I've put on around thirty public demonstration wargames over the years. The audience has ranged from experienced gamers to complete newcomers, with plenty of children stopping to watch.
Looking back, the record has been surprisingly good. I've never had a game deliberately damaged and only once have I noticed a figure go missing.
It was several years ago during a medieval game. As we were packing up, I realised that a single Tumbling Dice medieval infantryman was no longer on the table. I never found it.
Was it stolen? Perhaps…but I've never been certain. It could just as easily have been picked up by an inquisitive child who forgot they were holding him, swept into someone else's scenery box or simply vanished into that mysterious place where lone figures seem to disappear!
What made it memorable was that it wasn't easy to replace. I had no spare Tumbling Dice figures of that type and wasn't planning another order.
Even so, after thirty shows, one missing figure is a record I'm quite happy with. The pleasure of introducing the public—especially youngsters—to miniature wargaming has far outweighed the tiny risk of the odd loss.
It made me wonder…
Have you ever had a figure genuinely stolen at a public show or did it later turn up somewhere unexpected? More generally, has exhibiting games changed the way you think about letting the public get close to your miniatures?
goes to sea with the Terrain Mat.
