Armchair Dragoons Forums

Wargaming => Intel Dump => Topic started by: bayonetbrant on November 13, 2020, 09:17:59 AM

Title: The 2019 Charles S Roberts "Awards"
Post by: bayonetbrant on November 13, 2020, 09:17:59 AM
Your "winners"

(note, we'd previously announced this on a Tuesday Newsday (https://www.armchairdragoons.com/feature/the-charlies-are-announced-tuesday-newsday-27-october-2020/), but here it is for more discussion)


Milieu Awards

Best Ancients to Pre-Napoleonic Era Board Wargame ~ Nevsky: Teutons and Rus in Collision 1240-1242
Best Napoleonic Era Board Wargame ~ Quatre Bras 1815: Last Eagles
Best Post-Napoleonic to Pre-World War 2 Era Board Wargame ~ Death Valley: Battles for the Shenandoah
Best World War 2 Era Board Wargame ~ U-Boot: The Board Game
Best Post-WW2, Cold War, & Hypothetical Era Board Wargame ~ World at War 85: Storming the Gap
Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Wargame ~ Dune


Computer Gaming Awards

Best Pre-20th Century Era Computer Wargame ~ Blocks! Julius Caesar
Best Modern Era Computer Wargame ~ Command: Modern Operations
Best Science-Fiction or Fantasy Computer Wargame ~ Stellaris
Best Computer Wargame Expansion or Update ~ Through the Ages – New Leaders and Wonders
Best Computer Wargame Graphics ~ Unity of Command 2


Format Awards

Best Amateur / Print & Play  Board Wargame ~ Federation Stellar Force
Best Solitaire/Cooperative Board Wargame ~ U-Boot: The Board Game
Best Magazine Board Wargame ~ Campaigns of 1777 (Strategy & Tactics)
Best Postcard/Small format Board Wargame ~ Imua! The Unification of Hawaii, 1795
Best Expansion or Supplement for an Existing Board Wargame ~ Time of Crisis: Age of Iron and Rust
Best Board Wargame Playing Components ~ U-Boot: The Board Game
Best Board Wargame Map Graphics ~ U-Boot: The Board Game
Best Board Wargame Rules ~ U-Boot: The Board Game
Best Computer Assist Module ~ U-Boot: The Board Game
Best Original Box Cover Art ~ U-Boot: The Board Game


Publication Awards

Best Professional Wargame Magazine ~ C3I
Best Amateur Magazine ~ War Diary
Best Historical or Scenario Article (tied?)
   Evolution of Historical Small Unit Tactic Board Wargames  by Robert Caroll
   OCS 101 Vitebsk Introductory Scenario  by Chip Saltsman
Best Game Review or Analysis ~ The Player’s Aid


Overall Awards

Best Board Wargame of the Year ~ U-Boot: The Board Game
James F Dunnigan Award for Playability and Design ~ Volko Ruhnke
Clausewitz Award HALL OF FAME ~ Paul Banner
Title: Re: The 2019 Charles S Roberts "Awards"
Post by: bayonetbrant on November 13, 2020, 09:34:05 AM
here's our 2-hours of breaking down the field

https://www.armchairdragoons.com/podcast/mentioned-in-dispatches-season-5-episode-9-the-charles-s-roberts-awards/
Title: Re: The 2019 Charles S Roberts "Awards"
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on November 13, 2020, 10:34:20 AM
The pissy, elitist attitude over at the BGG forum over UBOOT sweeping the CSRs reminds me why I don’t bring new gamers to wargaming conventions anymore.

Those crusty buggers can suck the life and fun out of anything.
Title: Re: The 2019 Charles S Roberts "Awards"
Post by: bayonetbrant on November 13, 2020, 10:47:31 AM
The pissy, elitist attitude over at the BGG forum over UBOOT sweeping the CSRs reminds me why I don’t bring new gamers to wargaming conventions anymore.

Do you have a specific link to the discussions?  I know we were pretty hard on it, as it's not really a wargame.

And winning "best map"?
Title: Re: The 2019 Charles S Roberts "Awards"
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on November 13, 2020, 10:56:16 AM
Here's the thread.

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2528364/watch-charles-s-roberts-awards-presentation-today/page/1 (https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2528364/watch-charles-s-roberts-awards-presentation-today/page/1)

Here's the statement that got my back up a bit.

Quote from: somecrustyoldfart
...Even if some of them became aware of real wargames, I doubt they'll ever buy one. Someone who would waste their time playing with a toy like U-Boot doesn't have the intellectual curiosity or attention span to play a real wargame...
Title: Re: The 2019 Charles S Roberts "Awards"
Post by: bayonetbrant on November 13, 2020, 10:57:22 AM
yeah, that's an idiotic statement to make
Title: Re: The 2019 Charles S Roberts "Awards"
Post by: Steelie on November 13, 2020, 03:16:27 PM
Honestly, most industry awards, be it the Charlies, the Oscars, the Grammy's, whatever, are little more than self-congratulatory circle-jerks. There's always behind the scenes drama, pressure, votes going for a project for reasons other than it being "the best", etc..... I can't remember the last time I sat through an awards ceremony of any kind that didn't involve my grandchildren   ::)
Title: Re: The 2019 Charles S Roberts "Awards"
Post by: bob48 on November 13, 2020, 03:24:18 PM
Totally agree with you, Steelie.
Title: Re: The 2019 Charles S Roberts "Awards"
Post by: Cyrano on November 13, 2020, 05:17:24 PM
Here's the thread.

https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2528364/watch-charles-s-roberts-awards-presentation-today/page/1 (https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2528364/watch-charles-s-roberts-awards-presentation-today/page/1)

Here's the statement that got my back up a bit.

