WELCOME TO THE GOLDEN AGE!
It
is my firm belief that we live in the Golden Age of the Miniatures Wargame
Hobby (hereafter abbreviated MWH). Why do I believe that, you ask? The answer
is quite simple, since we have more choices of miniatures and rule sets than at
any other time in the lifespan of this pursuit. There are few dark corners for
any genre or historical period where a game or figure range can’t be found. If
you can think it, there are probably rules and miniatures for it somewhere.
Add
to that the benefits of updated historical research that has dispelled some myths
of the past, for those who value such knowledge for their type of games, and
top it off with the options of Print on Demand and Crowdfunding for Creators,
and BOOM...welcome to the Golden Age!
But
wait, there’s more! With the advent of Internet technology, our hobby has
blossomed into a worldwide pursuit that has reached more countries than ever
before and has grown a customer base that was not thought possible back when I
first started, 32 years ago.
And
yes, I’m old. And no, this isn’t some ‘Grognard Rant’ I promise! What this
article will hopefully communicate is that with all of these innovations and
changes over the past three decades, there have been some factors that have
created a rift between the elements of the hobby that attracted me so strongly
to it back in 1987, and what I encounter today both online and in person.
In
doing all of this navel gazing over the past few years, I’ve realized that
what’s missing for me in today’s MWH are things that many who started back when
I did, probably felt and also miss in today’s bustling hobby space. And so it
is with this in mind that I have created a category or name for a gamer who
wants to recreate what we had in the early days that seems hard to find in
today’s gaming world. That moniker and philosophy I’ve named The Discerning
Strategist.
So
let’s go back a bit in my personal hobby past to see where I’ve been and add
context to why I’m defining myself and my hobby activities differently today.
When
I rolled my first dice in 1987 to see if my Wood Elf Archers were going to kill
any Orcs in 3rd Edition
Warhammer Fantasy Battles, I had no idea that one day I would publish my
own wargame rules. Not to mention get an Origins Award nomination on those
rules, and a few years later have a Sci-Fi version of them, called Scrappers, published by Osprey Games.
The concept would have fried my 17 year old mind!
Role-playing
Games like Traveller, Dungeons &
Dragons, and Gamma World had
dominated my miniatures hobby work up to that time. But here I was on the back
porch of my friend Damon Richardson’s house pushing my plastic Wood Elf Archers
around the board, praying to all the Elven Gods that I wasn’t gonna die! I was
sucked in deep and wouldn’t get out of the Old World until 18 years later when
I sold all of my Games Workshop armies and began writing Brink of Battle in
April of 2006.
I’d
been a consumer, retailer, Outrider, and fanatical promoter of all things Games
Workshop in that time. I had also discovered historical wargaming and
re-enacting in the latter half of that period, and after a vicious loss in a
game of Flames of War, had the notion
of becoming a game designer in earnest. Consumer, Retailer, and Creator seemed
the proper progression. Maybe then I could design a game where I could ensure
balance and playability, and maybe even win...
TELL US ABOUT THE WAR GRANDPA!
My
first encounter with the Miniatures Wargaming Hobby actually came five years
earlier in 1982 when I opened the April issue of Popular Mechanics magazine and
read an article entitled “Fantasy on a Tabletop”.
While
it talked mainly about fantasy role-playing games, it was really all about
miniatures for all genres of tabletop warfare. It was pure magic! All the
models and scenery shown were well painted (by the standards of the day) and
nothing was incomplete. My understanding of this hobby, from the beginning, was
that it took time to build and paint the models and terrain and also learn the
rules. It was something that rewarded all the effort put into it over time.
There were no short cuts, no unpainted or primer only miniatures, unfinished or
weirdly substituted terrain or other eye-sores, because that was just the nature of this hobby. It was Complete. No half-measures, no excuses!
The
same could be said of another hobby of mine that took a long time to plan,
collect, assemble, paint, and build: model railroading. Add plastic military
models to that list and you begin to see that these hobbies all had a few
things in common: to be done ‘right’ the hobbyist had to fully commit to the
project, take all the time required to complete it, and then enjoy the rewards
all of that focus, time, money and patience brought you. Back in those days our
hobbies were Compelling.
After
that article I was full steam ahead. Money was tight and miniatures were not
easy to find. Most of what I collected and painted over the years prior to Warhammer was Ral Partha, Grenadier, and
Mithril miniatures. I had repurposed most of my military modeling paints,
tools, and supplies for the building of miniature terrain and painting of my
figures.
