Beyond Solitaire Podcast 149: Alastair Kocho-Williams on Teaching History through Wargames

This week on the podcast, Alastair Kocho-Williams (@akochowi), a professor at Clarkson University, drops by to discuss how he's using wargames and game design to teach history to his students.
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[@MeanderingMikesManCave]

Excellent interview ... wonderful discussion!

[@Haytidaho]

Really interesting stuff! Great content ! Great channel :)
if i may had to this... Some games do a great job of showcasing what war truly entails, beyond just the most obvious aspects like major battles and famous generals. Take a game like Inferno, for example. It delves into resource management, seasonal changes, and logistics - aspects often overlooked in the study of conflicts, which tends to focus more on pure military strategy and tactics. Yet, logistics are fundamental, especially in modern warfare. I've always thought of Ulysses Grant as a great general because he understood the importance of logistics (as an ex-quartermaster).
Another often neglected aspect is the 'political' dimension of military conflicts. And in this regard, I believe you'd agree that a game like 'Land and Freedom' captures the tensions between various factions opposing Franco during the Spanish Civil War remarkably well. Because, let's be clear, the Spanish Civil War wasn't lost by the Republicans solely because the other side had German planes (and Italian troops). Politics matter.

[@BeyondSolitaire]

I'm with you--waging war is about a lot more than weapons and troop movements!

[@davidk6269]

The Quarter Master General series of war games does a decent job of introducing WW1 and WW2 to players unfamiliar with the history of those conflicts.