Who moans at those who buy like cattle,
Only the montrous Anger of the wives.
Only the rolling dice's rapid rattle,
can measure out the length of gaming lives....
With heartfelt apologies to Wilfred Owen .
Some few days ago in an email conversation with longtime friend and sometime wargamer Rahul Sarnaik. He let slip that he was thinking of ressurecting his Airfix ACW armies, now nothing wrong with that but he also let drop that his wife was of the opinion that he was having a second childhood. This and some remarks of Robbie Roddis on his blg - a mutual friend as it happens. set me thinking. How much of Wargaming- especiallyas we get older IS an attempt to re-kindle out youth or childhood?
Now I've thought about this for a while and find the idea intriguing. For myself the answer is a heatfelt
No Chance been there done that move on boy
Now some of you willdoubtless reply " Cobblers, you collct old out of production figures so you must be having your second childhood.
In Wargaming terms no 'fraid not.
All of the Staddens, Higgins Minot etc that I have now aquired I couldn't bloody well afford when I was younger. I'd been wargaming for almost10 year before I could afford a completly metal army until that time the vast majority had beeen Airfix. With assorted Higgins, Hincliffe and Garrison aquired when I could afford them.
My early Wargaming days were spent in Manchester - founder memebr of my schools Wargaming society and a memebr of the Manchester Area Wargames Society. - Anyone out there remeber that- Northen Militaire in Swinton? - I could walk to that in those days- or such minor Luminaries as John Leigh, Ian Ossoway or Dave Hulland?
No? FYI chaps, without John Leigh et al there never would have been a Northern Mil Well Dave also emigrated North and is still in the game though he's pushing 80 and wqhile as a youth I was less than the dust beneath the Hon Sec's chariot wheels I now count Dave amongst my friends.
However having said that I don't really want those days back- I might have walked to Northern Mil but I couldn't afford much when I got there and I've never seen the point of window shopping. If you need to ask the price you can't afford it- I couldn't so I didn't 'Nuff said.
But to hear some of these "Old School" dudes talk nothing is better since 1975 !.
Soory chaps it just ain't so. Now don't get me wrong I've a fair retro collection myself and some stuff was fine back then but when I look at some of the figures and rules Jeez- I'm glad it's 2012.
I can - if I choose -build a retro collection and play or run a retro game but I don't HAVE to. In the same way I don't HAVE to use the stuff the figure fascists and the Nottingham Mafia tell me I should.
That's the point there is so much more choice now. I don't have to use Airfix- I don't want to go back to those ingenious but impecunious days.
I don't want plastic armies been there done that move on boy.
I can still remember using airfix figures, nothing wrong with them. You'll find Dave Holland is gaming at the Newbiggin club. Recently gave me a whole bunch of Renaissance poles
ReplyDeleteI think for me "old school" is more an attitude of mind that was prevalent then rather than the models we used.... a 'can do', 'build it yourself', 'if it ain't about design or build your own', well researched, well read, attitude.... if you were to talk to your mate I think you'll find the only thing he is trying to revisit is the sheer amount of fun we had then...!
ReplyDeletePS. With you - done Airfix - enjoyed it enormously at the time - not going back...! :o)
Scotty - Yes I knew he played there Hope to see him at Smoggycon later this month.
DeleteNice post - got me thinking (ouch!). Can only speak for myself, of course, but I reckon I'm still in my first childhood, so a second one is not on the horizon. Much is made of childishness in adults - I feel that certain child-like qualities in people - creativity, open-mindedness, enthusiasm, humour, for a start - are what make them interesting and bearable. I have met enough po-faced disapprovers to last several lifetimes, and they had very little talent between them.
ReplyDeleteSadly, in any interest group there is always a need for folk to form cliques and loyalties, to exclude those who don't fit in or don't follow fashions. For some reason, we all need to feel superior to someone - to feel that the way we go about something is the "right" way, and anything else is uncool. I think you have to follow your heart - a hobby is a personal thing - go for it!
I've been looking at a lot of Airfix ACW collections in blogs recently, and I like them. I don't have my own poor lot any more, and I don't really miss them much, but it's great to see it done properly now. Thanks for sharing your thoughts - cheers - Tony
My point was that there is no right or wrong here- never was never will be.
