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Michal: Hi Carl! As a prolific author of many wargames you are probably known by most of the wargaming enthusiast. But for those who are new to the hobby, please tell us a little about yourself. What do you do for a living, what games do you play? Also, what is your role in the design and publication of the game?

Carl: Hello Michal, thanks for giving me the opportunity to talk about my game design work: one of my all-time favourite topics. 🙂

For a Living? I’m an Mechanical Engineer, with a few other degrees on the side. I worked mainly in robotics and computers, IT Architecture too, and project management, that kind of stuff. A few years ago I retired, at 55 years of age, after 33 years of service: more time for my hobbies, finally. But I still do Engineering contracts now and then, it’s a calling!

Games you play? Oh boy, recently I’m almost exclusively play-testing my upcoming designs, so not more time for others.

As I always say, choose two of the three below:

  • Have a Normal Life.
  • Play Games
  • Design games.

Heh heh heh… Just kidding.

When I have some free time, I do like smaller, shorter games. Like Combat Commander or any Command & Colors titles. I’m slated to play a few solitaire ones, like Compass’ Kharkov 43 and Legion”s “Target for Today”. My Ambitious goal: Play the new edition of Decision’s “Axis Empires”; that’s a big game, but I love that one. I do have a game collection of over +3000 titles, so my basement almost feels like a game store to visitors! That’s a boon, or not: so many good games out there, which one to play first? 😉

But if you want to know, the very next two games to hit the table: Nuts Publishing’s Port Arthur, and Worthington’s Cruel Necessity.

My role? Well, I do almost everything but the final layout, and the extra improvement of the graphics. I’m almost a one-stop-shop. Jack of all Trades, master of none, that’ me all right! I’m very control-freak as far as games are concerned. So, the Design, Development, most of the initial graphics, the research, the play-testing etc. Of course, I get the help of a large team of play-testers and proofers, and never shy away from other designer’s advise. So, I’m pretty independent and will do business with many publishers. If fact, I consider myself a game-player first, Designer second: I selfishly make games I want to play! That’s a cool hobby or what?

Michal: Now, as for the game, what inspired “Battle Commander: Volume I”?

Carl: To quote the game’s designer notes, after spending many years covering WW2 Campaigns, I decided to tackle my all-time favourite military period: the Napoleonic Wars! As with my previous works, the spark was a mild disappointment with most of the designs covering this captivating epoch. So, I created a new-fangled grand-tactical system, my own “grognard” take on how such momentous military engagements should be represented on a gaming table; putting emphasis on dynamic gameplay and historical pageantry.

Michal: What are the key components of the game?

Carl: I wanted create components with a distinctive “period feel”, using painted-on custom wood blocks (no stickers!), a set of three mounted maps with a-grid system that effortlessly manages historical formation intervals, and stylish graphics: the package harks back to the 19th century “Kriegspiel” wargames’ appearance, mimicking a contemporary Napoleonic battle maps’ look, instead of a pure hex & counter affair more attuned to modern-era operational conflicts.

All the components will be super-deluxe, I’m a game component nit, and I want the best (yet at a reasonable price). There will also be a deck of 100 event/combat cards, 3D Army mats, lots of wooden markers, etc. All this in a large, chic-looking box. And… No dice! But more on that later…

Michal: Can you elaborate a little about the game mechanics?

Carl: I wanted to build a simulation engine that depicts the correct historical battle dynamics in a way to make the gameplay as flowing as possible for the gamers. Block count was kept low, with about the same number of maneuver elements as in chess; combat resolution computations are sparse and mechanics kept simple: this allows players to focus on strategy, not wasting precious match time working as glorified accountants. Emphasis is put on the army commanders’ decision points, planning, battlefield maneuvering, resource management, morale and skill. You play the game; it does not play you!

So, the design was tailored to work in a dynamic, brisk and interactive manner. For this I chose a cube-pull activation system that triggers all game happenstances: movement, combat, rally, card draws, turn end, etc. These lowers play downtime to naught: you won’t wait unduly before being able to do interesting actions, as it’s all very granular. The luck of the draw will add a good dose of realistic gameplay chaos and makes the game very solitaire-friendly; with card events adding another layer of drama and possibilities: this is not a “flat” game.

As I said before, there are no dice in the game, the 100 Event cards replace dice for all game “random probabilities” activities, including combat, rally and morale checks. This allowed me to make all the outcome system way more granular and interesting: instead of a set of one or two 6- sided dice, I have a 100-sided dice (100 cards), and space to be imaginative on the event cards. These Event Cards also ass a lot of historical flavour to the design, and it’s an important trait I try to cultivate in all my games.

