Uploaded June 2025 | Updated September 2026, 5 hours ago
In this episode, LaFondiose sits down with soldiersteve to unpack their high-tempo experience umpiring live Kriegsspiel games at Origins. They dive into the mechanics, stressors, and lessons of running four games over four days in a bustling convention environment. The conversation contrasts formats—from Dr. James Sterrett’s intense two-minute-turn wargames to the more flexible IKS one-hour-turn system—and reflects on what it takes to adapt Kriegsspiel to live, in-person play.
The discussion includes umpiring techniques, design evolution, dispatch cycle refinements, and the physical realities of paper maps, miniatures, and player confusion. They explore how structured process, visual clarity, and player-facing simplifications made the sessions more effective. Steve’s firsthand account of transitioning from player to assistant umpire highlights how fast-paced gameplay and logistical constraints forge both challenge and excitement.
This episode also considers the role of conventions in expanding awareness of Kriegsspiel. While only a few dozen played, hundreds watched, asked questions, and learned. With a minimal investment in pieces and maps, the hosts make a compelling case for any umpire to bring live Kriegsspiel to regional events.
If you're considering live umpiring or curious about how analog wargaming survives and thrives today, this is required listening.
In this episode, LaFondiose sits down with soldiersteve to unpack their high-tempo experience umpiring live Kriegsspiel games at Origins. They dive into the mechanics, stressors, and lessons of running four games over four days in a bustling convention environment. The conversation contrasts formats—from Dr. James Sterrett’s intense two-minute-turn wargames to the more flexible IKS one-hour-turn system—and reflects on what it takes to adapt Kriegsspiel to live, in-person play.
The discussion includes umpiring techniques, design evolution, dispatch cycle refinements, and the physical realities of paper maps, miniatures, and player confusion. They explore how structured process, visual clarity, and player-facing simplifications made the sessions more effective. Steve’s firsthand account of transitioning from player to assistant umpire highlights how fast-paced gameplay and logistical constraints forge both challenge and excitement.
This episode also considers the role of conventions in expanding awareness of Kriegsspiel. While only a few dozen played, hundreds watched, asked questions, and learned. With a minimal investment in pieces and maps, the hosts make a compelling case for any umpire to bring live Kriegsspiel to regional events.
If you're considering live umpiring or curious about how analog wargaming survives and thrives today, this is required listening.
