Appendix B: Tools and Resources

Chapter 15 covers the core design tools (GIMP, VASSAL, Tabletop Simulator, word processors, pen and paper). This appendix expands the list to include production tools, research databases, communities, and resources that become relevant as your game moves from prototype toward publication.

Graphic Design and Production

GIMP — Free, open-source image editor. Covered in Chapter 15. Handles maps, counter sheets, charts, and player aids. Plugin support for hex grids. The learning curve pays for itself across the life of a project.

Inkscape — Free, open-source vector graphics editor. Better than GIMP for counter design because vector graphics scale without losing quality. Design a counter at any size and scale it to print resolution without pixelation. Also useful for clean chart and player aid layouts.

Scribus — Free, open-source desktop publishing. Handles multi-page rulebook layout with proper typesetting, columns, headers, and page numbering. The open-source alternative to Adobe InDesign. Use it when your rulebook outgrows a word processor.

LibreOffice Writer / Google Docs — Sufficient for rulebook drafting and early layout. Most of my rulebooks were written in a word processor before being formatted for print. Use styles and heading levels from the start so converting to a layout tool later is painless.

Counter and Component Design

NATO Joint Military Symbology (MIL-STD-2525) — The standard for military map symbols used across the hobby. Free reference documents available from the U.S. Department of Defense. If your game uses NATO-style unit symbols on counters, this is the source.

Counter templates — Several designers have shared counter templates for GIMP and Inkscape on BGG and ConsimWorld. Search for them before building your own from scratch. A good template with proper bleed, cut lines, and registration marks saves hours.

Print-on-demand counter sheets — Services like Wargame Print and The Game Crafter print die-cut counter sheets in small quantities. Quality varies. Order samples before committing to a full print run.

Map Resources

David Rumsey Map Collection (davidrumsey.com) — Over 100,000 digitized historical maps. Free to browse and download. A starting point for tracing historical maps into game maps.

Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection (lib.utexas.edu/maps) — University of Texas collection of scanned maps, many from U.S. government sources and therefore in the public domain.

Old Maps Online (oldmapsonline.org) — Aggregates historical map collections from institutions worldwide. Search by location and date range.

Order of Battle Research

Nafziger Collection — George Nafziger compiled thousands of orders of battle across multiple eras. The collection was donated to the U.S. Army Combined Arms Research Library and is available online. The single largest OOB reference source in English.

Orbat.com — OOB data for twentieth-century conflicts, organized by campaign and date. Useful as a starting point, but cross-reference against primary sources.

National Archives (archives.gov) — U.S. military records, after-action reports, and unit histories. Available digitally for many WWII and later conflicts. The closest thing to primary OOB documentation you can access without visiting a physical archive.

Bundesarchiv (bundesarchiv.de) — German federal archives. Wehrmacht records, unit diaries, and organizational documents. Much of it is in German. If you are designing a game involving German forces, this is the primary source repository.

AI-assisted research tools — Tools like Bookfinder General (discussed in Chapter 22) can accelerate OOB research by searching for, downloading, and extracting text from staff histories and unit records, then letting you query the content for specific formations, strengths, and dates. I have found this approach useful for cross-referencing OOB data across multiple sources that would take days to read cover to cover.

Research and Note Organization

Obsidian — A free, offline-first note-taking tool that stores everything as plain Markdown files on your computer. Useful for organizing research across a design project: link notes to each other, tag sources by topic, build a web of connections between historical events, unit data, and design decisions. The learning curve is steeper than a simple notepad but the payoff is a research database you can search and cross-reference as your project grows.

Zotero — Free, open-source reference manager. Collects, organizes, and cites sources. If your game research involves academic papers, books, and archival documents, Zotero keeps them organized and generates citations. Overkill for a small project. Worth learning for a large one.

Prototyping and Playtesting

VASSAL — Covered in Chapters 14 and 20. The standard for digital wargame prototyping and remote play. Free. Learn to build a VASSAL module.

Tabletop Simulator — Covered in Chapters 14 and 20. Commercial product, requires purchase. 3D sandbox environment for remote playtesting.

Rally the Troops (rally-the-troops.com) — A browser-based platform for playing board wargames online. Cleaner interface than VASSAL for supported games. Demonstrates what a modern wargame prototyping platform could look like.

Publishing and Distribution

Amazon KDP — Print-on-demand for rulebooks and game books. No upfront cost. You upload a PDF, set a price, Amazon prints and ships on demand. Quality is acceptable for rulebooks and supplements. Not suitable for maps or counter sheets.

Wargame Vault (wargamevault.com) — Digital distribution for print-and-play wargames. Upload your files, set a price, the platform handles payment and delivery. The primary commercial platform for digital wargame sales.

The Game Crafter (thegamecrafter.com) — Print-on-demand for complete games: maps, counter sheets, cards, boxes, rulebooks. Higher per-unit cost than a traditional printer but no minimum order. Useful for prototypes and very small print runs.

Noble Knight Games (nobleknight.com) — Retailer specializing in wargames and hobby games. Accepts consignment from small publishers. A distribution channel for self-published physical games.

Communities

BoardGameGeek (boardgamegeek.com) — The central hub for the wargaming community. Game pages, forums, designer diaries, file uploads, ratings, and reviews. Your game’s BGG page is its storefront. The wargaming subforum is active.

ConsimWorld (consimworld.com) — A forum community focused on conflict simulation. More wargame-specific than BGG. Active discussions on design, development, and playtesting. Many professional designers participate.

Discord servers — Multiple wargaming Discord communities exist for specific publishers, game series, and general wargame discussion. Search for them. They tend to be more informal and faster-moving than forums.

Conventions — ConsimWorld Expo, World Boardgaming Championships (WBC), Origins, and regional conventions. In-person playtesting and demos reach players that online channels do not. Chapter 20 discusses convention presence as a marketing tool.