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+ Elements
+
+
+ Elements of Strategy
+
+*by Brian Gleichman*
+Feb 11,2003
+
+
+
+
+ Elements of Strategy
+
+I discussed in a previous article
+<http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/columns/elements01nov02.html> various
+core concepts of game design that resulted in tactical play. Now I'd
+like to cover the big sister of tactics, strategy.
+
+Since there are a number of possible definitions for both tactics and
+strategy it would be best to nail down the specifics of the discussion
+before things become more confused than they should be. I'm not using
+the common one found in military circles (tactical, operational,
+strategic) since in game terms those concepts are basically contained in
+the idea of scale. Instead I'll be using a definition that is much the
+same as the one used in chess and other similar games.
+
+Thus Tactical play is the immediate decisions made for material or
+immediate positional advantage, or in terms of another previous article
+<http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/columns/elements11dec02.html>-
+decisions and play that exists purely at the Game level. At its most
+basic, tactics is playing the board for immediate effect.
+
+Strategic play however takes place at the Near Game or even the
+Meta-Game level (if not using the finer definitions from the Layers of
+Design article, I'd simply say it takes place in the Meta-Game). Here
+the focus isn't directly on immediate concrete concerns, but rather on
+long-range goals and estimates of how one's opponent is going to move
+and react. Strategy is not playing the board, but rather playing the
+man. As an example, in chess one may decide as a matter of strategy to
+launch your main attack on your opponent's kingside- either because
+you're more skilled in that line of attack than you are with other
+options, or because you know your opponent is weaker in that line of
+defense.
+
+Let's consider the primary elements of Strategy under this definition.
+Although they are greatly interrelated, almost like dance partners, they
+can be broken down as follows:
+
+
+ Prediction:
+
+ /"If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the
+ result of a hundred battles."/ Sun Tzu, *The Art of War*.
+
+This element covers predicting the decisions of your opponent and your
+own performance. Some examples: Knowing that Joe tends to put his most
+powerful units in the center or realizing that Sara loses effectiveness
+in chess if her queen is exchanged. Knowing that your heavy fighters can
+hold the line long enough to complete the flanking maneuver you have
+planned. Etc.
+
+
+ Deception:
+
+ /"Hence, when able to attack, you must seem unable, when using your
+ tools, you must seem inactive. When we are near, we must make the
+ enemy believe we are far away, when far away, we must make him
+ believe we are near."/ Sun Tzu, *The Art of War*.
+
+This element represents the flipside of Prediction, the ability to
+conceal your intentions and decisions from your opponent or even
+convince him that you are following a different course from your actual
+one. If he has positioned himself to protect from a strong center attack
+at the moment your Cavalry hits him on the right flank- your chances for
+victory is enhanced.
+
+
+ Causality:
+
+ /"In war everything is simple, but it's the simple things that are
+ difficult."/ General Carl Von Clausewitz.
+
+This is the causal chain required to implement strategic decisions. If
+one decides to use your Calvary to flank your opponent on the left while
+tying down his main body with your infantry- the causal chain is all the
+steps (and time) needed to properly position your troops in order to
+reach that objective.
+
+A very important characteristic of the causal chain is its length- how
+many actions are needed over how much time. If the chain is too short,
+strategic decision itself will become trivial as the other elements
+become irrelevant. On the other hand, as the chain lengthens the
+difficulty and importance of the strategic decision increases.
+Prediction must look further ahead into increasingly fuzzy ground while
+deception must be prolonged. Failure on either point can result in
+catastrophe.
+
+As a result, the length of the causal chain is perhaps the most
+important of the Elements of Strategy as it determines the impact of the
+others. Many game designs seek to employ both Prediction and Deception,
+but by resolving the end result immediately in a single roll or two they
+reduce the Strategic nature of their design to something no more
+interesting than rock-scissors-paper; an immediate guess followed by
+immediate and final outcome. It is still a strategic game design, if a
+very simple one suited only for those seeking the simplest of challenges.
+
+Given these definitions and moving from theory to more practical (if
+still abstract) concerns- what design concepts are important to consider
+in creating or evaluating a game's strategic environment?
+
+
+ Tactical Elements:
+
+A strong tactical game will by nature normally produce a strong
+strategic one.
+
+Chess is again an excellent example of this case, as it needs nothing
+but its tactical design to present strategic challenges worthy of
+centuries of play. Between players of near equal tactical skill the
+causal chain is long and complex enough that essentially limitless
+Strategies become available and defeating your foe's perception of the
+game is nearly as (if not more) important than mastering its reality (as
+Deep Blue's defeat of World Champion Gary Kasparov showed).
+
+So for strategic groundwork first look to the tactical elements:
+Resource Management, Dissimilar Assets, Maneuver and Pace of Decision.
