Wargames: historical board games and war games

Simulating war, understanding history, playing strategy

Wargames, or history and war games, hold a special place in the world of board games. Here, it's not just about winning a game, but about simulating a conflict, analyzing a battle, understanding a military decision, and projecting oneself into the past to better grasp the mechanisms of war. Each game, each board, each card, and each piece become tools for understanding the world, between military history, strategy, and realistic simulation.

At Loufoque, a specialized store in Paris, we offer a selection of wargames and history games designed for curious, passionate, or expert players. From World War II conflicts to the Cold War, from Napoleonic campaigns to contemporary confrontations, these games offer a demanding gaming experience, often playable solo or in a duel, and intended for an audience seeking depth, immersion, and historical understanding.

Our catalog gathers renowned references, available in store and online, for those who wish to buy a quality wargame, at a fair price, with advice and support.

What is a wargame?

The wargame

A wargame is a board game for conflict simulation whose objective is to represent, in more or less detail, a historical war, a military campaign, or a hypothetical confrontation.

Unlike a purely abstract game, a wargame is rooted in a historical context, with units, territories, rules, and victory conditions directly inspired by reality.

Definition of wargame and historical game

The term wargame appeared in the 18th century with Kriegsspiel, used by officers and generals as a key training and planning tool.

Originally, these games were used to prepare for battles, test hypotheses, and improve the understanding of conflicts. Gradually, this military practice transformed into a recreational pastime, giving rise to modern historical games.

Today, a wargame combines several dimensions:

  • a strategic or tactical simulation,
  • a strong reference to history and military facts,
  • a precise game scale (tactical, operational, or strategic),
  • a system of rules that simulates movement, combat, logistics, and attrition.

These games are often aimed at experienced players, but some new editions offer more accessible formats, serving as a gateway to the genre.

Wargames, strategy, and simulation: what makes the difference

What distinguishes a wargame from a simple board game is its ambition to credibly represent a conflict. While a classic strategy game primarily seeks balance and fluidity, a wargame accepts a certain level of complexity, as it reflects the reality of war: asymmetry of forces, terrain constraints, uncertainty, unit fatigue, and the influence of time.

A wargame is not just a playful confrontation: it is an attempt to understand how military choices influence the outcome of a conflict. This approach makes it an object at the intersection of a game, a historical work, and an educational tool, appreciated by a community of enthusiasts, researchers, authors, and specialized publishers.

To discover other more classic or complementary formats, Loufoque also offers a wide range of board games, as well as more accessible games focused on social interaction, such as bluffing games.

The Origins of the Wargame: From Military History to Board Game

From Wargames to Modern History Games

Wargames were not born as a mere pastime. Their origin is intimately linked to military history, strategic research, and the desire to understand and prepare for future conflicts through simulation.

As early as the 18th century, Prussian officers developed the Kriegsspiel, the first formalized wargame, used as a training tool by general staffs. On a map, with tokens representing units, these simulations allowed for the analysis of movement, tactics, engagement, and decision-making. The objective was not entertainment, but planning and learning.

Over the centuries, these practices spread, evolved, and gradually moved beyond the strictly military sphere. After World War II, wargaming became a recreational object in its own right, driven by specialized publishers and a community of enthusiasts. Companies like Avalon Hill played a major role in this transition, publishing complete games dedicated to battles, campaigns, or key periods in history.

Wargaming as a Tool for Understanding the Past and the Future

A wargame is often presented as a better combination of game, science, and history. By simulating past conflicts, the player can analyze choices, identify biases, test alternatives, and measure their consequences. This approach explains why wargaming is studied in some universities, used by journalists, defense researchers, or cited in specialized works such as Antoine Bourguilleau's Jouer la guerre (Playing War).

Even today, wargaming serves as a strategic laboratory. Whether dealing with the Cold War, contemporary conflicts, or hypothetical scenarios, these games offer an attempt to project into the future based on a better understanding of the past. It is this depth that consistently distinguishes historical wargames from other board games.

