Ted Racier's First World War from Phalanx Games
W1815 if you can find it
The key to surviving this site is to not say something which ends up as someone's tag line - Steelgrave

"their citizens (all of them counted as such) glorified their mythology of 'rights'...and lost track of their duties. No nation, so constituted, can endure." Robert Heinlein, Starship Troopers

Moreb

Well I received the other two boxes for my Mice and Mystics the other day and late last night I opened the core came. Very impressed with the quality of the product. I'm going to play a few times and then again with the missus so I have a firm grasp on the play before introducing to my daughter and grandson also. I watched a Wil Wheaton game session on Youtube that included his family playing along. A good view. Seem like great folks.

When dongles fly? - mirth

Bison

Quote from: bayonetbrant on November 14, 2016, 03:34:04 PM
Quote from: Bison on November 14, 2016, 02:40:35 PMIt seems like the wargame niche is really lacking introductory/gateway games, which is not good.

Tank on Tank
any of the C&C family - C&C, Battle Cry, BattleLore, etc
HeroScape (if you consider it a wargame)
most of the Columbia block games: Hammer of the Scots, Crusader Rex, Texas Glory, etc
Ted Racier's First World War from Phalanx Games
W1815 if you can find it

I really want to try Hammer of the Scots. 

I picked up 1775 to use as an intro to wargaming for my oldest.  She likes the game, but I can say that her willingness to play was driven principally by her interest in that period of American history.  Ultimately I think that is one of the major sticky points with not only getting kids involved with wargaming, but people in general.  There has to be a compelling interest in the history, or in the case of Battlelore fantasy settings, that is being represented on the table.

bayonetbrant

you could try Hold The Line from Worthington and see if that piques her interest
The key to surviving this site is to not say something which ends up as someone's tag line - Steelgrave

"their citizens (all of them counted as such) glorified their mythology of 'rights'...and lost track of their duties. No nation, so constituted, can endure." Robert Heinlein, Starship Troopers

Bison

Well I've set my sights on a couple of new (for me) titles to consider.

Ra -  A classic auction game.  I really like the look and theme, but damn Asmodee is killing me with the price.  Grrr...

http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/12/ra

I think this one has real potential to be a hit with the family.  We enjoy Splendor which has some similarity to this but the auction feature is a cool mechanic that is missing from our collection.

Via Nebula - Resource management/movement game.  The art work is simply stunning and it's a fairly simple game, but requires some degree of strategy to accomplish building objectives.  And is right in the age range that is perfect for the kids.

http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/191231/nebula

Bison

I'm a weak man.  Picked up Ra, which we played a game of tonight.  Bigger hit than I expected it to be.  Simple mechanics, but a heck of a lot of fun.  And then I had to play 2 games of Sleeping Queens, which I lost.

Bison

Racked up a games of Smash Up and Alhambra this morning with the kids.  They really like Smash Up, but I want to poke my eyes out.   Not a horrible game, but its not my favorite.  Alhambra is an excellent easy to play tile laying game that has just the right amount of strategy for younger kids.  I'd even play it with a group of adults.

Bison

Finished off the day with a game of Pandemic.  The oldest and I really enjoy the game.  Tonight was the younger daughter's first play through and she did very well.  Next time I'm upping the epidemic card number...MAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Bison

The daughters and wife found Tokenoko to be a blast to play.  I think that is another very good introductory game for kids.  Its also good for adults who like rules light games with enough strategy to be replayable.  I didn't mind the game, but again I'd rather play games with the family with the hopes of cultivating their love of games.

http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/70919/takenoko

jamus34

Going to take a hard look at the Harry Potter Battle at Hogwarts CC game. Both my older two munchkins have become big HP fans and since Nintendo loves purposely small batch producing nre releases (looking at you Nintendo classic) I think this would be a nice fill in.
Insert witty comment here.

Bison

Good stuff Jamus.  The more time away from electronics and spent playing games around a table is a good thing in my book.

Con

Looking for some other games to play with brand new 5 year olds.

Any suggestions (candyland snakes and ladders etc are killing me).  Sneaky Squirrel/Labyrinth/trouble are good but I need some more variety and something to start them thinking on strategy.

Con