How do you Complete a Wargame?

[WallyTWest]

***Edit***
Not my board- this is Somthing I saw at a convention. I found an additional photo of it on the Internet. It is here to illustrate a concept. I take no credit.


A complete board, with player aids, enjoying a detailed level of presentation. This is the ideal I strive for. And as a 30 year old man, I have begun to achieve it very suddenly with many systems at once.

I've participated in these boards with the intent of exploring my hobby- and with a few games in piticular. However it has occurred to me I had not considered how to bring these projects to conclusion- in fact very rarely unless it's a club game or recreation of a piticular scenerio have I seen it documented.

My Wargaming Brothern- when you reach a point you find suitable as a stoping point how do you approach the problem? Finalizing a storage solution? Some sort of documentation? Completing some end photography? Solidify components and terrain? Focus on presentation?

I find this a curious problem and I wonder how it's been approached by others.

Additional Info-
Strange Aeons- I have reached a satisfactory collection of scenery and near the completion of my modeling goals (hospital will be done in the fall).

Battletech- nearly done compiling components but I intend to complete this project quickly.

Frostgrave- playing weekly at this time on my woodland fantasy board.

X-Wing- I have completed my collection: and feel no need to collect further- however I play weekly.  

Warmachine- Khador has had some new plastic multi-kits released! I need to magnetize them, and expect to greatly enjoy the process!

Personal Notes- Weekly Gaming consists of a BiWeekly schedule split between Boardgaming and Miniature Gaming excepting holiday weekends. Usual format is a game of Frostgrave and then XWing. Fall is generally considered to be Strange Aeons, Winter is Frostgrave. X-Wing enjoys a slot at the table. 4 People in attendance, looking to expand to 8 come fall.

[Elbows]

Excellent question.

I believe in concentrating on a few large projects...getting them to a very respectable/healthy level and then lingering around adding an occasional bit here and there (once you don't "need" to be forcing yourself to paint and build).  It allows me a little fun to randomly paint or buy something different/unique.  My gaming group very much instilled in me the "host a game" mentality.  So if I go into a game, I'm more than likely going to have all the terrain/figures/dice/books etc. needed to run it ---- just bring your bloated corpse over and roll some dice.

A decent way to store/carry/transport a game in its entirety is pretty necessary for me.  So I'd say when I have all the components, able to store/box/move them and I don't "need" to push myself to generate more miniatures or terrain the game is complete.

The 'over and above' bits are fun to me, but not strictly necessary...
+Sleeving cards when available
+Colour matched or colour appropriate dice or faction dice for units involved
+Historical nods to the game (ie. replica Poker cards for the 1860's when I play Old West etc.)
+Slowly creating 3D versions of counters/etc.

My Old West and Fantasy projects are complete enough that now I just add bits and bobs here and there.  I have a Gladiator project which is essentially complete and it's small scale so it occupies a couple of small boxes.  I have a Battletech project which is complete with the exception of a little bit more terrain.  So as of now I'm in good shape.

[OSHIROmodels]

So far it hasn't happened for me 

If I can I like/liked to have themed dice, dice tray, cards, props (although that's only Japanese fans for my samurai games so far), music etc. basically anything that makes it an event rather than just a game 

cheers

James

[Andym]

Wait....what?!?....you can actually finish a project?!? No one told me!

@Humakt-a game is what you make of it. I've had some great games on smaller boards. 7TV for example is suited to that.

WallyTwest-that is a lovely wee board. Brilliant execution!

[jon_1066]

That is the beauty of miniature gaming.  You can always add, amend, modify, collect more.  Get a different wizard for Frostgrave, try a new scenic setting, try a different rule set (Dragon Rampant?), add some different NPCS (I here there are some Gnolls coming), add some different soldiers, try a completely different themed warband, etc.  If something starts to become stale you can freshen it up, or play through a new campaign, make some new scenery for different scenarios, any number of things mean no game should be considered complete.

[Michi]

A wise man told me once that you can only collect what could be a complete collection. Therefore wargaming never can be, I feel. You can always add to a subject even when it is OOP and you already have everything ever published.

It never happened to me. However I understand your question.

The best and most rewarding way to "finish" a project is a presentation, I think. If you don´t have the space to set it all up in a display cabinet at home, take it to a club, gaming convention or any other public event to make it accessible to others. At least take photos and show them here! 
For me it was only milestones yet, but never a finished project I could show...

[OSHIROmodels]

The best and most rewarding way to "finish" a project is a presentation, I think. If you don´t have the space to set it all up in a display cabinet at home, take it to a club, gaming convention or any other public event to make it accessible to others. At least take photos and show them here! 

Wise words 

cheers

James

[WallyTWest]

Everyone has some great points.

-That is not my terrain. It's a board I saw at a Con a few years ago and I have seen the concept repeated several times. It's a Priviteer Press Demo Board according to my notes, but for some reason I think it is a private club board.

-Here is a picture lifted off a hobby blog of a similar board for Frostgrave. This is cool- self contained terrain, Neat simple bag for miniatures. Obviously has the transport and scenerio figured out!


Demo Bards make for intresting examples because they need to be self contained yet demonstrate the range and interest of the hobby.

@ Elbows - Great Points.
@ Jib - Again, Great points and you bring up an intresting idea of an "event"

@ Humakt - Dude, recurring theme in my gaming carrier- why no love for fixed terrain boards? In that setup there is Narative, Obsticles (Lamp Posts), Elevation and although it is designed to spark interest... It is a complete gaming scenerio itself.

"Scatter Terrain Gamers" often throw down 2-6 peices of terrain until they feel "tactically satisfied" and then move on. There is nothing wrong with that but the terrain often will lack the "Dodads" that bring it to life.

