"The Cold Wars Theme...what does it mean?" Topic

A Good Day to Die Hard

i do like to at least think about the theme in my planning…but it is getting late and i don't know what they are looking for…

larry

John McClane obviously

Well, some may be thinking of forlorn hopes, rearguard actions and those battles where you may die but you do it any ways…..however, we will be there with our Die Even Harder game. Back for its 3rd appearance at Cold Wars. We will have an even bigger tower this year. Come play John McClane, euro terrorist, Riggs&Murtagh or one of our other factions. Come join us for some Mayhem.

my first thought was forlorn hope/last stands…but i thought they did that recently

Someone HAS to put on an Albuera game.

And there should be lots of batteries.

Whatever you wish it to mean!

I think it means they have hit rock bottom searching for new themes.

Basically, every game would be a theme game. Good luck to the people who pick best of theme game.

It means "Yippee Ki-Yay…"

HG -Has it right ,it means that they have gotten very lazy with Theme games .
Now the rock bottom would be.
Iconic Space Marine Victories

I think of the stand at Rourke's Drift…A few brave Brits facing insurmountable odds. Ready to die, and today is just as good as any other day…

Last stands I think.

I was contacted by a friend who thought his game would qualify as a theme game. I don't think it meets any of the interpretations given here.

One of the more outrageous theme leaps was when a zombie game was listed as a theme game – a theme that was historical.

I do have to wonder what the t-shirt will be?

Perhaps it is time to give the entire theme idea a rest. HMGS ran many years worth of conventions before deciding each needed a theme. Or, it might make more sense to run a year's worth of a theme to give GMs a better chance to get on board.

egoodlander…this I have got to see..

"Theme Games"?? Who gives a rip WHAT the "theme" is. Like it really matters (except to those who can't stand not getting upset about HMGS). Put on your game, have a good time and be done with it.

So why even have themes then? Apparently someone in HMGS authority thinks they have some value.

But to your question, so how does a GM know whether their game qualifies as a theme game with this theme? What is the criteria to judge it by?

Did I mention we are adding Ponch from CHIPS this year?
Maybe not theme but its anything goes fun.

So why even have themes then? Apparently someone in HMGS authority thinks they have some value.

Indeed, why bother? Does it REALLY have any impact on anything?

But to your question, so how does a GM know whether their game qualifies as a theme game with this theme? What is the criteria to judge it by?

Why should he care? What's the point? And why should being "judged" be an issue? Isn't the enjoyment of the players the real criteria?

Here's a novel idea for a "theme": Run your game and HAVE FUN…. (I know, shocking idea…)

<writes down Charlie 12's heretical comments for the report to Room 101b--The Ministry of FUN>

Hey, egoodlander: will there be a Sarah Conner-esque and an Ellen Ripley-esque heroine or two amidst the apocalyptic debris? And a River Tam and a Zoe Washburn?

Charlie 12

Games are judged and awards are given (though admittedly you don't hear about it much). As a one who has judged games, best theme game is a category, so yes, it is important for that program. A best of theme game is picked at each convention and an award is given. I'm not sure how that works as obviously you have to see all the games before determining that game.

The theme is also picked up in the t-shirt art.

Here are interesting references to the phrase from Wiki:

A Good Day to Die, an album by Sam Llanas
"Good Day to Die", a song by Godsmack from The Oracle
"Good Day to Die", a song by Hot Hot Heat from Happiness Ltd.
"Today Is a Good Day to Die", a song by Manowar from Louder Than Hell
"It Is a Good Day to Die", a song by Robbie Robertson from Music for the Native Americans
"Good Day to Die", a song by Travis from Good Feeling
A Good Day To Die, a song by Venom from Metal Black.
"Good Day to Die", a song by Wednesday 13 from Fang Bang
"It's a Good Day to Die", a song from Starship Troopers 3: Marauder
"A Good Day to Die" (episode), a 2007 episode of Robin Hood
Children of the Dust (miniseries) or A Good Day to Die, a 1995 television miniseries starring Sidney Poitier
A Good Day to Die, a novel by Jim Harrison
A Good Day to Die, a novel by Simon Kernick
A Good Day to Die, a 2010 documentary film about American Indian Movement activist Dennis Banks
It is a good day to die, a Klingon proverb noted in The Klingon Way

