Wells had written a book called ‘Floor Games’ in 1911 which is an introduction to gaming where he had written about several indoor games for children. In 1913 he followed it with ‘Little Wars’ which he described as, “A Game for Boys from twelve years of age to one hundred and fifty and for that more intelligent sort of girl who likes boys’ games and books.”

It’s written as if for children and amongst the rules there is a lot on the philosophy behind war, which he was clearly against. He explained, “You have only to play at Little Wars three or four times to realize just what a blundering thing Great War must be. Great War is at present, I am convinced, not only the most expensive game in the universe, but it is a game out of all proportion. Not only are the masses of men and material and suffering and inconvenience too monstrously big for reason, but—the available heads we have for it, are too small. That, I think, is the most pacific realization conceivable, and Little War brings you to it as nothing else but Great War can do,” as reported by the New York Times.

He was absolutely correct in predicting a child’s fascination with strategy-based war games.

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