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"Hardest Part About Starting a New Period (Final Round)" Topic


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Old Contemptibles26 Nov 2015 3:54 a.m. PST

Finding the right rule set is the hardest.

With so many rules being written all the time. You would think this would not be a problem. So why is it the hardest? My theory is that each author tries to make his rules unique, stand out in a crowd.

But usually the rules comes off as "gimmicky." Oh it may be the flavor of the month. Then they are shelved and forgotten. Wait for the next flavor. Can anyone say "Lasalle?"

Please, just some basic rules with a little period flavor and some optional rules for those who want something more advance.

Yesthatphil26 Nov 2015 4:39 a.m. PST

It is always doing enough research (enough is almost never enough) … so you can understand the period enough to pick or develop or write the rules …

because until you've nailed the rules you can't really make much progress with the figures. Or the landscape …

Phil

Frederick Supporting Member of TMP26 Nov 2015 6:50 a.m. PST

I think maintaining the effort which to my mind is the sum of painting, rules figuring out and period research

Cosmic Reset26 Nov 2015 7:42 a.m. PST

For me, it is usually finding a source/sources for the figs.

Winston Smith26 Nov 2015 9:51 a.m. PST

Yeah, maintaining the effort. The list of shiny projects I started and abandoned without even getting a game in is depressingly long.

Many reasons for that.

I can't paint sailing ships to save my life.

No one else wanted to "do" Renaissance.

Landscnechts are tedious to paint.
So are Highlanders.
Note I said "tedious" I can do them and they look fine, but…. I only need 160 more.

Collecting the minis and getting rules never have been a problem. Doing everything myself and getting others interested is the problem.

tkdguy26 Nov 2015 1:46 p.m. PST

Getting all the miniatures would be my choice. I know there are a lot of places that sell them, but my funds are currently limited, so being able to afford entire units can take a while. And I still have to paint them.

This is closely followed by finding opponents. The people I know are interested in some areas of history, but they have no interest in gaming certain eras.

Mute Bystander27 Nov 2015 6:58 a.m. PST

It is a process –

Preflight – acquiring the minis – this is "just money and scale coverage issue" and is generally just a matter of buying them at 3mm, 6mm, or 15mm.

Launch Ramp – finding the right rule set – fortunately THW covers me on this for my favorite non-aerial gaming. Air War C21 and its derivatives for WW1 (official) and WW2/Korea (unofficial) does it for me aerially for most periods. I use others also such as Wings at (not of) War for some different flavoring of the game.

Take-off – painting the figures – This is my least favorite part and where I hire someone or simplify paint schemes (and is why I try and avoid historical periods with camouflage [or use the three foot rule to skip extraneous details not critical to identifying units.] Failure here results in the effort crashing disastrously.

Lift off – maintaining the effort – grinding it out takes time, energy and patience… see above.


Flying the mission – finding opponents – THW rules let me play solo, co-op or head to head depending how how "popular" the period/genre is and/or how much I enjoy the period myself.

Old Contemptibles28 Nov 2015 1:01 a.m. PST

In this day and age there are minis for just about any niche or obscure period you want.

Researching the period is the fun part. I find it enjoyable. I just wish I could read faster.

At my age I can't paint everything on my bucket list, so I outsource most of it.

For me it's the rules that is the hardest. I don't begin any period if I can't find the rules or players.

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