What is this Forum About?

[Galadrin]

Hi all, long time lurker. I never really dug my teeth into LAF because I really cannot quite tell what it is about. I've been on many different forums (I've been a TMP member for two decades now for example) and LAF seems to be noticeably different than the typical wargaming forum on the internet.

For example, I do not see on LAF so much of the general discussions typical to other wargaming forums (people chatting about rules systems, history and so on). I also do not see so many battle reports or reviews. Instead, LAF seems to mainly be longstanding (sometimes very longstanding) ongoing threads where people either blog about their hobby model projects or show of their latest painted miniatures (or both). The standard of painted models and dioramas on LAF seems extremely high, as in competition-level talent, which is also not like a normal forum in my experience. I do not see a whole lot of games being discussed or played here... just a lot more focus on hobby-modeling and painting.

Is that assessment accurate?

On a related note, I am looking for a good forum to start sharing my own gaming adventures. I play most of my games solo or with the kids and I'd like a place to share photos and battle reports. The games I play are all from the 1990's... with extremely few exceptions, I do not play anything that wasn't printed between 1990 and the end of 1999. That's just my weird quirk, I don't know how to explain it. But as a result of that quirk, there are no dedicated game forums that are suitable (i.e. where else could someone post battle reports about games that have been dead for a quarter century?). Is LAF really the best place for this kind of content? If not, would you please make recommendations? I've tried TMP and it's a Plan B of mine, but I am not a huge fan of the culture on that forum.

[Inkpaduta]

I don't know. I feel most of the post are about what someone has painted or an AAR of the game they just played.
With that said I don't think there are many threads dealing with new games ect but there are some. Also, people do
ask questions of their fellow gamers for help on a project or finding figures ect.

[tin shed gamer]

The simple answer is you've just not rooted through the boards enough to find the sort of thing you personally click with.
Pop up a post on or about the your game or the aspect you find interesting.
But your right this place isn't like other forums. It's populated by grown ups. If you have a personal view or take on a subject that's fine. But you better have the receipts to back up that view.
In short 'pictures or it didn't happen.'
Having a conversation on a subject is expected. Looking for an argument isn't tolerated in any form.
The moderators here are fair and honest in their approach. It's often portrayed by those on other groups and Forums as Elitist. Simply because the standards of conduct of both the moderators and contributors.
You'll find that opinion is often held by armchair generals who look for arguments . Your not going to find them here.
What you will find is shared interests , intelligent quizzing of your work/ posts. Advice and constructive criticism which on the whole will be accompanied by examples.

So please dip your toe in post a few battle reports or add a post to the latest game played thread and guage if you get the type of interaction you feel is right for you and your interests.
Because there are gamers, sculptors, game designer,and manufacturers lurking in this hive mind of eccentricity.

[fred]

As you say a lot of what is posted on LAF is around painting and modelling and often of a high standard. But that’s not to say that is all that is posted - it is perhaps that a few posters are very diligent in updating their threads, with quality content.

Lots of us post other stuff - but are often much more erratic at updating as we flit from project to project. As TSG says have a dig around in the sub-fora that suit your games. Due to the volume of posts it does at times feel some threads rather get lost, and perhaps don’t attract the volume of posts they deserve, but that is perhaps a consequence of the forum being busy.

I do think you will find interest here in 1990s games - there are plenty of people who remember games of that era (and earlier) fondly.

LAF couldn’t be less like TMP - which is a very good thing in my opinion.

[AKULA]

Personally...LAF is about INSPIRATION...ADVICE...and ENCOURAGEMENT

Sculpts

Painting

Terrain

Games

You want advice? There is someone here that can help (and 9/10 probably will).

So if you want to share your adventures...please do - it can inspire others...but that means photos, and a decent AAR, not just a link to your thread - and the more you post, the more you will get back in terms of encouragement, and motivation. Oh...and there are plenty of old gits on here who also play games from before the Millennium 

You want to "be right on the internet"...there is a different forum elsewhere for that... you want to be "edgy" and a bit "sweary", or don't want an edit key...again, there is a different Forum that will welcome you... but honestly, these days the inspiration is right here on LAF.

 

[modelwarrior]

For me this forum is so much fresh air. Everybody is polite and helpful and lots of positive feedback for old and new gamers.
 As mentioned above just dip in and lurk or post to your hearts content. Just leave religion,politics and the rest of that shite to other well known off topic forums.