+It will be these elements that define the causal chain and it will be
+these elements that frame the strategic environment.
+
+A game design however can increase its strategic depth beyond that
+provide by its tactical environment in a number of ways. This can be
+used to make a moderately tactical game into something considerably more
+challenging- or turn an already demanding environment into any
+commander's nightmare.
+
+
+ Hidden Decisions:
+
+By hiding decisions made by a player from his opponent(s), the need to
+judge the intent of your foe and predict his actions is greatly
+increased. Resources that are to be used against you are not in sight.
+Where could they be? Where would your opponent likely place them?
+
+Hidden Movement is perhaps the most common example of this method in
+wargames and even in rpgs although the latter seldom emphasizes the
+subject in the rules directly. D20 for example includes rules for sight
+range under specific lightning conditions without much comment. My own
+/Age of Heroes/ takes line of sight limits for granted- a matter for GM
+judgment based upon the map. Adding this to any system is easily done to
+great effect.
+
+Beyond the simple fact of hidden movement are active measures taken to
+hide (invisibility spells, smoke, etc.) or deceive (decoy troops
+carrying the banners of important units, riders trailing branches to
+raise dust, etc). All can be given to a player as a toolset to expand
+his strategic options.
+
+
+ Reconnaissance:
+
+If some attempt to hide things, others will always develop methods of
+investigation to reveal them.
+
+Adding resources and methods to allow for such in a game adds yet
+another layer to the strategic environment, especially if by their use
+other resources are limited or spent. A classic example here are the
+divination spells from D&D. Information about one's opponent can be had-
+at the price of losing a spell slot that could have been used for combat
+magic. Outside of magic, even the use of scouts in almost any system
+means that resources (which could have been of use in a main force) are
+diverted to a recon and/or harassment role.
+
+Like the three elements of strategy above, Hidden Decisions and
+Reconnaissance are each part of a dance- play benefiting from both
+having their impact. When balanced to a fine degree, one may well
+discover part of a foe's casual chain and thus act to interrupt it- but
+interpreting scattered clues to determine the correct causal chain can
+be left in large part to the Prediction skills of the player instead of
+being given as simply stated fact.
+
+I'd like to emphasize two factors touched on above due to their
+potentially vast impact on strategy.
+
+ /"So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong and to strike at
+ what is weak. Water shapes its course according to the nature of the
+ ground over which it flows; the soldier works out his victory in
+ relation to the foe whom he is facing."/ Sun Tzu, *The Art of War*.
+
+I've already covered Dissimilar Assets in the Elements of Tactics
+article and noted it's impact on Strategy above. One should take effort
+however to extend this concept. Not only can the assets within ones own
+force be dissimilar- the type and nature of assets each force can draw
+from may differ. Wargames such as /Warhammer/ use this to great effect
+to increase the range of its tactical and strategic environment while
+D&D gains the same effect from its vast range of creatures and races.
+
+Terrain like ground-to-water shapes the very fundamental nature of a
+conflict. Woods and hills to conceal one's movement. High ground to
+provide a combat bonus or a good spotting location. Swamp to reduce and
+channel movement. All impact the tactical and strategic environment as
+the hammer impacts a nail. Leaving it out is like leaving chocolate out
+your devil's food cake- sure you'll have a cake; just don't complain
+when someone describes it as bland.
+
+One of the easiest tests for good Strategic game design is to see if the
+classic wisdoms of war apply to the end results. The quotes from Sun Tzu
+and Clausewitz above for example. If characters in your game can make
+use of such concepts, you've at least got a good start. If they can't
+gain victory without using such concepts constantly, you've managed it.
+
+Lastly a challenge to the readers. I've left out at least one important
+concept in increasing a game's strategic complexity (due to the fact
+that I wanted this article to be a reasonable length). Can you name it?
+I'll give you a hint; the quote I would use for it is from Napoleon.
+
+
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+------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+ Previous columns
+
+ * Elements of Strategy </news+reviews/columns/elements11feb03.html>
+ by Brian Gleichman, 11feb03
+ * Rationales for Mechanics (or the Case for Designer's Notes)
+ </news+reviews/columns/elements14jan03.html> by Brian Gleichman,
+ 14jan03
+ * Layers of Design </news+reviews/columns/elements11dec02.html> by
+ Brian Gleichman, 11dec02
+ * Elements of Tactics </news+reviews/columns/elements01nov02.html>
+ by Brian Gleichman, 01nov02
+ * Elements of Complexity
+ </news+reviews/columns/elements20sep02.html> by Brian Gleichman,
+ 20sep02
+
+
+ Other columns </news+reviews/columns.html> at RPGnet
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