"How will the pandemic change the hobby?" Topic

What long-term effects do you predict, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, on the miniature wargaming hobby?

Whoa there!! they are NOT social distancing!!!! and where's their face masks?

No more zombie games. Instead there will be ‘coughers'. All characters will have to stay in model buildings apart from those who choose ‘Amazon delivery driver'.

None – this will be forgotten in two years or so.

This is the way to go for now.

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Perhaps a summer trend, outdoor wargaming even in the rain. You could even match the battle conditions to the outside weather. The board will be a bit limited maybe 3 ft by 5 ft but better than nothing by a long way. Social distancing perfectly possible.

I have not done many small actions in 1/144 but with a small board we just may have too. 28mm eat your heart out! No play for you unless you have an enormouse shelter.

+1 Dynaman8789.

I am not sure that there will be any long term impact.

I do think that it has exposed more wargamers (just like the general population) to communication tools such as Zoom. This may help facilitate more connections among gamers around the globe.

In the next couple of years Covid-19 will be pushed to the back of the mind, until the next pandemic strikes.
On the short term it has disrupted my group, as we lost one of our senior players to Covid-19.
Have played a couple of games outside already, however wind has disrupted play, and that is with a 10 foot (3 metre) hedge.

I'm getting a lot more painting done !

I see little long-term impact, other than people completing their armies more quickly due to being locked down with more free time to work on them, and in some cases, more "free money" to spend on them, for those with secure or semi-secure finances in addition to that.

Has anyone here lost their job or know a wargamer who has lost their job? Or know any wargamer businesses that are now out of business or took a financial hit due to the virus? That would be the impact; everything else is just an opinion, and you know what they say about opinions.

@USAFpilot If you look above Greg G1 said that his group lost a member to the virus. I'd say that had an impact wouldn't you?

I think a lot of rules sets (both new and revised editions) will have a section or chapter on solo play. It won't just be Two Hour Wargames doing the solo thing.

Grelber

Luckily no deaths in our close circle but I know of 3 covid deaths at the businesses where family and friends work.

Four people my extended family are unemployed including me. My dentist laid off all of his staff but one family member as he does no cleanings and only emergencies. Most elective surgeries were stopped which impacted the nurses in our family for awhile. At the restaurants I frequent only a few workers are left to handle takeout orders and one business is considering closing. You and yours are amazingly lucky if you don't know anyone you interact with who was impacted by this.

I think we will recover from the economic impact faster than some of the social upheaval in the US. I think the GIG/contract economy model is totally broken and it was pretty obvious in this crisis.

For the RPG and board game segments of hobby, you might see a continued uptick in the remote gaming as people now have experience in it. For my group I think the convenience of online gaming will add an occasional weekday to our schedule.

Good point on the solo play.

No games and cancelled cons have increased the unsettled feeling the pandemic created. I have had no interest in painting, organizing or even cleaning my gaming area. The events of the past week have enhanced that feeling to dread of the future. Onward through the Fog!

Impacts are very hard to predict, especially when considered narrowly, in small sectors. There are three major unknowns:

1. future medical remediation (tools, clothes, vaccines);
2. human reactions and behaviours; and
3. macroeconomics and non-medical public policy (e.g., debt relief).

There could be a fourth major one, which is far more likely if a second or third wave of C19 should hit:

4. political instability (e.g., mass migration, border instability, added security, urban unrest).

Reasonable inferences, from what is known, might include:

1. further loss of local shops etc., and contraction of others, due to commercial restrictions, unemployment, personal spending reductions, etc.;

2. smaller, less frequent conventions, as cost grows and inconvenience of travel increases (i.e., localization);

3. substantial increase (proportionately) in mail order, play by mail, Zoom, etc., and (as noted above) greater attention to solo rules, modules, etc.; and

4. further digitization of data, rules, modules, and guides as commercial, postal, and travel restrictions bite.

But frankly? Your guess is as good as (and maybe a darn sight better than) mine.

I got a LOT of figures painted during the shutdown.
I don't think that we will have any more COVID-19 issues after November 3.

Small gaming groups will readjust as members evaluate the risk of getting together. Each player will have their own ruler dice and tray to roll them in, sharing may not be as casual as before. Even moving others figures for them may not be acceptable. Playing group games my move only to warmer weather so as to be played out side. The man cave will become the man ramada*.

Cons and shows will see some drops but may come back but not to the same levels and I think the ones during the winter and flu seasons may disappear.

*Ramada

A freestanding structure similar to a pergola, but with a closed roof. A ramada provides complete shade as well as protection from rain. The closed roof traps heat, which can be beneficial in colder weather. Ramadas are often placed over outdoor kitchens or near an outdoor fireplace. Some landscape professionals use the term pavilion.

I see no reason why when the pandemic is over, possibly late next year, depending on vaccines etc. that it will be any different due directly to the Pandemic. 3D printing may come to the fore for the Gamers as they will have had more time to master it.

The painter have different criteria so the pandemic may deepen the schism between the primary gamers an primary painters, but that seemed to be on the way anyway.

I see no reason why shows won't be back to the same level. We will all want to meet like minded strangers in person when its safe.

About the only thing that won't change is Ushcha's obsession with his imaginary split between painters and gamers…

It will be harder to hold games club meetings – I have a game in a few minutes with a friend in the garden but that'll only be possible on some days and I can't see that many hardy souls playing through the winter.

Until there is a vaccine I think the hobby will still be constrained by social distancing and so cons are unlikely to happen…

Mike

Black Hat Miniatures. In about a year it will be back to normal before then there will be some impact. Pubs may be open I would guess late November with some restrictions. I see no reason for two player games not to continue from that point. Multiplayer games may be not, as they often have more players per foot of table on each side, or at least in my limited experience they do.

"The painter have different criteria so the pandemic may deepen the schism between the primary gamers an primary painters, but that seemed to be on the way anyway."

Is a Hobby Helter Skelter on the way?

I imagine there might be less wastage and fewer figures and other wargames materials bought as the financial impact of the virus and aftermath are felt more keenly but perhaps a higher percentage of those models bought will actually get painted and used.