"Is gaming the Zulu War insensitive in this day and age?" Topic

1) Yes, if a politician revealed he played, his career would be finished.
2) Yes, but I don't care.
3) No, it's a game/history/or it's not relevant to this day and age.
4) What is the Zulu War?

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I understand that, among ordinary members of the Zulu people, the answer is 4. That brief conflict isn't a particularly important part of their history.

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3) No, it's a game/history/or it's not relevant to this day and age.

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3. Don't do the Nam, too painful.

Dave

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can't really see the downside, it's not like the zulus didn't go down swinging, and iirc they're still rather proud of how they accounted themselves. The war plays to the cultural myths of both peoples. Then again, I can see how playing sioux wars may upset some, and I wouldn't argue against their right to be so.

Fortunately wargamers do not care about politicians and even better, so far it goes the other way round.
So it would only be bad if you could not whistle Men of Harlech while rolling the dice or shouting usutu.

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I'm Scottish born so I object to anyone fighting Romans against Picts.
But wait. One of my grandfathers was English therefore I don't want any mention of Hastings either.
But wait. My wife has a German heritage so no one should even think of fighting Napoleon's campaign in Prussia. Or WW1. Or WW2.
Come on everyone. Let's push political correctness to the outer edges of sanity.

Everyone has their own thing.

I won't play colonials for a variety of reasons but I don't mind if others do.

I'm not sure why the whole phantom Political Correctness has been mentioned. *Outside the hobby itself*, I can't think of the last time the wider world even took notice of what historical gamers were up to, apart from anti-war demo's outside a couple of conventions, and that was back in the mid/early 80s. I'd like to be corrected if anyone knows different, mind you.

As for Fantasy gaming, well we all know of the attacks on Dungeons and Dragons, and I think there was a fairly mild criticism of the the ultra-bleak 40K Universe in an article in one of the broadsheets.

But no,can't think of any 'PC' attacks on historical gamers or specific periods off the top of my head, from the AK47 rules to Force on Force.

I did notice a post on the BoW site that had a bit of trepidation regarding the upcoming Congo rules, but,again, that was from within the hobby.

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After all, no one hesitates to massacre Cossacks in droves and as someone with a Ukrainian grandmother I don't object

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I am 100% Irish American ancestry, and cannot figure out why I almost always take English or British side if given a choice.
Maybe because I am a wargamer.

Re-enactors have taken a few lumps in the US, but I don't remember the last time I even saw miniatures gaming mentioned in the news.

The ratio of "fretting about political correctness" to actual "political correctness" posts on TMP is about 10 to 1, at a cautious estimate ;)

"The ratio of "fretting about political correctness" to actual "political correctness" posts on TMP is about 10 to 1, at a cautious estimate ;)"

This is very true.

No Opinion.

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Gaming and reading about the Anglo-Zulu War has actually given me an immense respect for the Zulu people and their struggle against the British Empire.

I could see how someone might take offense, but I usually find that people who do so don't really bother to try to understand context, purpose, or alternative perspectives to their own.

3)

if a politician revealed he played, his career would be finished.

I also agree with this, but not confined to the Zulu War.

The choices you offer us seem to be mixed between referring to our reaction or the reaction of people generally. An educated, thoughtful person certainly says 3, but I live in California and wouldn't want to play one of these games in public.

So the answer should be 3, but while 1 might overstate the case, there is certainly going to be awkwardness in some contexts.

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The number of the counting shall be three.

We game to escape reality. BTW, I find it mildly ironic that the question would be posed by some who goes by "Flashman14!!!"

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3 Really? Some people need to get a life

99 out of a 100 would say 4, the 1 out of 10000 are gamers and the would say let's play.

I don't need to justify or legitimise my historical wargaming periods at the altar of political correctness. It's toy soldiers, simple.

3.

Reasons:

a) It's just bloody toy soldiers.
b) See a).
c) No, really, it's just bloody toy soldiers.

1 and you're a racist for even asking. Just kidding.

I go with 3 and damn the PC hyper-sensitive types.

What 'altar of political correctness'? What 'PC hyper-sensitive types?' Has there been any recent attempts by those outside the hobby to limit the gaming of any war, the sale of any figures or rules?

All I read here is self-censorship (or, more accurately, self-governance) like "I won't game anything Vietnam or later" "I won't game any war that is ongoing" and that sort of thing. I don't think I've ever read about Agents of Political Correctness calling at your door because you were thinking of getting into Zulu Wars gaming.

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I'll finish up my Zulus tonite if I get to offend someone with a game.

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matter of fact although I didn't recognize from the pictures, I picked up a 15mm resin set of the Roarke's Drift compound (minus the final redoubt) from that estate auction a couple of months ago.

May get rid of it as I don't currently do Colonials, but it is tempting.

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Christopher

Had anyone ever actually received a sour reaction from someone for playing a Zulu War game???

Some people thrive on the idea that someone else, often imaginary, would disapprove of them.

I've never ever heard of it happening though I'm sure someone will have a story about that one time at bandcamp :)

There were cases in the 1980s in the UK of disruptions to shows including pickets at the door. I also remember a letter to Miniature Wargames magazine calling us "a bunch of anally retentive militarists who regretted being born too late to join the SS". Since then the Useful Fools have decided to get lives and leave us alone.

And that was due to playing a zulu wars mini game?

No they were protests against wargaming in general.

So some people 35 years ago in the UK?

I'll probably sleep pretty soundly tonight ;)

I mean, heck, people tried to ban rock music in the US and I've been listening to Misery Index and Testament all day today.