Generalities are dangerous (this one included!).
Gamers might be split into subgroups of frequency of play.
1. Play 0-3 times a year.
2. Play 4-8 times per year
3. Play 9-30 times a year
4. Play more than 30 times a year
No plus or minus judgement on the number of games played.
Replay value definition= No obvious single winning tactic (put X in position Y, do Z and all will be well). Games can vary a lot in initial task.
If a player does a lot of gaming they will probably learn rules in more detail and hence want greater "replay value"?
If a player games in category 1 or 2 they may want rules that are easy to learn/remember and not require too much "replay value".
Opinions on these statements?
Which category are you?
Is that category the ideal one for you?
martin
I'm probably 3 but would like to be 4. I'm probably very close to 4.
Normally in group 4 but probably in 2 may be 3 for this year
Stewart
A 3 in a good year but would be happy to improve on that score.
Simon
I play as a member of a club which meets every fortnight so have 26 opportunities to play each year of which I, given holidays, other events and lethargy, take advantage of 15-20. However we seldom have a long run with the same rules. Games have to be quick and preferably multiplayer so What a Tanker, Wings of Glory (both ordinary and Tripods and Triplanes) and Sangin Skirmish, feature more often along with Saga and Musket and Tomahawk. As you will gather we seldom get deeply involved with one set of rules.
Prior to lockdown, a few members of the club who are retired had started using a games cafe for more games in the afternoon, when there were plenty of tables, to practice our game for Salute, again meeting once a fortnight and had lockdown not been imposed I think we would have continued with this giving another 15-20 slots and the chance to develop a campaign or two.
I am currently painting Spanish for the SCW, 28mm stalkers etc. for Zona Alfa and other members of the club are buying 1/144 scale equipment for Northag so I don't see the pattern of our gaming changing much once play resumes.
Usually a 3 for me unless there is a Pandemic 😁
I like to play several different games so they have to be easy enough to remember but also have replay value.
Group 3 for me. Replayability important as is fun!
Nick
I am usually a 3, but won't make that this year. Often become attached to a set of rules and will play a series of games before moving on. Favourite rules include Bloody Barons, Square Bashing, Bloody Big Battles, Field of Battle, Honours of War. Played a lot but fell out of love with Saga. Played a lot but never loved, and no longer play, Field of Glory. Intend to play a great deal of Furioso with its Italian Wars supplement in the future. Used to run a weekly school club when I was working and also belonged to Liverpool War-games Association for thirty years, but once my move abroad is complete I am most likely to play solo and run my own campaigns over a length of time.
Definitely a 3. I tend to play less in the summer. I prefer easy to learn and remember rules as the little grey cells get fewer and fewer. What I have played most of over the last couple of years - Bloody Barons (new version), PBI, FOG R, Surface Action (WWI ships), Cruel Seas. I am a bit of a game junky and will try most things.
I also enjoy boardgames and prior to lock down would have been a 2 on that as well.
John
I should have added that, even as a relatively infrequent player, I still like my games to have variety!
Simon
I play really badly when I have variety as I can't remember rules from one week to the next, One reason I will be playing solo in future. Probably most keen on the research, collecting and painting side of wargaming.
Hi,
Normally a 4, I am lucky enough to play every week at a friends house which has a purpose built wargame building in the back garden. We tend to play large games 4-6 players on a 12 x 8 ft table, mostly 28mm, large units 30+ figures. Some games are payed over 2 nights, rules can be home grown or adapted from commercial sets.
Best wishes,
Martin Buck
Sounds like fun Martin!
Folk with purpose built wargame buildings should be wary.
Gangs of wargamers might break in , have a great game and then sneak out before sunrise. They are usually wearing casual clothes, male and aged 20 to 72 years old. Some might be tooled up with little bags or boxes?
You can tell this has happened if there is one unusual D6 left on the floor and the cavalry box has been put back incorrectly.
This might be hard crime to detect but maybe these groups are highly organised. :o
All very well just brushing this threat off, but be alert (Britain needs lerts)
martin :)
Martin,
You forgot they ate all the chocolate biscuits and drank the beer too.
