Are Historical Games Making Me Tense?

Hello all, I hope you’re ready for a meandering deep dive into my psyche as I try to unpack a nagging issue.

As some of you may have noticed, there’s been an increase in Flames of War content here since January. I’ve recently gotten into the game, and I’m having a blast. The system is intriguing, and I love the historical period; especially the chance to study campaigns and aspects I’d never noticed before. But as my group progresses through the campaigns, I’ve noticed something odd: I feel a lot of pressure to win, more than I’m used to in other narrative games. What’s causing this?

To be transparent, I do have a background as a competitive wargamer. I played my share of 40K GTs and tournaments and did pretty well for myself. I also went through a phase of being a WAAC player (which could probably fill its own article). All that to say, I recognize when the pressure to win becomes unhealthy, and I know how important it is to address it before it affects others. So, let’s look at some likely culprits. Maybe you’ve dealt with something similar?

Suspect 1: Me

The most likely source of this pressure is probably coming from within; my own drive to win. I grew up playing a lot of games and winning very few of them, as my older brother was always more talented. When I finally started winning at wargames in my early college years, it was exhilarating. Who doesn’t like to win? While this is a big reason for my earlier WAAC tendencies, I’m not as sure about this time. I’ve played plenty of other games like BFG, Legions Imperialis, Old World, and more, without feeling this pressure. So, why does it surface in this game?

I do believe some of this pressure comes from my personal obsessions and insecurities. New games and environments can bring out hidden traits, but they don’t create problems out of nowhere.

Suspect 2: My Group

As a general rule, it’s important not to blame your group for your own feelings, tempting as it may be. And, honestly, there’s little to blame my group for. Sure, there’s one player who’s as skilled as, if not more than, me, and who can be intense; but I feel this tension even when playing with more casual individuals. No one is taking janky lists; they may be strong, but they seem fair.

One thing to note: I’m the only member of the allied side who hasn’t lost a game (a mix of skill, luck, and some rules errors). Meanwhile, the others have won only five games out of about 30 played. However, it’s not anyone’s fault if it takes time to learn the game, even if it highlights a limitation of map-based campaigns. That brings me to the next suspect.

Suspect 3: The Game Itself

Just like with my group, I generally avoid blaming the game, as it’s easy to use it as a scapegoat to avoid facing my own issues. But there are a few aspects of the campaign structure that seem to add pressure. Flames of War Firestorm campaigns often follow an attacker-defender dynamic, with one side having an excess of victory locations and the other better troops. This puts the attackers under immense pressure, one bad round can derail the entire campaign. For example, in the Lorraine Firestorm campaign, if the Allies don’t score enough points by the end of turn 2, the Axis will likely win. The only way to gain territory is by attacking, and that’s determined by a dice roll weighted in favor of one side. If I’m the only member of my team who can reliably win missions and take territory, maybe that’s why I feel so much pressure to win.

Another issue is that it’s easy to get overly involved in the narrative of wargames. We’ve all seen players take it personally when their custom (sometimes self-insert) character, Captain Snazzy Pants, dies to a grot or vehicle explosion. On top of that, I have strong opinions about WWII (as we all should). Seeing the ‘good guys’ lose can carry extra weight, especially since I have personal ties to people who fought in the war. Writing this article has led me to realize that I often play villainous armies: Night Lords, Vampire Counts, Skaven, etc. Maybe when I play a “bad guy” army and they lose, the blow feels softer?

So, What Now?

After considering all these factors, I think the issue is a combination of multiple things. The campaign structure puts pressure on my team to win early and overwhelmingly. As the best player on my team, I feel responsible for maintaining that position and keeping the campaign alive. I have a competitive background, and some OCD tendencies make me want to win and build the most effective lists sometimes at the expense of worrying about whether my list is too intense for a friendly game or not good enough to compete with the best players. Given that these battles are based on real historical events, getting too immersed in the narrative adds more pressure. I know what happened at the time and what success or failure could mean.

Maybe you’ve noticed similar tendencies in yourself and are wondering: what’s next? Aside from navel-gazing on the internet, what other options do we have? Sure, quitting the game might offer a temporary fix, but it’ll likely resurface with another game or group. In this hobby, the key is to remind ourselves it’s just a game. Historical games pull you into their time periods, but you need to resist that too much or you’ll end up feeling a weight that isn’t yours to carry.

So, here’s my advice: Focus on being a fun opponent. Try to create memorable moments and terrain for your opponent to enjoy. This has worked for me in the past. Acknowledging these issues and the pressure I feel is the first step; the next is overcoming them. Let’s embrace the fun of the game, not just the outcome.

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