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Message: <blockquote data-quote="haakon1" data-source="post: 5815726" data-attributes="member: 25619">It makes sense, but I'm not sure it's what CaW is.To me, well . . . see my manifesto on CaW/grognard play as I love it.But the short definition, to me is:-- The goal in CaW is verissimilitude, not "a fun challenge for characters of this level".  CaW is open-ended play, where players interact with the setting in unexpected ways, and where combat is unpredictable, unbalanced, and may well go beyond the normal direct attack/direct defense skills and powers on the character sheet.  Players are expected to "use any means necessary" to defeat the enemy, and the DM does the same for the NPC's/monsters that are in conflict with the PC's.  PC's will face stuff that overmatches them (and are expected to run away or us Kirk/Stargate SG-1 tactical insights to save the day) and encounter that are pushovers (but cause logistical attrition) -- encounters are about what makes sense in the setting, not the level of the PC's.  Actions that are outside of any rule book can happen in CaW, but they are not the defining characteristic.-- The goal in CaS is balance, for a fun game that's geared to challenge characters of the PC's level.  The world is just background for the real fun, which is about level appropriate planned encounters where both players and DM "play by rules", using the skills/powers listed on the character sheet.  Most fights are fair, with opponents in the same weight class -- encounters with overmatched opponents are boring (since logistics is a background thing, and background is mostly ignored, it just a waste of good gaming time) and encounters with opponents the PC's can defeat by normal means just mean the DM is incompetent.That about right?  Two very different approaches, and to me very illuminating on why it's hard for us to "all just get along".  The two camps want almost mirror image different things out of the game!Even shorter:CaW = Think like a grunt, or a 1970s wargamer. It's all about verisimilitude in "Magical Mystical War". Fight like your character's life depends on it, and any enemy that gets a shot off might kill you, like it's a war in the real world, where taking a bullet makes it a very bad day, and quite possibly your last day. 'Cause in full CaW DMing with CaW-friendly rules (pre 4e), "one shot, one kill" works both ways!CaS = Think like a modern computer game designer/player.  Fight fair, using the rules in front of you -- using outside-the-book rules is basically cheating and just isn't fun.  Obviously "one shot, one kill" isn't going to happen in either direction, because it blows away the chance for a good, rule-using fight, and it just wouldn't be good game design -- Halo and Gears of War and WOW don't have one shot one kill, so neither should D&D -- you shoudn't die until your life bar has gone red and then some.  So get on with the game and don't waste my time with extraneous stuff!</blockquote>

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