These
were the Dark Times before the Internet, so everything was the written word,
paper catalogs, and so forth. And we loved it. We helped each other out with
tips and materials, shared ideas, and spent all of our free time and pocket
money waiting to make our next acquisition. I soon discovered that I had a
knack for painting miniatures well. I shared my tips and hard learned skills
with my friends and newcomers alike. We all got along, and had a blast. We were
Co-operative.
A
few weeks after my introduction to Warhammer
Fantasy Battles from my new friend Damon, I hooked my oldest friend,
Charles McCall, on the game and then found myself staring down the barrels of
Dwarf cannon for almost two decades! Hard lesson learned...
And
as these stories go, they both went on to do their own notable projects in the
hobby. Charles got published first in Wargames Illustrated issue 271 for all of
the work he did as a play-tester for Flames
of War. Damon went on to co-create Star
Eagles for Ganesha Games. All told, not too shabby for three lanky gits from
Sparks, Nevada!
Complete,
Compelling, and Co-operative is how we saw the world. We studied military
history, strategy and tactics to help improve our ‘game’ skills, and we all
agreed that only finished miniatures and scenery would hit our tabletops. And
it was a standard we stuck to for some time, until we grew old and life got in
the way...
ENTER THE DISCERNING STRATEGIST
A
few years ago I was ruminating on why I no longer enjoy game conventions,
tournaments, and hobby clubs. I’d been involved in so many in the past, but
never as a participant, only as the organizer, retailer, or demo guy. So I
realized that I’d only ever really ‘worked’ in the hobby, not enjoyed the
freedom and fun that just being a participant holds. And that’s on me.
Recently
I’ve come to realize that in my three decades of the hobby, I’ve grown weary of
dealing with all of the negative elements that have crept in over the years. We
all know what they are, so I’m not going to belabor those points. I just
decided that in order for me to stay in this hobby and reap the rewards of my
efforts I needed to create a gathering place for like-minded hobbyists who want
to revive the Complete/Compelling/Co-operative behaviors that to us clearly
define what we feel is ‘The MWH’ proper. Call it an affiliation of like minds.
And
just to be clear, I’m not knocking on others or telling anyone how to have fun.
What I am doing is declaring what to me
are the three foundational pillars of this craft that in turn provide the most
reward, benefit, or pay off to the hobbyist.
THE FIRST PILLAR – COMPLETE MODELING
We’ve
all fielded unpainted or primer only miniatures at one time or another. I’m not
going to be a hypocrite that says I’ve not done the same. And because I’ve
fielded whole armies of unprimed or unpainted figures in the past, I decided a
few years ago that for me, this was no longer how I was going to game. I will
not play with anything, miniatures or scenery, that isn’t finished completely.
The
full expression of this hobby to me is with all models and terrain fully
painted and finished. I’m tired of looking at half-finished work and calling it
‘ok’. It’s like eating a fine steak with a glove on your tongue; it looks like
you are enjoying a nice steak, but not really...or eat the crab legs that came
with the steak that were uncooked. That’s not the surf & turf experience
you paid for!
A
Discerning Strategist has committed to this standard and also expects it of
those they game with. Hopefully, this is a standard that more often is met with
favorably in most clubs and friendly groups. I’m usually heartened by this
standard in many of the demonstration games, friendly gatherings, and hobby
clubs that I’ve seen in person and online.
I
was also glad to discover after making this decision and asking my buddies to
follow suit a few years back, that I was late to the party! I found a number of
individuals and groups online who told me that they’d held to that high
standard for many years and don’t allow new people to join them unless they too
follow suit. So there is an already growing movement in the hobby from what I
can see in this area, and I’m really happy to see that level of commitment!
Now,
there are always some exceptions, so let’s discuss those before moving on to
the next pillar. As a game designer we sometimes need to play test new rules
and might not have either the correct model or have them but they are
unpainted. I don’t like it, but sometimes it’s necessary. That being said, I’ve
doubled down on my commitment to my team that we’ll only play test with painted
models. Each group upholding the standard will have to decide what’s right for
them.
THE SECOND PILLAR – COMPELLING RULES
As
mentioned earlier, we are in the Golden Age of wargaming where we have so many
new releases of every game type and genre, we run the risk of drowning in them.
And for small, independent companies like mine and others, we can easily be
swept under the tidal wave of mega-marketing from larger companies. But in the
end, it all boils down to finding your audience and hoping that your customers
will love what you design.
A
Discerning Strategist prefers games that not only capture the imagination, but
that also present an intellectual challenge in the breadth and depth of their
rules. This is not to say the rules are needlessly complex or clunky, just that
they reward the player that has good tactical acumen over one that’s just
another warm body rolling dice. Move/Shoot/Hand-to-Hand gets really stale after
a while to this type of player.
