Why skirmish versus larger games?

[Elbows]

Sendak actually hit on a rather important part here.

I've adopted, so to speak, a method of one of my fellow gamers.  My buddies and I are long-time gamers, but all recovering GW gamers as well.  We found it very difficult to get everyone interested in a certain period or game or system.  We now have a "host your game" philosophy whereby a single gamer who takes interest in a period will host the entire game.  The others simply partake in the game...and buy miniatures if they become thoroughly interested.

For example, when I play Old West I normally run Shoot N' Skedaddle, and I bring the entire table and all of the miniatures required.  A couple of my buddies have a dozen or so cowboys painted up but they don't buy full towns, build tables or invest heavily in any rules.  I have some buddies who host and run VSF games, some who love to run WW2 games etc.  Because of this system (which works quite well) it is always easier to run skirmish scaled games, because I don't have to paint up two huge forces for games.  My 40+ cowboys will cover just about any Old West game I want to run without fuss.

I am anxious to try WW2's new Chain of Command rules - but I'll likely be keeping it to small early (1939) platoon level actions...no interest in massed tank formations, huge waves of infantry, or D-Day beach scenarios! 

[Conquistador]

My "Old West" games involve soldados de cuera and presidials in California East to what would be called later the Louisianna purchase from the establishment of New Mexico up to the successful revolution by Mexico (latest date skirmish would be circa 1820, earliest the Pueblo revolt using conquistador or soldado figures depending on my mood since few locally would know when the change occurred.) 

Since soldados and presidials pretty much only come in 25+ mm figures and I prefer my battles in larger scale/smaller sized figures my western games generally have circa 6 soldados, several indio scouts or armed militia versus small raiding parties plus assorted civilians. Also all my adobe buildings are in 25+ size.

Now if there were soldados (and Presidials, plus adobe buildings,) in scale larger than 6 mm and smaller than 20 mm then I might be tempted to do larger battles.  So far I have not found them...

Gracias,

Glenn