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Other Stuff => General Wargames and Hobby Discussion => Topic started by: Leftblank on January 27, 2018, 09:58:08 PM

Title: "I'm new in miniature wargaming, which ruleset/scale should I buy?"
Post by: Leftblank on January 27, 2018, 09:58:08 PM
Blog. Summary:
A Newbie Survival Guide
O no. Not again.

The problem is not that you're a newbie, the problem is that when you start a facebook thread asking "I'm new in miniature wargaming, which ruleset/scale should I buy?" helpful veteran wargamers overwhelm you with suggestions. Try Black Powder! No, try Blücher! DBA in 15mm is FAN-TAS-TIC! And do you know quickplay Kings of War?

Soon, you cannot see the wood for the trees. So, here's my simple step-by-step guide. A survival guide in reaction to the x-tiest Facebook or TMP-forum thread going nowhere.
Link http://amsterdam6shooters.nl/node/1244 (http://amsterdam6shooters.nl/node/1244)
Title: Re: "I'm new in miniature wargaming, which ruleset/scale should I buy?"
Post by: grant on January 27, 2018, 10:56:58 PM
 o_o
Title: Re: "I'm new in miniature wargaming, which ruleset/scale should I buy?"
Post by: MachinaMandala on January 28, 2018, 08:47:48 AM
Only part of the article I have a problem with is this bit:

Quote
(if you answer 'yes', on that last question, stop reading. Go back playing Total War. Grow up).

They're different kinds of fun.

(Also we literally play with toy soldiers. There's plenty of people out there who'd tell us to "Grow up". lol)
Title: Re: "I'm new in miniature wargaming, which ruleset/scale should I buy?"
Post by: Storm Wolf on January 28, 2018, 11:49:44 AM
My only advice would be, find something you like and go for it!

Start small and let it grow, the unpainted lead/resin/plastic mountain that is lol

Good luck

Glen
Title: Re: "I'm new in miniature wargaming, which ruleset/scale should I buy?"
Post by: Connectamabob on January 29, 2018, 10:08:46 PM
The question itself seems strange to me, because one does not start miniature wargaming in a vacuum. Most people start, I think, buy finding other wargamers, which means most people will start by playing whatever it is that group plays, and then branch out later.

I've no doubt there are people who decide on a system first and THEN go looking for people in their area who play that (good luck if it's not something massive like WH), or who bootstrap a new group out of likeminded friends, but I think those are both outlier scenarios.

I can see the latter being the norm back in the per-internet days, but not today. Today I think what most people would do first is go looking for local groups to join via social media, and would only form new ones if/when the ones they found/tried weren't quite what they wanted and they knew others who might join them.

The former seems very "cart before the horse" and failure-prone to me.
Title: Re: "I'm new in miniature wargaming, which ruleset/scale should I buy?"
Post by: arloid on January 30, 2018, 08:24:20 AM
I agree Connectamabob, unless you can find a group that already plays the game it's very hard starting with wargaming. I remember starting 40k based on what a former friend was playing, but ended up playing something completely else because I didn't like it. I ended up playing with a different group, playing a different game. I didn't try to start a new game, but rather looked at what games where already established and I would enjoy.

The risk with starting a 'unsupported' wargame is big and you probably have to put a lot of time and energy into it to promote it, maybe even money if there is no or insufficient terrain for your game. Not something a lot of starting wargamers want to do.