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Author Topic: Wargaming in schools (a request for help from the community)  (Read 1572 times)

Offline psutcliffe

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Wargaming in schools (a request for help from the community)
« on: January 30, 2019, 06:53:38 PM »
Good afternoon (here in the UK)!

I've been advised to post this here by one of your fellow gamers (I was actually suggested to go to TMP, but a quick bit of googling very quickly diverted me here instead!). I am well aware that this is my first post to the group, I would really appreciate it if you could take the time to have a read for me? If people feel it would be better posted elsewhere please let me know.

I’m messaging today on behalf of the school where I work. We provide education and support for pupils and families who have been let down by the mainstream education system. Pupils who can show great difficulties in behaviour and in socialisation who come from some of the most deprived areas in our community.
Although we provide the key subjects (Maths, English, ICT) as part of our curriculum we are limited by the needs of the children in how we can get them to access wider subject areas.

One of the ways in we have found is through engaging a number of our pupils in tabletop wargaming. We have been able to link this to areas of the curriculum based around AQA unit awards in history as well as the maths and literacy skills needed to play and the important social aspects of wargaming. as a result we have found we can ensure our students will be leaving us with certification in a variety of fields of history including WW1 and 2, dark ages, ECW, ancients (romans and greeks mainly) and medieval Europe.

Through using wargames (up to now Flames of War) we have been able to give our pupils hands on experience with representations of the peoples of the time and then built in educational presentation and involvement (which the handful of rules and sourcebooks I own has been really useful) as we play through the games. This has been especially useful in modules covering WW2, and we are due to be looking at modules on Roman and medieval warfare and conflicts in Europe (Napoleonic) as well as continuing the WW2 sessions as some of the pupils have requested we look at Bolt Action.

Unfortunately at the moment the number of pupils we can involve in the sessions at any one time is limited by my own collection as the pupils do not own anything of their own barring some Flames of War that was kindly donated by Battlefront, so I struggle to get more than two pupils involved at any one time which then has an impact on the engagement as we are limited to one session a week.

Because nothing ever happens unless you take the chance and ask, I thought I'd approach the community on behalf on of the school and our pupils as I've found the gaming community will often rally around projects like this, especially when it comes to working with children who we support.

I know its cheeky, but for our pupils, does anyone have anything in their lead and plastic mountains or superfluous books that they can spare to provide the opportunity for us to continue to build on this aspect of our support and education?

We are seeing measurable improvement in the academic and social skills and behaviours of our pupils as a result of the limited gaming they’ve been able to take part in with improved relationships between their peers and a reduction in any negative incidents in free time as the children focus their attention on the game and stay later after school reducing the incidence of concerns in the community.

I have included links to our website so you can verify that I am who I'm saying I am and also the work we have been able to do with Battlefront who were amazing in being able to support us in developing our WW2 sessions.
http://www.pivot-group.uk/the-pivot-academy/
http://www.pivot-group.uk/team/paul-sutcliffe/
https://www.flamesofwar.com/hobby.aspx?art_id=6401

I shared this post out over a couple of the facebook groups yesterday and the response so far has been amazing for the pupils, including from the editor of War-games Soldiers and Strategy and Footsore Miniatures / Warbanner. One of the group suggested I add an Amazon wishlist that I've had the pupils come up with: http://amzn.eu/6u0EJAv.

I appreciate you having taken the time to read over this post and fully understand if this is not something you can support, at the very least hopefully it’s a positive story for how wargames and our hobby is making a difference with our young people.

Offline 6milPhil

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Re: Wargaming in schools (a request for help from the community)
« Reply #1 on: January 30, 2019, 07:12:26 PM »
This is a positively great initiative which I support in spirit even if I can't support to financially. I can chuck in various brand new bags of flock though for the basing part of your project, PM me with an address to send this to you if you would please.

I'd suggest approaching the larger manufacturers, I saw you wanted some bits from Warlord for example and I'd imagine they'd be delighted to chip in with free product. Obviously a donation from them gives them good publicity as well as the inherent warm glow of helping someone out, so I'd suggest tying in any requests for donations with a trip to Salute 2019* with some of these pupils. This will not only offer you the chance to offer the companies a photo opportunity, and give a few pupils a grand day out it may well light fires in everyone's bellys over the whole idea.

There's a traders list on the link below once it's been finalised which will give you a long list of possible donors.

The very best of luck with this.


*This one day game convention is the gold standard for the UK industry http://www.salute.co.uk/salute/salute-2019/

Offline psutcliffe

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Re: Wargaming in schools (a request for help from the community)
« Reply #2 on: January 30, 2019, 07:18:32 PM »
Thanks very much for that.

Battlefront have been incredible and Warbanner / Footsore have really been amazing today too. We've dropped a line to Warlord today as well as Victrix, 4ground and Sarissa.

PM on the way!

Offline 6milPhil

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Re: Wargaming in schools (a request for help from the community)
« Reply #3 on: January 30, 2019, 07:47:41 PM »
You're welcome.

IMHE the majority of producers from large to small are wonderfully nice people... even me sometimes. ;)

Of course the larger companies have deeper pockets so more likely to offer up a box of goodies.

