| Brood Brother |
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Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2003 6:38 am
Posts: 720
Location: Utah, pick a Pacific Island the other half of the year.
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Q: Why Do I Game?
A: War Gaming is the only complete hobby I know of. You must be able to paint, fabricate, and modify, to create a complete visual experience. Then you must learn rules, strategy, and tactics, and in the process you learn about the great men of history (Even if you are playing Epic-A you study the greats like Alexander, Ceaser, Napoleon, Guderian, Patton, Fredrick, etc...). Then you get to compete against another human opponent without having to worry about having to retire because of busted up knees, bad backs, etc....
As I enjoy the relaxation of painting, scratch building, and studying history, War Gaming really fits that bill. Also I have been doing it since I was eight or nine, I think, with my father, whom also enjoys War Games (mostly navals though), so he truth is I really do not know what I would do without it, as I have been doing it for so long.
The competition level is second only, for me, to actual out on the turf sports, heads up team vs team (Not bowling, golf, tennis but football, soccer, volleyball)
Also some of my best friends were met over gaming tables, I cannot think of a better group of individuals then War Gamers.
Q: Do I Game or Just Collect?
A: To me they are one and the same, you cannot game if you don't collect, and why collect if you are not going to game? So I collect what I need to play interesting games, and be able to orgainize campaigns and have no shortages of minis for it.
Q: Why Do I Collect?
A: War Games played with counters can be interesting, and even enjoyable, but cannot compare to setting up painted minis, amidst visually pleasing terrain, upon a well surfaced table. So as above, I collect so I can play.
Q: What Would Be My Collections Worth On E-Bay
A: To me, almost priceless. The priceless things in my life are in this order of priority; Wife, Kids, Job, War Games. I would sacrifice the bottom two for the top two on the list, so the collections are almost priceless. (This list is sorta like the "Household Chain Of Command" list on my refrigirator, which goes Mom, Papa, Cockatiels, Kids)
Q: What Do I Get Out Of All Of This
A: A way to get away from the real world. In these games I can go places I'll never really get to go to (or don't really exist), get to do things I'll never get to do (lead armies as a general, and succeed where others have failed like win the campaign of Waterloo as the French. This is also the reason squad level games do not thrill me), and take risks that would never be attempted in the real world. All of this allows me to have fun, with no possible harm being done to a single soul. As I have the fortunate luck of being able to play these games not only with good friends, but also all my family, it is even a bigger bonus (And yes this includes my wife, fierce Bretonnian commander that she is).
Q: What Am I Doing Out On The Net?
A: Meeting some damn fine people, that share the same interests as me. Just wish I could get them all together in one place for some gaming, I know we would have one great time.
Q: What Do I Want From The Net
A: To share ideas, thoughts, and views on War Games.
Q: What Do I Give Back?
A: I like to believe that I am helping others to enjoy their chosen hobby even more.
Q: Do I Need Games?
A: No, for a short time, compared to my present age at least, I didn't game at all. Between school, work, and family I didn't have enough time. Then for a while, after finishing school, I tried to become proficient in more demanding sports attempting to reach a professional level, but while the mind was willing the body wasn't up to the task. I survived without them through that period, but came back as much for the competition as to get back together with some real good friends.
Q: My Two Cents
A: In very many ways I feel very sorry for those among us whom take the games far too seriously, because the games themselves offer so much enjoyment if you don't. I have judged more tournaments then I have played in, and am so disappointed when I encounter an individual whom is acting as if the game they are playing is a true 'life and death struggle'. I attempt to point out to them that the game is a thing to be enjoyed, not to be fretted over, and that once you do that you'll be able to make audacious moves, and if it fails laugh about the result. Heck if the dice are falling badly give the minis a good tounge lashing to pull em back in line, all in fun of course, or tell them how important it is that they make a determined effort in this next assault (before you roll the dice).
These kinds of players can be saved, and do not ruin the game for those that are around them.
On the other hand, you have the "Experts" and the "Lawyers", both of which IMHO are unsalvageable as gamers go, and ruin the game too much for others involved. At tournaments these individuals learn to really dislike me as I refuse to allow them to dominate, in word or action, their opponents or the orgainizers of the event.
At one event an orgainizer once said to me that I should really take it easy on so-and-so or he'll never come back for the next tournament. My reply was "If I allow him to continue to dominate the event, and the players, just how many other players will be missing at the next event because of him? I'd rather lose him then even a single one of the good decent players in the building right now. That individual drives people away from the hobby, the decent ones bring more in." The orgainizer let me have the leash to run with, and next event the participants had grown by 20%, and 'so-and-so' was missing.
Sometimes it is so glaringly obvious when an "Expert" or "Lawyer" is at work trying to bend and twist the game to fit the situation they want, that it is hard not to just jump right down their throats. Then when I rule against their argument (well 99% of the time at least), they attempt to continue the discussion, which gets a quick, "You have one of two choices at this moment; (1) Live with my ruling and get on with the game; (2) Forfiet the Battle, which is it?" They most often pick #1.
So the lesson behind all of this ramble is, definitely play within the spirit of good stiff competition and try to win, but never to it to the point that you loose focus on the real reason we play these games, which is to have fun. I would rather lose a battle and have a real good time, then win a battle and not enjoy the occasion at all.
Jaldon 
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Brave sir Robin, when danger reared its ugly head he bravely turned his tail and fled, Brave sir Robin.
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