Some
people like Checkers and some like Chess. Different rules with different
degrees of complexity and challenge. A Discerning Strategist can enjoy both,
yet prefers the complexity and challenge Chess can provide.
Don’t
get me wrong; there are many great Beer & Pretzels rule sets out there. I
enjoy some myself.
And
they are the best entry into the hobby that can be found. Many of the people I
know who love this type of game, and don’t want more than that, usually have
the first pillar covered and have beautiful armies painted with well-made scenery.
And they are happy, helpful hobbyists.
In
the end, a Discerning Strategist wants to fill up on more than Beer &
Pretzels, and wants their games to have some real tactical, strategic, and
narrative substance that gives them a more satisfying mental meal, win or lose.
They
prefer games that have realistic Command & Control mechanics that emulate
the chaos on the battlefield and lack of full control of their troops in
stressful situations. Add to that games that have dynamic tension where the
right or wrong move or dice roll could turn the tables on victory at the last
moment. Then top all that off with games that reward and encourage bold tactics
and clever stratagems, while eschewing the “Killer Combo” mentality so
pervasive in today’s player pool.
Games
with a narrative campaign system that really helps to flesh out the events in
one’s imagination are also enjoyed by this type of player and when joined in
these campaigns with other Discerning Strategists the height of the MWH might
be attained! Apotheosis at last!
These
are the types of games I really enjoy, and the type I try to write. I do like
less involved games from time to time, but find eventually that I add a
campaign system or something to them because I’m cursed to think that way...
THE THIRD PILLAR – CO-OPERATIVE PLAYERS
Of
the three Pillars this one would seem to be the most obvious, and for some
folks it is an assumed principle. Play a game with other people, be nice and
get along. But many of us know sometimes it’s not that easy. And so it needs to
be addressed as the final foundational part of the Discerning Strategist
mind-set.
The
‘good sportsman’ title seems a bit superficial for what I’m defining with this
new outlook. Honorableness or Honor, really sits well with me, as it transcends
the traditional ideas on being a ‘good sport’ and takes it to the Discerning
Strategist level.
And
in context of the MWH, most players can understand what having a sense of Honor
means. Which is perfect for what the third Pillar is all about; being more than
just a ‘good sport’ and becoming an active participant in building a healthy
and strong player culture.
Sure,
that doesn’t interest a segment of our fellow players who really just want to
grab a quick game and beat the snot out of their opponent. But for those of us
seeking more out of the engagement we have for those few short hours with like
interested people, being an Honorable Player is where we like to live.
So
what does that mean to be an Honorable Player, or more so, a Co-Operative Player?
Back when Damon, Chas, and I were gaming in our youth, we sought to share what
we learned from trial and error about model craft, tactics, rules
interpretations, and painting. We helped each other out with buying miniatures
or sharing bits.
While
we played, if someone was going to make a horrible mistake, or forgot a rule
that was going to really screw them over, we gave each other the benefit of the
doubt and granted do-overs. It wasn’t about winning all the time. Sure it felt
great to win, but that was never our driving interest in this hobby. It was far
more about the ‘story’ our battles were creating. It was Narrative before we
knew what Narrative meant. Great turns of luck, good or bad, were reflected on
far more than win/loss records. We were in this hobby together, and we
absolutely loved it. That is what a Discerning Strategist is all about.
The
final component to this Pillar in my definition of the Discerning Strategist philosophy
is one of Co-operative mentorship of new players. Helping new people learn the
ropes of building, painting, and playing with their models and scenery is
critically important to the health and sustainability of this hobby. Helping
them learn about strategy and tactics to improve their gamecraft is also helpful.
The more we mentor these new players, the greater their odds are of enhancing
not just the financial growth of the hobby, but the cultural value as well.
WHO WILL PLEDGE THEIR METAL TO MINE?
For
some of you this is nothing new, just with a name to go along with who you are
and how you game. Welcome! If you are looking for like-minded friends, we are
here in our own group online. I have established the Strategic Elite: Skirmish
Wargames for the Discerning Strategist Facebook Group you can join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2167823773289295/?ref=bookmarks
If
this idea is new to you and you’d like to join us, please do. We welcome anyone
who feels the same among our number.
If
this isn’t your jam, or way you view the MWH, then just keep doing things the
way that work for you. I’m not here to tell anyone how to have fun. I am just
sharing with others what I’ve done to take the great parts of today’s MWH
industry and add to them the things that were most rewarding for me and my
friends when the hobby was new to us, and full of wonder.
Noch
Weiter!
Bob
Faust