Crazy Horse, a Native American to whom the quotation was inaccurately attributed
"A Fine Day to Die", a song by Bathory from Blood Fire Death
A Good Day to Die Hard, a film starring Bruce Willis
Life: Today Is a Very Good Day to Die, an album by Kra
Little Big Man (film), a film notably featuring the line
Not a Good Day to Die, a book by Sean Naylor

Maybe it's just me, but so far I'm not seeing the link, unless the "die" is a reference to dice. Could be. :-)

Of course if the goal of a theme is to get people talking about it, and and by connection the con, I guess they have succeeded.

Obviously the theme is important to the show organizers and to the success of the convention -So with that in mind I will be running the following games .

A Good day to die – Battle of Wounded Knee

Die Well and Good Bye – The final attack of the 3rd Ryuko Kamikaze special attack squadron,1945

Jeez Historygamer, you are coming across like a Pit Bull puppy who can't let go of his chew toy. You actually googled "A Good Day to Die"?

I like that the "theme" that is vague enough to require some interpretation. Who cares what the "theme team" has to choose? That's their problem.

Fretting over this is clearly an example of white people problems.

Lighten up Bowman, it's just good fun. Grtbrt got the joke. I'll use smaller words so you can catch on too. LOL

And how do you know whether I am white or not, or whether I feel white today or something else? Shows your own bias.

Capncarp….you never know who will show up!

Oh, the "Cold Wars Theme"? I can never remember the words, so I just hum the melody.

And next year, will we be treated to "Die Harderer and Even Deaderer: Now with zombies!"????
can'twaitcan'twaitcan'twaitcan'twait….

Followed by the Vulcan theme event, "Live long and prosper."

Cold wars 2020 theme will be
"Historical Periods I would play if there were figures available "

Guys… themes I think were initiated for many reasons…
1. to give variety to the different shows
2. to cover eras some folks might not know about
3. to support the hobby…

It kind of goes back to this.. some folks will go out of their way to create a theme game.. this could mean starting a new era, buying new figures, leaning more about said era, etc….

It actually falls in lien with what we want to do as an organization.

The biggest thing for me is that it gives GMs something to think about doing that is different and possibly allow them to mix it up instead of running the same old game system year in and out at the shows.

Dan:

I think we all understand. It's just that some themes are better than others. So what won best theme game at the recent FI and do you have any pictures to post?

Theme? There are themes?

Actually I have never even thought about the theme, as far as running a theme game myself. Although I do enjoy seeing the games that are "Theme Games" many of which are very impressive.

Moe

I understand the reasoning as well – BUT – the theme should be all those things and more .
This one ,and some other recent ones -Just leave you wondering about the thought process behind the choice .

Shows your own bias.

Now who's not getting it?

link

This one ,and some other recent ones -Just leave you wondering about the thought process behind the choice .

They are left intentionally vague in order that the GM's can do their own interpretations. It allows them some additional freedom of choice on what to put on. As opposed to a narrow, specific theme like "Niagara Peninsula, 1814" or "Polish Ghetto Uprising".

Bowman, your post was addressed to me. If the rest was not then there was no way for me, or anyone else, to know that. Perhaps you should have made that more clear if that was not your intent. I gave up mind reading ages ago. Sorry I wasn't hip enough to pick up on the comedic reference. Never heard the show.

I respectfully disagree about themes being left intentionally vague. Most are usually pretty clear. As Dan pointed out, themes are more for the GMs than anyone else. If they are too obtuse or unclear, then GMs really can't support them.

