249:
map. The game was played by two teams, each commanding an imaginary army of little lead blocks, and was overseen by an umpire. The game was turn-based. Each turn, a team would give written orders for their troops to the umpire, who would then move the little blocks across the game map according to how he judged the imaginary troops would interpret and execute the orders. Each turn represented two minutes of time, and during a turn the troops would do only as much as they realistically could in two minutes. Reisswitz's manual provided tables denoting exactly how far the troops could move in two minutes, according to the type of troop and the terrain they crossed (cavalry moved faster than infantry, marching uphill was slower than downhill, etc.). When the two armies engaged each other, the umpire would use dice rolls and simple arithmetic to compute how many casualties they inflicted upon each other, and when a troop formation was defeated he would remove its block from the game map.
194:. This posting was interpreted as a banishment from the Prussian court. Allegedly, Reisswitz had made offensive remarks about his superiors. According to an 1874 article by Reisswitz's friend and fellow officer Heinrich Ernst Dannhauer, there were people in the Prussian court who were jealous of the attention and honors that this junior officer was attracting from the elite circles, and they sabotaged him by misreporting innocent remarks as insults. Reisswitz fell into depression, and on 1 September 1827, he shot himself. Reisswitz's father died a year later, and they were buried in the same cemetery.
42:
479:
215:
179:, who joined Reisswitz's gaming circle. In 1824, the prince invited Reisswitz to demonstrate his wargame to the king and his chief of staff, General von Müffling. They were all impressed and officially endorsed Reisswitz's game as a training tool for the army. Reisswitz established a workshop to mass-produce and distribute his game.
248:
Reisswitz's wargame was designed to simulate battles at the tactical level (it did not concern itself with operational matters such as training and logistics). It was played on a paper map which represented the battlefield, and the troops were represented by little blocks of lead placed on the game
167:
In 1812, Reisswitz's father developed a wargaming apparatus which he presented as a gift to the
Prussian king, which the royal family embraced and regularly played. The father hoped that wargaming would eventually become a regular tool of instruction and training for army officers, but he never
197:
Reisswitz's disgrace and suicide hampered the progression of his wargame for obvious reasons, but it was kept alive by a small number of wargaming clubs, and in later decades it was widely played by the officer corps. Reisswitz's name was rarely mentioned, however, in subsequent literature on
236:
was the first wargaming system that was embraced as a serious tool for training and research by an army. Previous wargames were dismissed as mere toys because they were not realistic enough. Reisswitz took advantage of new advances in
265:
Sources disagree on the correct spelling of
Reisswitz's family name. An 1812 rulebook by his father spells its author's name as "Reiswitz". His own 1824 rulebook spells it "Reisswitz". Articles that appear in various issues of
127:, as he developed the first wargaming system to be widely used as a serious tool for training and research. The particular genre of wargaming he developed is known in the English-speaking world as
245:
to create a battle simulator that was sufficiently realistic for instructional use. Reisswitz did not like calling his system a "game", but he could not find a better term for it.
315:"The King awarded Reisswitz the Order of Saint John in recognition of his invention—apparently, he was the first member of the artillery branch ever to receive this honor."
133:. It is characterized by high realism, an emphasis on the experience of decision-making rather than on competition, and the use of an umpire to keep the system flexible.
182:
The king awarded
Reisswitz the Order of St John as a reward. Reisswitz frequently hosted wargaming sessions for senior officers, and once for the Russian court.
172:. By 1816, Reisswitz's father seemed to have lost interest in wargaming altogether, and his son decided to continue the development of the game.
202:. In 1874, his old friend and fellow officer Heinrich Ernst Dannhauer, now a general, rehabilitated Reisswitz's name in an article published in
828:
818:
702:
901:
426:
823:
370:
352:"The one thing which did not satisfy Von Reisswitz was the word "game;" but not finding anything to take its place he retained it."
463:
175:
Reisswitz steadily developed his father's game with the help of his fellow junior officers. His project caught the attention of
866:
542:
176:
813:
776:
746:
591:
681:
906:
675:
669:
554:
808:
363:
Playing at the World: A History of
Simulating Wars, People and Fantastic Adventures, from Chess to Role-playing Games
41:
781:
645:
844:
381:
190:
In 1826, Reisswitz was promoted to the rank of captain and transferred from Berlin to the provincial city of
270:
spell it "Reißwitz". In the German language, ß is a ligature of "ss" and is so transliterated into
English.
560:
497:
451:
419:
400:. Translated by H. O. S. Heistand. Washington D.C.: US Government Printing Office. 1898. pp. 233–289.
229:
223:
896:
891:
627:
502:
393:
603:
242:
76:
384:[The Reisswitzian Wargame from its Inception until the death of the inventor in 1827].
