Uploaded June 2025 | Updated September 2026, 38 minutes ago
NOTE: A technical problem with the software creates an intermittent echo for the host's voice but not the guest, and the conversation was too valuable not to share. We'll fix this problem going forward.
Umpire "Sixty" joins LaFondiose to share insights from his extensive experience designing and running detailed historical simulations, particularly within the International Kriegsspiel Society (IKS). Sixty discusses his early roots in Czech-based online wargaming, his preference for Napoleonic and Second World War settings, and the challenges of balancing family life with live play. He highlights his custom-built tools, including a detailed Excel-based calculator for resolving combat, supply, and casualties, capable of managing thousands of units and tons of logistical data with speed and precision.
Sixty explains his design philosophy: prioritize meaningful player roles over large player counts to ensure engagement, avoid micromanagement, and provide each player with real decision-making power. He emphasizes operational-level games with a realistic command structure, scalable complexity, and elegant abstraction. Sixty also describes his approach to mapmaking using Wonderdraft, player communication, and the importance of clear orders to avoid umpire error. He discusses his ongoing Poland 1939 game and training efforts for new umpires, and he stresses professionalism and passion as core to the success of any simulation. The episode offers both technical depth and philosophical reflection on what makes Kriegsspiel engaging and sustainable.
NOTE: A technical problem with the software creates an intermittent echo for the host's voice but not the guest, and the conversation was too valuable not to share. We'll fix this problem going forward.
Umpire "Sixty" joins LaFondiose to share insights from his extensive experience designing and running detailed historical simulations, particularly within the International Kriegsspiel Society (IKS). Sixty discusses his early roots in Czech-based online wargaming, his preference for Napoleonic and Second World War settings, and the challenges of balancing family life with live play. He highlights his custom-built tools, including a detailed Excel-based calculator for resolving combat, supply, and casualties, capable of managing thousands of units and tons of logistical data with speed and precision.
Sixty explains his design philosophy: prioritize meaningful player roles over large player counts to ensure engagement, avoid micromanagement, and provide each player with real decision-making power. He emphasizes operational-level games with a realistic command structure, scalable complexity, and elegant abstraction. Sixty also describes his approach to mapmaking using Wonderdraft, player communication, and the importance of clear orders to avoid umpire error. He discusses his ongoing Poland 1939 game and training efforts for new umpires, and he stresses professionalism and passion as core to the success of any simulation. The episode offers both technical depth and philosophical reflection on what makes Kriegsspiel engaging and sustainable.