Quote from: somecrustyoldfart
...Even if some of them became aware of real wargames, I doubt they'll ever buy one. Someone who would waste their time playing with a toy like U-Boot doesn't have the intellectual curiosity or attention span to play a real wargame...

Still doesn't have a map, though...
Title: Re: The 2019 Charles S Roberts "Awards"
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on November 13, 2020, 06:33:35 PM
Sure it does.  It comes with a map of the Atlantic that you use to plot your navigation.  It's not a great map but it is a map.
Title: Re: The 2019 Charles S Roberts "Awards"
Post by: Cyrano on November 13, 2020, 06:55:01 PM
My wife made precisely that point to me after I wrapped the podcast.  As she’s the navigator, she waved it at me and said, “of course it does, what do you think this annoying thing I’ve been tearing my hair out over for hours ?”

I poo-poo’d this.
Title: Re: The 2019 Charles S Roberts "Awards"
Post by: ojsdad on November 13, 2020, 06:59:09 PM
I poo-poo’d this.

Your either braver or not as smart as I have always thought.    :-*
Title: Re: The 2019 Charles S Roberts "Awards"
Post by: bbmike on November 13, 2020, 09:34:21 PM
My favorite part of Mentioned in Dispatches, Season 5 Episode 10 – The Charles S Roberts “Awards”:

Best Board Wargame Map Graphics: U-Boot: The Board Game
Jim: It doesn't have a map!

 :2funny: :ROFL:  ;D
Title: Re: The 2019 Charles S Roberts "Awards"
Post by: Staggerwing on November 13, 2020, 11:00:07 PM
Hey guys...

Anybody want to buy my copy of U-BOOT?  It's listed as 'unknown condition' since I don't have the correct power adapter/vintage CRT monitor/printed manual/magnetic install media/foldable neoprene map/3M rubber feet/seventy-three character alphanumeric install license/Kickstarter 3D-printed widgets/EagleDynamicsDLC/HappyMealToys. It is, however, still sealed for freshness.
Title: Re: The 2019 Charles S Roberts "Awards"
Post by: BanzaiCat on November 14, 2020, 06:10:15 PM
 :2funny:

I bought that damn game when it came out, but never got it to the table (go figure). I just sold it a few months back after a year and a half of inactivity on my shelf.
Title: Re: The 2019 Charles S Roberts "Awards"
Post by: TTC on November 16, 2020, 10:52:15 AM
I have U-Boot.  I've only played it once (with 4 of us, ideal).  I definitely enjoyed it as it's a challenge to understand, but pays off when you do.

It's more about worked placement and resource management, with limited actions.

Fun game.  But not a wargame in any but the most attenuated sense of the term.
Title: Re: The 2019 Charles S Roberts "Awards"
Post by: Martok on November 16, 2020, 10:20:33 PM
I'm not sure what simultaneously amuses, mortifies, and outrages me more: that Stellaris is apparently now classified as a "wargame", or that it won its respective category.  ::)  :sick: 


Title: Re: The 2019 Charles S Roberts "Awards"
Post by: bayonetbrant on November 20, 2020, 09:48:42 AM
From the podcast thread....

I think, as the panelists alluded to, that the categories were over-broad. In fact, I know people were telling them when the awards were announced, "these categories are too broad, split them up!" and they just kinda dug in and said "this is how it's always been done, we're not going to change it" which I think is about as dumb as it sounds. Again, to be very clear, I'm not saying this because I think it would increase the chances of us getting noms or getting wins, because there's no way in heck we're ever gonna win something. We toil in obscurity on purpose and by choice, and part of that obscurity is not getting mainstream awards or acclaim. If I'm making weird experimental little films, they're not getting Oscar nods. But for folks and companies who do care about these sorts of things, these categories are ridiculous and a disservice.

Ian over at RMN actually shows that "this is how it's always been done, we're not going to change it" isn't exactly true

https://rockymountainnavy.com/2020/11/18/wargame-wednesday-the-charlies-are-no-angels-response-to-the-armchair-dragoons-dissection-of-the-2019-charles-s-roberts-wargame-awards/

Quote
The categories changed significantly over time. Here are some of the highlights:

1978 – Added Best Pre-20th Century Board Game, and Best 20th Century Board Game
1988 – Best 20th Century Board Game divided into Best 1900-1946 Board Game and Best 1947-Modern Day Board Game
1990 – Split categories dropped; change to Best Pre-20th Century Board Game and Best Modern-Day Board Game
1998 – Time categories dropped; return to Best Historical Game
2003 – Best Historical Game dropped
2005 – Best Historical Board Game returns
2006 – Best Historical Board Game dropped
2007 – Best Historical Board Game returns (again)
2012 – Last year of the Charles S. Roberts Awards; fully replaced by the Origins Awards

and not exactly fully replaced by the Origins Awards....