- This topic has 35 replies, 22 voices, and was last updated 2 years, 8 months ago by
PaintingLittleSoldiers.
-
AuthorPosts
-
03/04/2018 at 22:06 #87978
Ivan Sorensen
ParticipantProbably a completely pointless debate but what do you call your hobby?
I usually say “War gaming” but then, plenty of scenarios and games don’t involve “war” at all (say if you game a shoot out between space cops and pirates).
“Miniatures gaming” is more accurate I suppose 🙂
Nordic Weasel Games
https://www.wargamevault.com/browse/pub/5701/Nordic-Weasel-Games?src=browse570103/04/2018 at 22:39 #87979General Slade
ParticipantI generally refer to it as playing with toy soldiers.
03/04/2018 at 22:58 #87981kyoteblue
ParticipantI start with Historical Miniature War Gaming but end up adding I play with toy soldiers when I get a blank stare.
03/04/2018 at 23:30 #87983Guy Farrish
ParticipantWargaming.
03/04/2018 at 23:46 #87984Mike
Keymaster03/04/2018 at 23:51 #87986Who Asked This Joker
ParticipantWargaming. One word. Not two. Small distinction, I know but since you deemed this debate pointless anyway, I thought I’d throw that in. 😉
John
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."
--Abraham Lincoln
04/04/2018 at 00:32 #87987Ivan Sorensen
ParticipantHah, I speaks guut.
Nordic Weasel Games
https://www.wargamevault.com/browse/pub/5701/Nordic-Weasel-Games?src=browse570104/04/2018 at 02:26 #87989OldBen1
ParticipantI call it all sorts of things: Modelling, gaming, Wargames, crafting, basement lurking, board games, and miniatures. I try and keep my geekiness to a minimum in public. The term board games has become surprisingly acceptable. If I told people half the things I actually do in terms of wargaming, (like the exhaustive research, the styrofoam glueing, and the bits hoarding) they probably would think I’m a little crazy. At least it’s creative, and it keeps me from blowing my money on fast women and expensive scotch.
04/04/2018 at 02:29 #87990Ivan Sorensen
ParticipantBetter than the reverse though (Expensive women and fast scotch) 🙂
Nordic Weasel Games
https://www.wargamevault.com/browse/pub/5701/Nordic-Weasel-Games?src=browse570104/04/2018 at 03:05 #87993MartinR
ParticipantWargaming.
Which I play with toy soldiers. I might sometimes call them figures, but never miniatures.
"Mistakes in the initial deployment cannot be rectified" - Helmuth von Moltke
04/04/2018 at 04:25 #87995irishserb
Participant“Miniatures gaming”. If I’m talking to someone from outside the hobby, I will qualify that it involves using toy soldiers or figures and a set of rules with dice.
I’ve never been very fond of the term “wargaming” as it seems exclusive of much of my hobby.
04/04/2018 at 07:59 #88001Shaun Travers
ParticipantDepending on the audience I say “wargaming” if I think they have been exposed to any sort of gaming, or otherwise “playing with toy soldiers”. I also sometimes follow up to say it is like Warhammer but with Ancient or WW2 figures (as they are the two periods I mainly play).
04/04/2018 at 09:19 #88011Phil Dutré
ParticipantDepending on the audience, but mostly “playing with toy soldiers”. I have found that usually stirs up some interest for a few minutes. When you say “wargaming”, most people don’t have a clue what that means.
-
This reply was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by
Phil Dutré.
Tiny Tin Men Blog: http://snv-ttm.blogspot.com/
Wargaming Mechanics Blog: http://wargaming-mechanics.blogspot.com/04/04/2018 at 14:20 #88048Who Asked This Joker
ParticipantFor the record, I also qualify what I am doing at the time by saying “Board Wargaming” or “Miniature/Tabletop Wargaming.”
John
"Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power."
--Abraham Lincoln
04/04/2018 at 17:36 #88058Darkest Star Games
ParticipantAmongst my friends it’s “gaming” (though distinguished from RPGs which is “roleplay” or just RP).
With the uninitiated it’s “tabletop wargaming”.
With those really out of the loop and not really interested it’s “stuff with miniatures and models”.
"I saw this in a cartoon once, but I'm pretty sure I can do it..."
04/04/2018 at 22:49 #88074Patrice
ParticipantWhen talking with English-speaking people I most often say “miniature wargaming” because it’s what I’m used to (…but perhaps it’s a bit old-fashioned now?)
I’ve always avoided to say “toy soldiers” because the French equivalent is quite derogatory (sounds like playing with Playmobils); but if you tell me it’s OK in English, then why not.