Offline Sunjester

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Re: Wargaming in schools (a request for help from the community)
« Reply #4 on: January 30, 2019, 10:43:03 PM »
I ran wargames projects in schools for about 8 years a while back.

I found a great way to fill in gaps in my collection and to provide ample armies in multiple periods was to use top-down printed paper figures. Junior General is a fantastic source for anything from ancients to WW2. I printed them out on paper and then stuck them onto self adhesive vinyl floor tiles.

Have a look here  http://www.juniorgeneral.org/index.php/figure/figureList/topdowns

Offline Jabba

  • Mad Scientist
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    • Jabba's Wargaming
Re: Wargaming in schools (a request for help from the community)
« Reply #5 on: January 31, 2019, 10:22:00 AM »
Good luck with your project.

Tony.

Offline Johnno

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Re: Wargaming in schools (a request for help from the community)
« Reply #6 on: January 31, 2019, 10:39:41 AM »
I run a miniature painting club/ gaming group at my high school.

I've located grants to pay for most of it and my local GW throws me some of their introductory models for free time and again. I also emailed Reaper. They had a good introductory kit. Mantic Games sent some Kings of War sprues.

There are lots of people who will help but sometimes you also have to throw stuff back  their way. I always offer free publicity through Social Media ( Facebook, Twitter, Instagram).
Yearly painting challenges only show me how useless I am at painting...


Offline mcfonz

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Re: Wargaming in schools (a request for help from the community)
« Reply #7 on: January 31, 2019, 07:07:15 PM »
I do the same with young people in care - I work in a children's home. In the past I have found people to question how genuine the appeal is but I can assure you the wargaming community does have plenty of generosity contained within it.

For what it's worth I got models from Revell in the past - so might be worth dropping them an email. They were superb and sent six 1/35 tanks for kids to build.

I would check Reaper as well, Bones miniatures are relatively cheap and more affordable to gamers just starting out. They might send some stuff your way.

If you haven't already, get in touch with your local GW/Warhammer store as I know they are really keen to support school clubs. They have a school league in Norwich. I think they have a starter kit etc for school clubs.

Also, and this was some time ago now, Black Hat Miniatures kindly donated a starter paint set for coat d'arms paints which lasted ages.

Lastly, to keep interest going, it might be worth creating a generic post somewhere, where you can add pictures of the miniatures in action! As you'll not be able to photograph the kids and share about the net, I found this a nice way to help people to see how their donations were being used. Perhaps a project page on the school website that can display their works and games etc.
RP Tabletop Blog:


RP vlog channel: https://www.youtube.com/@RandomPlatypus

Offline 6milPhil

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Re: Wargaming in schools (a request for help from the community)
« Reply #8 on: February 01, 2019, 04:48:26 AM »
You're right about a progress post Fonzy baby, I know the OP has added one on the school blog since posting here:

http://www.pivot-group.uk/blog/adventures-through-history/

Offline mcfonz

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    • Poison Spurs - blog and reviews
Re: Wargaming in schools (a request for help from the community)
« Reply #9 on: February 01, 2019, 01:38:06 PM »
Psutcliffe, drop me a pm. I'll see if I have anything of any use to you that I can send your way.

Offline fastolfrus

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Re: Wargaming in schools (a request for help from the community)
« Reply #10 on: February 13, 2019, 08:28:46 PM »
I've been running a school club for a few years now.
We don't usually go in for any of the leading commercial games, so don't do anything from GW and don't have rules from FoW or Warlord.

We tend to focus on one game per term (although sometimes we might continue for a second term if they are really enjoying themselves).
We often play Empire of the Dead (though we might not use all the rules or the background) as an introduction to gaming in the autumn. Doesn't need a lot of figures (most of which are from my stash), we can throw in a couple of terrain making sessions (foamcore houses with coffee stirrer half-timbering). The big attraction for the club is that they can run a competitive league to see how many points they can clock up over the term. Some of them look into Victorian SF by Verne or Wells so the English teachers are happy (but bemused).

Spring and summer terms are more focused on historical games, for WWII we play PBI from Peter Pig, mostly using 15mm but boys have brought in 10mm and bags of Airfix plastics in the past and they've all gone on the table without a problem. The main attraction on PBI is that it is played on a grid, so no arguments over measurement and no question of line-of-sight or being in cover.
A few years back we played through the Arnhem campaign as a two-day team game
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=11923.msg136918#msg136918

We played a pirates campaign using Osprey's rules (modified) but spent half the term building ships (more foamcore and thin card). We played a war of 1812 campaign and also a FIW campaign using a simple map and Sharp Practice rules, mostly with plastic figures from Victrix & Perry.

We also wrote our own rules for Pride and Prejudice with zombies meet Sense and Sensibility with Sea Monsters. Zombies from a combination of Mantic ghouls spliced with Victrix Napoleonic pieces.

We are considering the possibilities of Frostgrave (but only the main book) or Men Who Would be Kings but both would depend on suitable figures turning up.
Gary, Glynis, and Alasdair (there are three of us, but we are too mean to have more than one login)