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Rules of Engagement in Wargames

Wargames, in the words of Alan Emrich, lecturer at the Art Institute of California, are "attempts to simulate past or future events through quantification and the laws of probability." Like any other game, they need rules to help them function as a game, and in the case of wargaming, the rules of engagement, such as unit movements across terrain, attack options, attack and defense ability, are crucial to its success.

Considerations in Drafting Wargame Rules
- Wargames have a set of basic features from which to draw their game-play, including a map area, counters to represent each player's units, a set of rules that specifies how each unit can move and engage other units and, occasionally, a chart if the game isn't using a life-point system. An example of rules of engagement in Wargames could be taken from chess---where each piece has a rule stipulating how and where it can move on the board. Also some pieces are only allowed to engage another piece in a certain way, such as pawns against pieces diagonally opposed to them.
Map Area
- Effective use of the map can enhance engagement options, as maps often contain effects that allow for more successful and damaging attacks---such as high ground for long-range attacks and forest areas for protection. The shape of the map is also important for unit movement and attack/defense planning. In essence, the map is supposed to represent realistic terrain, such as not allowing units to pass through solid objects.
Types of Units
- Counters can represent units of differing strength and ability, or they may have similar characteristics but use a chance system instead, such as a probability chart. In either case, strong and fast units are most useful at the forefront of the battle, but can rarely be left to fend for themselves---they are more effective while protected within an army.
Unit Movement Across Map
- A counter's movement and attack/defense options can depend on what type of unit it is. Land, air and sea units are the most common in war games, and they follow realistic laws. Ground and sea units, for example, can't attack air units unless they specialize in fighting such units. Air units ignore all terrain (ground) effects. Only sea units are able to navigate deep water.
Armor and Range
- Units can be lightly or heavily armored---the former would have more mobility than the latter, but would also likely have less attack and defense ability. Range is also important---units that can only attack at short-range often do more damage than long-range units but, of course, have to navigate the map area in order to attack.

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