there is a start to everything ... even wargaming!

[Chariobaude]

At 44, after almost as many years in this hobby, I finally launched into kriegspiel as the German precursors called it ... and I obviously find myself with the two problems of every beginner: finding a rule and players !
Being particularly interested in the late ancient period and the high middle age this restricts the choices.
I discovered the "Art de a guerre" rule, which seems a good compromise and playability, and I actually started my Belisarius project based on it. But for lack of players of this rule near me to initiate me, I told myself that it was not the right entry point.
So it will be DBA V.3, much simpler rule, perfect for me and my first opponent ... my only child who shows interest in our hobby, my 6 year old son.
To learn the rules, we start by making the terrain elements ...




wish him good luck ... and me too!

[Ochoin]

Good luck!

Win or lose, wargaming always provides an extended opportunity to sit & look at your figures.

I applaud your choice of DBA. I would suggest you also keep the AdlG rules & have the occasional solo game.

At any rate, I look forward to your future battle reports & I hope that Chariobaude jnr gives his dad a thumping!

donald

[Fire at Will]

DBA is a good choice, but Lion Rampant is also good fun and at shows the younger players usually have success compared to their elders (they always seem to roll 6 when needed!)

[Ochoin]

DBA is a good choice, but Lion Rampant is also good fun and at shows the younger players usually have success compared to their elders (they always seem to roll 6 when needed!)

I know Lion Rampant & plan to use it for some medieval games.
I think Late Antiquity would fit well.

However, & I may be wrong, it seems to be a glorified skirmish set whilst DBA covers actual battles.
So it depends on what the good Chauriobaude wants (maybe both?)

donald

[Harry Faversham]

Chauriobaude, don't listen to these two, they're wargaming dunderheads... listen to Uncle Harry instead!
Your lad's six yes? Get a copy of a book called 'One Hour Wargames' by Neil Thomas, rules simple enough you'll both be battling within 10 minutes. The book also includes over 30 scenarios tailored to the rules.
Perfect to get you up and running!

[Ochoin]

they're wargaming dunderheads... l

Fair cop, Harry. They told me to wear a helmet when I rode the bike, but would I listen?

I've read but never used Neil Thomas' stuff but I think you may be on to something.

donald

[Harry Faversham]

If you get a chance D, go for it, you'll be pleasantly surprised, I know I was. At first read you think the OHW rules/scenarios too daft to laugh at. Then you have a few games and begin to realise there's more to 'em than you thought, everything wot happens in a 'proper' wargame, occurs in OHW. The hardest thing I've found with them is resisting a tinker, it's a ruleset best not overthought!

[Chariobaude]

Chauriobaude, don't listen to these two, they're wargaming dunderheads... listen to Uncle Harry instead!
Your lad's six yes? Get a copy of a book called 'One Hour Wargames' by Neil Thomas, rules simple enough you'll both be battling within 10 minutes. The book also includes over 30 scenarios tailored to the rules.
Perfect to get you up and running!

Thank you all for your valuable advice! Ah if wargaming triggered as much passion in France as in Anglo-Saxon lands!
Donald, I promise to put the result of our battles here, although I'm not sure it's as exciting and visually pleasing as yours ...

I'm going to watch "one hour wargaming" and "lion rampant", even if DBA at first glance seems to cover a lot of my actual needs: a game whose base will be found in more interesting versions of wargames like ADLG (that's for my initiation), a real simplicity in the appropriation for my son (I have the impression that this will be the case, there is no complexity at all !), the possibility of using various armies in their composition without hundreds of units, and a duration of play which does not not exceed the hour, for reasons of concentration and interest ... but thank you again to all, I will keep you informed of the consequences!

[Harry Faversham]

Don't fret about how it looks too much Chariobaude, we all had to start somewhere. If you and your son take to wargaming properly, that's the time to invest more time and energy to the look of the thing. Like both Ochoin and Donald I'm really interested in, and looking forward to reading how you and the lad get on with playing at toy sowjers!

[steve_pickstock]

Two things.
Wargaming with him is quality time with your son, an experience that, hopefully, you will share all your lives.

Lion Rampant. The chance element makes it a far more unpredictable game, and therefore more fun. I gave up DBA many years ago because it is too prescribed and too predictable. Very much an "if I do that, this will happen" - no ifs, buts or maybe's.

As for the "One Hour Wargames", I have never seen it, but if it helps get your son into the games, all the better.

Salut! And hope you both have many hours of pleasure together.

[Harry Faversham]

Here's another consideration from the cheap and cheerful stable. Playing card and D10 driven game, exciting and unpredictable. I've run the Wild West version at wargame shows a time or two, kids love it!

[Chariobaude]

Two things.
Wargaming with him is quality time with your son, an experience that, hopefully, you will share all your lives.

