Hi, Walt here. I run a gaming camp for kids once a year in August. It's a one week long event that is VERY focused on miniatures, but I add in boardgames with a high negotiation/storytelling component to them to the mix every year-- in particular, Cosmic Encounters, The Resistance, and Room 25 (I have run Fluxx, Werewolf, and a few others as well, but only as filler while I'm setting up the next big event).
The format and theme is Fantasy and Science Fiction. That was an easy decision to make-- the kids are attracted to big, colorful games that have lots of flair.
I set up a paint station and as I had some donated sprues from WARGAMES FACTORY (thanks, Dixie), I made it available to them. Chris Johnson (who is here on TMP.. yes, I have your glasses, I'll get them to you). Most days started the game as early as possible and it would run until 1500, almost non stop unless we were switching.
Here are the AARs if you have any interest:
MONDAY: The Magi (my 54mm Wizard spellcasting game) link
TUESDAY: Big Danged Boats (my 15mm Fantasy naval game) link
WEDNESDAY: BDB part 2 link
THURSDAY: X-Wing Miniatures link
FRIDAY: Zombietown USA (rules developed in camp) link
The MONSTER HIT OF THE WEEK by far and away, was the Big Danged Boats game. It's big and colorful and ridiculous. It appeals to youngsters and adults. So it was no surprise that it went two days- normally I schedule for a game a day but this year I decided to do BDB two days in a row, but they wanted it to go three days! X-Wing is also a great game for this crowd -- they readily figured out the mechanics, and after a while the game was running itself which is always my goal. Zombietown is a game designed by the 2008 camp and revised by the 2012 camp. It's simple and campy and the perfect way to end the week.
My goals for next year will be to run two new things-- I have an idea about a Spaceport Bar fight game with Gafdoz miniatures and I also want to do a Zeppelin fighting game.
The content wasn't historical, but in my experience, that's not a problem. Previous campers have graduated to running historical games and I am still getting enthusiastic correspondence from kids I had back in 2008, asking me to look at their WWI skirmish rules. My work is done. Scratch that: ongoing.
Anyway, we had a blast, I find this thing very rejuvenating, and I thought I'd share. Thanks for your kind attention.
V/R
Walt O'Hara
thanks everyone who helped after her family's recent fire.
