"You are not running a game at the show because..." Topic

You were asked – TMP link

Why aren't you running miniature games at the wargaming shows or conventions?

7% said "it is too much work"
7% said "none of these/no opinion"
6% said "more interested in the flea market"
6% [TIE] said "burned out" OR "not enough time"

I usually run games for 1 day events. Hobby Bunker does a game day and I will run a game in the morning and then the afternoon. I also run a game for the local toy soldier show because it's not as huge an undertaking as it would be for an actual multi-day convention.

Cost sometimes makes the decision. Adding up the travel and transportation cost, parking fees, hotel bill, food, and the convention entrance fees makes the fully equipped 15' foot table in my home game room a real money saver. Plus avoiding "rare but could happen" miniature or terrain damages during transportation. The number of players for scenario typically averages the same for either site.

Well, we are.
Apart from the Covid hiatus, we've run a large game for over 17 years &, yes, it is time-consuming, lots of work & costs money. All of the above.

But clearly, we think it worthwhile. It is nice to talk about our hobby & history to the passing crowd – it's a Train and Hobby show & we're literally the only wargame. It's also nice to get the interest & praise from the punters. Let's not forget we get a glorious 2 days of wargaming, too.

Our show game has long been the highlight of our wargaming year. this year – The Sudan.

There is one thing that has me a bit spooked.

There are more than a few rules sets that have spawned a devoted player base. Players who attend regular games and tourneys devoted to their chosen favorite rules set. Unless you are baked into that cadre, you'd be insane to try to run a game using those rules. The players would rebel at the first sign that you were not following accepted community rules protocols.

On the flip side, a lot of gamers won't bother signing up for "home brew" rules games.

I put on lots of convention games in the 80's. Then, for many years work, wife, children and coaching consumed virtually all my time. In the last few years, kids grown, retired from work and coaching I started putting on 2 to 4 games at Historicon and the other eastern major conventions as well as some local ones. I'm Back!

On the flip side, a lot of gamers won't bother signing up for "home brew" rules games.

Disagree. I have been running multiple games of "Fighting Battleships!" for a couple years at the big east conventions. These are not commercial rules yet I get full participation and have actually won 2 separate awards in two different conventions.

I have found that games, gamemaster and scenarios are far more important then what rules are used. If anything, there are a lot of commercial rules out there that convention goers avoid like the plague as they view them as not good.

Kim

I went through the effort of putting on a game, once. Even go the rules from a post right here on TMP (home brew: Battling Big-uns: Pirates vs Lilliputians). All setup on the right table at the correct time, and no one showed up to play. Kind of put me off doing it again.

If everyone put on games, there wouldn't be anyone to play mine!

I usually try and run at least one game at a show, but I'm doing three this year, possibly four.

Many years ago I put one on (Star Wars) and had no takers at all, which I actually thought was quite funny. Just gauged the audience wrongly.

I am running 3 Bagration games at Historicon this year. I always make an effort to put on a quality looking and balanced game so everyone, regardless of side, has a chance to win and have fun.

It is difficult to transport the items needed to run the game.

1) It's 4000 miles to the show

I run games at the local show , Havoc. I would like to run at HMGS shows but you have to commit way to early.

-Mike

Mike you'll be running a game at Fall In. That's an order!