We live in parallel to other hobbies such as diorama building and model railroad. I think the picture in the original post draws from that, and there is Somthing wonderful about that terrain. Some of my better gaming experiences have been on fixed terrain club boards.

That said I do scatter terrain because I am a cheap bastard.

@ Hamakt- With Regards to a 2' Board

Yea. It's a thing and I love it. I love Deadzone, Battletech, Frostgrave, Strange Aeons, X-Wing and Warmachine because they have gotten rid of that silly 4' standard. 3' and 2' boards fit on common hotel and conventional tables with little effort. At the "cost" of increasing terrain density you can enjoy some very tactically engaging games.

Not trying to insult ya- If this is a "different" idea for you I highly recommend expermenting with smaller tabletop surfaces. Every table size has its merits- but I have found the smaller sizes have faster play times, punish poor choices and with correct terrain density have extreme merit.

@Jon - agreed, and I feel this is the correct answer- "It will never be done..." Except it needs to be at some point. And at what point do you approach the problem with the attitude of cleanup and damage control.

I have 5 Warhammer Fantasy Battle Armies... And thousands of additional unassembled points worth of empire and skaven just lying around, and no opponents whom have any interest in the games or product. I'm a sad dude- but if I had recognized I was "done" at Storm of Chaos- and had the maturity to focus on making what I had excellent- I could have had a better collection of higher merit. That is the Great "What If"- and as a consiquence I have hundreds of painted miniatures in Somthing I over invested in without stoping to take the time to manage what I had nor question the collection I was building.

@ Michi- I once got the same advice, and a similar quote brought me to this post.

What if I focused on a final presentation? Bringing these games to a point of Zen where they are a "demo level good" yet also playable as a personal project? Sort of bringing these games to the level of a graduate level product?

Taking some time to semi-professionally photograph and document would be an important step.

Pics I have taken of my stuff for you guys to enjoy.


















Last shot is actualy my favorite- My Old Warhammer General I've been using since 3rd edition just looking off into the distance...

[jon_1066]

Well one version of done would be to put on a demo game at a club or convention.  A complete fixed board or more modular affair with integral scenery plus miniatures, player aids, etc.  In that context you can have a game "done" even if you amend it later, using different rules or just different forces.

[eilif]

Seems like there's a few different threads of conversation happening here.

As for when a wargame is "complete".
 I have no idea.  I have alot of games that are completely playable but that doesn't mean I will stop.  For example, I've got 2 Necromunda gangs and enough terrain to fill a table that would be the envy of any Necro player.  However, I'm still building terrain and I've got 4 more gangs in the works!

As for the quality and useability of the terrain.
I have pretty high standards, but I don't do fixed boards.  My terrain seems uses across a multitude of games so fixing anything in place is just silly.

As for putting on a game at a convention...

I want my layouts to be as visually impressive as anything short of a sculpted fixed terrain table.  Also, I want to have enough units and/or forces available that the folks who come to play get some choice in the forces they use.   I don't give much thought to storage or transport.  Without family I can fit a HUGE amount of terrain into my Prius and though I don't have a basement or garage, I have a multifloor enclosed porch (common in Chicago buildings) where I can store terrain.

As examples, here's two of the games  I've run in the past few years.

A Mad Max Gas Truck chase game from a few years back.
http://chicagoskirmish.blogspot.com/2012/05/atomic-highway-little-wars-battle.html



This year's Adepticon Mech Attack (in 28mm) game.
http://www.chicagoskirmishwargames.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=116


I've been doing the Mech Attack game for a few years but it's still not done. I'd love to have raised foundation/sidewalk sections for my buildings to rest on, and small terrain features, and more vehicles and more.....

[warlord frod]

I guess I would say I am "done" when I have a minimum of two armys, gangs squads etc. and enough terrain to play a game. But is it ever really done? Because I usually collect more and keep adding to the game. I can play but I still have lots to paint or build so the project continues. I have very few periods or games where I do not have things yet to finish but using my first definition of "done" I am done. (Does that make sense) 

[WallyTWest]

@ Frod

No- I like where you are going!

Let's try- Frostgrave.

I just completed 2 Warbands.

Objective- "Finish It"

Enchanter Warband
Necromancers Warband
Custom Terrain for Each
Objectives
Encounters
Terrain and 2x2 Board
Custom Dice
Solidify Stylish Transport of Game
Then document it in a single post and show example game?

[warlord frod]

Thats the idea WallyTWest. Get enough done to play and then continue to tweek it until finished. 

Then there is this....

Collected and Painted foundry Wild West figures for western game
Built a paper cowboy town
Found playing cards to use with the game
Sufficient scatter terrain to make the board interesting
Law-mans badge for first player ID
Shell casings for reload markers

DONE!

4ground produces deadmans had buildings and I must have them
Black Scorpion miniatures (heroic 28's) now needed to go with my new buildings
Need more appropriately scaled scatter etc etc...

Not Done! 

[WallyTWest]

Upon further reflection- It's ok to add to a system. That's not the "problem."

I imagine Finishing a Game System has benefits-
-Reduced number of spontaneous buys.
-Presentation
-Feeling of Accomplishment
-Ability to host quality games and demos

NoOne can foresee future model releases by sister companies or needs in your gaming future- but by reaching a karmic stoping point you can cut down on model hording and reach a comfortable point in your studies.

-you forgot a cool western stile box to throw your stuff in!

[WallyTWest]

@Frod

Dude- you got some awesome options for boxing- old vintage ammo cases and cigar boxes- imagine these boxes foam lined with neatly stacked terrain, boxes of warbands and rule books!!!!