8/12/2019 Strategy, Tactics and Logitics for GMs

1/3

Strategy, Tactics and Logistics for Game Masters

06. Jun, 2011 Categories:GM Techniques, Organisation [5 Comments

By Michael Beck

htt!:""###.ro$e!$a%ingti!s.com"gm&techniques"strateg%&tactics&an'&$ogistics&(or&gms"

)*ea' the origina$ German +ersion at htt!:""s!ie$$eiten.#or'!ress.com

-n the mi$itar%, one 'istinguishes et#een 'i((erent $e+e$s o( 'ecisions, ca$$e' strateg%, tactics, an' $ogistics. - 'on

#ant to 'e$+e 'ee! into this issue, since -/m no e!ert in this (ie$'. ut a short an' rough e!$anation #i$$ he$!

un'erstan'ing the (o$$o#ing ti!.

ogistics are tin% !$anning ste!s. 3or eam!$e, changing the !osition o( a squa'. The goa$ o( a $ogistic 'ecision isa$#a%s concrete an' c$ear.

One uses $ogistics to achie+e some tactica$ goa$, #hich is a it more (or the $ong run an' has $arger consequences.

eam!$e, an organi4e' attac o( a comat unit at a certain target. The goa$ o( tactics is a more astract to meet th

goa$s o( $ogistics. 7ence, to accom!$ish a tactic, one has to ser+e se+era$ $ogistica$ issues.

8 strateg% $ies on to! o( tactics. -ts goa$s are astract an' $ong&ranging. 3or accom!$ishing the goa$ o( a strateg%,se+era$ tactica$ 'ecisions ha+e to e ma'e. 8n eam!$e (or a strateg% cou$' e in+o$+ing the enem% into (ights at t

(ronts to #eaen him. et us ca$$ the goa$ o( a strateg% the o!erationa$ goa$ (or the moment.

3o$$o#ing is a'+ice on ho# to uti$i4e this conce!t o( 'i((erent 'ecision $e+e$s as a GM to !re!are game sessions.9hat are the $ogistics, tactics, an' strategies o( a GM an' her o!erationa$ goa$ 7o# much time shou$' one s!en'

his !$anning ste!s Can one 'etect or a+oi' rai$roa'ing #ith these

Logistics for GMs

http://www.roleplayingtips.com/category/gm-techniques/http://www.roleplayingtips.com/category/gm-techniques/http://www.roleplayingtips.com/category/organisation/http://www.roleplayingtips.com/category/organisation/http://www.roleplayingtips.com/gm-techniques/strategy-tactics-and-logistics-for-gms/#commentshttp://www.roleplayingtips.com/gm-techniques/strategy-tactics-and-logistics-for-gms/attachment/_logistics_management/http://spielleiten.wordpress.com/http://www.roleplayingtips.com/gm-techniques/strategy-tactics-and-logistics-for-gms/attachment/_logistics_management/http://www.roleplayingtips.com/category/organisation/http://www.roleplayingtips.com/gm-techniques/strategy-tactics-and-logistics-for-gms/#commentshttp://spielleiten.wordpress.com/http://www.roleplayingtips.com/category/gm-techniques/

8/12/2019 Strategy, Tactics and Logitics for GMs

2/3

7o# 'oes $ogistics $oo (or a GM The shortest&run 'ecisions to mae 'uring !re!aration time are #hat is ha!!en

in a certain !$ot$ine.

;o, a $ogistic 'ecision is 'e(ining the net ste! in one sing$e !$ot$ine. This cou$' e encountering an ust one. This is a strong sig

o( rai$roa'ing %our grou!. 9e #i$$ see in a minute ho# this constrains %our tactica$ o!tions as a GM.

Tactics for GMs

Tactics are more $ong&run an' ha+e more astract goa$s. ;o the net $e+e$ ao+e one !$ot$ine is the a'+enture.Tactica$ 'ecisions 'e(ine the course o( a'+entures. 9e thin aout:

7o# to han'$e the 'i((erent !$ot$ines

9hich ones #e continue or en'

7o# to s!$ice t#o !$ot$ines together

9hen to start ne# ones

8$$ these are tactica$ 'ecisions. 8s GM %ou shou$' s!en' some time on these issues:

7o# man% !$ot$ines 'o - #ant in !ara$$e$ 7o# $ong shou$' the% run, #hen 'o the% start an' en'

9hat !ur!ose an' #hich atmos!here 'o the% contain

;hou$' the% $ea' to the goa$ o( the a'+enture or 'istract the !$a%ers (rom it

Creating a ($o# chart #ou$' e an eam!$e o( mu$ti!$e tactica$ 'ecision maing. The tactica$ o!tions %ou ha+e isstrong$% oun' to the numer o( !$ot$ines %ou ha+e.

-n the etreme case o( one !$ot$ine, %ou >ust ha+e a $imite' re!ertoire o( 'ecisions:

9hen to start

9hen to en'

9hat is its goa$ an' its atmos!here

9e a$rea'% sai' that ha+ing >ust one !$ot$ine is a sign o( rai$roa'ing.

8/12/2019 Strategy, Tactics and Logitics for GMs

3/3

The net narrati+e $e+e$ on to! o( the a'+enture is the cam!aign. ;trategies #or on the cam!aign $e+e$ o( cam!ai

an' the o!erationa$ goa$ is the cam!aign/s goa$.

-nstea' o( han'$ing !$ot$ines, #e are no# managing a'+entures. -n its core, a strateg% 'e(ines the course o( acam!aign % setting the numer o( a'+entures it contains, together #ith their t%!e an' (unctions.

7ere, #e are #oring on a high $e+e$ o( astraction. ;o - recommen' not s!en'ing too much !$anning (or cam!aig

?ou shou$' !$an 'o#n to the $e+e$ o( $ogistics to (u$$% sort things out. This is not on$% a huge amount o( #or, it i

!arts e+en im!ossi$e, since %ou are not !$a%ing a$one.

-n+esting a $ot o( time here is $ie tr%ing to ui$' a house % (irst un'erstan'ing quantum mechanics. -t sa%s: