Minimalism and wargaming: possible?

[grant]

http://soldatetain.wordpress.com/2013/12/23/minimalism-and-wargaming/

I am trying to simplify my gaming life. Can it be done? If you have thought similarly, please have a read (it's not that long) and let me know what you think.

[Oldben1]

Hey,
I totally agree with you.  I've been gaming now for almost 10 years and have found myself flitting from game to game.  After I read your blog I did a quick inventory of all the games I have.  There is a lot of terrain and games I have not played in a long time, and I may have to retire from building terrain because at some point I'm going to run out of space.  I'm going to donate some of my terrain and I've decided to switch to smaller scales.   I've invested in some 10mm dungeon terrain to satisfy my fantasy interest, and I'm going to look into 15mm sci if.

 I love 28mm, but it takes up so much room.  My Innsmouth table is 3 full copy paper boxes.  Good Luck!

[Mitch K]

It is my considered opinion that minimalism is to wargaming as morris dancing is to being cool and hip.

[Conquistador]

Interesting approach.   

I think the terrain aspect really is the key.   

Terrain (especially my 25+ mm Adobe town) often determines what you do and in what sized space you play/store stuff.

While I can do Zorro, New Spain to historical Mediterranean era battles,  Fantasy, SF, and VSF in the same 25+ mm buildings they really are glorified small unit skirmish games and not decent sized battles.  Is that what I want or am I limiting myself?  I think that would be the latter.

Aero is king to me but I find that there is the temptation to do 1/600th, 1/300th, 1/144th or 1/200th (I have seen claims of both for Wings of Glory/Wings of War *,)  or even 1/72nd (local group, not me,) even there.  I am currently entirely 1/600th for that and I hope to stick to that scale solely for winged warfare.

So of course, I do naval in 1/6000th...    but then I may just drop the whole naval war game thing in the future.     That would be a minimal effort since I have such a (no pun intended) small collection of these ships.

Seriously, this is something I am dealing with from the perspective of retirement/space in an apartment versus the current 5 bedroom house with basement viewpoint so I have given much thought to this issue. 

I really think I will end with several scales (mostly 1/600th historical armies, majority of battle forces in 15 mm [plus they would be good for SF skirmish, VSF skirmish, and Supers,] and, other than a much reduced "l1970s legacy" dwarf army - no more than a half dozen small {6 to 10 figure teams in 25+ mm.} 

Potentially the 25+ mm figures would be for FRPG/Fantasy skirmish, SF skirmish, VSF skirmish, probably Zorro, possibly Supers, for playing games with people who game in that size figures - the Zorro figures could cross from RPG to Supers to VSF to possibly even FRPG so some teams may share figures.  I currently know people who only play in 25+ mm sized games and I expect that will continue in my lifetime (though I seriously think it will represent more and more a reduced percentage of the hobby in the future) to be a significant part of the gaming scene.

Terrain will be mostly 15 mm and 1/600th since the 25+ mm figures are for potentially playing in other people's terrain/games.  Selling/giving away the Adobe buildings will really be painful/difficult.       

While this not "one scale armies/terrain" that I originally considered I think it is  realistic plan that emphasizes the realities of my life after 2016, (Good Lord Willing,) while allowing me to not shut myself out of cooperative/participation gaming with others who like the larger figures.

Gracias,

Glenn
*

WW1 Wings of Glory Line « Ares Games
www.aresgames.eu/games/ww1-wings-of-glory-line‎
The WW1 series of Wings of Glory is an easy, fun to play, fast and furious system ... to play Wings of Glory, includes two airplanes in 1/144 scale, fully assembled ...

WW2 Wings of Glory Line « Ares Games
www.aresgames.eu/games/ww2-wings-of-glory-line‎
The WW2 series of Wings of Glory is an easy, fun to play, fast and furious system ... to play model in 1/200 scale, including a maneuver deck and gaming base.

[Conquistador]

It is my considered opinion that minimalism is to wargaming as morris dancing is to being cool and hip.

War gaming nerds are seldom viewed as cool or hip in my experience...  

Gracias,

Glenn

[jp762]

Did the same this year myself. Almost.
Got rid of 6 painted and 7 unpainted armies and a heap of GW scenery (unassembled), seven rules systems and around 2000 unpainted (various) miniatures ranging from SotR, AEWW2, Necro, Inquisitor, all 40K, and stuff I've forgotten.
Kept zombies, various survivors/adventurers/Dr who types (all for 7TV/DWMG), some wild west and WW2 British Paras and German armies.
Its still a whole rooms worth but now most of its painted and the lead pile is around 200....

Prompted to cut back by a bloody back injury that damaged nerves to my (painting) right hand.
I now paint like a lethargic, geriatric, zombified, slug.
North America now moves faster than I paint.

[janner]

I believe that a hobby is about doing what works for you.

If you enjoy the excitement of each new project, then don't worry about being a butterfly.

If you prefer a more ordered approach, then forum painting challenges or a planned event can be a great way of keeping focus, but if you stop enjoying it then don't beat yourself up.

Whatever floats your boat  

[grant]

It is my considered opinion that minimalism is to wargaming as morris dancing is to being cool and hip.

I was going to use some of the money to buy a morris dancing outfit. So, you're saying that's a bad idea? Dang it...

[grant]

@janner - thanks man. 

@Conq - I forgot I actually have all the Wings WW1 stuff too. That's a collection, though ... 

@ben - scale is where I get stuck. I love the 6mm for the size, a full table is SMALL; but the infantry aren't big enough. Tried 15mm, didn't like them, so up to 28mm, but then a bigger table is needed... conundrum!

@jp672 - sorry to hear about your injury; it's an unfortunate way to have to cut back, I am grateful that mine is by choice. Hope things get better!

[Oldben1]

I'm finding 15mm a little tough as well, just in terms of the miniatures themselves, the sculpts ( or my eyes maybe) just are not as detailed.  For the price and the space though, it makes sense to me.  We're lucky on this forum because there is so much in every scale, and every genre.

[Mitch K]

I was going to use some of the money to buy a morris dancing outfit. So, you're saying that's a bad idea? Dang it...

Don't. Just don't. I used to work with a bloke who had a really bad fall and broke his leg. He went to see his old university supervisor and the conversation went like this

Supervisor: Good god what happned to you
Colleague (limping terribly): I fell and broke my leg really badly, and I can't mrris dance any more.
Supervisor: Oh well, some good came of it then!

[grant]

Don't. Just don't. I used to work with a bloke who had a really bad fall and broke his leg. He went to see his old university supervisor and the conversation went like this

Supervisor: Good god what happned to you
Colleague (limping terribly): I fell and broke my leg really badly, and I can't mrris dance any more.
Supervisor: Oh well, some good came of it then!

 

[Conquistador]

Don't. Just don't. I used to work with a bloke who had a really bad fall and broke his leg. He went to see his old university supervisor and the conversation went like this

Supervisor: Good god what happned to you
Colleague (limping terribly): I fell and broke my leg really badly, and I can't mrris dance any more.
Supervisor: Oh well, some good came of it then!

That was funny.

Gracias,

Glenn

[traveller]

If I should go minimalistic I would choose a scale and a terrain/scenery/building type and then only game what would fit historically to that terrain. Now I am into snow, desert, forests, towns, medieval fortresses and god knows what. Maybe I should join you 

[FramFramson]

You know, there's one way you can play 28mm scale, have the capability to put just about any physical terrain on the table you want, yet store it all in a few simple flat boxes that take up little space:

Lego.