DeleteMy interest here is why we do things the way we do why we might CHOOSE to go "backwards" rather than "forwards" - assuming those terms have meaning. I've never regarded the qualities you mentionas peculiarly childlike, though I'd agree that many adults lose them over time-Look at those wargamers who blindly follow the precepts of the Nottingham Mafia and have to be spoon fed.I'm niot trying to tell anyone what to do THAT goes well agin the grain but I'm fascinated by the why and wherefore.
The thing about my (mostly) Airfix ACW armies, is I still have them. I'm not interested in rebuilding whole new armies when I still have my old ones, perfectly serviceable, and for which I have an abiding attachment. Admitting to a sense of wistfulness when I look at the upcoming Gettysburg gig in Christchurch, I figure that I'll be there as a spectator and not as a participant. Too bad. For me to begin again with new ACW armies is for me 'to go backwards.' Getting the fellas onto a tabletop - now that would be a big leap forward...!!
ReplyDeleteIon This is where you and I differ- which is as it should be. I have no armies left from my earliest days. They get moved on ,The permanence is in the library- I still have most of the books I had back then and have added to them hugely . Even re-buying books I had to sell when I was skint- which I hated doing.
DeleteWell Andy,
ReplyDeleteInteresting idea. My wife reckons Ive always been a child,so I can't really have a second or third childhood.
Like you when I started I never could afford Willie and Stadden figures,and relied on plastic,until I met a bloke called Dave Natrass,who had a 12 by 10 table in his loft,and all metal armies. Penury beckoned for many years after that. Then I sold the lot and started 6mm,but that's another story.
My current [last four years] has probably been a search for a feeling,that I had when I first started,and no its not in my trousers.So I bought Willie,Stadden, Hinchliffe, RSM, Garrison, Jackdaw and even some Foundry, so for me it cant be looking for nostalgia.
I think its about finding the fun factor,without the hobby becoming just a board game. Its also about not taking yourself too seriously but at the same time researching and reading around your period. I could probably go on,but again you've got me thinking.So I will after put something on my blog.
Figure wise, I am currently painting up some Old Glory Swiss, now are they old school or cutting edge. Neither they are just figures that I like.
By the way good to hear from Rahul,tell him Im asking after him,and if he wants a game,tell him to get in touch.
Thanks, Robbie.
Good post........
Robbie- tht is more or less just about the way I look at it. I buy the toys I like- of which more in the next post. -don't give a stuff about Old School" or Cutting edge as these are just daft labels. I'll use any figures or equpment to get the style of armies and games I want. One of these days you'll have to come to a TWATS meeting to see how we do stuff. The only bit I take really seriously is "knowing my stuff" - the history . The rest is just a means to an end.
DeleteAndy,
ReplyDeleteWhat you should do is come through to my place,for a game with me and John.
Thanks Robbie
One day surely when I can organise it- I don't drive remember?
DeleteWell, that was a blast from the past, Andy. I was one of the founder members of the Manchester Area Wargames Society back in 1968 and knew John, Ian and Dave very well, but moved away in 1974 (unfortunately my career path meant I've belonged to quite a few clubs for short periods and always had to move away). The last Northern Militaire I attended was in Oldham a year or two after that, and I've since lost touch with them all. We might well have bumped into each other then. We certainly had some wonderful games in the church hall we used. In those days I was using Spencer Smith SYW, then Garrison & Hinchliffe, now Jacdaw and others but always the 1740-63 period. Like you, Andy, the old ones have gone. I don't think its got anything to do with childhood. After all, I make ship models too and no-one calls that childish but I've been doing that for as long as I have had model soldiers - my mid-teens. Like others here, it's about an atmosphere and creating something you like, as Robbie says, and that's true of all sorts of hobbies. Nothing to be ashamed of!
ReplyDeleteJohn. Like you I moved away in 1974 so was only a MAWS member- and very junior for a couple of years- though I think I kept up the memebership for at least a year after moving so get the newsletter.. I still see Dave Hulland 3 or 4 times a year at shows up hereand will remember you to him and see what he says ! I do remember the Pendlebury Library meetings with Pete Smith of the Bolton Model shop bringing his wares every month.
Delete