What is... Stonkers?

Although there were other games with similar gameplay around the same time, Stonkers is considered the first Real Time Strategy video game to be released, with many features similar to modern RTS's. It released in 1983 on the ZX Spectrum and was created by John Gibson and Paul Lindale. It was the first game to feature war emulation with control over military units such as tank's, infantry and supply trucks. The player is essentially commanding an army like a high ranking officer, deploying troops where they see fit.

It is interesting due to the fact it was the first time a video game let a player re-enact the role of someone in charge of an army. A once stressful and difficult job was turned into a strategic, fun game to be played for entertainment. Real Time Strategy games have gone on to feature real life wars and 3D life like graphics.

What is... Kriegspiel?

Kriegsspiel, from the German word for wargame, was a war game first created in 1812 by von Reiswitz and was named Instructions for the Representation of Tactical Maneuvers under the guise of a wargame. It is considered one of the very first proper war games. Prior attempts had simply been iterations of chess or some other game without much change, the creator of Kriegsspiel set out to create a new experience entirely. For exmaple he decided instead of being based on a rigid square grid, the game would feature an area of terrain. Reiswitz' system for simulating war was initially based around a specially designed table which he created for his King Friedrich Wilhelm III before creating something that then established many of the classic war game features seen today.
After its initial development, this particular style of wargaming became very popular among the Prussian Army officer corps. After numerous successful Prussian campaigns in the late 1800s, Kriegsspiel became more widely adopted by many militaries.

What is... Little Wars?

Little Wars was a set of rules and guidelines on how to play with toy soldiers written by H. G. Wells in 1913. It was attempting to introduce a sense of structure to playing with toy soldiers which had otherwise been used simply for fun in any way the player's imagination saw fit. Wells actually came up with the idea when playing with toy soldiers himself and decided it would be fitting to come up with a specific rule set for the toys. The book itself changed the toy soldiers from toys which are simply played with for fun an entertainment with no clear goals or rules into an actual miniature tabletop game with regulations and directions for use.

It was interesting how something that was originally intended for simple fun for children, which in itself is was an odd thing due to the fact the toys were soldiers of war, was then adapted to create a more rigid emulation of real life.

What is... Stratego?

Stratego is a strategy board game played on a square grid which represents a battlefield, and like actual battlefields, there are sections that aren't traversable. The game is played by two players, each having an army made up of a number of troops and some bombs. Each player also has a flag to defend, the aim of the game is to capture the opponents flag. Each troop has an individual rank, in a conflict the piece with the highest rank wins. At the start of the game, each player places their pieces anywhere they choose onto their side of the board, arranging their troops and bombs to protect their flag. Unlike games such as Chess, although both players have the same amount of pieces, neither player knows where their opponents pieces are placed as the backs of them are blank.

The most interesting thing with the game is that, quite like an actual war, each player has no idea where their opponent has deployed their troops and quite like a leader of an army, they have to decide how to arrange their ranks of troops, whether that be having the lower ranks leading the charge, or putting their strongest soldiers up front. Although the game clearly took influence from chess, it built upon it to reflect the thing it was emulating. I like how the player is able to position their own troops how they see fit and use different tactics and strategies to try and defeat their opponent.

Although the modern version of the game was released originally in 1946, there were earlier games with similar rules and gameplay that clearly influenced the now classic Stratego. There are a number of similarly playing games originating in China, and whilst often considered old games, their date of inception is unknown. There was however an early predecessor designed by Mademoiselle Hermance Edan in France. The patent for the game was filed in 1908 and released in 1909. Although Edan had not given the game a name at the time, a manufacturer started producing and selling the game as "L'Attaque".

What is... Space War!?

Space War! is one of the earliest video games ever made, programmed by Steve Russell in 1962. It was created initially to showcase the technical power of a new computer.  It is a two player game and the first video game to ever include conflict or an aspect of war. Each player takes control of a small spaceship, and are pitted against each other with the goal of destroying the opponents spaceship to win the game. The ships are under the influence of a gravity well in the center of the screen which the player must navigate and avoid whilst firing missiles at the opposing ship.

It is an iconic game because not only was it the first video game to bring an aspect of war gaming to the digital screen, it was also one of the first computer games to achieve significant success and was the first popular video game. It could be considered the start of the games industry. It has inspired numerous games since it's release with many games simply adding to the formula of 2D space combat.

What is... Battleship?

Battleship is a two player naval war game that originated as a pen and paper game played on simple square grids in the 1930's before being manufactured and published into a physical board game in 1967. The game is played on four equally sized grids which represent bodies of water. Each player has access to two; one flat, one vertical. Both players grids are positioned back to back so neither player can see the others grids. The players have a number of ships of various sizes that they must place down and position onto their primary grid; this represents the section of water that their own vessels occupy. Each boat has a number of pegs which slot into the grids holes.

Each players secondary grid represents their opponents section of water, neither player knows where opponent has placed their ships. Each players takes it in turns 'firing a missile' at a point on the grid where they suspect their opponent may be. The players then both mark the shot on their corresponding grid, either marking it as a hit or a miss. The game is won when one player has sunk all of their opponent's battleships. It is essentially a naval warfare simulator, with each player acting as a commanding officer ordering to fire at the enemy. The game was likely inspired by World War I and the naval warfare that took place during the war. Again something so catastrophic as naval warfare, which led to the deaths and drowning of many troops during the war, was an inspiration for a form of entertainment.

What is... War Gaming?

•A wargame is a strategy game involving military operations either real or fictional. Wargaming is the hobby dedicated to playing games of this type. 

•War games can be played for entertainment and fun, or may be used more seriously in military re enactments to study. 

•War games feature various game mechanics and settings. Both historically accurate and fictional.