HistoryPhD | 15 May 2015 11:00 a.m. PST |
Every time I stop by the local wargaming venue or a wargamers convention, I'm struck by the fact that the historical wargamers are virtually all a bit long in the tooth. Verging on geriatric. So just as an unscientific poll, how many historical wargamers 18-40 do you know personally? All the younger ones I see are fantasy types, Warhammer, etc. |
LVLAURN | 15 May 2015 11:03 a.m. PST |
I'm 35 now, but always been a historical gamer. None in my area that I know off tho. |
DS6151 | 15 May 2015 11:05 a.m. PST |
I'm 39! (for four more months) I also play sci-fi, fantasy, superheroes, pulp, etc. |
vtsaogames | 15 May 2015 11:36 a.m. PST |
Like Terrement. When my hair was black. |
wminsing | 15 May 2015 11:45 a.m. PST |
Myself, and there's a half-dozen or so others in the local region. Why is the Upper Valley so atypical for these sorts of questions? :) -Will |
Pattus Magnus | 15 May 2015 11:56 a.m. PST |
I'm over the cut-off by a couple of years now, but I started historicals well before turning 40. The local gaming group I'm part of has recruited a steady trickle of under-40s during the past few years. One of the newer recruits, who is in his early 30s, arrived in wargaming by way of GW and mocks me for insisting on playing the "niche-iest games in the niche-iest of hobbies", but he's also now bought-in enough that he's completed his first DBA army and he's asking about trying WW2 and Napoleonics. He'll be a lifer ;) I don't think historical wargaming will be joining the dodo any time soon. |
Winston Smith | 15 May 2015 12:02 p.m. PST |
I started as a historical miniatures gamer when I was 24. Before that I was a historical boardgamer. |
Fergal | 15 May 2015 12:06 p.m. PST |
I'm under 40 for 5 more weeks. I'm primarily a historical gamer even though I run a super hero and scifi minis company. |
Fat Wally | 15 May 2015 12:19 p.m. PST |
My seven year old son started gaming with me these last six months. WW2, ECW and Gladiators…. ….Not an Orc in sight. …Though I don't do Fantasy so he's no choice really. :-) |
Fat Wally | 15 May 2015 12:19 p.m. PST |
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Grunt1861 | 15 May 2015 12:22 p.m. PST |
Warlord games seems to be helping buck the trend. It seems the kids like Warhammerish with tanks, gladius or black powder. |
KTravlos | 15 May 2015 12:44 p.m. PST |
I am 33, and I know at least 5 other historical gamers in the age groups 28-39 |
Tgerritsen | 15 May 2015 12:51 p.m. PST |
I posted here, in your other thread. TMP link I am 47, though I started playing historicals as a child. My son is 18 and started at 8, and his sister is 20 and started at 10. |
Swastakowey | 15 May 2015 1:14 p.m. PST |
I have turned 21 a few days ago. No one else my age down here unless I want to use my Sci Fi stuff, so I have to provide my own 2 armies for any historical game (double the work but double the variety of miniatures). I have noticed however, how much fun they find a lot of the Historical Rule Sets I try on them. Always they find the games fun, but for some reason none of them want to get armies for it? |
Extra Crispy | 15 May 2015 1:23 p.m. PST |
I know maybe a dozen or so. The "graying of the hobby" I am convinced, is a myth. In fact it is a hobby that requires a fair amount of cash, lots of time and space. When I was in my 20s and 30s I spent my time and money chasing women I have quite a few customers who are new or returning to the hobby after decades long layoffs, and are now in their late 30s or early 40s. |
Ping Pong | 15 May 2015 1:26 p.m. PST |
If you don't count flames of war, I know of none. If you count it then there a lot. |
Saber6 | 15 May 2015 1:37 p.m. PST |
Last Convention Game I ran (1814 Napoleonics) had 6 players, 5 under 40 by a wide margin. None were playing with their parenns Given a chance they exist. |
Legbiter | 15 May 2015 1:55 p.m. PST |
This is setting the bar a bit high, IMO. Young folks don't have either the time or the tribalism to Declare for war-gaming As Such. Interested young folks nevertheless exist, and play, and when I die, will inherit an ENORMOUS resource! |
TMPWargamerabbit | 15 May 2015 1:56 p.m. PST |
Daniel is low twenties and plays often with the napoleonics group. There is a group of high school students locally who play all periods of historical games other than FOW. |
leidang | 15 May 2015 2:17 p.m. PST |
While I am 48 we have a couple guys in their 30's and a couple guys in their 20's that game off and on with our regular group. I'd also say that we get about a half dozen under forty at the convention we run (out of about 30 historical gamers). |
Zhao Zilong | 15 May 2015 2:26 p.m. PST |
I am 31 and pretty much have only done historicals for about 12-13 years now. However the other members of my regular historical gaming group are all over 40. We do have a few younger (than me) gamers who will occasionally play historical. |
Fenwolk | 15 May 2015 2:26 p.m. PST |
I'm under twenty (just about) My father started early himself so I can claim I was a war gamer since I was a child. So maybe Vikings assaulting Royalist held ruins isn't exactly the most historical but I grew out of it and painted my first dba army 13 going on 14. I had a sci fi and fantasy twinge but that's died down, I've missed so many Salutes because of exams! |
