Charles S. Roberts Award


The Charles S. Roberts Awards is an annual award for excellence in manual, tabletop games, with a focus on "conflict simulations", which includes simulations of military and non-military conflicts. From its founding in 1975 through 2021, the award was almost exclusively focused on historical wargaming, changing to a broader "conflict simulations" in award year 2022.
It is named in honor of Charles S. Roberts the "Father of Wargaming" who founded Avalon Hill. The award is informally called a "Charlie" and officially called a "Charles S. Roberts Award". The Wargamer magazine called it "very prestigious". The award is managed by the Charles S. Roberts Award Committee, which has no commercial sponsorship, and includes designers, writers and hobbyists. It is a "people's award" with winners chosen through votes submitted by fans.
It is considered the most important award in the field of wargames.

History

Created at the first Origins Game Convention in 1975, the awards were the brainchild of Canadian game store owner John Mansfield. Originally the awards were titled the "Origins Awards" but were informally known as the Charles Roberts Awards and it was only in 1988 that Charles Roberts officially agreed to let his name be used. The split from the Origins Awards occurred in 1987, after Fortress America by Milton Bradley Company won an award. Fortress America was not considered a traditional historical wargame by members of the wargaming community, with mechanics and a target audience more akin to Risk; and there was concern that because of the large print run of a Milton Bradley product, many of the voters came from outside the traditional wargaming hobby flooding out smaller run titles.
Prior to 2000, the awards were given at the Origins Game Fair. From 2000–2012, the awards were presented at the World Boardgaming Championships. The awards were not given from 2013–2018.
In 2020, a group of gamers and industry figures restarted the award under auspices of Chairman Rodger B. MacGowan and directed and operated by Tim Tow. Like the original, it is a non-profit and not associated with commercial interests. There are an increased number of categories including art, print and play, and computer wargame categories.

Recent award winners

2003

Source:
  • Best Pre–World War II Boardgame—Age of Napoleon
  • Best World War II Boardgame—Europe Engulfed
  • Best Modern Era Boardgame—Lock 'n Load
  • Best Magazine-Published Boardgame—Ignorant Armies
  • Best DTP-Produced Boardgame—Thunder on South Mountain
  • Best Wargame Graphics—Ardennes '44
  • Best Professional Wargame Magazine—Against The Odds
  • Best Amateur Wargame Magazine—Panzerschreck
  • Best Game Review or Game Analysis—Drive on Stalingrad, Paper Wars #50
  • Best Historical or Scenario Article—"Napoleon at the Berezina", Against the Odds Vol.1 No.4
  • James F. Dunnigan Award, To a Game Designer, Developer, Graphic Artist or Game for outstanding achievement – Rick Young and Jesse Evans, Europe Engulfed
  • Clausewitz Award HALL OF FAME—''Kevin Zucker''

    2004

Source:
  • Best Pre–World War II Boardgame—Sword of Rome
  • Best World War II Boardgame—ASL Starter Kit #1
  • Best Modern Era Boardgame—Downtown
  • Best Magazine-Published Boardgame—Fortress Berlin
  • Best DTP-Produced Boardgame—Louisiana Tigers
  • Best Wargame Graphics—Downtown
  • Best Professional Wargame Magazine— Against The Odds and Strategy & Tactics
  • Best Amateur Wargame Magazine—Panzerschreck
  • Best Game Review or Game Analysis—no winner designated
  • Best Historical or Scenario Article—S&T Sedan, by Ty Bomba
  • Best Pre-20th Century PC Game—Rome: Total War
  • Best 20th Century+ PC Game—Battles in Normandy
  • James F. Dunnigan Award, To a Game Designer, Developer, Graphic Artist or Game for outstanding achievement—Lee Brimmicombe Wood for Downtown
  • Clausewitz Award HALL OF FAME—''JD Webster''

    2005

Source:
  • Best Pre–World War II Boardgame—Bonaparte at Marengo
  • Best World War II Boardgame—Empire of the Sun
  • Best Modern Era Boardgame—Twilight Struggle
  • Best Magazine-Published Boardgame—Chennault's First Fight
  • Best DTP-Produced Boardgame—Death in the Trenches
  • Best Wargame Graphics— Empire of the Sun and Fire in the Sky
  • Best Professional Wargame Magazine—Against The Odds
  • Best Amateur Wargame Magazine—Panzerschreck
  • Best Game Review or Game Analysis—Empire of the Sun Strategy Concepts
  • Best Historical or Scenario Article—not awarded
  • Best Pre-20th Century PC Game—Crown of Glory
  • Best 20th Century+ PC Game—not awarded
  • James F. Dunnigan Award, To a Game Designer, Developer, Graphic Artist or Game for outstanding achievement—Ananda Gupta and Jason Matthews, Twilight Struggle
  • Clausewitz Award HALL OF FAME—none

    2006

Source:
  • Best Pre–World War II Boardgame—Here I Stand
  • Best World War II Boardgame—A Victory Lost
  • Best Modern Era Boardgame—Winged Horse: Campaigns in Vietnam, 1965–66
  • Best DTP-Produced Boardgame—Battle of the Little Bighorn
  • Best Magazine-Published Boardgame—Golden Horde: Kulikovo 1380
  • Best Wargame Graphics—A Victory Lost
  • Best Professional Wargame Magazine—Against The Odds
  • Best Amateur Wargame Magazine—Line of Departure
  • James F. Dunnigan Award, To a Game Designer, Developer, Graphic Artist or Game for outstanding achievement—Tetsuya Nakamura, A Victory Lost
  • Clausewitz Award HALL OF FAME—none

