tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780195401099519720.post5205566652130150606..comments2024-03-01T02:57:28.885-08:00Comments on Glorious Little Soldiers: The Search for Reality- part 2Big Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17235478427317774609noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780195401099519720.post-66278034705399898882011-07-04T01:21:34.447-07:002011-07-04T01:21:34.447-07:00I'd agree with most of that - the urge to over...I'd agree with most of that - the urge to over complicate seems to be very human . Yet outside OSW- which I see lots of the "glossy gamer" is constantly urgred to dumb down. The dumb down thing is not simply a wargamers problem its a life problem.<br /> Frankly I now stay away from most fora simply because of the vast amounts of pointless twaddle and endless repetition that is a function of the fora themselves rather than just the memebers .<br /> I'd even agree with you point re umpires but would say that your view of them is a little narrow. I'm a great beliver in "active umpiring" in the sense that the umpire is a part of the game area and has to be dealt with by the players not merely a scorekeeper and dispute settler. Often its the UMPIRE that can add the historicity on the bare bones of a set of rules.Big Andyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17235478427317774609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780195401099519720.post-53149643688419647742011-07-03T08:50:21.577-07:002011-07-03T08:50:21.577-07:00Because of its very name and recruitment, the OSW ...Because of its very name and recruitment, the OSW is certainly not representative of the wargaming community as a whole -hence the high number of 'empiricists' as you called them (us?) kindly.<br />Browse Napoleonic forums, simply the TMP one, and you'll find a totally different population. In their own way, GW fanboys are 'historical anoraks' as nit-picking as any 'Napoleonic'.<br /><br />To 'gamers' I'd oppose 'players' -'gamer' may have a 'game-play / win at all costs' connotation, while 'OS players' playing for the fun (and the visual satisfaction) are the opposite of competitors / rules lawyers. Through 'Slingshot' I saw the Ancient - Medieval community spoiled by such over the years; generally they also require 'seriousness' / 'historical accuracy', mainly because it drastically reduces the diversity of possible challenges.<br /><br />As for umpires... in my experience they can be dispensed with when the two players know the rules well and *chiefly* when they trust each other's fair play.abdul666https://www.blogger.com/profile/16172686098173637906noreply@blogger.com