The Art of Wargaming

For the last many episodes we have been making our way through Clausewitz's lessons concerning defense. It has been a comprehensive study, looking at all levels of action when it comes to defensive warfare, from such diverse topics as favorable terrain to understanding the momentum and rhythm of battle. In this episode, we bring all of these concepts together and look at the big picture, on how they mesh together into strategies that are effective and efficient. Join Malark as we close out our study of strategic defense when we see it actively in the Defense of a Theatre Support our Patreon! www.patreon.com/theartofwargaming Email: artofwargamingpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: @theartofwargamingpodcast Instagram: @artofwargamingpodcast Check out more of The Art of Wargaming at www.taowargaming.com Check out more earVVyrm podcasts at www.earvvyrm.com

It isn't glamorous to consider, but sometimes in war a tactical withdrawal is called for. These must be planned and orderly, guarding against our enemy who will surely try to take advantage. There are several reasons this might be a reasonable move. If we can get a better advantage over our opponent on different ground, if our supply lines are threatened, if we need to regroup and wait for reinforcements; these are some of the valid reasons for this consideration. Join Malark to examine how best to reposition our army by using a Retreat to the Interior. Support our Patreon! www.patreon.com/theartofwargaming Email: artofwargamingpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: @theartofwargamingpodcast Instagram: @artofwargamingpodcast Check out more of The Art of Wargaming at www.taowargaming.com Check out more earVVyrm podcasts at www.earvvyrm.com

The wars during the time of Clausewitz were set by conventions that sometimes seem strange to us in modern wargaming. One of the general prohibitions during that era, if I may include a spoiler, was that flanking was not a useful tactic. This is obviously not the case in modern war and wargaming, but the advice he does include is cautiously insightful. Malark delves into the deeps of this maneuver to bring back the pearls of wisdom relating to the methods of Defensive Flanking Support our Patreon! www.patreon.com/theartofwargaming Email: artofwargamingpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: @theartofwargamingpodcast Instagram: @artofwargamingpodcast Check out more of The Art of Wargaming at www.taowargaming.com Check out more earVVyrm podcasts at www.earvvyrm.com

In a perfect homage to our ongoing study of Clausewitz, Malark hosted a panel at MisCon 38 in 2024 on the "Principles of War and their Applications towards Game Theory". This is the raw recording largely without edits. Enjoy Malark live and unfiltered at MisCon 38 and his exploration of the Principles of War(gaming)! Support our Patreon! www.patreon.com/theartofwargaming Email: artofwargamingpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: @theartofwargamingpodcast Instagram: @artofwargamingpodcast Check out more of The Art of Wargaming at www.taowargaming.com Check out more earVVyrm podcasts at www.earvvyrm.com

Of the many concepts that we have covered over the course of this show, few are as ephemeral as the idea of coup d'œil. The ability to see at a glance what opportunities are afforded by our situation is a great boon, whether it is a talent we come by naturally or have had to train in ourselves. A bit more accessible concept would be that of zone defense, a strategy that many who watch or play sports will already be familiar with. This episode shows us how these two concepts are related to one another when campaigning. Join Malark as we see how to approach our enemy with the most advantage from our positioning as possible, marrying together the ideas of the cordon and the key. Support our Patreon! www.patreon.com/theartofwargaming Email: artofwargamingpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: @theartofwargamingpodcast Instagram: @artofwargamingpodcast Check out more of The Art of Wargaming at www.taowargaming.com Check out more earVVyrm podcasts at www.earvvyrm.com

The fighting fields of Europe offer a plethora of situations and biomes to analyze. It is from this analysis that we are able to make our theories concerning war. While Clausewitz was able to draw upon this rich information for his own theories, the lack of certain conditions in Europe caused gaps in tactical knowledge. As he himself explains, one is hard pressed to find large theaters of European conflict that is dominated by operations in deep heavy forests and swamps. While these extreme biomes do exist in Europe, they are few and often not the focus of campaigns. We then need to fill in the gaps with our analysis of other conflicts, such as the US involvement in the Pacific Campaign of WWII and the Vietnam War. Join Malark as he strives to do just that in this episode on the defense of forests and swamps. Support our Patreon! www.patreon.com/theartofwargaming Email: artofwargamingpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: @theartofwargamingpodcast Instagram: @artofwargamingpodcast Check out more of The Art of Wargaming at www.taowargaming.com Check out more earVVyrm podcasts at www.earvvyrm.com