In French, “jeu de figurines” is the most easily understood (for people who have not much heard about it).
This PDF document has been printed by our regional gaming association in A4 size and included in its explanation books, and in A3 plastic poster size that we display near our gaming tables when possible. A larger (board size) poster is planned.
http://www.argad-bzh.fr/argad/pdfs/presentation_fig-1-1.pdf
http://www.argad-bzh.fr/argad/en.html
https://www.anargader.net/04/04/2018 at 23:07 #88076Guy Farrish
ParticipantNo – ‘playing toy soldiers’ is the same in English as in French – a derogatory term for childish behaviour. Many wargamers, me included, use it on occasion to undercut any implication that we take ourselves too seriously by using it first – a bit like some other groups take ownership of an insult by using it themselves.
And in the English (as opposed to American) speaking world, I am pretty sure ‘wargaming’ is a lot older than ‘miniature wargaming’.
04/04/2018 at 23:53 #88080Autodidact-O-Saurus
ParticipantI call my hobby ‘historical gaming’ and if further explaination is necessary ‘with toy soldiers’. Yeah, it’s kind of snobbish but so am I. But it’s accurate. I don’t do fantasy or sci-fi. Strictly historical.
Self taught, persistently behind the times, never up to date. AKA ~ jeff
More verbosity: http://petiteguerre.blogspot.com/05/04/2018 at 08:23 #88094Phil Dutré
ParticipantNo – ‘playing toy soldiers’ is the same in English as in French – a derogatory term for childish behaviour.
Perhaps.
But then, I have found it creates much more interest and curiosity than trying to pass off your hobby as an intellectual pursuit while in essence it is playing with toy soldiers to most people.
Party conversation:
“What’s your hobby?”
“I collect and play with toy soldiers.”
“Really? How does that work?”
“Well, you know those plastic soldiers you used as a kid?”
“Yeah, I loved those!”
“Me too! Now, what we really do these days … ”
It worked for me every time to talk about wargaming for 10 minutes or so, after which you switch to a different topic 😉On the other hand, the following conversation almost never works:
“What’s your hobby?”
“Wargaming”
“What’s that?”
“It originated in the 19th century as an officer’s training tool. These days, we study history, and turn it into statistical models, which we use to fight battles with miniature figures … ”
“Miniature figures? Like toy soldiers?”
“No, you don’t understand. Let me explain … ”
“I need another drink”🙂
-
This reply was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by
Phil Dutré.
Tiny Tin Men Blog: http://snv-ttm.blogspot.com/
Wargaming Mechanics Blog: http://wargaming-mechanics.blogspot.com/05/04/2018 at 16:59 #88158Guy Farrish
ParticipantWasn’t trying to ‘pass it off’ as anything – I was explaining to Patrice that the social impact of the phrase ‘playing with toy soldiers’ is precisely the same in England as he said it was in France:
”I’ve always avoided to say “toy soldiers” because the French equivalent is quite derogatory (sounds like playing with Playmobils)’
If you say someone is playing ‘toy soldiers’ in Britain it means a childish pursuit. Many of us have no problem with this, (although not all of it is done with toy soldiers
) but I can point you towards many who do object quite strongly at the implied criticism.
I rarely mention wargames at parties.
-
This reply was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by
Guy Farrish.
05/04/2018 at 17:00 #88160Ivan Sorensen
ParticipantI always figured “toy soldiers” was subtly self-denigrating. Certainly that’s how I use it: A realization that it’s all a tiny bit silly.
Plus, it wards away the “button counters”
Nordic Weasel Games
https://www.wargamevault.com/browse/pub/5701/Nordic-Weasel-Games?src=browse570105/04/2018 at 19:47 #88168Guy Farrish
Participantyep
Many wargamers, me included, use it on occasion to undercut any implication that we take ourselves too seriously by using it first
06/04/2018 at 19:43 #88221willz
ParticipantWhen asked what is my hobby “The tactical simulation of real life or fictional military events using simulated fine detailed miniatures and terrain, to represent actual combat situations” or Wargaming
.
-
This reply was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by
willz.
07/04/2018 at 00:11 #88228Paul
ParticipantWargaming. When going to the club I tell my wife I am “going to the nerds.”
Those are brave men knocking at our door. Let's go kill them!
07/04/2018 at 00:15 #88229McKinstry
ParticipantGaming. Since my gaming varies between miniature wargaming at my FLGS to Carcassonne or Small World with friends and family or even Civilization VI on the PC, I keep it simple and broad.
Never wrestle with a pig. You both get muddy and the pig just likes it.
08/04/2018 at 19:16 #88302Patrice
ParticipantThanks for the language/cultural explanations.
