Stop Playing Games, Start Telling Stories

One of the most interesting things about tabletop wargaming is how often the games we remember most are not necessarily the closest victories or the most historically accurate battles, but the ones that created memorable stories. The desperate last stand. The heroic cavalry charge. The incompetent commander (usually me) who somehow survives despite clearly being cursed by the dice gods. Narrative has always existed in wargaming, even if we do not always consciously think about it.

In this video, I explore how my early experiences with role-playing games shaped the way I now approach scenario design and campaign gaming in tabletop wargames. Long before I became heavily involved in historical miniatures gaming, I spent years building fantasy worlds, writing adventures and creating stories for RPG campaigns. Although I have far less time for full-scale worldbuilding these days, many of the same storytelling techniques are still incredibly useful when creating engaging and immersive tabletop battles.

The video looks at how concepts such as character development, backstory, atmosphere and consequence can dramatically improve our games. Not just through complicated mechanics, but through simple ideas like giving commanders personalities, creating meaningful objectives, using written briefings, or linking battles together into ongoing campaigns. I also discuss how places, landscapes and even armies themselves can become “characters” within a narrative, helping battles feel more believable and emotionally engaging.

Another major focus of the discussion is the structure of storytelling itself. Every memorable narrative contains a beginning, middle and end. In wargaming terms, that means establishing a backstory, creating compelling protagonists, allowing dramatic action to unfold on the tabletop and ensuring the outcome has meaningful consequences. Once those consequences begin influencing future games, individual battles naturally evolve into campaigns, and campaigns are often where tabletop wargaming becomes truly special.

As always, I would love to hear your own experiences and opinions. Do you prefer narrative campaigns or more competitive standalone battles? Have RPGs influenced your own approach to wargaming? And what are the most memorable stories to emerge from your tabletop battles?