Tuesday 19 May 2020

A very virtual hobby

Sometimes, I confess that I just set up a table layout with no intention of playing a game... just to admire the tabletop narrative presented, without having to actually roll any dice, or make any decisions!
Last weekend, I set up a little photo shoot with my successors. I particularly wanted to capture the moment just before the clash of pike blocks...





I suppose one might count that as 'Virtually wargaming", but that wasn't the meaning of this post title.
No, I was referring to the inventiveness of the online hobbyist.
I have noticed many people coming up with ways of sharing their wargaming activities of late, and I am sure you have too.

Not least was the "Partizan in the Cloud" initiative at the weekend. Well done to Laurence and Tricks for making this an enjoyable event as people from all corners of the hobby shared photos and videos... Particularly good to see were the photos from so many past Partizans.

It got me looking back through my own photo albums, and particulary through the Neerfuncken display game photos from August 2017.

And, coupled with Henry Hyde's contribution to the Partizan reminiscing, this caused my mid-18th century tastebuds to become whetted!

I may just get that collection out onto the tabletop this weekend, and have a little game!











Other virtual activities continue apace...
My son even reported that he has an online Diplomacy game on the go, and I know of one professional (and well-known) ballroom dancer who is running zoom D&D games with a group of pals!

Our own Virtual Wargames Club goes from strength to strength.
Last weekend's session had us chatting about rule sets, and in particular considering the proportion of rule sets owned to those actually played, regularly. We also discussed the tendency to create home -brewed rules, and yet the advantage of playing certain commercial sets so that one may turn up at a club anywhere and join in a game.

We are on again this Saturday at 1700 UK time... A relaxed, informal gathering of wargamers... Some of whose names will be familiar to you! 
If you'd like to join in, all the details you need to be there are on the right hand side of this blog. Just send me an email in advance and I'll send out the appropriate invitation. Simple.
You will find knowledge, expertise, experience, and more than a little inspiration.
Look forward to meeting you.

Meantime, hop over to my Classic Wargaming blog where I reminisce on the 2006 Partizan showing of Sittangbad...
link

8 comments:

  1. Please send me the Zoom link for this weekend's meeting when you can, Phil. I got confused about the meeting time last weekend and somehow thought it was 17:00 my time here in the U.S., which would have made it very late at night in the U.K. I realized rather sheepishly later. I was rereading one of The Wargamer's Annuals from a few years ago a night or two ago, and in particular a piece on rule sets by the late Stu Asquith in which he made the point that he preferred fairly simple rules that allowed the players to get on with actually playing the game, moving their troops, using clever period tactics, having fun, and etc. Yes, there are advantages to commercial rules, but the time and energy to learn their nuances increasingly is off-putting to me although it took me many, many years to realize it. I've been tinkering with my own, which owe a great deal to Messrs. Featherstone and Asquith admittedly, the last few years. I'm trying to come up with a set that can be committed to memory and provides reasonably good games. I've just about given up on attempts at so called realism, which isn't really why we play with shiny toy soldiers anyway. Who among us wants to go through the hunger, fatigue, anxiety, boredom, and constant threat of a sudden and violent death? I'll stick to tabletop games I think. Hope to see you Saturday.

    Best Regards,

    Stokes

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  2. No worries about last weekend Stokes. The invitation for this weekend's meeting will be sent Friday. Agree with you about rules. They need to create a plausible game of toy soldiers. I'm working on the finishing touches to rules for both the mid-18C Pils Holstein collection, and also the Vaubarian Succession early 18C project. Both sets are very near
    Y done... Just some enjoyable testing through gameplay to do. See you Saturday. Best regards. Phil

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  3. Like you, last weekend rewhetted my appetite for the 18th century. Just need to get these damn Galatians finished first.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Paul. The 18C is always my 'constant' whatever else I'm working on... And I always come back to it. Best regards. Phil

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  4. Great to see your Neerfuncken pics.

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    Replies
    1. Thx Tidders. It was a very enjoyable layout to produce. Cheers. Phil

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  5. Super set up as always Phil, thanks for showing those pics again.
    Chris

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