VASSAL Quick-Start Guide
More details can be found in the User's Guide.
Starting a Game
Select File->New Game to begin a new game. You may be prompted
to choose a side or select boards. At any point, select
File->Save Game to save a snapshot of the current game to a
file. The game may resotred by selecting File->Load Game.
Moving Pieces
Pieces are moved by clicking and dragging with the mouse. To
place pieces initially, use the buttons on the main window toolbar to
show the game piece palette and drag pieces onto the map. Pieces stack
if you move them onto one another, and clicking and dragging will move
the entire stack. Double-click on a stack to expand it.
Click on a piece and use the arrow keys to change the position of a
piece within a stack. When a stack is expanded, you can drag
individual pieces into or out of it, or you can shift-click to select
multiple units, then click on one of them and drag to move them all at
once.
The map scrolls when you drag the mouse near the edges. Also, you can
use the number pad keys (you may need to hit the Num Lock key first).
Modifying Pieces
Right-click (Mac: command-click) on a counter for a drop-down menu of
commands. Each command has a keyboard shortcut. To use the keyboard
shortcut, click on a game piece (it will become highlighted), then type in the keyboard shortcut for the command.
Playing over a live connection
Connecting
Hit the "Server" button (with the two arrows) in the main window
toolbar to reveal the server controls, which will appear in a docked
panel to the right. Within that panel, hit the "Connect" button (again with two arrows)
to connect. You'll see a welcome message in the controls window when
connection is complete. A list of active game rooms appears on the
left. The "Main Room" one is a meeting room for talking with other
players.
Chatting
In the center of the main window is an area for displaying text
messages and, immediately below it, an area for typing your own
messages. Hit return to send the message. Any text you type
into a map window is echoed to the chat text entry area as well.
Your chat messages will be sent to all other players in the same room
on the server. You may also open a private channel to another player
via the popup menu by right-clicking on the player's name.
Beginning a game
To begin a game, type the name of a new room into the field above the
list of active game rooms. The new room will be created and you will
join it. To join an existing game room, double click on the room name
in the list. You'll see a list of players currently connected to the
room you're in. The first person to join the room should begin a game
as described above. After joining the room, other players should
right-click on the name of any player already in the room and select
"Synchronize." A game map will appear automatically with the same
information as on the other player's screen. From that point on, any
pieces moved by any of the players in the room will automatically be
echoed on all the other players' screens.
Messages
The server maintains a message board for players to find opponents,
arrange game, etc. Use the Server toolbar buttons to post and
read message.
Playing by Email
You can use VASSAL to play games by email as well. Start a new game,
place your pieces, then select File->Begin Logfile. All moves and
chat text will be recorded in the logfile. When finished, select
File->End Logfile and email the resulting file to your opponent.
Your opponent then selects File->Load Game and chooses the logfile
you sent him by email. He may then step through your move one at a
time by hitting the Step button, interrupting whenever appropriate to
create his own logfile to send back to you. When reading and writing a
logfile simultaneously, the moves read in from your opponent's logfile
are echoed and recorded into the one you are writing.