Washington’s War: Teaching my Son About CDGs with a Classic

Background

I got into boardgames around Christmas of 2020. I quickly began diving headfirst into the hobby by following several personalities in the hobby: Three Minute Boardgames, The Player’s Aid, The Boardgame Chronicles, Beyond Solitaire, and many others. Quickly I branched out from my first two hobby games: Star Wars Outer Rim and Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion. I was intrigued by these “wargames” and historical boardgames, and as such they came next.

It wasn’t long after that I started with Pavlov’s House and soon after The Lamps are Going Out. One thing that I loved is it gave me an opportunity to do something with my oldest son, Aidan. Aidan is a fan of history so the idea of exploring some of these topics in game form intrigued him. As anyone that is a parent of a teen knows, anything to get them to put down the phone and spend some quality time is a win.

The opportunity came up a few weeks back to show him Washington’s War on a rainy Saturday. I decided it was time he learned the classic that started the trend towards development of the modern CDG.

The Game

I had played Washington’s War before, and several CDGs at this point. I took the role of the British, lots of reinforcements early, powerful generals, but slow to activate. Aidan played as the Patriots, fast moving generals, and political support from everywhere.

I explained to Aidan about the difference between the events and Ops, how he could discard events that were mine, and how if I discarded one of his how he could pick it up. Aidan is 15 and has played several historical games with me so he caught on pretty quick. At his age, its nice to not pull some punches. I do get a kick out of how happy he gets when he can best the old man!

Early game

Ben Franklin came out in turn one! Like the Brits, this was a kick in the knickers! Aidan’s laughter echoed as I moved the French Alliance track up 4 quick spaces. I warned him cautiously that card draws can swing fast in this game so enjoy the high while it lasts.

The next several plays relatively uneventful, We go back and forth and start to spread out PC markers as we vie for the “hearts and minds” of the people. Meanwhile we continue to play our ops mostly to build up forces for what we know is the coming first battle.

Traitor!

Fairly early in the game, I got my first opportunity to attack. I felt bad knowing the combo that I had in store for poor Aidan. I attacked Philadelphia to remove that Continental congress. But it wasn’t just the attack. I had a Battle Card! Not just ANY battle card, but Benedict Arnold Undermines the Patriot Cause:

That early Ben Franklin card isn’t looking so funny now is it son? Aidan somehow doesn’t find this turn of events quite as humorous. In fact, he decides he wants to go to to to with Carleton and activates General Washington himself to come in and try and eject me from the Philadelphia. Unfortunately the early battles did not go in the American’s favor. Washington is forced to retreat and lick his wounds.

Late Game

Lonely Generals

As we transition into later turns the winter attrition rules really start to hurt my son. After a few turns of winter attrition decimate his CUs and a few battles leave both Lafayette and Lee isolated on the map. A well timed campaign allows me to activate both Howe and Cornwallis to swoop in and get a couple quick general captures. While this isn’t a huge loss as they will come back next year, it does limit his ability to raise a new army in areas key to building control on my side.

However the next few turns, the Americans get a small military victory. Lincoln can drive Carleton out of Philadelphia. and is attacked again shortly afterward by Green leaving him isolated. Green can swoop in before I can get Carleton some reinforcements and he is promptly captured. Aidan is very happy to remind me of the lesson I just told him about leaving Generals alone.

However it is during this exchange that I see the one tactical opening and I might JUST have enough cards to pull it off. Washington is sitting in Baltimore and has only one legal escape if battled. I decide to use a pincer. If I come at him from Fredrick Town and can defeat him, he won’t be able to escape. Alexandria is British controlled and I currently have control of Wilmington.

I decide that now is the time to move before he sees the weakness and I strike a quick hit. I don’t think he realizes it before the battle as he doesn’t try an interception. Luckily I have some lucky die rolls and combat card to assist and that is it. Washington loses and has nowhere to escape!

End game

Extremely dismayed at this and want this ultimately to be a teaching game. I take a few minutes to remind Aidan of the victory conditions. All he needs is to have PC control of 7 colonies. I also remind him that he is not limited to daisy-chaining political control like I am. He looks across the board and better figures out that for all my bravado of military campaigning, I have left some serious gaps in PC control, especially in southern states.

What ensues is the last couple of years of the war focused mostly on the PC placement. Unfortunately this is where the cards swing back in his favor with 2-3 ops cards. We make such a hard push for PC dominance that by the end of the game, I think we only had 1 or 2 PC markers left.

As the game ends we do the quick count up and low and behold I only have control of 5 colonies while he has 8. A large grin comes across his face as he shouts a “LET’S GO!” However I must admit I’m happy to see him able to take the victory conditions and play into the game and make a shift in his strategy. As we discuss the game afterwards I mention that the focus is really on the political aspect. The war is just ONE means to further that political control, however no matter how many victories I racked up. If the people didn’t support me, I was never going to win.

As always it’s fun to play with the kids and visit something historic. I can think of a lot of better ways to kill a couple hours on a rainy day. Washington’s War was a good escape, a good family time, and a good lesson…don’t leave your generals isolated and the hearts and minds can make or break a war…even if your namesake General gets captured!