"My wife and wargaming... I need advice!" Topic

I am a 15mm wargamer and I have slowly (over the course of the last year) been attempting to convert my wife into a wargamer. We started off by playing a co-op game of THW's "All Things Zombie" (which she was indifferent to) a few months later we played several games Ganesha Games's "Song of Blades and Heroes" (which she liked a lot), for Christmas last year I got her an X-Wing starter set (which she is totally obsessed with. We have greatly expanded our X-Wing collection since then and often she is the one begging me to play with her rather than the other way around). However, all of this has (in my mind) been leading up to the final challenge: playing 40k.
In an effort to ease into 40k, I have played two games of Gorkamorka with her (which she hated). We didn't even finish the second game. She was just totally bored to tears. This is the meat of the question: how can I translate the universe of 40k (which I am a huge fan of. so much so that I have been, for months, converting my own 40k figures in 15mm) into a ruleset that she will enjoy playing?
After aborting GoMo, we sat and discussed what she didn't like about it. Her main complaints were that she didn't like the IGOUGO structure, that she felt like she was rolling too many dice for seemingly no reason, and that the game wasn't nearly lethal enough and, as a consequence was incredibly slow paced. It annoyed her that she would roll to hit, make an ammo roll, roll to wound, roll for armor, and roll for the result of the wound, all seperate rolls and all for a single model's shooting. What made it worse was when, after all that, the final roll was a one meaning that the target doesn't even go down! I can see why, after playing X-Wing and Song of Blades, this would be infuriating.
What I thought that I might do is just play modern 40k with her (as the rules are a lot more streamlined and lethal than GoMo's). In addition, I thought about restructuring the turn so that either it works like the LOTR SBG (I move, you move, I shoot, you shoot, etc) or structure it more so that each squad activates alternately (and performs all of its actions at once) so that there is even less down time and we can both stay involved in the game. I also considered bringing might points in from the LOTR SBG as well to add a fun tactical element that gives the ability to break up the turn structure even further. What do you think about this?
I am also in the market for alternate rule sets that meet the criteria that she is looking for but would also be compatible with the 40k fluff and the models that I have created. I have my eye on Patrol Angis, Gruntz, and Clash on the Fringe. Would these fit and are there any more rulesets I should be aware of?
Any advice you have, I'd be happy to take into consideration. I apologize for the long, complicated post.
Thanks, everyone.

Congrats on getting your wife to play wargames with you. That's awesome!

Ganesha also publishes Flying Lead, a set of modern rules. I'm pretty sure there are fan conversions to 40K. (I'd also suggest using 5150: Star Army from THW, which also has fan mods, but not if your wife was indiffernt to All Things Zombie, which uses similar mechanics.)

Try Chain Reaction – which is streamlined from ATZ and free. If that works, there's a 4DKay doc on the THW group that brings 40K figs to CR.

link

Gorka Morka may not have been the best intro to the 40K verse. It has more rolls than you would find in most 40K games. (your example had at least two steps that 40K doesn't -- ammo and type of wound).

If she doesn't like IGOUGO try 40K with an initiative roll at the beginning of the turn and then alternating unit move. Do each phase this way (everyone moves, everyone shoots, everyone assaults) and see if that makes it more interesting for her.

As an alternative, if she's a book reader pick up one of the better rated 40K novels and see if she likes the background.

Clash was written specifically to bring back the Rogue Trader 40K feeling, but with cleaner, more fun mechanics.

there's also stats included that can be used for a wide range of 40K critters, including eldar, orks and whatnot.

If you have specific questions about the system, hit me up and I'll be happy to share.

The alternate, card based activation rules in Gruntz avoid the IGOUGO issues. It's also a simple rules set and fairly background agnostic. We play it using Bolt Action style order dice instead of cards, and use the weapon ranges as increments instead of x2 maximum limits and it works quite well.

G.

You fool. It is a trap. Run!

Warning Wall of Text Above

Her main complaints were that she didn't like the IGOUGO structure

The way around this horrible way to game is to come up with some type of activition system.

One way to do this is to use a deck of cards with each side taking a different color or a single suit.

So when you turn over a card the side that has that color/suit gets to pick a unit and move. Units can only be activited once per turn.

