"What's with the Hat?" Topic

I have just ordered a reproduction Pickelhaube which I have wanted for a long time – just to have it. I think it was an impression made on me by Colonel Klink in Hogan's heroes as a child. I reckon it to be the ultimate desk ornament. Now, I like to collect helmets and hats but has anyone lost the plot enough to either wear a particular hat, uniform item or dress-up when playing a wargame? Has anyone ever done so in public?

Yes !

Was a little drunk one night at a house party, and my GF insisted we play 'dress ups' from my collection She looked good in the uniform of an officer of the Red army missile corps, and I was in a Major's uniform from the East German Grenztruppen der DDR

Living near the beach, we thought it might a good plan to go for a walk. So we headed down to the square at about 1am. (Weekend near the beach = lots and lots of people out partying).

Long story short – we ended up joining another private party at the insistence of some filthy rich Russian oligarch type of bloke from Melbourne, who was over here celebrating the feast of St Basil or some such thing. A random encounter that only occurred because of the bizarre uniforms we were wearing.

A good night was had by all ! Life is way too short not to be a little silly sometimes.

A Picklehaube is a must – would love to add one of those to my collection. Let us know how you go with that.

Yes a few times we've had the obligatory kepi for ACW , shako's for Naps and even a few Norman helmets for Dark Ages . Oddly enough for a laugh i convinced some non-wargamer friends at thier intro game to wargaming to wear some helmets with horns on them as if that were the norm , they were quite accepting of it all as if it were part of the whole wargaming experience .

Wher eis the Picklehaube from ? is it local in Australia ?

I tend to wear different hats when I play VBCW games. I have a choice of flat cap, brown bowler and military tam'o'shanter… :o) For Salute this year some of us dressed totally in 1930's style clothes for the VBCW game.

Mick

For some reason that I cannot explain, if you give someone a hat to wear whilst they are wargaming, it brings out the actor in them, and they seem to begin to behave in character.

I have quite a few wargaming hats, including a picklehaube, a feldmutze, several Russian pilotkas, and a ushanka.

One thin though … I never wear a hat when wargaming on my wn; that would be weird!

A few years ago, I ran a massive Pirate Game…prize to be awarded to the winner.

In order to play, you had to be in costume…

It made the game MUCH more fun, as before the game, we had a "fashion contest/show", (judged by a Goth chick no less), and the points you got on the fashion show, were then converted into additional points that you could use to buy extra guns, crew, and ammo for your ship….

It was fantastic….

When I play ACW games, I usually wear my forage cap…

Yes, at Colonial Barracks last year I wore my "Indiana Jones" hat when I ran my Darkest Africa and my "Montana" hat when I played in a US Marines vs Sandinista game. I plan on wearing my "Montana" hat again at Bayou Wars when I run a US Marines vs Chinese Warlord Back of Beyond game.

Jim

Great story Steve!
Pith Helmet purchased in Singapore. Worn while playing Zulu wars and Sudan games.

In 2009 we held a seven years war weekend to celebrate the 1759 Battle of Ticonderoga. Apart from lots of great games the weekend included an 18th style full dinner with us all dressed as various 18th chaps, I was a Pirate for my sins. great fun with lots of doffing of suitable hats, tricornes, etc. Great fun had by all!

Yes. I once hosted a Rorke's Drift Demo game at a convention wearing a pith helmet. The game had great athmosphere. The Zulu players could gain charge bonuses if they yelled their battlecry hard enough….