John Curry - Matrix Games for Modern Wargaming

If you're like I was until a veryfew years ago, you know little or nothing about Matrix Games- perhaps justenough to pick up this book. Invented in the early 1990s by American ChrisEngle, Matrix Games are something of a break with the traditions of both boardand miniatures wargaming. Although closer in spirit to Dungeons &Dragons and other role playing games, Matrix Games also depart from thereliance on detailed charts and tables, which characterized at least the earlymanifestations of such games.

In Matrix Games,knowledge, imagination, and persuasiveness dominate. Both the referee (MatrixMaster?) and the players find their greatest success by drawing on theirstorytelling skills. In many ways, Matrix Games boil down the art of gaming toits essence.

Most fortuitously forme, my first real experience of playing a Matrix Game came at the hands of amasterTim Price of the UK Army. Tim refereed a game of Lasgah Pol, setin 2008 in a fictional town and countryside in Afghanistan- and one of fivefull-up games included in this book. I played the Tribal Elder. Things startedout well for me, as I led the inhabitants in a successful harvest of alucrative poppy crop. But it was all downhill from there. The Taliban werediscredited by a cleverly placed recording device concealed by the AfghanNational Army (ANA) commander in the local mosque. It recorded the TalibanLeader's cynical plan to slaughter civilians and blame both NATO and the ANA.The Commander of the latter, working hand-in-glove with the District Governor,out manoeuvred us all and won a smashing victory, defeating the Taliban, 'showingup' the Chief of Police, and even crushing the latter's Mercedes Benz under thetreads of his tank as he drove out of town to his new promotion. (That had beenone of the Commander's personal goals from early in the game after the policefailed to cooperate with him!)

Lasgah Pol and the other games presented herecome from the realm of what is sometimes called "professionalwargames." These are games designed and run to help educate defenceprofessionals about a variety of important topics. The background,descriptions, and materials contained herein will enable you, dear reader, toexplore those games yourself. They require very little from you and othersplaying the games. A lively imagination, creative command of language, and aquick wit. But their simplicity can sometimes conceal both their subtlety andtheir power.

As I have preachedfrom other pulpits, wargaming is an art, an art I often describe as 'interactivestory living'. It's power to affect and teach intellects and emotions derivesin large part from its ability to draw its players into a narrative, and todraw a narrative out if it's players. In many ways, as I said earlier, MatrixGames are possibly the most pure form of that art. Reading this book, andstudying its examples, can get you started. But like any art form, only talentand practice can help you create excellence.

It's time you gotstarted!

Peter P. Perla

Dr. Peter P. Perla is a senior research analyst atCNA, a Washington-area, non-profit studies and analysis organization. He haspublished numerous articles dealing with wargaming and defense affairs. He isalso the designer of commercial board wargames. Peter is the author of theclassic book on professional wargaming, Peter Perlas The Art of Wargaming AGuide for Professionals and Hobbyists first published in 1990, the secondedition was published by the History of Wargaming Project in 2011.