Ed Mohrmann | 15 May 2015 2:27 p.m. PST |
We have 4 or 5 teen gamers in our group – even a couple 'occasional' teen girls, one of whom gets her BF involved |
Doug MSC | 15 May 2015 2:44 p.m. PST |
I'm the only one in my group over 60. there are two in their 50's, two in their 40's, four in their 30's, three in their 20's and six in their teens. We only play AWI, ACW, and medieval's, all in 40mm. |
ironicon | 15 May 2015 2:54 p.m. PST |
Back in the day, there weren't as many miniatures games. D+D and "Historicals" was pretty much it if you don't include board games. I'm almost 65 and I think the variety of games today is great. |
Salibaba | 15 May 2015 3:10 p.m. PST |
all the guys in my local gaming group are under 40. Most mid 30s. All except one are into historicals. Youngest one is early 20s. |
PatrickWR | 15 May 2015 3:20 p.m. PST |
I briefly played Crossfire and Blitzkrieg Commander in my late 20s. |
Wizard Whateley | 15 May 2015 3:35 p.m. PST |
My son and son-in-law play ACW, Napoleonics and Old West. Both in their 20's. |
Pictors Studio | 15 May 2015 4:14 p.m. PST |
DS6151 I'm right there with you, except I'll be 40 in seven months. |
Weasel | 15 May 2015 5:08 p.m. PST |
I started at 18 or so, and I'm 35 now. My son is 7 and he likes ww2 games. The guys I game with are both mid 30's |
durecell | 15 May 2015 6:37 p.m. PST |
I'm 27. Only started playing actual games since last year but I've been getting bits and pieces for Flames of War since it's first edition and now I have Bolt Action, Samurai and soon Knights. I like fantasy and sci fi but I also like some historical periods as well. |
Bunkermeister | 15 May 2015 7:43 p.m. PST |
A fair portion of my army is over forty. Mike Bunkermeister Creek Bunkermeister Creek |
MHoxie | 16 May 2015 2:42 a.m. PST |
Our group has a couple of guys in their 30s. |
BobGrognard | 16 May 2015 7:17 a.m. PST |
Loads on the UK war gaming scene. No shortage at all. |
Mike Target | 16 May 2015 12:37 p.m. PST |
I know a fair few early 30 smethings types who love historicals of all sorts. And most of us have been playing historicals since our mid 20's. Interestingly, despite the concerns of the graying of the hobby, that big survey that was done recently showed the UK wargaming scene was younger than the US on average. Whether they worked out the fantasy/historical split I cant recall… |
Cyrus the Great | 16 May 2015 1:14 p.m. PST |
I could divide myself in half and be two 30 year old gamers! I know three 40 or under. |
dsfrank | 16 May 2015 3:38 p.m. PST |
I could have answered yes to your question 12 years ago :( |
Yesthatphil | 16 May 2015 4:00 p.m. PST |
Like I said on the other thread, mostly baby-boomers (like in most social activities – it was a boom) but plenty of younger players out there. Plenty of them playing historical wargames. I played some DBA at Triples today … about 50/50 guys my age and younger players. Nothing unusual .. Phil Ancients on the Move |
jefritrout | 17 May 2015 1:07 p.m. PST |
I started pushing lead in Napoleonic games at the age of 7. Painted my first army at the age of 12 and entered a WRG tournament (can't remember if it was 4th or 5th edition). Granted that was 35 years ago, but I was a long time under 40 gamer who crossed that threshhold a couple of years back. I am working on the next genteration even now. |
Rebelyell2006 | 17 May 2015 6:26 p.m. PST |
I'm under 30, but I lack the resources to travel regularly to conventions. |
Gunfreak | 18 May 2015 2:26 p.m. PST |
I'm 9 years, 10 months and 33 minutes away from beeing 40 |
COL Scott ret | 19 May 2015 2:44 a.m. PST |
I continue to introduce boys in my Trail Life Scout troop to historical gaming. As an alternative to video during our game nights. |
etotheipi | 19 May 2015 12:00 p.m. PST |
I am 45 and SWMBO is 46 (he he heeeee). SOM is 23 and DOM (getting a BA in history to go with her BE in EE) is 21. So, basically I believe SWMBO and I have done our part to contribute to the viability of historical gaming by creating two replacements (with the same gender distribution as those being replaced, no less!). Also, about a dozen of their friends (in the same age range +/- a bit) are gamers and will happliy play historical games with the same frequency as other genres at our monthly game night. We have replaced ourselves and corrupted others into the flock. So I guess it's time … if you can catch us! No Sandman ever ran!
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OSchmidt | 20 May 2015 8:29 a.m. PST |
I know six who are under twenty, four more under 40 and above 20. |
PentexRX8 | 21 May 2015 9:48 a.m. PST |
I am 29 until the end of the month. I started playing historical games (Battleground) in about 2000, when I was 14. Got into 40k and WHFB in later high school and college. After numerous games of those two, getting my rear end handed to me by power gamers, I totally quit, sold all of it and invested in Flames of War (Germans, Aussies and Americans), and Bolt Action Paras (before Warlord bought them) and now with the exception of 50 or so Infinity models, all of my collection is historical. I would estimate that I have about 1500 painted historical figures and terrain now. Of the 10 people I play semi- regularly, 8 are within 5 years of my age. |