"How many people are remote gaming with actual miniatures?" Topic

Folks:

I was just curious: we have a number of local gamers who are using web cams and tabletop miniatures to game remotely – there are usually about 3-4 games per week.

We've been playing Black Seas (very little terrain, and 1:700 ships which are big enough to see) and running a lot of 15mm games using 25mm figures (also to make them big enough on screen).

The big regional con here in New England was cancelled, and some folks pulled together a free "vitrual" con called "Let's Roll" for this coming Saturday:

letsrollcon.com

There aren't a lot of miniatures events, but there are some. I have also seen some YouTube videos of people remote gaming (one guy has done Walcourt using Pike & Shotte, for instance).

I was just wondering – how many people are gaming this way? I don't find Tabeltop Simulator to be much fun, even though the graphics can be good: it is too much like a video game. I want to hang out with friends and see/push miniatures!

Have other people been doing this?

Cheers,

A. Gregory

I am currently running a Napoleonic campaign for a group of friends. When a battle occurs it gets played out on the tabletop and I send Commander specific views of the battlefield to every player along with some commentary as the battle gets played out.

I've played a couple of grid based games using The Portable Wargame and 54mm figures. I am planning on trying a non-gridded Dark Ages game next week.

Several members of my wargames club are playing MEG ancients over video and/or boardgames such as Great War and Pandemic:Fall of Rome

Mike

I'm running an age of sail naval game (using a variant of Bob Cordery's gridded naval wargames) on Skype at the moment (part 1 last night, part 2 this evening) for seven players. It is hex based with 1/3000 scale ships so I can get the battle onto a hand drawn board with 30mm hexes fixed to a 19 inch square chess board. The chess board stands on a litter bin by my desk and the web cam is mounted about 4ft 6ins above it on a lath fixed to a camera tripod. And it works!

We've been having weekly games. The limitations are time – games are a bit slower and screen time needs limiting, so what would normally have been a 2 hour(ish) game takes two 1½ hour sessions.

I've booked my place at Letsroll – I'm not sure how much time I'll be able to spend there, but it is a chance for an English wargamer to take part in a US convention.

We have done D&D and Pulp Alley over discord.

For Pulp Alley I used a grid, rolled the dice for the players, and used the Solo Deck even though it was everyone for themselves. Worked okay.. Tomorrow night will try without a grid.

I am currently planning a WWII skirmish in a ruined city (pseudo-Stalingrad).

Some games may require adaptations, but otherwise remote play should be possible. The real problem is that you have to provide your own drink and snacks.

We are currently doing final playtesting of the upcoming Wars of Ozz rules this way. Mostly using Discord. I have posted some battle reports on my blog: link

Have played two games, and GMed two games, in last five weeks using Lion Rampant over Zoom. It isn't like being in person, but it works. Dice are on the honors system.

My buddy and I have played and are currently playing For King & Parliament. We've also had some gladiatorial fisticuffs with Sons of Mars.

We are on our third WhatsApp game. Table laid out with scenery and miniatures. Players send their orders by WhatsApp. Umpire resolves moves and combat then updates players with photos, video and text. Works well and good fun.

DBDD

Much more impressive than my activities. I know it's more of a boardgame but I've pulled out HeroQuest for my gaming group and I. It's worked excellently thanks to the clearly defined board and simple rules. I've even painted up all the furniture.

Just painting and stuff.

We've managed to get in 2 6mm I Ain't Been Shot Mum WWII games, a 15mm Sharp Practice 7YW, a 15mm Chain of Command Normandy, and 2 1/600 Coastal Patrol WWII Baltic games via text with pics. Not as much fun as real get togethers but we are having fun

My clubmate has been running a 20mm WWII game.

link

link

I've managed to get in one sessionof Lion Rampant played on a gridded table. We played three games in all, it was so good to roll my dice in anger again.

Hey Arofan!

I like TTS, but then again I am spending most of my time playing computer games anyway with a bit of painting mixed in (ships incl the Black Seas ones).

Eric

Eric:

1:700 ships turn out to be the reason God gave us 3D printers! (Well, that and lots of tanks and terrain…)

There are some pretty nice models out there, and some of them are free.

Cheers,

Arofan