Editor in Chief Bill | 11 Feb 2017 10:40 p.m. PST |
What are your tips for getting maximum enjoyment out of the hobby? |
Pictors Studio | 11 Feb 2017 10:44 p.m. PST |
Realize that everything in life is ephemeral and that nothing you can ever do will be lasting. Then live life in the moment. |
napthyme | 12 Feb 2017 12:34 a.m. PST |
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ochoin | 12 Feb 2017 2:01 a.m. PST |
Have high standards but never torture yourself if you don't meet them. |
Glengarry5 | 12 Feb 2017 2:14 a.m. PST |
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Tarleton | 12 Feb 2017 2:30 a.m. PST |
Treat it the fun thing it is. Its not a matter of life or death! |
steamingdave47 | 12 Feb 2017 3:24 a.m. PST |
Having a group of people that you get on with. I know there are a lot of solo players, but the banter and teasing that goes on in a group game is more than half the game for me. Playing with a deadly serious opponent kills any enjoyment I get from nicely painted figures and smart rulesets. Perhaps that's why I have never got into the tournament stuff. |
Dale Hurtt | 12 Feb 2017 3:25 a.m. PST |
That there are a lot of aspects to the hobby – painting, modeling, gaming, planning, miniatures, terrain, photography, blogging, etc. – and you increase your enjoyment my involving yourself in as many of those aspects as possible and not focus on simply one or two. |
nevinsrip | 12 Feb 2017 3:43 a.m. PST |
Never forget that it's a hobby. |
warwell | 12 Feb 2017 3:45 a.m. PST |
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ZULUPAUL | 12 Feb 2017 3:59 a.m. PST |
I treat it as a hobby, a time to relax when planning, painting &/or playing. |
Private Matter | 12 Feb 2017 5:11 a.m. PST |
Don't take things too seriously, look for the fun in every game you play, and wherever possible game with people you enjoy. |
Wackmole9 | 12 Feb 2017 7:01 a.m. PST |
Remember why you got into Wargaming and have fun playing with your toy soldiers again. |
(Phil Dutre) | 12 Feb 2017 7:32 a.m. PST |
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Von Trinkenessen | 12 Feb 2017 7:56 a.m. PST |
If you are putting on games @conventions or a group game the mantra " Only you know what has not made it to the table" works very well. To paraphrase Donald Featherstone " Its wargaming not war, emphasis on the word game". Don't let what for many gamers like me started as a way to de-stress and relax become the route cause of the stress in the first place. The key thing is to enjoy and still be inspired by it. My name is Guy and I have been a been a wargamer for 45 years this March. |
capncarp | 12 Feb 2017 8:09 a.m. PST |
"My name is Guy and I have been a been a wargamer for 45 years this March." <in unison> " Hello, Guy." |
capncarp | 12 Feb 2017 8:10 a.m. PST |
"The greatest joy for a man is to defeat his enemies, to drive them before him, to take from them all they possess, to see those they love in tears, to ride their horses, and to hold their wives and daughters in his arms." Of course this is only viable if his enemy has brought his family to the game. |
dBerczerk | 12 Feb 2017 8:37 a.m. PST |
Time and patience. Patience and time. |
chuck05 | 12 Feb 2017 9:11 a.m. PST |
I agree. A like minded group of friends make the hobby much more enjoyable. |
FusilierDan | 12 Feb 2017 9:20 a.m. PST |
Knowing what aspects of the hobby you enjoy and doing those. I like painting miniatures. So that's where my main focus is. I don't like building models/terrain. So there I go for prebuilt/prepainted or inexpensive/simple, Think Plasticville or 4Ground. I like playing games and am lucky enough to have a good group of gamers near by. I realize scheduling is difficult at times but I'm patient and know when we do game it will be a blast. Reading, watching, collecting and shopping all are fun aspects of the hobby. Remember the purpose of work is to stress you out enough so that the relaxation you get from doing your hobby is that much better. |
Weasel | 12 Feb 2017 11:00 a.m. PST |
"An okay painted army on an okay table with okay terrain will look great in aggregate" |
Great War Ace | 12 Feb 2017 1:17 p.m. PST |
Don't overdose on gaming. This is a case of "less is more". As it is with almost, if not all, things in life……………. |
GarrisonMiniatures | 12 Feb 2017 1:38 p.m. PST |
It's an holistic thing… I like history, old books, the figures, painting the things, seeing them on the table… strangely, not so bothered these days about fighting battles… |
Cheriton | 12 Feb 2017 4:46 p.m. PST |
Agree with all of GM's comments above, especially with: strangely, not so bothered these days about fighting battles I can be just as content with umpiring. In fact I try to have always have an ump unless absolutely impossible. Tempting fate and the harmony of the group, otherwise. BTW, FWIW, 2017 marks the 58th year in wargaming. |
Timotheous | 12 Feb 2017 7:43 p.m. PST |
+1 Great War Ace. Enjoy other things in life. As good as gaming is, don't miss out on the other good stuff. Good food, good wife, fresh air, happy life. Learn how to appreciate other great games, even playing in others' games, without having to collect them yourself. Be able to enjoy reading about a period without having to "do" it. Settle on a reasonable number of periods/armies and enjoy them. Don't suffer the fear of missing out (FOMO) if you don't play Spanish Civil War alongside WW2, for example. |
Tiberius | 12 Feb 2017 8:57 p.m. PST |
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wrgmr1 | 13 Feb 2017 9:43 a.m. PST |
+1 Pictors Studio, plus laughter, fun, eye candy and friendship. |
Patrick Sexton | 13 Feb 2017 9:48 a.m. PST |
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leidang | 13 Feb 2017 12:07 p.m. PST |
Harmony in gaming objectives. By that I mean, game with people that want the same things out of gaming that you do. The things I enjoy are good game presentation (Painting and Terrain), a certain level of detail and complexity, good tactics, being inspired by history but not bound to it, and easy going camaraderie. To me it is about the story of the game and not whether I end up on the winning or losing side. Our current game group has mostly people that are also looking for the same things and is very enjoyable. At times we have had participants that are uber competitive, guys that just want to roll dice and want super simple rules, guys that want perfect scenario balance, and guys that always have to have the best troops. All of these have caused friction within the group for various reasons. On a couple of occasions to the point that no one was having any fun. |
Rotundo | 16 Feb 2017 10:58 a.m. PST |
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Early morning writer | 17 Feb 2017 8:28 a.m. PST |
Avoid. As in avoid those who drag it all down, stick with those who are in it for the pure joy and don't care about winning or are over the top about buttons or annoying purists. It's a freakin' hobby. Meant to be fun. Hey, wait, was I ever one of those? |
DWilliams | 03 Mar 2017 8:26 p.m. PST |
Start a new historical era every 4 to 6 months. Nothing like doing the research and the thrill of buying all those shiny new miniatures! |