Lion Rampant. The chance element makes it a far more unpredictable game, and therefore more fun. I gave up DBA many years ago because it is too prescribed and too predictable. Very much an "if I do that, this will happen" - no ifs, buts or maybe's.

As for the "One Hour Wargames", I have never seen it, but if it helps get your son into the games, all the better.

Salut! And hope you both have many hours of pleasure together.

hello steve, you are right about two things that are important to me: spending time with my children is my real luxury.
Like many, I am busy with my work, which as interesting as it is, takes too much time, including personal time.
This is why I also managed to interest my 8 year old daughter in adventure, through her interest in manual work. With her we designed a not so bad swamp, from an unknown plastic material

Moreover, I also agree on the interest of the unpredictability of a game, to avoid lassitude, especially for games with few units ... But the routine nature of DBA seems to me likely to perfectly stick with a first learning!




(marsh made with a piece of Christmas tree that has not suffered)

[steve_pickstock]

Is that one of the old Bellona bridges? I haven't seen one of those for many years.

[Bessiere]

I thought I was going to start wargaming when I retired 3 years ago. I am still building French and Austrian armies in 1/72 trying to get what I feel are sufficient numbers of units to begin. I have a half-dozen sets of rules and when I do start I will use the simplest set possible. I have no local opponents and cannot find anyone. No matter. i enjoy the painting, building scenery and buildings, movement trays, etc. I could easily start gaming tomorrow but these are to be Napoleonic battles, not American revolution. It's keeping me busy and out of trouble. the wife knows where I am at all times and things are good at home. About time I found a hobby that doesn't lead to divorce.

[Bluefalchion]

Well sounds like there is a story or stories there, Bessiere, but I will respect your privacy and not pry. I am glad you found a focus of hobby effort in wargaming even if you have not found an opponent yet. Some on here are raising their own!

Would it be feasible to wargame remotely? When I was a kid, we would visit one of my dad's friends and he had one or two chess games going that were being played by mail. That was the 70s, and communication has advanced a bit since then...

[Chariobaude]

Well Bessière, i guess all the hobbies aren't seen in the same way by our wives !

I imagine that in reality wargaming concerns only a tiny minority of collectors of figurines, already few. It is true that video games have undoubtedly leveled out a good part of the younger generations who could have joined us ...

I have played modded RTW a lot myself, and found it more than satisfying, and the number of opponents was virtually limitless!
to come back to my family DBA project, my son wanted a fort, which in my mind could also serve as a fortified camp ... After a few (small) hours of hard work, here is the result. Not very impressive, but it will do the job!

[Harry Faversham]

Love it, I bet that fort's impressed your lad, and that's wot it's all about.

[Ochoin]

W

I imagine that in reality wargaming concerns only a tiny minority of collectors of figurines, already few.

I don't think so- though to be fair it would be very hard to prove either way.

The wargaming scene is quite big & active in the UK & the US. And wargamers buy many more figures than diorama-makers. Think organisations such as Games Workshop or Battlefront who sell many thousands of figures to wargamers. Even in 1/72 plastic, wargamers make a lot of the buying market.
I would suggest that Strelets, for example, produces sets with a decided eye on the wargamer-market. Multiples of the same pose suits wargamers. QED.

I am not untypical & I have about 4000+ painted figures.

Of course, there are many gamers you meet on bespoke forums who'll tell you they don't game very often. Finding opponents can be an issue. Also, a game takes a lot of time - pre-game planning is many hours & several hours are needed to play it out. So maybe the gamer/collector divide isn't that much.

At any rate, you've joined our number so that's OK.

donald

[Chariobaude]

It's difficult for me to answer you Donald, because I obviously have no figures or facts to oppose ...

Let's say that I make a mental map of our hobby : a large majority of collectors of figurines who are amuse them by taking figs out from time to time on the living room table (category to which I belonged ...), a few diorama artists, and finally the wargamers. It is true that I can only speak of the French landscape, the only one I know. But after a lot of research, the number of players here still seems very limited! but as you said, I now come to swell the ranks!

I take this opportunity to wish you and all the others who read me, a Happy New Year!

[MABO]

I missed this topic up until now.

And I would add, that I only know DBA and it is ok, because it is not really difficult and you do not need a lot of figures to start playing.

Starting to play was initiated by Mr. Andrea who offert me a game or two some time ago. Before I never considered to base my figs for playing. But now it is like Donald said: You get the chance to have a look on your figs. It is better than store them somewhere without any attention. So I started to rebase some of my figures to give them a new live, as you can see here: http://bennosfiguresforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=22244&p=243313&hilit=Carthagian#p243313



And of course I am also looking forward to see and read your battle-reports!

Have fun!