[carlos marighela]

Plenty of examples of discussions of rule systems, plentiful discussions about figures, lots of discussion around history, indeed there's far more of this than on most other wargaming forums. You just need to look for it. Pose a question here and you are far more likely to get an informed opinion or useful link than you would on TMP. You are also spared all the Argentine spam, the MAGA politics that seems to intrude upon any topic post 1945 or the creepy presence of the 'Editor in Chief' and his odd sexual peccadiloes.

LAF is properly run, well moderated and lively. Far more active topics on LAF than any comparable forum. It's moderated by members and doesn't rely on exploiting vulnerable folk in the developing world to run. It also doesn't disappear for an hour or two every day because it's still running on 1990s software.

[Aethelflaeda was framed]

For me this forum is so much fresh air. Everybody is polite and helpful and lots of positive feedback for old and new gamers.
 As mentioned above just dip in and lurk or post to your hearts content. Just leave religion,politics and the rest of that shite to other well known off topic forums.

A certain lack of contemporary politics, unevenly purged elsewhere,  is the norm here, and is very welcome.

[syrinx0]

LAF couldn’t be less like TMP .

Thank the moderators for that!

[Dean]

If you dig a bit you’ll find pretty much everything, and the great thing about the structure is you can deep dive on your favourite periods, but search across everything.  There’s also the what I painted this month and what I just played threads that are generally interesting.  Personally, I’m logging what I’m doing for me, if others get something out of it that’ great, and I do like it when someone comments, but I won’t get mad if nobody does. Likewise I enjoy seeing what everyone else is up to, sometimes I chip in, mostly I just enjoy.  This is just a fun place to hang out with a load of people like me, and nobody who needs to bring me down to make themselves feel clever, how wonderful is that!

[jon_1066]

Post it and they will come.

Basically post a report or some figures you’ve painted and people will probably interact with it, especially something characterful or slightly different and only playing games from the 90’s ticks both boxes!

Only caveat is the minis.  Must have minis or it won’t get much traction.  They can be tiny but modelling, models, painting, scenery, etc is definitely the focus.

[Tactalvanic]

What Akula said, and more.

Pretty much this is my first stop regards anything related to miniatures/gaming/etc hobby.

As others have said to, its a good balanced forum with a huge wealth of information related to the hobby in it, across all subjects and fields and rulesets of all vintages.

If you dig deep enough or simply post a question, you will get responses, information, discussion and feedback from many like minded (and not) people, which is just great.

REally never found a place on the net anywhere else like it.

[Cat]

The encouragement and positive waves are strong here.
 
Welcome aboard!

[Belligerentparrot]

I'm one of the much less active folk on this forum (small child, small house, busy job = not much hobby time these days), but I absolutely second the comments about inspiration. I hang around here to keep inspired about a hobby I don't have a huge amount of time to pursue. (I also mostly play, when I do, a game from the early 90s that GW never actually got around to releasing - and which has other enthusiasts on this board. I don't think anything is too niche for LAF).

You're right the standard of painting etc. is very high here, but the environment for all aspects of hobbying is remarkably supportive. I have THE FEAR of painting, and when I posted about this, every single response was supportive and encouraging and made very clear people here would like to see what I manage, no matter how beginner-level it was. These responses made clear that the forum is just for anyone who wants to share their hobby adventures, be that gaming, painting, converting, etc.

Most importantly, this forum has an excellent group of moderators who have a fair but strict policy on keeping LAF free from all the arguments, insults, provocative political statements etc. that turn so much of the internet into a cesspool. If you do post something you'll get genuine, constructive, supportive, feedback - even if the poster disagrees with you.
   

[Cubs]

Not much to add to what's already been said, except perhaps that reading the site rules is a good idea, because this forum does actually follow its own rules pretty strictly, which might seem a bit of a strait jacket at first, but actually allows for a much more pleasant atmosphere. There's not much small talk or general chat, it's all around the hobby, even if it's a fairly light link, like photos from a holiday with castles or a child's school project.

We disagree sometimes, but petty arguments and unpleasantness gets shut down much more quickly than I've found elsewhere, which keeps the air sweet. Generally we play nice together and everyone is only too happy to give advice when requested and encouragement when required. As for posting, post what you like and it will bring like-minded people to you; everyone has something to add that others will be interested in. Don't worry if you don't get a lot of replies, because we all lurk more than we post, but keep going.

I'm a painter more than anything (mostly old 80's fantasy models), but like everyone else, my interests also lie in other areas and I often crop up in random topics from time to time, either to ask questions or inflict my own nonsense on others. It's a good place and easy going, without being so loose to be unregulated chaos. Welcome in.