    2007

Source:
  • Best Pre–World War II Boardgame—1914: Twilight in the East
  • Best World War II Boardgame—Case Blue
  • Best Modern Era Boardgame—World at War: Eisenbach Gap
  • Best DTP-Produced Boardgame—Rosebud: Prelude to Little Bighorn
  • Best Magazine-Published Boardgame—Not War But Murder
  • Best Wargame Graphics —1914: Twilight in the East and Overlord: D-Day and the Beachhead Battles
  • Best Professional Wargame Magazine—Against The Odds
  • Best Amateur Wargame Magazine—Line of Departure
  • Best Game Review or Game Analysis—Against the Odds #19: "The Evolution of Cards and Wargames", by John Prados
  • Best Historical or Scenario Article—Against the Odds #19, "Not War But Murder: The Cold Harbor Campaign – 1864", by Michael Rinella
  • James F. Dunnigan Award, To a Game Designer, Developer, Graphic Artist or Game for outstanding achievement—Dean Essig, Designer, Case Blue and OCS series
  • Best Pre-20th Century Era Computer Wargame—Empires in Arms
  • Best 20th Century Era Computer Wargame—Guns of August 1914–1918
  • Clausewitz Award HALL OF FAME—none

    2008

Source:
  • Best Pre–World War II Boardgame—Warriors of God
  • Best World War II Boardgame—Conflict of Heroes
  • Best Modern Era Boardgame—Red Dragon Rising: The Coming War with China
  • Best DTP-Produced Boardgame—June '44
  • Best Magazine-Published Boardgame—Iwo Jima: Rage Against the Marines
  • Best Wargame Graphics—Conflict of Heroes
  • Best Professional Wargame Magazine—C3i Magazine
  • Best Amateur Wargame Magazine—Line of Departure
  • Best Game Review or Game Analysis —Empire of the Sun: Opening Strategy, by Mark Herman and Top 20 Games – A Look Back by Steve Carey
  • Best Historical or Scenario Article —Combat Commander: Variant Rules by Chad Jensen and John Foley and Flying Colors: Trafalgar Campaign by Mark Barker
  • James F. Dunnigan Award, To a Game Designer, Developer, Graphic Artist or Game for outstanding achievement—Uwe Eickert
  • Best Pre-20th Century Era Computer Wargame—none
  • Best 20th Century Era Computer Wargame—none
  • Clausewitz Award HALL OF FAME—none

    2009

Source:
  • Best Ancient to Napoleonic Era Board Wargame – A Most Dangerous Time: Japan in Chaos, 1570–1584, Multi Man Publications, Inc.
  • Best Post-Napoleonic to Pre–World War II Era Board Wargame – Battle Above the Clouds, Multi Man Publications, Inc.
  • Best World War II Era Board Wargame – D-Day at Omaha Beach, Decision Games
  • Best Post-WW2 Era Board Wargame – Elusive Victory, GMT Games
  • Best Pre-20th Century Era Computer Wargame – Field of Glory, Slitherine
  • Best 20th Century Era – Modern Computer Wargame – War in the Pacific – Admiral's Edition, Matrix Games
  • Best Science-Fiction or Fantasy Board Wargame – Struggle for the Galactic Empire, Decision Games
  • Best Magazine Game – Deathride: Mars-la-Tour 1870, Against the Odds magazine
  • Best Desktop Published /Print-and-Play Game – Zulus on the Ramparts!, Victory Point Games
  • Best Expansion or Supplement for an Existing Game – Panzerblitz Hill of Death mini-module Carentan, Multi Man Publications, Inc.
  • Best Board Game Graphics – Battle Above the Clouds, Multi Man Publications, Inc.
  • Best Professional Game Magazine – Battles magazine
  • Best Amateur Game Magazine – Panzer Digest, Minden Games
  • Best Historical/Scenario Article – For the People – 10th Anniversary Variant Rules by Mark Herman
  • Best Game Review or Analysis Article – Liberty Roads
  • James F. Dunnigan Design Elegance Award – John Butterfield
  • Clausewitz Award HALL OF FAME – ''John Butterfield''

    2010

Source:
  • Best Ancient to Napoleonic Era Board Wargame – Washington's War, GMT Games
  • Best Post-Napoleonic to Pre-World War 2 Era Board Wargame – The Spanish Civil War 1936–1939, GMT Games
  • Best World War 2 Era Board Wargame – Normandy '44, GMT Games
  • Best Post-WW2 Era Board Wargame – Labyrinth: The War on Terror, GMT Games
  • Best Pre-20th Century Era Computer Wargame – Civilization V
  • Best 20th Century Era – Modern Computer Wargame – Gary Grigsby's War in the East: The German-Soviet War 1941–1945
  • Best Science-Fiction or Fantasy Board Wargame – War of the Ring Collector's Edition, Fantasy Flight Games
  • Best Science-Fiction or Fantasy Computer Wargame – Mass Effect 2
  • Best Magazine Game – A Week in Hell, Battles magazine
  • Best Desktop Published /Print-and-Play/Postcard Game – We Must Tell the Emperor, Victory Point Games
  • Best Expansion or Supplement for an Existing Game – Combat Commander: Battle Pack #3 – Normandy, GMT Games
  • Best Board Game Graphics – Normandy '44
  • Best Computer Game Graphics – Gary Grigsby's War in the East: The German-Soviet War 1941–1945
  • Best Professional Game Magazine – Battles Magazine
  • Best Amateur Game Magazine – Line of Departure
  • Best Historical/Scenario Article – Joel Toppen, History of the Peloponnesian War
  • Best Game Review or Analysis Article – Mark Herman, Washington's War, Art of Asymmetrical Strategy
  • James F. Dunnigan Design Elegance Award – Labyrinth: The War on terror
  • Clausewitz Award HALL OF FAME – Richard Borg