what is a hawk & dove game?

One of the questions that comes up most often since launching Hawk & Dove is about the kinds of games we want to publish. I have covered the high points of this on our submissions page, but I think it’s worth delving into the question a little deeper.

There are several angles from which to consider such an important inquiry. Hawk & Dove is in its infancy, and how we present ourselves to the board game market could shape the trajectory of the company’s future. The board game industry is loaded with publishers, games, and pitfalls, so how we handle this question is one of the most important determining factors of our success or failure. In short, the kinds of games we want to make must not only be compelling and playable but also packageable into saleable products.

First and foremost, Hawk & Dove is (for now) focused on producing historical board games. I have been drawn into this sector of the hobby over the past few years, and I find it contains some of the most unique, interesting, and experimental games in the whole industry. Human history overflows with stories containing more drama than a fantasy or sci-fi setting could dream of holding. I want to make games that bring these stories to the forefront in meaningful ways, backed by significant research and thoughtfulness.

Unfortunately, many of these stories are still not being told through games. With few exceptions, the vast majority of historical games still focus on kinetic warfare, and even within that framework a few very specific conflicts receive an outsized amount of attention. So, Hawk & Dove also focuses on social and political history, and especially events that might not get treatment through existing publication channels. Many of the most interesting designs I encounter have trouble finding publishers because they don’t quite fit with the product lines of established brands. Again, this is changing slowly, but I am betting on the existence of a market for games people don’t yet know are possible. Any time I tell anyone about Painkillers, for example, I am met with fascination and excitement at the possibility of it as a concept, rather than confusion or dismissal. I believe strongly that once we build these, people will come.

Okay, so social and political history, but that’s still pretty broad, right? Yes, admittedly it is. Past that, I am personally looking for a game to produce a very specific feeling. I want it to have a unique perspective on the subject it covers, and I want it to challenge its players to consider things from a new angle. I want these games to have a bit of an edge to them, a slight discomfort for players. If the game asks you to occupy the role of people who do terrible things, I don’t want you cos-playing; I want you coming away from that experience thinking deeply about the implications of your behavior in the game, and what that means about the actual historical people who did those things. I want you to consider how the systems of the game reflect the truth of our real-world systems, and usually how those real-world systems fail us. And sometimes, what we can do about it. I’m not a complete monster.

This all sounds great in theory, but what about that whole “making these into saleable products” bit? Well, fair enough. This is the part of the plan that is mostly untested. There are some signals that this kind of thing can work, based on the success of publishers like Wehrlegig, Fort Circle, and Salt and Pepper, all of whom put out historical games on unique topics. Additionally, I have plans to expand the market of people who are aware of and purchase our games. I know that’s easier said than done, but maybe the reason the historical market seems so traditional is because it doesn’t take many chances. Maybe, just maybe, there are people out there interested in the unique topic a game covers, even if not in wargaming more broadly. Perhaps by covering things that are perceived as being more immediately socially and politically relevant to our current times, Hawk & Dove can gain a broader reach than the established community.

So, what kind of games are we looking for? Well-researched, sharp, acutely focused, and unique games covering new ground in historical gaming. That sounds highly specific, but the more I lean into this, the more I discover extremely compelling games that fit directly into this category.

In fact, I am partially writing this in anticipation of announcing a more fully developed pipeline for the company beyond Painkillers. That game is still first, but we have several other things lined up that will keep us busy for the next year or two, and several other ongoing conversations that we hope we can also add to our offerings. It’s an exciting time in historical gaming, and I look forward to being part of where this community goes next!