854:
609:
412:
366:
512:
691:
657:
517:
468:
169:
123:(1794–1827) was a Prussian army officer. Reisswitz is regarded by many as the father of
761:
751:
721:
696:
686:
663:
885:
859:
756:
651:
507:
88:
766:
736:
731:
639:
633:
145:
771:
615:
585:
579:
457:
238:
129:
382:"Das Reißwissche Kriegsspiel von feinem Beginn bis zum Tode des Erfinders 1827"
214:
156:. By 1819, he was a first-lieutenant in the Guard Artillery Brigade in Berlin.
741:
621:
153:
110:
597:
124:
398:
Selected
Professional Papers Translated from European Military Publications
726:
17:
849:
435:
141:
Reisswitz's father was George
Leopold von Reisswitz, a Prussian baron.
66:
168:
perfected the system, probably because of the upheavals caused by the
191:
149:
218:
A reconstruction of the wargame developed in 1824 by
Reisswitz Jr.
213:
408:
152:, Reisswitz was promoted to second-lieutenant and awarded the
477:
404:
144:
In 1810, Reisswitz was a volunteer in an artillery unit in
159:
Reisswitz was a skilled fencer and a skilled violinist.
837:
801:
794:
712:
570:
533:
526:
488:
442:
106:
94:
82:
72:
56:
48:
32:
295:
293:
291:
420:
8:
798:
530:
427:
413:
405:
121:Georg Heinrich Rudolf Johann von Reisswitz
40:
34:Georg Heinrich Rudolf Johann von Reisswitz
29:
380:Heinrich Ernst Dannhauer (11 July 1874).
324:
299:
347:
336:
310:
287:
258:
829:Society of Twentieth Century Wargamers
819:International Federation of Wargaming
7:
148:. In late 1813, during the Siege of
25:
824:International Wargames Federation
464:Western Approaches Tactical Unit
388:. No. 56. pp. 527–532.
867:World Boardgaming Championships
814:Game Manufacturers Association
1:
809:Castle & Crusade Society
555:Julius von Verdy du Vernois
279:1 Sept 1813 - 10 April 1814
923:
902:Prussian military officers
221:
475:
39:
845:Charles S. Roberts Award
209:
561:William McCarty Little
498:Recreational wargaming
482:
452:Professional wargaming
230:professional wargaming
219:
481:
361:Jon Peterson (2012).
224:Kriegsspiel (wargame)
217:
186:Late career and death
100:1st Lieutenant (1819)
98:2nd Lieutenant (1813)
163:The wargame designer
154:Iron Cross 2nd Class
111:Iron Cross 2nd Class
907:Suicides by firearm
549:Georg von Reisswitz
503:Miniature wargaming
394:"Foreign War Games"
386:Militär-Wochenblatt
268:Militär-Wochenblatt
228:Reisswitz invented
210:Reisswitz's wargame
204:Militär-Wochenblatt
604:Charles S. Roberts
483:
365:. Unreason Press.
243:probability theory
220:
77:Kingdom of Prussia
27:Wargaming pioneer.
879:
878:
875:
874:
855:Origins Game Fair
790:
789:
676:Larry Harris, Jr.
610:Allan B. Calhamer
118:
117:
64:(aged 32–33)
16:(Redirected from
914:
799:
628:Redmond Simonsen
592:Don Featherstone
531:
513:Computer wargame
480:
429:
422:
415:
406:
401:
389:
376:
353:
345:
339:
334:
328:
325:Dannhauer (1874)
322:
316:
308:
302:
300:Dannhauer (1874)
297:
280:
277:
271:
263:
114:Order of St John
84:
63:
60:1 September 1827
44:
30:
21:
922:
921:
917:
916:
915:
913:
912:
911:
882:
881:
880:
871:
833:
786:
714:
708:
703:Gilbert Roberts
692:Stephen V. Cole
658:S. Craig Taylor
572:
566:
535:
522:
518:Naval wargaming
490:
484:
478:
473:
469:Sigma war games
444:
438:
433:
392:
379:
373:
360:
357:
356:
351:
348:Heistand (1898)
346:
342:
337:Peterson (2012)
335:
331:
323:
319:
314:
311:Peterson (2012)
309:
305:
298:
289:
284:
283:
278:
274:
264:
260:
255:
226:
212:
188:
170:Napoleonic Wars
165:
139:
137:Life and career
113:
101:
99:
65:
61:
35:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
920:
918:
910:
909:
904:
899:
894:
884:
883:
877:
876:
873:
872:
870:
869:
864:
863:
862:
852:
847:
841:
839:
835:
834:
832:
831:
826:
821:
816:
811:
805:
803:
796:
792:
791:
788:
787:
785:
784:
779:
777:Martin Wallace