Rivers present a unique challenge when it comes to the prosecutions of a campaign. Much like mountains, they have their own rules and ways of navigating them. This is a very exact science because choosing the right method of defense can be quite hazardous and requires a practiced mind. In this episode, Malark plunges deep into the unexpectedly complex concept in the Defense of Rivers. Support our Patreon! www.patreon.com/theartofwargaming Email: artofwargamingpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: @theartofwargamingpodcast Instagram: @artofwargamingpodcast Check out more of The Art of Wargaming at www.taowargaming.com Check out more earVVyrm podcasts at www.earvvyrm.com

Our "short" break from Clausewitz to study Napoleon is now over! We return to our deep dive into Clausewitz's great work: On War. In this episode, Malark does a quick recap of the information we were discussing before our Napoleonic tangent. Support our Patreon! www.patreon.com/theartofwargaming Email: artofwargamingpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: @theartofwargamingpodcast Instagram: @artofwargamingpodcast Check out more of The Art of Wargaming at www.taowargaming.com Check out more earVVyrm podcasts at www.earvvyrm.com

Over the course of this study, we have sought the heart of strategy that lies in the works of one of history's most prolific figures: the commander and statesman Napoleon. His wisdom reaches from across the centuries, the boldness and decisiveness of which are as useful today as they were when first penned to the page. This is not to say that all of his tactical advice is still entirely sound, as technology has accelerated massively since he last walked the earth. Naval battles, for instance, are no longer fought entirely within easy sight, but also by carriers beyond the horizon and submarines beneath it. Yet, despite discrepancies like this, many of his ruminations still hold true. Sit down with Malark as we work through our last installment of the Napoleonic Maxims. Support our Patreon! www.patreon.com/theartofwargaming Email: artofwargamingpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: @theartofwargamingpodcast Instagram: @artofwargamingpodcast Check out more of The Art of Wargaming at www.taowargaming.com Check out more earVVyrm podcasts at www.earvvyrm.com

There are many realities about war that are understandably upsetting. This episode contains several such realities, such as the long term consequences of landmines and the brutal practice of taking hostages. And while concepts like this may not have direct application to many forms of wargaming, it is still important to understand them within the context of actual war. Napoleon discusses these concepts in his own time and they remain relevant to us in this age. To contrast some of these dark topics, Desi and Zuloo join us from the East of Belegarth to chat about their meta and recent developments Support our Patreon! www.patreon.com/theartofwargaming Email: artofwargamingpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: @theartofwargamingpodcast Instagram: @artofwargamingpodcast Check out more of The Art of Wargaming at www.taowargaming.com Check out more earVVyrm podcasts at www.earvvyrm.com

How do we best use our troops? How do we prioritize our actions based on our capabilities? These have been questions on the minds of commanders throughout history. Napoleon, as always, has some good advice for us on the matter. Malark explores these questions and more as we break back into Napoleon and have a game with one of our favorites opponents: Todo Support our Patreon! www.patreon.com/theartofwargaming Email: artofwargamingpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: @theartofwargamingpodcast Instagram: @artofwargamingpodcast Check out more of The Art of Wargaming at www.taowargaming.com Check out more earVVyrm podcasts at www.earvvyrm.com

When we look at leadership, it is easy to see that there are many functions that require their own sort of leader. A general of engineering is expected to have vastly different qualities than a general of the cavalry. Often when we study military science we do so from the perspective of the General of the Army, but this same general trusts in the competence of the officers who are placed in these more specific functions, because even the most competent of commanders need to delegate. Malark seeks insight on this topic within the next set of Napoleonic Maxims. Support our Patreon! www.patreon.com/theartofwargaming Email: artofwargamingpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: @theartofwargamingpodcast Instagram: @artofwargamingpodcast Check out more of The Art of Wargaming at www.taowargaming.com Check out more earVVyrm podcasts at www.earvvyrm.com

