Minimalism and wargaming: possible?

[Conquistador]

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.

It just doesn't float my boat for some reason.  I think it is a cool idea (local war gamer is also Lego fanatic and he gave this really nice Zorro Lego figure which will debut some day a statute in a game) but I just never found it striking my buttons enough to make me want to convert everything to Legos...

Gracias,

Glenn

[Oldben1]

The Lego thing is funny because I've used some of the weird pieces in some of my sci if builds!

I would like to have boxes filled with stuff to the rafters but it's not in the cards for me.  My Dad is an amateur blacksmith and a bit of a hoarder (I'm not exaggerating).   I've decided that to level out the stuff that I bring in by taking some of the stuff out that I'm not using anymore.

By the way, this seems like a great thread to sell some stuff! . Would any of you like to buy some terrain?

[Too Bo Coo]

I flit between 25/20/15mm scales.  I like 25mm for skirmish, 20mm for larger zombie games and post-apoc and 15mm for FOW.  Most of my major terrain is HO/1:72 scale buildings which I find quite easy to store.  I cant see myself making any 25mm terrain aside from a couple of resin Dark Ages buildings before I make the move to Russia....

[von Lucky]

As stated this hobby is different things to different people. It's only when you start eating your miniatures that I think your wargaming friends should step in.

I subscribe to the "sell it if you're not going to at least paint it in the next 5 years" doctrine. This has been easy for my 40k miniatures, but harder for the historical stuff. I figure that the "Damn, why did I sell those Romans" is countered by the "Glad I sold those Romans, as I can get the new ones out now".

I have been reorganising my collection, prepping and painting as much as possible.

Painting a new thing each month has definitely helped, as has been joining this forum this year to get motivated. I may not be the best painter or modeller, but I'll be the best I can be.

[Centaur_Seducer]

I try to go for table size as my filter. I try to stay away from everything more bigger than 3x3.
Luckily, my gaming club is 4 minutes away with the tram, and all gaming friends mostly live in this area

[Dr DeAth]

I've started to simplify my wargaming life - I've converted my garage to a gaming room with a permanent 8x4 table and storage. 

With a few exceptions, I'm sticking to 28mm as my eyesight doesn't let me paint the smaller scales any more. I've sold a lot of my 15mm armies and terrain already and will be selling off the rest next year. 

Terrain does seem to be one of the determining factors. For me the terrain makes the game; good buildings, trees etc make all the difference. Personally I don't like to see well painted figures on felt cloths with plastic trees etc.  So terrain has become the key driver in deciding what periods I game.  I am building adobe/mediterranian houses so I can do Pirates, Darkest Africa, VSF, WW2 Crete/North Africa, western gunfights/Zorro, 7TV and zombies. My Robin Hood project requires different terrain but this will also allow me to do Medievals, Operation Sealion, Dad's Army, VSF and others.

So to minimalise my wargaming I'm sticking to one scale and only making terain when it can be used for multiple games/periods.

[former user]

Minimalism? why?
opimizing? of course!

play certain wargames in the appropriate tactical scale, with the appropriate scale of miniatures and the appropriate rules.
Means: don't waste Your time with trending

Examples:
28mm is for skirmish rules, not for waterloo. You like painting napoleonics, games skirmishes with them.
You prefer painting 28mm, play the appropriate wargames with it. Support friends who play napoleonic battles or WW2 Kursk, then you can join in. Concentrate on what You like to do most productionwise or playwise, and join others to do the other stuff.
Share your projects with others and let them participate.
We are only that many wargamers in the world, it is absolutely pointless collecting the same scale/period and then argueing about it which rules are best. Better cooperate. Every frustrated wargamer is a buddy less to game with.
Be friendly and appreciative and you will get to play a lot of games you wouldn't have wanted to collect.
On the other hand don't waste Your time with arrogant and manipulative assholes...
life is too short for that.

Wargaming miniatures is about the people you play with, the stuff you do it with is secondary.
I have never seen foodies in a restaurant discussing the cutlery they are using, they were concentrating on the meal.
They were also not spitting into the other's bowl if he appearantly enjoyed his food more....

but sorry, You were asking about the accessoires, not the spirit
happy holidays

[beefcake]

6mm skirmish game played on a 30cm by 30cm space. I wonder if there is a market in that.

[joroas]

or there is.......



in 5mm

[FramFramson]

all things in moderation.

That includes minimalist philosophy BTW.

I always say, "Everything in moderation... including moderation."

[Conquistador]

6mm skirmish game played on a 30cm by 30cm space. I wonder if there is a market in that.

Why spend money to buy what I already have?      

Gracias,

Glenn

[Paddy649]

I minimalised 20+ years ago.  Single scale 15mm was the way to go.  15mm WW2, 15mm Napoleonic, 15mm Ancients/Mediaevals, 15mm Renaissance, 15mm Fantasy and 15mm Sci-Fi.

...so for minimalist just read single scale and about a 5% saving on some scenery pieces.....other than that just as much stuff as ever!

[Oldben1]

I noticed a couple interesting points, especially about trends.  Kickstarter has seemed to make things worse in the short run, although it provides a lot of new miniatures.  I would definitely like to get more games in but my favourite part is building the terrain.

[Lowtardog]

I have been good though had a blip this year finally getting finances sorted out after divorce and part of the minimalisation was due to that

So I have now

FIW British
Samurai
Fantasy highland dwarf army
Renniasance Orcs and Dwarves
Celtos undead
Celtos Gael
Still after many moons retained my Eureka Portuguese
Retained my Quar - only a few bits still to do

Diversions

Dreadball - though as pseudo board game can play without painting
A few cowboys to get back into playing thru dead mans hand.


Beleive me that is minimalisation compared to what I have done in the past and the above 6 projects have been collected over the last 3 years and I tend to stick around these and add figures now and again. FIW being the only new project started this last year

[Pijlie]

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.

Warning! Minimalizing your waregaming may lead to chess.