Annual miniatures wargames day

[martin goddard]

This would be a tricky one to launch.
However, it would be nice to have an annual day upon which miniature gaming was promoted. Club open days, library/museum demonstrations.
One major problem is that miniature gaming is not a cohesive group of people.
This is of course a chat.

What do you see as the major plus and minus consideration?

One plus is that the greeting card business might like and promote it.


martin

[Martin Smith]

This would be a tricky one to launch.
However, it would be nice to have an annual day upon which miniature gaming was promoted. Club open days, library/museum demonstrations.
One major problem is that miniature gaming is not a cohesive group of people.
This is of course a chat.

What do you see as the major plus and minus consideration?

One plus is that the greeting card business might like and promote it.


martin

Great idea, Martin. Would it be something that a group of miniatures manufacturers might collectively promote, perhaps? (Is there something like a 'union of mini-makers', or any sort of commercial body where manufacturers exchange ideas?).

The 'games at ASDA' would fit the bill, and I'm thinking local libraries might be amenable (?).

[Smiley Miley 66]

I sort of thought that the shows we go to are mini Wargames Days ?
But like Martin mentioned not very cohesive!
Example, Not sounding my own trumpet the Monte Cassino game at Colours attracted a lot of attention and I thought was one of the better all round looking games there ? But being 15mm is the "wrong scale" for a lot of people ?
So from the "organisers point of view" not worth looking at ?
Not that I expected to win best of show etc, but some form of recognition would be nice ? From time to time !
So figure size has a say in doing something like this ? Not always but getting the right balance will possibly attraction to some people ?
We as a forum do our WWW at Weymouth every year in November so this comes close to an Annual Wargames days for our chosen scale and rules!
But the other problem as discussed last year is the North/South divide can be a barrier for some ? More so for those north of the M4 ? ( I am only stating facts not an argument?) As those of us "down South" are seemingly more likely to travel up North ? Rather than North come down South ?
So we would have the Venue problem come up again ?
Also timing ? BST Maximum daylight hours helps ? Not Bank Holiday weekends (big sporting events as well ?) is a big plus too ? Travelling and Hotel costs rise as well as time sat in Traffic?
The other way might be at some of the "BIG" weekend Wargames event have a dedicated "corner" of a venue like Britcon or Entoyment's Beachhead ? They solve the venue problem? Will have established accommodation recommendations in place ?
Obviously we would have to share with everyone else ?
Just some thoughts, good and bad ?
Miles

[Colonel Kilgore]

I don't think we're necessarily talking of all getting together. But everyone doing their own thing wherever they are.

Like "National Book Day", only more mainstream, of course 

Simon

[martin goddard]

You have it Simon.
I do not have the energy to create such a thing, but it would be possible and desirable.
I would restrict it to miniatures, so that the talk gamers and board gamers don't jump on board.


martin

[John Watson]

Should it be called "National men playing with toy soldiers day" or "National historical re-enactment with miniatures day" or just "National wargaming day"?
John

[martin goddard]

It needs to include all players using miniatures. This would include ships, aircraft and vehicles.
The miniatures are not toy soldiers because they are not toys.

I would avoid the word "wargamer"  as it might cause upset to some and can be confused with business planning and talk gamers.

I would not offer any of my figures or models to a child in case they cause injury.
HG Wells did use toy soldiers, but that was a long time ago.

Modern running shoes are not just plimsoles.
Modern military medicine is not just amputation.

It is easy to disparage any activity, but that is not good manners.

It was Churchill that said "golf just spoils a good walk". Thus, golf is a waste of time by those that enjoy it?


martin

[JohnWyatt]

I'm not seeing anything in the definition so far which would exclude the likes of Warhammer.

Not that I see anything wrong with that branch of the hobby, but it is (arguably) already sufficiently visible - to the extent that it is (arguably) already synonymous with miniatures gaming in some circles.

One solution would be to include the word "historical" somewhere in the definition. But that raises the issue of whether miniatures gaming has anything to do with history, and if so, what.

I suppose my key question would be around the target audience for such an event, and what it is hoped they would get out of it.

I seem to recall (purely from reading old books about it) that back in the 1960s Donald Featherstone and friends got some mileage from linking gaming events to historical battles like Waterloo and Hastings. Whether today's sophisticated public would respond as well to such an approach is a moot point.

[martin goddard]

I would certainly include Warhammer  as miniature gaming.

Such a  day would be there to promote the hobby in the same manner as poetry day.
Just to get people to ask "miniature gaming, what's that all about?"

If there is a miniatures day then slots might become available in the media for that amusing end of show story. A newspaper/online article about where  people might go in their locale to see a miniatures game.
Many people have friends or family that play miniatures games and would enjoy sending them a card.
Such a day would tick along at a  low level but that would be good enough i think.

https://www.daysoftheyear.com

Hobby stores such as Entoyment give a better than ever introduction to miniature gaming.
They are a neutral venue which is easy to access in all senses of the word.

I have had many hobbies, but miniature gaming has been my favourite by far.
If I had not luckily heard about the hobby back in 1968 I am sure I would  have still picked it up in later years.

The "trick" is getting potential gamers to investigate the hobby.

martin

[Leman (Andy)]

That last one is a good point Martin. I started thinking up rules and scenic items for my Airfix figures round about 1964, and two years later a friend introduced me to rules he had found by a chap called Donald Featherstone. He also told me the library had a book by him that included ACW rules. From there it was a short step to Wargamers Newsletter and Airfix magazine, where I first came across the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. When I started teaching in 1975 I discovered that an English teacher was running an after school wargames club once a week. I carried that on into the rest of my career until 2006, when workload made continuing it impossible (fortunately I was able to retire in 2011) and I actually joined a wargames club in 1990, discovering I was the oldest member, at 37, and that a former school wargamer was amongst the leading lights. That led to games at the club and at various members homes, including mine, until I emigrated in 2020. Thus it does seem that I would have discovered wargaming one way or another.