Thursday 14 August 2014

I have considered many times deleting this blog. Apathy is the word best describing my attitude towards it for some time. I still really enjoy other peoples blogs, whether it be describing their latest purchase, paint job or just thoughts on the hobby. But with my historical gaming at an all time low, I just have had no enthusiasm to post here.

Ironically, last few months have seen me attending the club more than ever but playing non historical games like Warmachine, Dreadball and Armies of Arcana. My recent history in the hobby has seen me fluctuate regularly between historical and fantasy gaming to the extent where I completely abandon whichever is out of favour. It is almost as if I couldn't fit them both into my thoughts.

Of course, this is ridiculous. There are many people who blog about both sides of the hobby and they sit alongside one another quite comfortably. Over the last week or so, I have resolved to allow both aspects into my hobby life simultaneously. I have really enjoyed my first forays into Warmachine which is a game unlike any other in that the rules are incredibly well written with the various factions well balanced. It is a very competitive game, which is slightly against my own gaming ethos, but I think if you choose carefully whom play against then it isn't a problem.

Dreadball is another game I have really enjoyed lately and interestingly the club have several people also interested. Keith is loving it as is Jase and Ethan. I am sure one or two others would have a go given a chance. Ade has played and I think I enjoyed it. There is talk of a league being formed which so long as we don't get too ambitious should be easy enough to run.

Turning to historicals, I am of course talking about my Peter Pig games. A few weeks ago I took Hammerin Iron to the club for a multi player game. Unfortunately I didn't prepare very well with game handouts and the like. I also failed to brush up on the rules. Add to that one player reknowned for a loud voice, argumentative nature and tendency to talk over anyone else and my enthusiasm for the game was drained. In fact I have never come so close to packing my things up and going home. I promptly did what I said I would never do and went on to sell my ECW, WotR and AK47 collections on ebay. I got good money for them which I immeidatley reinvested in other projects (Zombicide, Deadzone and Warmachine mainly).

True to form though I now regret every figure sold and am planning rebuilding each one. I have decided to do it in a far more structured manner ala Kev Lowth, aka Fat Wally. He builds Peter Pig armies very quickly using the range to its best advantage making unique looking units. I intend to emulate him with ECW and WotR armies. I will start with WotR as I have heard whispers that the ECW rules are being redone once PBI3 is finished and I want to see what route they go down especially with unit sizes and construction.

OK so for now my mojo seems to be returning for historical gaming. I am away in Pembrokeshire at the moment but before coming away we had a commemorative game of Squarebashing at the club which went down really well. I have started on my Saxons for Longships. I have undercoated units for AWI and ACW. So I am on a bit of a roll which I hope will continue on our return home on Saturday. On the 23rd August I am down in Weymouth for a PBI playtest day. All in all, things are looking up.

You never know this blog might just comeback to life.

More soon...

3 comments:

PatG said...

Blog because you want to. I feel you on regretting selling things on. Having done it a couple of times and regretted it, I find the experience has provided focus for more recent acquisitions.

Basically if I don't think a game, period or line of miniatures is going to have very long term appeal, I don't buy it however tempting it is at the moment. Looking forward to to the reanimation of your blog.

Trebian said...

Sean,

I write about what ever I want on my blog. Mostly historical, of course, but I do stray into other types of games. No a lot of fantasy, - the group don't really have an interest.

Sorry to hear you had a bad experience with HI. I always reckon it is a good, fun game. You can't always succeed against the club knobhead, of course.

So far I've only ever sold off one army in my life. They were my Minifig Middle Earth stuff. Think I gave some of it away as well. Lost track of my really old Napoleonics. Since University I think I have kept everything I've completed (oh, -except my Ros ACW mini stuff). Unless I was really strapped for cash I don't think I ever will. It's like lending someone a book then instantly discovering you want to read it.

And if you're not getting wargaming joy, you know where I live. Pop down for a game of AK47. I can lend you an army.

Trebian

Sean Clark said...

Pat,
I often say never again when I feel that pang of regret, but as a friend once said to me, I think i get more enjoyment out of the journey rather than arriving at the destination.
Graham,
Thank you for the offer and I may well take you up on it. Oddly, its never been a financial decision but more loss of interest or feeling guilty about possessing armies that haven't seen the light of day in years. I realise this is a counter intuitive argument and what the rational answer to this conundrum is, and its certainly not selling armies that i have invested alot of time and effort in collecting and painting.