Main types of wargames and war games

Cardboard and counter wargames

The map-based wargame is the most iconic form of the genre. It uses a map representing a real or theoretical territory, divided into zones or hexes, on which counters symbolizing military units move. This format emphasizes strategy, planning, movement, and resource management.

These games allow for the simulation of complete campaigns, from World War II to contemporary conflicts, with great historical accuracy. They appeal to players seeking a comprehensive experience, often playable solo, where each decision permanently influences the course of the game.

Tactical and small-scale wargames

Tactical wargames focus on the tactical scale: skirmishes, localized combat, actions of soldiers or small units. Here, the player embodies a commander as close to the field as possible, managing movements, lines of sight, and combat conditions.

This type of game is often more complex, but it offers strong immersion and a detailed reading of war situations.

Strategic and geopolitical wargames

At the other end of the spectrum, strategic wargames focus on global decisions: economy, diplomacy, production, territorial control, and political influence. The player no longer commands isolated units, but a nation, an alliance, or an ideological bloc.

These games demand strong analytical skills and offer a particularly rich understanding of the world.

Accessible hybrid history games

To reach a wider audience, some publishers offer hybrid games, on the border between wargame and modern board game. The rules are simplified, the duration reduced, but the historical anchoring and strategic dimension remain present.

These games often constitute an excellent gateway to wargaming. They allow players to discover the fundamental mechanics of conflict simulation without the complexity of the most demanding systems. They are frequently found alongside more classic board games, or integrated into game libraries mixing strategy and accessibility.

FAQ — Wargames, History Games and War Games

What is a wargame?

A wargame is a war game that offers a conflict simulation, inspired by military history or hypothetical scenarios. It is part of the historical games genre, as it seeks to represent specific battles, campaigns, or periods in a coherent and documented manner.

Unlike a video game or a simple abstract strategy game, wargames prioritize reflection, analysis, and decision-making around a table, using maps, tokens, and rules that model the reality of the conflict.

How to play a wargame?

To play a wargame, you must first understand the game system and rules specific to the chosen scenario. A wargame generally consists of a board, tokens representing units, and precise victory conditions.

The player goes through game turns where they plan their actions, move their forces, and resolve battles. Many titles now offer a solo module, allowing you to play a complete game alone, at your own pace, while retaining strategic depth.

What are the types of wargames?

There are several types of wargames, depending on the scale and approach of the simulation. Some are classic board games with maps and tokens, while others are highly detailed simulation games.

There are also wargames similar to role-playing games, focused on embodying a commander or unit, as well as broader strategy games simulating entire campaigns.

Themes can range from Napoleonic conflicts to World War II, including blitzkrieg or modern warfare scenarios.

What is the history of wargames?

The history of wargames dates back to the 18th century with Kriegsspiel, used as a military training tool. These games were initially used for officer training and battle planning.

After World War II, wargaming spread to the civilian world and evolved significantly during the Cold War, becoming a hobby in its own right. Since then, the genre has continued to evolve, with more accessible rules and a wide variety of formats.

How can wargaming help us envision the future?

Wargaming allows for a better understanding of the mechanisms of war and conflict. Through simulation, it offers an attempt to project into the future by testing strategies, planning choices, and decision-making in a controlled environment.

By replaying history, the player analyzes possible consequences and develops a more nuanced understanding of strategic issues.

What are the benefits of wargames?

The benefits of wargames are numerous. They are a key tool for understanding military history, developing strategic thinking, and improving analytical skills.

Both realistic and dynamic, they offer a rich and immersive experience, while becoming increasingly accessible thanks to modernized rules and varied formats.

Where can I buy wargames?

To buy wargames, it is advisable to turn to a specialized store.

At Au Loufoque, you will find a carefully selected catalog of historical and war games, with new editions regularly offered.

In store in Paris or online, the offer allows you to compare games, get advice, and find a wargame suited to your level and budget.