No not some 'new and innovative', but the same as all the others in a different box, Sci-Fant skirmish a like, but rather another train of thought. Yes I know I'm doing thinking again and it is not fashionable in today's wargaming world but then I don't give a hoot for fashion - wel not the wargaming kind anyway.
No this is more about where my version of the hobby takes me and why. I know that these days- assuming you believe the magazines and some of the FB pages I see that the whole hobby is 'game driven' . We are no longer supposed to talk about which historical period we play in but only about 'which games' we play.
To me this is terribly narrow. Obviously it is one of the unforeseen side effects of the commercialisation of the hobby. For many it is easier and more convenient to be merely consumers of what is laid before them especially in the hurry up world in which we now live. It is easier to simply take a game and obey the rules rather than take an interest in the historical period in which that game may be set- however loosely.- rather than follow the more tortuous path of historical interest.
What began this particular tortuous path was the arrival of a bundle of old Journals of the Society for Army Historical Research bought on ebay. This bundle of rather random copies were originally published in various years from 1948- 1985 and will be added to the collection of back issues I already have. I made space for them by binning a bundle of old wargames mags- all published after 2000 but I may be binning some more in the near future as they simply often don't contain anything that really interests me any longer. I know how to roll a dice thanks- and reviews - while being useful at the time don't have much of a shelf life.
These Journals however, are filled with gold. In the issues I have recently bought, I have so far, found first hand accounts - in letters and diaries published in the Journals, from the First and Second Sikh Wars, The Napoleonic wars,, the Nepal War and the Indian Mutiny. In addition there are articles on Mercenaries in English service in 1544- and how some of them defrauded Henry VIII of lots of cash, and I have not been through more than half of them so far.
Yes in some of the articles the scholarship is a bit- or even a lot- dated but taking that into account is part of the challenge. The words of chaps who were actually there, of course, never get old and provide information and scenario ideas that never get into most wargames scenario books. This kind of stuff will always be of more interest to me than wading through yet another set of games driven fluff in a pretty book written by a bloke who values dice rolling over period knowledge.
Well now perhaps I should put on my metaphorical Tin Hat and duck below the parapet. If I do bin some more magazine I will let you know before they go to the shredder.
While our paths through the maze are somewhat different, your words feel quite familiar. Thanks for sharing your thughts.
ReplyDeleteI take a similar path to yourself and agree with everything you say here, learning about the period you are gaming is important to me, it may not be the "done" thing anymore but that won't stop me continuing on my merry way!
ReplyDeleteBeen involved in too many arguments about the game mattering more than context. When this results in observed indirect fire for the Napoleonic period, and vemently argued it's fine because it's only a game, I just despair of anyone reading a book that's not a rulebook. Decided a while ago to steer clear of commercial games in a box and play with like minded individuals who want a game but with plausible history and context attached.
ReplyDeleteGentlemen all thanks for your comments. I knew I was not alone in my opinions but nevertheless it nice to hear and see others on a similar wavelength. 'Plausible History - an excelled phrase which some 'game designers' should have written in letters of fire - possibly across the tops of their little pointy heads !
ReplyDeleteI think you are absolutely right; I am happy to buy and use commercial rulesets/'games' and try them, but I hope I am always looking to see how they reflect what I know of the tactics etc of the relevant period - that's the test of them. Magazine publishers I guess have to keep the advertising revenue up, so I suppose it's understandable they will emphasise the latest 'game'. I noticed the pics of 'Epic Pike and Shotte' in a recent magazine article showed pike and shot units with the musketeers deployed in half the depth of their pikeman comrades - oh dear.
ReplyDeleteI don't keep the modern mags, though I still buy and read some. I do have a bunch of old Pike and Shot Society 'Arqubusier's from the 90s which I was going to dump, but looking through them again, I think there is some gold in them there binders!
Exactly - I keep my 'Arquebusier' journals too - and I have a full set of ECW nots and Queries' I still read WSS but have not seen a copy of the others for a few months. The question must be asked though - do the mags create or follow fashion. I.am honestly not sure. The input of Fantasy to our hobby has not always been for the best- though there has been some good stuff in the flow of new ideas, but now SCI-FANT often seems less free than the historical hobby, tied to the same old samey gamey fluff as it so often seems to be. Lets face it companies want to continue doing business- that includes me- but I baulk at telling people what to do with the toys once they have bought them. As for rules the last set I bought was Black Powder 2 - still trying to find stuff in the book . Its overly wordy and eye candy heavy though it has good bits and is easier to navigate than the first version. I don't have the playing time to faff about with it to learn how or indeed if it functions.
Delete