Who wrote The Complete Book of Wargames?
Jon Freeman wrote The Complete Book of Wargames along with the editors of Consumer Guide. It was published in 1980 by Simon & Schuster under the Fireside imprint.
Questions about The Complete Book of Wargames
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When was The Complete Book of Wargames published, and in what formats?
The Complete Book of Wargames was published in 1980 by Simon & Schuster under its Fireside imprint. It came out in both a 285-page hardcover edition and a paperback edition.
What is covered in The Complete Book of Wargames?
The Complete Book of Wargames is split into two parts. Part 1, "An Introduction to Wargames," explains wargaming concepts across five chapters, and Part 2, "Evaluating the Games," offers capsule reviews of games grouped by era and genre, including ancient warfare, the Second World War, modern post-WWII conflict, science fiction, fantasy, role-playing games, and computer games.
How did critics review The Complete Book of Wargames when it came out?
Reviews were mixed. Nick Schuessler of The Space Gamer called it "an excellent reference work" at a reasonable price, Tony Watson of Dragon found it well-written but of little value to experienced gamers, and Jamie Adams of Games magazine praised its opening chapters while criticizing its title.
Why did Jamie Adams say the title of The Complete Book of Wargames was misleading?
Jamie Adams argued in Games magazine that the book reviewed and described only board wargames. He said this left out miniatures wargaming and fantasy role-playing games, which he considered not true wargames.
Did critics think The Complete Book of Wargames stayed accurate over time?
No, several critics thought the book aged quickly. Jamie Adams noted that Yaquinto Publications, a major company formed after the book was written, went unmentioned, and that many reviewed games were no longer published by the companies credited with them.