Monthly Wargame Days

[Lagartija Mike]

As some of you may know I have a long standing challenge out to William Armintrout of TMP to address unsavory behaviors on his part that I felt and feel are grossly detrimental to our already maligned hobby. Unsurprisingly my offer, which still stands, was rejected but it’s given me an idea. Many miniature gamers have limited or no access to a club environment for regular gaming. I’m proposing to create a series of regional events on a regular timetable where gamers could meet and compete. Not a huge convention, merely a dedicated day/night of gaming say once a month at a regionally convenient venue.

If this sounds interesting I’d like to hear your responses and ideas.

[Norm S]

Mike, one of the main attractions about ‘here’ is that TMP issues are not brought here, I doubt there are many would thank you for doing that.

That aside, I think your idea is interesting, though from a management point of view, I wonder whether it might be easier to work with existing wargame clubs as structures and venues are already up and running. I am guessing it is easier to get to a ‘local’ club that to a regional meeting.  I know in the UK there are competitions that are run at the regional and national level (Brit-Con being an example) and there may be a way to piggy-back onto their schedules.

The UK show scene, which is essentially driven by clubs may agree to have part of the building set aside for the kind of thing you propose – though they might have some concerns that it may undermine spend i.e. people just start turning up socially rather than with a spending focus.

Another idea may be for game shops to set an event up in their area, an arrangement with a local hotel would probably not hit any objections. My point is that existing people could do much of this work for you.

[Lagartija Mike]

Norm, I agree that it would be ideal to work through existing clubs but, at least to my eye, the US scene doesn’t have enough or large enough clubs to work in partnership. I divide my time between NYC area and Las Vegas (where I’m trying with dubious results to form a club), I’d have zero problems renting out a hall or small convention space for a day/night once a month if I thought the interest was there. In the tristate area (for UK guys that’s the strange juncture point of NY, Pennsylvania and Connecticut) I’d probably rent space in Westchester or North Jersey.

[Norm S]

I hadn’t realised you were in the U.S.

Isn’t there a journal called the Lone Warrior – or something like that for gamers who solitaire play – perhaps a contact with them would give you access to the very people you are trying to reach? What kind of numbers would make it viable?

Also there are plenty of bloggers who could get the word out for you.

[Mike]

Indeed, Frothers is the place to moan about TMP.

[Lagartija Mike]

I thought of it more as a hyena cackle, but point taken (tho’ sadly the hermetically sealed Frothers pocket universe is unreachable…).

Norm, for me it’s about bringing some new blood and cross pollination to the US wing of the hobby. My take may be wrong but, aside from shops marketing Warhammer and similar juvenalia, the numbers seem to be dwindling. I started playing WRG as a precocious kid in the mid eighties and gave it up shortly after, only to return to it a few years ago. Despite a 1000kt burst of new rules and figure ranges, despite social media and useful sites like TWW and LAF I get the sense it’s become increasingly fractured and ghettoized. I’d like to create a regular event where all scales and all periods would be welcome, especially to beginners who might be daunted by arcane Napoleonic arguments or lofty idiots nattering as if their knowledge of Sassanid balloon hat sizes of December 3, 506 AD was somehow charismatic.  So, ultimately, I’m willing to put some sweat in if I think I can grow the hobby.

[Mike]

What about approaching schools and colleges, they probably have some clubs/groups already.
Could you bring them together in a central venue?

[Lagartija Mike]

It’s an idea, Mike. I’m wondering how much merchandise, rules and figures are purchased by gamers with little or no access to regular events. I’m beginning to suspect the solitary gamer might well be in the majority. I know for myself it’s very easy to become absorbed in modding figures and creating terrain at the expense of trying to find gamers with similar likes in scale and period.

[kyoteblue]

I’m very lucky in that I have a friendly local game shop to game at and now that we moved to the big house a 3 car garage were I have my 4×6 game table set up. I also help out with Twistercon each March in the OKC metroplex.

[Lagartija Mike]

I like large scale 28mm so, at least at home, I use (depending on need) 2 to 8 4×6 boards mounted on easily movable/lockable dollies.

[kyoteblue]

I went to 15mm when 25mm started it’s scale creep up to 27mm and beyond. So now all my buildings and terrain can be used for lots of periods.

[Lagartija Mike]

I can see the microscales for the sense of whole armies, but it works pretty well (and infinitely better sense of motion and detail) at big 28mm units. You can never have enough flags, banners etc…. I agree 28mm with a handful of figures for a unit sucks sh!t.

[Author]

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