The Discerning Strategist by Bob Faust 6/30/2019

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.

THE HALCYON YEARS...

When I rolled my first dice in 1987 to see if my Wood Elf Archers were going to kill any Orcs in 3^rd 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