"Insufferable Snobs" Topic

Otto's "Good/Bad/Ugly" thread suggests that "English Wargamers are insufferable snobs". Do you agree?

A) Yes, they are
B) No, not any more than wargamers from other countries

For myself I find that wargaming snobbery knows no borders. But what does the rest ofor the membership think?

Some are, some ain't.

I have never found "English wargamers" to be anything but gentlemen.
I have often asked about painting and basing of figures, about games and all of the gamers responded quickly, and were more than enthusiastic about the hobby and offered any and all information and help that they could.

Not that I've noticed but they do have that superfluous u spelling problem that they refuse to correct.

Answering this would be beneath me…

I refuse to muck it with you crass and ill-born vagrants.

Some are, some ain't. +1

I run in higher circles than most of you rabble so I'll keep my opinions to myself.

Yes … but we have had to learn to live with it! :^)

Seriously though, the English can be snobbish about all sorts of things, but I have yet to find any in the wargaming community. Bores … Yes; know-alls/know-nothing's … Yes; rules-lawyers … Yes; snobs … No.

As it was said in The Muppet Movie: Peoples is peoples.

Given the Anglophobic upbringing I had it seems suspect for mre giving an objective answer to this question.

Yes, there are some who play to the stereotype as in all groups. Stereotypes have enough truth to give the lies credence.

No. I always consider the source with posts like that.

I don't think a given nationality is really more snobbish than any other, it's just that everyone is a snob about different things and there are topics you probably should just avoid.

One cannot say that one has ever noticed any particular tendency to snobishness.

I have a number of wargame friends, customers and traders in the UK and I have found none of them to be snobs. In fact just the opposite. They are really friendly, warm people, at least the ones I know.

I never had the pleasure of conversing with Mr. Featherstone but from the letter he wrote to Mr. Ware and the reports of others he seemed like a genuinely pleasant person.

Can't really say one way or the other.

I've always found British gamers, like most of the British public generally, absolutely lovely people to deal with. I'll add that in my experience French, Australian and Canadian gamers have been just the same. Of course there are exceptions to this, but every nation has some bad eggs. God knows we do.

I don't think British gamers are particularly snobs…but I think the British in general *do* snobbery, when they please, much better than Americans.

Our hearts aren't really in it. We have idealized the rough hewn, salt of the earth, democratic common man ever since Andy Jackson, Abe Lincoln, Fess Parker as Daniel Boone…you know. We mistrust people who speak too well. You lot, on the other hand, still have royalty.

And we love your royalty. Don't ever change.

B) Heck, no! :-)

Well if we are, it would be understandable. After all the Americans are sending one of their own over to our premier show just to see what it is like and see if they can make their shows more like ours.

No more or less than others.

David F Brown

"Oh Lord, it's hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way ! "

This is only the sort of question an ill informed colonial would have posed.

Ludicrous generalisations about a nation can very quickly become dangerous. If the person referred to by the op actually inferred that all English gamers are (insert stereotype of choice) then he's unfortunately made a fool of himself in public.

DBBD

I have no idea where various people on this board are from, but maybe it could be added as a National Characteristic in some rule sets.

Like Otto ever has anything useful to say? Hmmm Perhaps he need to get out more? In my experience wargamers, Americans included, are good sorts (I don't think I would classify any of them as snobs) …

Phil

Another thought: Remember that most Americans are raised on a steady diet of entertainment that focuses on the English upper classes or Oxbridge types (and they are often the same people, of course). Shows like Upstairs Downstairs years ago, to Downnton Abbey today (one can go on and on: Shadowlands, The King's Speech, anything from Austen…) are immensely popular with Americans, and while they have strong characters from the labour class, I'd guess these shows wouldn't find the audience they do if they focused only on "those who serve". Or worked the land, or owned a shop, etc.

Perhaps I'm being forgetful, but I can't think of an example of a popular show (in the States) that centres only on the working class Englishman. What this leads to is a skewed picture of what English people are actually like, particularly for Americans who have never been there. I think this is where some of the silly idea that "English are snobs" might come from.

Perhaps I'm being forgetful, but I can't think of an example of a popular show (in the States) that centres only on the working class Englishman.

If there ever was one, we wouldn't be able to understand the accents and the slang. Innit?

Most British types that I have dealt with are Military types and Photographers. They're largely okay, most good, a few bad, just like any other group I've dealt with. In the words of the Immortal (okay, he dies so he is mortal) Sgt. Buster Kilrain, "any man who judges by the group is a pea wit".

A totally crap opinion and wrong in every way possible! All the Brits I have met and gamed with have been complete gentlemen and a joy to know.

Not sure if this is to do with 'snobbery' but I had heard that some well travelled gamers said that UK shows increase in friendliness the further north you go.

I can't speak for any of the shows further south than York as I just don't go to them and I also can't detect any difference in friendliness between a game at Vapnartak and another at Targe.

Has anyone else had this experience?

I have done, on average, a dozen or so UK shows a year, for over 20 years: from as far South as Plymouth to Claymore up Jim's way and I don't think there's a jot of difference …

I have had massive favours from hosts and organisers (and the occasional terse response – almost always down to misunderstandings, of course, and always sorted out) …

The guys at Salute have always bent over backwards to help so even casual prejudice against the big City has no foundation in experience …

Then again, the same could be said for the world – great hospitality anywhere you go.

Phil
SoA Shows North

My reference for insufferable is my own relatives, so … no.

Of course we know what English people are like,Daryl. We got Monty Python over here too,remember? Very informative documentary series

A Brit cold and aloof? Never! Well, sometimes and especially in company. Particularly noticeable when in the company of Americans who you can't get to shutup. I speak as one from both sides of the Atlantic.

Don't know who said this, but I often think it: "The English are to the Americans as the Greeks were to the Romans."
To me it makes some sense anyway, by the way I love the USA and all it stands for, and if I had to be something other then English, it would be American.

No idea….none have ever come to the west coast of Canada and played a game with us.

After we resolve this burning issue, could we press on to: "Are East Coast Wargamers insufferable snobs".

Grelber

I'm not a snob. Ask anybody.

Or,well,anybody that matters.

They can be but, I bet most aren't.

As is my usual custom, I blame the French.

I feel like there are far fewer snobs in the hobby than there used to be. Or maybe I just don't come in contact with them anymore. None of the snobs I did game with were English. I guess that means no.

But just to be clear, I have interacted with David Manley on a couple of projects and he's been anything but a snob.

Naturally, A. Once finished plucking the fowl to be served at the after-game feast, a person of equal rank and class to you will advise you further. Expect one of my Scullery Maids to appear soon.

England is, to a degree,a society where class still plays a role.

Wargaming was originally very upper middle class in its inception. However, I think the hobby in England for the last half century at least is spread across the classes.

So "insufferable snobs"? No, that's just a very ignorant statement.

Isn't calling someone a snob a form of snobbery?

[Hey! The spell checker didn't underline "snobbery"!]

B by all means.