"Meanderings and Musings - Part 2" Topic

Gentlemen,

As promised in my first post, here is the second part.

There are no pictures in this post. Just a bunch of words, organized into several categories or topics.

A small percentage of readers might find it of interest. A smaller percentage of those hardy individuals might even offer a comment or constructive critique.

Thanks in advance for taking the time.

Here is the link: link

Cheers,
Chris

For what it is worth, the group I game with doesn't seem to record its games. Maybe they secretly photograph the games and write something up once they get home. Probably not.

I keep a personal log of purchases, plans, events, new products, interesting things I learn, and some short accounts of our games, or even just a comment or two on a game that involve my Vikings. This is just for me, serving as a reminder of the date figures were ordered or just why I had two pieces of plywood sitting in my garage. Some blogs seem to cover at least part of this territory.

I started a blog but ran out of steam. The particular problem seems to have been taking photos. I have several articles written and ready to go; I just need to add the photos and post.

A blog could be used to develop your writing skills and keep them sharp.

I read one gaming blog whose author seemed to be using a campaign (solo, skirmish level) to work out social issues in their head.

In the introduction to The Killer Angels, Michael Shaara writes:
"Stephen Crane once said that he wrote The Red Badge of Courage because reading the cold history was not enough; he wanted to know what it was like to be there, what the weather was like, what men's faces looked like. In order to live it he had to write it. This book was written for much the same reason."

Grelber

Chris,
Interesting. I think your ideas and thoughts are right on track. I will add two thoughts of my own:
First, I blog about half my games so don't feel compelled too. The reason I do is I hope they will entertain.
Second, I play solo because for me the game is all about the personal narrative of the characters. What side wins or loses doesn't matter except how it affects the story. Whenever I have played with other people they want to know victory conditions, not story lines. It ruins the experience for me. I talked about this in an article years ago in WI. Maybe I am close to the red badge of courage!

cheers

Joe

To me the quality of minatures has minimal to no effect on the game. In the past I have faught napolionic game with 1/4" screws for infantry and had a great game. The obsession with painting minatures was never great with me and has long since passed.

Well painted minatures to me is a barriers to new starters, for me the game is all. I do use 3D (ish) minatures on a 3D map but because its easire than playing on a map with flat Top Down representations (although my infantry are really just that). 3D tanks help visulise the height of a hedge relative to the tank and the amount of "road" it takes up. I have thought of "flats" for tanks but in the end it still does not take up the "volume".

So you are not alone, wargame how you want and allow the paint obsessed to play their way but be assured their way is not the Right Way its just an alternative.

I have only played solo games with exception of 3 convention days in last 35 years. Keep fairly good records of my games, even casualties and how they happened. Luckily have more figures than could put up painted good enough a stranger would know who they are.
To me it's a diversion no different than anyone reading a book or watching a movie.
Nice write up, thanks.