I think the BOD has to approve them too. It would be interesting to hear what the thought process was behind this one.

Given some of the past Cold Wars (like the blizzard CWs of the past), a fitting theme would be "Battles in the Snow"!

Bowman ,
Really ? Urban dictionary ? Any source that says(and is serious) The Great Louis CK is not a source to be trusted ,
Next thing you know they will be quoting the "genius" of Ann Coulter .

As to the other comedy discussion (themes) . I am sure that there is some middle ground between your very specific suggestions and what they put forward .
Perhaps The Niagara Ghetto uprising 1814?

@Historygamer

I thought it would be clear that I am addressing the highlighted points, and not any specific person.

I respectfully disagree about themes being left intentionally vague. Most are usually pretty clear.

But some could be left up to the GM's discretion without specifically spelling things out. If the topic is too obtuse or vague for a given GM, then maybe they could put on something else.

Sorry I wasn't hip enough to pick up on the comedic reference. Never heard the show.

There wasn't one. It's a phrase in common usage.

@Grtbrt

If you bothered to read further, there were other "definitions" besides Louis CK's, even though his:

"This is when your life is so amazing, that you make s*** up to be upset about.", hits the nail on the head.

Since you are allergic to Louis CK, further down was:

"…non-issues and scenarios which are deemed dire enough by white people to vent about via facebook, twitter, therapy sessions, and any other time they may have someone else's brief attention.", which describes this thread to a T.

Or I can make one up. How about:

"Contrived and fabricated indignation over a non-issue." Would that work?

But I do agree with your Ann Coulter assessment.

Themes are pretty useless. No one is going to go out and buy a huge amount of minis to put on a theme event unless he is already heavily into it and can adapt what he has in his stock already. That's OK. Somebody is interested in it and puts a little bit of encouragement and spotlight on them. Everyone gets their 15 minutes of fame. Other than that it's largely an excuse to slap up some possibly related bit of artwork on the convention booklet.

They're harmless.

For me they have nothing to do with what event I will throw at the con. I put on the one that I have a refurbished and repaired army for.

HMGS didn't always have themes. I'm not sure they need to now either. It does have some impact – namely the t-shirts, some of which were pretty unsightly. I'd rather have a smaller logo on a t-shirt than a big Osprey art picture across the front. You get the funniest looks when you wear one of those out in public.

People go out in public in those things?!

Gamers do . make of that what you will.

You get the funniest looks when you wear one of those out in public.

I'd bet it'd be the same funny look if the public actually saw what we do at the conventions. I get interesting comments from others when I wear my T-shirts.

"I'd bet it'd be the same funny look if the public actually saw what we do at the conventions."

Probably. Years ago a friend's wife attended. While at dinner she turned to her hubby and said, "I get why you re-enact. There you have guns, bayonets, camping, and mock battles. But this wargaming thing, I just don't get." You had to see the look on her face for the last part. LOL.

"I get interesting comments from others when I wear my T-shirts."

I betting they run along the lines of, "Give me your lunch money, or else…"

Guys, remember "growing the hobby"? One t-shirt at a time? If it opens a dialogue about historical miniatures gaming, isn't that a "good" "thing"?

Or, it could just open a dialogue about poor fashion choices. Still, it would be a dialogue.

<"Contrived and fabricated indignation over a non-issue." Would that work?>
The artiste formerly known as "tempest in a teacup", "much ado about nothing", "stirring the pot", "attention-seeking behavior", or, in D&D terms, "Let's throw a rock into that cave to see what comes out. I'll just stand back here"

"Theme? There are themes? "
Yeth, of courthe. They are the platheth where you thew the pietheth of the convention together, thilly! Though there are thothe who would prefer a themelethh thituathion.

"People go out in public in those things?!"
Well, I did, once, but the police made me put other clothes on, too.

I think there SHOULD be a theme that actually says "periods I would play/collect if there were figures available". Just to see what would bubble to the surface?