Turning a historical situation into a manageable game forces you to be selective. Many attempts at game design are unmanageable because of a lack of selectivity, which is not good. Selecting which items to cover in a 3,000-6,000 word article, and which to give the graphic treatment, is the key. The problem is frequently present in games, where the designer will include too much detail on some aspect of the situation that really doesn't warrant it. Having overly complex rules for artillery or air power are common errors.
Selectivity is a rare skill.
Some have it, most don't. Like learning game design, you have to practice. There are no short cuts. Analytic history has been done before, although not deliberately. Treating accounts of historical events in a systematic and highly organized fashion is not unique.