"Games or Books First" Topic

I realized today that even though I have gotten interested in gaming a period because I've read a book or books about it, I often look first to games rather than books to get a better understanding of the conflict an period as often those games are the result of meticulous research.

For example, in October I took a driving holiday through upstate New York, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont and became very interested in the French and Indian War (and secondarily the Battle of Plattsburgh, which I found fascinating and surprisingly unknown in the mainstream, despite being considered at the time a major defeat of the Royal Navy).

However, since then I've realized that rather than look for books on the subject(s), My first thoughts were, ‘What are some good games (board and miniature) on these subjects?'

It's not that I won't read books on them, but my first instinct was to look for games rather than books, which was a self-revelation about how I think.

What's your first instinct when you get interested in a period or conflict- games or books?

Internet, then books. Boardgames don't enter into the equation.

Books

Books, sometimes movies as in "The Charge of the Light Brigade", "Gunga Din", "Beau Geste", "King of the Khyber Rifles", and "The Four Feathers".

Books and other media first

Books spark the interest, but a good game gets the nod for understanding the conflict for me.

Books.

Books, blogs and then internet.

Just to be difficult, figures first, then books, and finally game rules.

Books, internet en then books again

Books, mostly.

Internet, movies and books in no particular order. Then rulebooks, then figures. Okay, sometimes figures first( I'm looking at you Quar)

Books to learn. Games to put knowledge to effect.

Books and some movies (pirates!)

If my interest is piqued about an unfamiliar event/period I figure my first stop would be Wikipedia. After that, other websites. After that books/boardgames I might have on hand.

After that Amazon for book shopping and the internet for potential figure suppliers.

To be sure, 95% of such romps fizzle before ordering figs. Case in point, SCW. I looked into it, but after a short period of study it became pretty clear that after the initial struggle for position, it got pretty boring.

The closest I got to a viable game structure had the players subbing in for the other major powers, jockeying the conflict in accordance with their agendas. Sort of AH's Origins with field forces. Germany wants a right wing central government. Russia wants to drag it out long enuf to make a giantasmic pile of money. That sort of thing.

Movies, books/magazine articles

Books then rules then figures.

my first hint wargaming even existed was the tv series Callan – a british assassin who played wargames.
that sent me to the local ymca which had started a club and then books – first one i bought was introduction to battlegaming by terry wise then i never looked back…….my first figures were lamming napoleonics then minifigs napoleonics. 22000 figures later i have just rennovated those figures.
magazines i did buy the first one being airfix magazine which had a healthy wargames section.

Hats!

The visual appeal comes first. So books, and internet these days, come before gaming.

I love tricorns and I have a couple.
Their are armies that had infantry in top hats that pique my interest. A kepi does nothing for me.
I do look stupid in a bowler hat.

Have fun.

pretty similar….internet, (subject matter info, bibliographies, reviews), books