Michal: How do players determine victory?

Carl: As with all my designs, I like to give players more than one way to achieve victory, while still keeping it simple to manage, and keeping the issue in doubt to the very end if at all possible. So, for BC, there are three ways of winning, in order:

  • By demoralizing the enemy army.
  • By holding more locations of strategic & tactical significance than the enemy.
  • By scenario’s tailored special victory goals.

Michal: Recently, solitaire games are getting a lot of traction. Still, it is rarity for tactical level wargames. How are you making sure that type of game will be suitable for solo play?

Carl: Very good question! Mind you, I don’t think most solitaire-only paper games do a great job: most are too linear and end up boring, others are almost impossible to make work, like hex-based games. This is why I have embarked almost two years ago into porting my “No Retreat!” games to computer format, with full A.I. You’ll hear about this project’s launch soon, done by Avalon Digital.

So… Yes, playing games alone. Well, I’m VERY sensible to that point, as I play 80% of my game solitaire. Mind you, I have made some “Solitaire-friendly” modules for my games to help this way of playing too. For BC, the chit-pull activation system makes the game extremely player-friendly in that regard. As you never know what side will activate some units next, or even when combat, Rally, card draws or turn end happen! I have played at least 60 games of BC, and I’m still having fun, that must mean something.

And as you don’t have a lot of game pieces to manage, this helps the “brain burden” immensely, allowing you to play both sides without getting a major headache… The only small problem for solitaire play is the players’ hidden card hand. Again, I play with all the cards revealed and it’s not a huge problem, but it’s of course less exciting that against another opponent, which is the preferred way of course. There will be a set of “solitaire guidelines” in the Playbook’s notes of play, explaining how I do it all alone in my game room, hopefully this will help others in the same predicament. 😉

Michal: Now, as for “Battle Commander: Volume I” itself, what makes this game unique?

Carl: Oh man… It’s unique in all respects, really! there are a lot of firsts in the design. The map layout, the form factor, the way Combat, movement, victory is managed, it is mostly never has been done exactly like that before. The Wooden units are pretty unique too. And the way you manage these in the game. The main hurdle will be to “unlearn” a lot of what you are used to in most wargames, especially with the movement and combat systems. Be ready for quite a ride!

Michal: How are you going to publish the game and where the players interested in the project can get more information?

Carl: I decided to go with the Publisher that was able to guarantee me that the game was made with the best quality components possible, at the best price, and with attention to detail and customer satisfaction. So, I chose a pretty new outfit, from Switzerland: Sounds of Drums games. You’ll hear about these guys more and more, trust me on this.

We’ll start a Gamefound fundraiser in the upcoming weeks. In the meantime you can go to our project’s page preview. I encourage you to subscribe to this game’s news if you want to be kept informed and in the loop for promos and the like.

https://gamefound.com/en/projects/sound-of-drums-gmbh/battle-commander-volume-i

Michal: What are the future plans for you? Any new designs / games in preparation?

Carl: You bet, lots of projects! I have to finish, for GMT, the Deluxe updates reprints for No Retreat 1 (Russian Front), and No Retreat 2 (African Front), these should be done soon. Then I also have to finish No Retreat 5 (the Western Front 44-45), this one will be something, two games in one, really: first the invasion part on a small-scale map, then you go on to the rest of the campaign on a larger-scale map. Surprisingly simple game, too.

Then for Sounds-of-Drums, iv Volume I of battle Commander is a success, I’m forging ahead with a scenario expansion pack (six more battles added to the Volume I’s six)., then Volume II and III, already half-done, will continue Napoleon’s saga With Austerlitz, The Pyramids, then War against Prussian and Russia, Eylau, Friedland etc. We are doing this more-or-less in chronological order; with Waterloo era being the last in the series. But fear not, the series will not end there! I’ll continue the adventure into the American Civil War and then the Seven Years war, and maybe others. I love Series, you don’t, have to learn the game system anew, and thus you leverage your acquired gaming skills! This is Something Sounds of Drums is really into also.

I will then have the series, but much modified, with custom dice added, move to the Ancients and Medieval times, it’ll be called “Banner Commander” to acknowledge the different game system. Also some mini-games, a few Euros, and some surprises…Work is never over!

Thanks!

You are most welcome, Vive l’Empereur!

Carl Paradis, Québec, Canada.