I realize that, when talking to English-speaking people, I’ve always assumed (perhaps wrongly) that the term “wargame” is always understood. In fact it’s the case with most British people I meet, who either are wargamers, or re-enactors, or many of my neighbours here in centre Brittany – none of them are wargamers but many are military retirees so at least they have heard of it.
For native French-speaking people “jeu de figurines” is better understood. Wargame can be translated by “jeu de guerre” but most people would run away when hearing this, it sounds even worse than “jouer aux petits soldats”.
http://www.argad-bzh.fr/argad/en.html
https://www.anargader.net/08/04/2018 at 19:17 #88303Ivan Sorensen
ParticipantIn Danish, “Figurspil” (miniatures gaming) is probably the closest to an official term, but I don’t think I remember anyone ever calling it that.
Nordic Weasel Games
https://www.wargamevault.com/browse/pub/5701/Nordic-Weasel-Games?src=browse570108/04/2018 at 20:16 #88312Patrice
ParticipantIn Danish, “Figurspil” (miniatures gaming) is probably the closest to an official term, but I don’t think I remember anyone ever calling it that.
So how do you call it, and advertise it, in Danish, for the overall public?
…It’s always interesting to see (or hear) the differences.
http://www.argad-bzh.fr/argad/en.html
https://www.anargader.net/08/04/2018 at 21:03 #88319Ivan Sorensen
ParticipantI always heard “Krigs spil” (war games, ala the German) but in the groups I hung out with, we often used the English term “war game” as well.
Nordic Weasel Games
https://www.wargamevault.com/browse/pub/5701/Nordic-Weasel-Games?src=browse570101/05/2018 at 11:55 #89727Andreas Johansson
ParticipantIn Swedish, I usually say figurspel, lit. “figure games”. In English I usually say “miniatures wargaming” or some shortened variant like “minis games”.
ETA: Krigsspel “wargame(s)” usually means something played with cardboard counters on a map in Swedish; using it of miniatures games would strike me as odd.
-
This reply was modified 2 years, 8 months ago by
Andreas Johansson.
01/05/2018 at 13:58 #89736Thaddeus Blanchette
ParticipantFrankly, I get more more mortified when people say “Oh! You mean like Games Workshop!” than when they say “Oh! You mean toy soldiers!”
We get slapped around, but we have a good time!
01/05/2018 at 14:28 #89737Deleted User
MemberFrankly, I get more more mortified when people say “Oh! You mean like Games Workshop!” than when they say “Oh! You mean toy soldiers!”
At the yearly Demo game at the Train and Hobby show, most of the punters have never heard of historical wargaming &point and ask, “What’s that?”
If you start with Games Workshop, which has a presence in shopping centres & is at least in their frame of reference, you can then explain it’s the same but using history rather than with fantasy or sci-fi as its background. And I know you were being funny , Thaddeus, & it was comical, but the truth is we historical gamers are just a side shoot of GW.
Maybe we historical gamers should call our hobby something like “Not quite GW”?
donald
-
This reply was modified 2 years, 8 months ago by
Deleted User.
-
This reply was modified 2 years, 8 months ago by
Deleted User.
01/05/2018 at 16:58 #89750Tony Hughes
ParticipantNo Ochin, GW is a side-shoot of historical wargaming.
The fact that more people play with GW figures and rules is irrelevant, historical wargaming came first.
03/05/2018 at 03:52 #89846Ivan Sorensen
ParticipantI suppose we’re all offshoots of Prussian staff exercises 😀
Nordic Weasel Games
https://www.wargamevault.com/browse/pub/5701/Nordic-Weasel-Games?src=browse570103/05/2018 at 14:49 #89877Thaddeus Blanchette
ParticipantFrankly, I get more more mortified when people say “Oh! You mean like Games Workshop!” than when they say “Oh! You mean toy soldiers!”
At the yearly Demo game at the Train and Hobby show, most of the punters have never heard of historical wargaming &point and ask, “What’s that?” If you start with Games Workshop, which has a presence in shopping centres & is at least in their frame of reference, you can then explain it’s the same but using history rather than with fantasy or sci-fi as its background. And I know you were being funny , Thaddeus, & it was comical, but the truth is we historical gamers are just a side shoot of GW. Maybe we historical gamers should call our hobby something like “Not quite GW”? donald
That’s like a traditional burger stand billing itself as “not quite McDonalds”.
I am mortified that I will soon be playing Epic again, but — crucially — not with GW figures.
We get slapped around, but we have a good time!
08/05/2018 at 03:37 #90097PaintingLittleSoldiers
ParticipantWargaming
-
This reply was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by
-
AuthorPosts
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.