Origins Session Report #3 - National Security Decision Making Game http://fortressat.com/ Sat, 18 May 2013 17:08:04 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://fortressat.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2683#josc36714 I usually scoff at anything even close to LARPing, but this write up really intrigued me. I may have to look into one of the shorter versions of this game. Well done and sorry about your nukes. wdgrant Tue, 19 Jul 2011 17:01:23 +0100 http://fortressat.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2683#josc36713 I've had my eye on NSDM for years now. I was in Model United Nations twice while in high school, representing Iraq and Vietnam, and NSDM seems like a more free-wheeling and engaging version of Model UN. A close friend of mine from Indy was my fellow delegate in Model UN, and he finally did play in NSDM at GenCon '02. He said it was a blast and he would definitely play again if he got the chance. I did get to play in a somewhat comparable event at GenCon, in either '01 or '02: Strategic L5R (Legend of the 5 Rings). Each of the 13 teams consisted of six players: daimyo, karo (general), and 4 warlords. The daimyos gathered around a map of Rokugan, talking smack, making alliances, and issuing orders to the karo. The karo would deliver orders to the warlords and return with reports from the field. Each of the warlords had a deck of L5R cards for his faction, and represented one army on the strategic map. Whenever a battle broke out in a given province, all of the participating warlords would start playing a game of L5R, with the outcome determining the course of the battle. Victory was based on victory points gained from holding various strategic locations at the end of the game, and each team had a secret objective that was worth extra points. Due to mismanagement of the regular L5R CCG tournament, Strategic L5R was delayed more than two hours, so we started around 11:00 PM. After 3 AM, exhausted warlords began dropping out of the game. As a daimyo of the Scorpion clan, I was pleased to see that my scheming was going to pay off with a strong shot at third place. But at 4:30 AM, a tired judge mistakenly disqualified us while our last remaining warlord was buying another cup of coffee from a vendor. The game wrapped at 5 AM, and I walked back to the hotel as the sun rose over Lake Michigan. Even so, Strategic L5R was one of my greatest gaming experiences ever. Negotiating and threatening the other 12 daimyos was fun. Planning strategy with my karo was fun. And issuing orders to my warlords and hearing how their battles went was fun, even when we were defeated. I don't actively play any CCGs anymore, and I expect that L5R has faded considerably in popularity over the last ten years. So the next time I make it to GenCon (maybe 2012), I will probably give NSDM a shot. Shellhead Tue, 19 Jul 2011 15:44:42 +0100 http://fortressat.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2683#josc36711 Very cool story! Best line: "Besides, she's cute and I'm in love." That's awesome. SuperflyTNT Tue, 19 Jul 2011 15:12:15 +0100