11 May 2012

Random Friday Wargaming: Logistics Command

OK Folks, we've have the game for the Fightin' S-4 out there. That's right, here comes Logistics Command! Yes, a board game of operational/low-strategic materiel movement. Wow.







You already know there's no CSW forum on this. Troll and Toad has one for sale, if you've got some cash laying around for something totally off-the-wall.

You can find some additional info out there on this game. This one's from The Big Game Hunter.

No[t] all educational material produced by or for companies was targeted at the individual worker. In 1978, Westinghouse’s Business System Group in Hunt Valley, Maryland, produced Logistics Command. The game itself bears the influence of another Maryland game company, Avalon Hill, both in its style of packaging and in its use of mounted game boards and cardboard counters in a wargame-type setting. The objective of the game was to show the value of maintaining proper support transport, spare parts, and other material not usually treated as wargame subject matter. At the time this game was published, Westinghouse was best noted in the Maryland area for its defense work. U.S. sales abroad of new military hardware (produced from older weapons systems designs by a number of defense contractors, including Westinghouse) was a regular news staple during that period. This game has jokingly been referred to as Westinghouse’s sales pitch to persuade Third World dictators that they should buy more spare parts along with their newly purchased weapons systems. It has been viewed more seriously in recent years, and is now somewhat prized by wargames collectors for its role in treating the issue of logistical support.

Something pretty funny over at Troll & Toad. There's a the usual "customer who bought this also bought..." at the bottom. Check out the recommendations for a board game about esoteric military logistics.




Master links/images from
Boardgamegeek.com; message boards linked to Consimworld. Other links to the actual game pages...


By: Brant

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ground breaking and looks a lot like Tactics II. I am impressed dude, this game is the best you have put up on the ol' blog in some time.

Brian said...

I actually have a copy of this!

It is a wargame without any way - counters are rated for Performance Factor, Readiness Level, Mean Time Betwene Failures and Mean Time to Repair. The second rating affects the first, and the thrid and fourth ratings affect the second. You spend a lot of time working out Integrated Logistics Supprot Plans to more around your repair facilities, stocks of spare parts, build facilities, deploy engineers and repair teams, there's a lot of this.

The game was designed in 1978, and would certainly have been done via computer if such had been avialable by then. But setting aside the little fiddly processes that take up time, there is still a lot of depth and worry involved in making the decisions in playing the game. No wonder S-4s never look like happy people.

Westinghouse did not give a designer credit, Kula (editor of Simulacrum) tried twice to find out and of course no one there knew anything about it.

Westinghouse did make one or two other games, per BGG.com: The Productivity Management Game, a project management game from 1974, and Blondie Goes to Leisureland, a 1940 giveaway game for children wherein players take roles from the Blondie comci strip and move aroudn the board buying Westinghouse-brand electrical appliances.

Brian said...

Sorry, I shoudl have said "a wargame without any war."

I really have to clean the crumbs out of my keyboard.

James Sterrett said...

Brian, I am envious that you have a copy. :) Troll and Toad list it, but it is out of stock.

I've got a PDF of the rules, but they seem a tad impenetrable without the rest of the game.

Brant said...

There is a designer credited over at the BoardGameWiki entry, but I don't know the sourcing of the entry, or the accuracy of it

Brian said...

Don't give up hope James!

ON Boardgamegeek a like-new copy is on sale for 125 dollars, and three people have copies for trade. Traders are often open to sale offers too.

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/collection/items/boardgame/8819?fortrade=1

Anonymous said...

hello...Logistics Command was created by the incredible Jim Myers along with myself when he was a supplier and I was Mkt. Commun. Mgr of Westinghouse Integrated Logistics Support Divisions...We put together the game with the book :Milestones the History of Military Logistics.

Gary W.

Anonymous said...

hey...you want to know about Logistics Command...I have the answers111


G. W.

RonMorris said...

James Sterrett
You stated you have a PDF copy of the rules to "Logistics Command" could you please send me a copy at
ronfmorris@bellsouth.net

Unknown said...

If you have rules in pdf, can you pls send it to me? I would appreciate that.
vaclav.svec.ml@gmail.com

Thank you!

James Sterrett said...

Gary W. - One of our logistics instructors acquired a copy, and it's been handed off to me to learn and then teach for a test play on 5 December. In the (admittedly unlikely) event you look back here, I'd be happy to be able to contact you with questions.

james.sterrett@gmail.com