Malark and Todo sit down to a game of 10th edition Warhammer 40k Support our Patreon! www.patreon.com/theartofwargaming Email: artofwargamingpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: @theartofwargamingpodcast Instagram: @artofwargamingpodcast Check out more of The Art of Wargaming at www.taowargaming.com Check out more earVVyrm podcasts at www.earvvyrm.com

These maxims reveal an unexpected treasure trove of military wisdom. The vast genius of Napoleon is reflected in his mind, not just in tactical mastery but also a mastery of command and control. Malark continues our study Napoleon and his maxims. Support our Patreon! www.patreon.com/theartofwargaming Email: artofwargamingpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: @theartofwargamingpodcast Instagram: @artofwargamingpodcast Check out more of The Art of Wargaming at www.taowargaming.com Check out more earVVyrm podcasts at www.earvvyrm.com

Napoleon's direct approach to war also features in his maxims, where he often trades detail for brevity. One of the topics he writes most on is that of qualities necessary for command. In this episode, Malark walks alongside Napoleon as he describes the qualities of an ideal commander Support our Patreon! www.patreon.com/theartofwargaming Email: artofwargamingpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: @theartofwargamingpodcast Instagram: @artofwargamingpodcast Check out more of The Art of Wargaming at www.taowargaming.com Check out more earVVyrm podcasts at www.earvvyrm.com

As we begin the homestretch of our study of Napoleon's Maxims, we begin to see more and more evidence of Napoleon's psyche expressed in his written ideas on military science. It becomes easy to see why he would call himself an emperor and have the bravado to engage the majority of Europe in open conflict. Malark continues our study of this fascinating mind. Support our Patreon! www.patreon.com/theartofwargaming Email: artofwargamingpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: @theartofwargamingpodcast Instagram: @artofwargamingpodcast Check out more of The Art of Wargaming at www.taowargaming.com Check out more earVVyrm podcasts at www.earvvyrm.com

Even within seemingly simple maxims there can be a treasure trove of information and insight. Malark examines several short but valuable Maxims in this next installment of the Military Maxims of Napoleon Support our Patreon! www.patreon.com/theartofwargaming Email: artofwargamingpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: @theartofwargamingpodcast Instagram: @artofwargamingpodcast Check out more of The Art of Wargaming at www.taowargaming.com Check out more earVVyrm podcasts at www.earvvyrm.com

The task of the scholar is a complicated one. Not only must one read and understand what is being read, in addition it is vital to place the information in a cultural and historic context. Nothing is written in a vacuum, and as we know the historic setting is important to true understanding. With this in mind, we sit down with the next set of Maxims, and see what wisdom history can yield. Support our Patreon! www.patreon.com/theartofwargaming Email: artofwargamingpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: @theartofwargamingpodcast Instagram: @artofwargamingpodcast Check out more of The Art of Wargaming at www.taowargaming.com Check out more earVVyrm podcasts at www.earvvyrm.com

Deviating from his characteristic brevity, Napoleon spends this next chunk of his Maxims discussing the theory and techniques behind siege warfare. Without the use of a handy whiteboard, Malark seeks to convey the details of this mathematic and intricate art of war. Support our Patreon! www.patreon.com/theartofwargaming Email: artofwargamingpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: @theartofwargamingpodcast Instagram: @artofwargamingpodcast Check out more of The Art of Wargaming at www.taowargaming.com Check out more earVVyrm podcasts at www.earvvyrm.com

Continuing right along with our study of the Maxims, Malark pulls up a mic to chat about the next installment of Napoleon's battle wisdom Support our Patreon! www.patreon.com/theartofwargaming Email: artofwargamingpodcast@gmail.com Facebook: @theartofwargamingpodcast Instagram: @artofwargamingpodcast Check out more of The Art of Wargaming at www.taowargaming.com Check out more earVVyrm podcasts at www.earvvyrm.com