The Rant With No Name

I was chatting with friends over the weekend, and it was quite clear that I am far from the only one with 'views' on how the hobby is becoming a playground for people with agendas other than just playing with little lead dollies on make believe battlefields.

One of the things we discussed was 'gatekeeping' and how it is used as a derogatory pejorative, when in actual fact, it's really time that the so-called gatekeepers of the hobby were given some due.

Look, like it or not, those people who care so much about the history and traditions of the hobby will be the ones who history will show, were the true heart of wargaming.

You can experiment and innovate all you like, but never lose sight or memory of where it all began. Admittedly, I only started in 81'/82' but hell, I was taught by my older gaming peers to respect the roots and trail blazers in the hobby. They did not try to constntly fucking milk gamers. They came up with something, improved it and honed it, and the hobby thrived in a way that it does not today.

Thriving is not simply having a lot of useless peripherals (dunce's hats for dice... Are you fucking kidding me?) and products which really will not outlive the traditional tools of the trade. 

My wife for instance (albeit in an act of almost unforgivable heresy) built a massive collection of professionally 3D printed miniatures. 2 years later and they are literally breaking down, destroying hundreds of hours of painting. So, she is now having to start again, using (cheaper) more robust, traditional models.

I'm sorry, but I am part of a hobby which is not eco-friendly, but is a lot of fun. Fuck the environment, let the next generation sort it out, after it sorts itself out.

I do my bit, but when it comes to gaming, I have long since made my peace with myself over the chemicals, strip mining, deforestation and oil drilling that give me this wonderful hobby. Alas it has also given the hobby, dickheads who take stands at shows to push 3D printed crap, not even tangentally connected to the hobby. But, the people who should be gatekeeping (read this as 'protecting') the quality of the hobby are too desperate for the ever elusive £95 for 6ft of trade space in whatever cattle shed they are using.

It's time, we saw some proper 70s/80s/90s (at a push) wargames shows with properly run bring and buys, the encouragement of manufacturers over big box resellers and the simple attitude of 'nobody gives a flying fuck as long as you are passionate about the hobby', and none of these artisan food trucks, cupcakes and face painting bollocks. If as a parent you can't instill a sense of wonder in your 7 year old in a building full of superb eye candy, it's time to look at fostering them out in the manner of tribal cultures the world over.

Show organisers... Take your arses to a major model railway exhibition and see how they manage yo encourage and engage kids without all the crap that wargaming seems to be champiuoning now. I did and I was amazed and pleased to see simple things like step-stools being made available to allow kids to view games better. Perhaps group 'kid friendly' displays into one area, you know, ones where a curious kid won't just be ignored but encouraged.

Shaun at The Bunker is a master of engaging with kids... Just ask my 11 year old autistic grandson. 

Dave Hoyles back in the days of the Q.T store in Bridlington, put up with pestering teens and did some good business, but more importantly encouraged a generation of now middle aged gamers who hold that gentleman in high regard.

Ron Kay of Irregular is yet another gentleman of the hobby who today's intake probably don't know, but who again inspired obnoxious kids and gave of his time gladly, even if at the end of it he sold two 25mm rabbits.

These are not just businessmen and OG's but also truly passionate defenders and promoters of wargaming. If you don't know who they are, then shame. It seems that these days Ego is more important than OG.

I'm sure it will all cycle around again, but that rediscovery will be done with a touch of patronising irony. I am still amazed with how so many of the Oldhammer community claim to have owned stuff 'since it was released' without realising that unless they were gaming before conception, they are lying.

I am waiting for a 20-something to espouse how they were 'always in Terry Wise's place', perhaps affecting Terry's beret...

That said, at leat Terry would be getting the recognition he deserves from the generation who think Games Workshop invented tabletop gaming. Those of that same 'certain vintage' will remember the stacks of Warhammer and Forces of Fantasy in the handful of GW stores, being sold off at rock bottom (and this was early 80s rock bottom, too) prices... 

This is why my wife will not allow me to go to Oldhammer events, because I am likely to make someone cry, or realise they were actually temporally excluded. She is of course a wise lady.

Look, all you have to do, is buy some very reasonably priced books from the early days, read them and learn just how your hobby was founded. It is important, to appreciate where we started and where we are now. You are genuinely missing out on a lot of great stories and history, and as those founders rapidly diminish into the West, they should be remembered. Very few of the GW 'names' were in that first generation, and they will tell you that they were inspired by the founding greats, themselves.

Go, go now, and learn about your roots. And for fuck's sake, show them the respect they truly deserve...