774:
769:
764:
762:Mark Simonitch
759:
754:
752:Rick Priestley
749:
747:Joseph Miranda
744:
739:
734:
729:
724:
722:Craig Besinque
718:
716:
710:
709:
707:
706:
700:
697:Greg Costikyan
694:
689:
687:Frank Chadwick
684:
679:
673:
670:Marc W. Miller
667:
664:Paddy Griffith
661:
655:
649:
643:
637:
631:
625:
619:
613:
607:
601:
595:
589:
583:
576:
574:
568:
567:
565:
564:
558:
552:
546:
543:Johann Hellwig
539:
537:
528:
524:
523:
521:
520:
515:
510:
505:
500:
494:
492:
486:
485:
476:
474:
472:
471:
466:
461:
454:
448:
446:
440:
439:
434:
432:
431:
424:
417:
409:
403:
402:
390:
377:
371:
355:
354:
340:
329:
317:
303:
286:
285:
282:
281:
272:
257:
256:
254:
251:
222:Main article:
211:
208:
187:
184:
177:Prince Wilhelm
164:
161:
138:
135:
116:
115:
108:
104:
103:
102:Captain (1826)
96:
92:
91:
86:
80:
79:
74:
70:
69:
58:
54:
53:
50:
46:
45:
37:
36:
33:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
919:
908:
905:
903:
900:
898:
895:
893:
890:
889:
887:
868:
865:
861:
860:Origins Award
858:
857:
856:
853:
851:
848:
846:
843:
842:
840:
836:
830:
827:
825:
822:
820:
817:
815:
812:
810:
807:
806:
804:
800:
797:
795:Organizations
793:
783:
780:
778:
775:
773:
770:
768:
765:
763:
760:
758:
757:Andy Chambers
755:
753:
750:
748:
745:
743:
740:
738:
735:
733:
730:
728:
725:
723:
720:
719:
717:
711:
704:
701:
698:
695:
693:
690:
688:
685:
683:
682:Don Greenwood
680:
677:
674:
671:
668:
665:
662:
659:
656:
653:
652:Tom Dalgliesh
650:
647:
644:
641:
638:
635:
632:
629:
626:
623:
620:
617:
614:
611:
608:
605:
602:
599:
596:
593:
590:
587:
584:
581:
578:
577:
575:
569:
562:
559:
556:
553:
550:
547:
544:
541:
540:
538:
532:
529:
525:
519:
516:
514:
511:
509:
508:Board wargame
506:
504:
501:
499:
496:
495:
493:
487:
470:
467:
465:
462:
460:
459:
455:
453:
450:
449:
447:
441:
437:
430:
425:
423:
418:
416:
411:
410:
407:
399:
395:
391:
387:
383:
378:
374:
372:9780615642048
368:
364:
359:
358:
349:
344:
341:
338:
333:
330:
327:, p. 531
326:
321:
318:
312:
307:
304:
301:
296:
294:
292:
288:
276:
273:
269:
262:
259:
252:
250:
246:
244:
240:
235:
231:
225:
216:
207:
205:
201:
195:
193:
185:
183:
180:
178:
173:
171:
162:
160:
157:
155:
151:
147:
142:
136:
134:
132:
131:
126:
122:
112:
109:
105:
97:
93:
90:
89:Prussian Army
87:
81:
78:
75:
71:
68:
59:
55:
51:
47:
43:
38:
31:
19:
767:Jerry Taylor
737:James M. Day
732:Richard Borg
640:Richard Berg
634:Jim Dunnigan
548:
489:Recreational
456:
443:Professional
397:
385:
362:
343:
332:
320:
306:
275:
267:
261:
247:
233:
227:
203:
199:
196:
189:
181:
174:
166:
158:
143:
140:
128:
120:
119:
62:(1827-09-01)
897:1827 deaths
892:1794 births
772:Dan Verssen
705:(1900–1986)
699:(born 1959)
678:(born 1948)
672:(born 1947)
666:(1947–2010)
660:(1946–2012)
654:(born 1945)
648:(1945–2015)
642:(1943–2019)
636:(born 1943)
630:(1942–2005)
624:(1938–2008)
618:(born 1932)
616:Phil Barker
612:(1931–2013)
606:(1930–2010)
600:(1926–2000)
594:(1918–2013)
588:(1916–1988)
586:Jack Scruby
582:(1866–1946)
580:H. G. Wells
563:(1845–1915)
557:(1832–1910)
551:(1794–1827)
545:(1743–1831)
458:Kriegsspiel
239:cartography
234:Kriegsspiel
200:kriegsspiel
130:Kriegsspiel
886:Categories
742:Mike McVey
622:Gary Gygax
253:References
73:Allegiance
782:Matt Ward
646:John Hill
598:Tony Bath
491:wargaming
445:wargaming
125:wargaming
18:Reisswitz
727:Ty Bomba
436:Wargames
83:Service/
850:Gen Con
715:century
573:century
536:century
67:Breslau
838:Events
802:Groups
527:People
369:
192:Torgau
150:Glogow
146:Neisse
107:Awards
85:branch
206:#56.
713:21st
571:20th
534:19th
367:ISBN
241:and
95:Rank
57:Died
52:1794
49:Born
888::
396:.
290:^
232:.
428:e
421:t
414:v
375:.
350::
313::
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.