You can also throw in special rules for certain cards as well.

Like when we used this for Napoleonics many years ago melee's were only fought when the melee card showed up.

This is a very good way of getting away from UGOIGO, because every turn is going to be different.

yoy paid attention. your in for it now!

try fubar. simple yet effective.

The antithesis of IGOUGO is The Sword and the Flame.
It is extremely adaptable to any genre. The best thing is that she can help you revise it to what you both think it should reflect.

A lot of folks like to use their 40K figures with "Mutants and Death Ray Guns" from the guy that wrote "Song of Blades and Heroes":

link

It's probably worth a try at $8.00 USD.

My wife totally enjoyed Space Hulk, painting and all. That I never beat her at it, either side, might be a factor.

She now enjoys Galaxy Defenders and is asking to play Wings of Glory. So not sure about the gateway game, but it is out there.

You could also try converting 40k to Tomorrow's War rules.

TW has a pretty solid action/reaction system.

You've obviously got a great thing going, don't ruin it by forcing her to play a game she's not keen on. Just keep going with the games you both love and keep trying new ones, sooner or later you will find the right game that she likes and scratches your 40K itch.

Robert

Rogue Trader. It's more for the fun and unpredictability of the scenarios than the gameplay.

Then there is ToyMallet 40 cents if you want to go "cute"… ;-)

Search one page 40k or In the emperors name, they are both quick play and 40k specific.

Toaster gives good advice; Just because you are "turning her into a wargamer", doesn't mean she is going to share your same loves and passions. You can try to groom her all you want for 40K because it turns your crank. Doesn't mean that she likes it all, or ever….

Search one page 40k or In the emperors name, they are both quick play and 40k specific.

Or, um… play something else. Suggest to your wife that you could – as a couple – go on a wargaming 'voyage of discovery' outside of both your comfort zones and the both pick a new subject between you so that it's 'owned' by both of you, and not just 'your area'.

Just a thought…

John T

While you mentioned "her criteria" you never revealed what it was….this leaves us in as much in the dark as you are….

In the Emperor's Name can be found for free on the internet, and is a 40k equivalent to Osprey's In His Majesty's Name.

Check Ganesha Games website, the games should use similar mechanics to Song of Blades and Heros.

If you have Crossfire, you could probably mod it for 40k if one doesn't already exist.

John's suggestion of finding something new together is also good.

Just keep playing and enjoying the games she likes, sharing your hobby together is not something all of us get to do.

Try Brink of Battle. Great game and easy to run. Not a ton of dice to use. Just d10.

What John T said:
Mrs Carp and I both game, but I prefer the fast and loose fun game with lots of opportunity for kibbitzing, and she is a stone-cold killer when it comes to military tactics, although she doesn't poo-poo people having fun. When we go to cons, we usually don't play the same games, and we each tend to have a good time.
YMMV.

There is a Savage Worlds conversion for 40K which uses cards.

I have two LadyFriends that I've taught a stripped down version of Advanced Squadleader, the S1889 skyship game, GearKrieg/luftkrieg, variant Richthofens' war, Flight Leader, Car Wars and they played Melee/Wizard on their own.
I always have at least a semi-roleplaying hook to get them interested. It worked for me.

Sometimes, its just random what people find complicated too.

My wife wasn't a fan of Laserburn at all but we've played the ASL starter kits no fuss and she picked it up right away.

Wings of Glory? WW1 or WW2? If WW2 there's an actual model of an actual Yak-1 fighter flown by an actual female fighter ace available for the game, ya know….

Leland R. Erickson
Metal Express
metal-express.net

She disarticulates me in Scabble a Deluxe but won't touch a miniature. Neighbor lady who watches my cats every once in a while is creeped out if I leave miniature terrain on the table downstairs. I caught that remark after I failed to pick up the Creep Mother and left it out with a bunch of one-eyes. Left on the table some Tripod Scouts and Drones crossing a destroyed bridge last time. Creepy if you have no frame of reference, poor thing.

Be happy with the fact that she enjoys X-Wing and don't try too hard to push games that she doesn't seem to like…

You go, I go is the best means of resolution and I think OP just proved that any of the other methods are for uncommitted casuals.