Sounds like a fairy tale involving three bears. :) ;D
Best wishes,
Martin Buck
I'm 4 and 2, in that I try to game once a week, but it's often a different game each week. At the monthly club, the game could be anything although I usually avoid pre-gunpowder topics. Otherwise I play with a mate who (heretically) lusts over Lardy rules, particularly Chain of Command and Sharp Practice. I'm not a great fan of either, but at his house we play his rules.
I like Perfect Captain rules (RCW & AWI), Rank and File, Fireball Forward, Combat HQ and Crossfire. I've concluded that I appreciate variety and simplicity along with plausible outcomes and narrative. I think that if you want variety, you have to have simplicity but that doesn't mean you can't have a fair degree of realism.
I have made a recent resolution to play more PP games though. I used to play a lot of AK and PBI so intend to restart them along with SB. My house, my rules. ;)
That sounds a great variety Simon.
martin
Great variety in rules and period, very little variety in figures. :)
Normally I'd say a 3 but today I played my 28th game since Lockdown, and third this week alone.
My twelve year old son and I have played WOTR Impetvs, ECW Baroque, ACW Pickett's Charge, X-Wing and a game of Ships with Pieces of Eight.
Tomorrow my fourth game of the week. 😜
Thanks to Kev and Simon for keeping hope for gaming alive.
This is all good.
I fear we might lose some players from the hobby as their lives take aturn.
In the mean time it looks like members here are keeping the gaming going.
Thank you to those who are still gaming for keeping the spirit going!
martin :)
Playing a full Arnhem game of four scenarios this weekend, starting with Brinkmann, and ending with Tiger town. A full two days of gaming with Ben.
Tally ho
Dave & Ben
I'm probably usually a 4 (some will be boardgames) as I game with several groups, with friends at my place and play solo quite a lot.
Variety is definitely th epsice of life though there are favourites which change over time. In th elast 12 months I've played PITS, SB, For KIng & Parliament ECW, Po8 (all 15mm and whatever scale the ships are); Death in the Dark Continent and a variant I've done, Death in the Back of Beyond, 7TV, Pulp adventures The Chicago Way (all 28mm); Peninsula campaign, Seven Years War, Indian Mutiny, 1798 Irish Rebellion 'my rules' (all 6mm); 19th century imagi-nations (Minifig S range!) 'my rules' and doubtless a couple more I've forgotten.
I prefer rules to be simple so that I can easily pick them up whether they're going to be played little or often. And I like developing my own (the latest is the War of 1812 in North America) as I like the research and analysis, distinguishing what the important aspects are that need to be in the design and what can be left out. Games are about making decisions so I like the mechanics to be simple and swift as possible (hands uo all those who spent half the evening working out results with WRG rules in the bad old days). One of the big problems I've been wrestling with for a while is the old one of countering the player's god-like view of the battlefield without resorting to artificial means such as dicing for command points. Yes, players can make good and bad decisions but there are times when the decision is out of his hands. I also prefer scenarios to straight meeting engagements and mini-campaigns or linked scenarios are great for context.
Brian
A long weekends war gaming Arnhem, over four scenarios.
Brinkmann's assault saw the brave British para's fight of the probing recce of the panzer grenadiers. Lt John Shelby put up a strong resistance on the right flanks ensuring the win points went to the British. Tally ho!
Graebner's assault, saw a costly charge across the bridge by the German force. Graebner and a number of vehicles made it off the bridge gaining victory points, whilst their infantry ending up slaughtered on and around the bridge. Win points to the Germans.
Knaust's assault pushed in from the east, the German armour made a difference despite casualties to the 6 pdrs. Their advance captured the victory points for the Germans.
Hummels assault saw the arrival of the big cats, with Tigers smashing a stoic British defence. Captain Arthur Shelby, made a heroic charge into the SS platoon and they ran. The Tigers were the tipping point and the Germans grabbed the objectives and the win points. Making the game a good win for the German side.
All in all a great two days gaming with Ben, who I must say deserved the Victory.
Dave & Ben
Sounds good Dave, pictures and write up for the next mil?
Stewart