A Christmas read

[Norm]

For anyone looking to kill some time on Christmas morning or is just for whatever reason hoping the day passes quickly, on what is normally a quiet time on the internet, I have put up a blog post that is just a gentle ramble of a wargaming year ..... brought to you live from Piggy Longton :-)


LINK


http://battlefieldswarriors.blogspot.com

[fsn]

 

[Steve J]

I'm sat here with it raining outside, ready to start reading your offerings Norm. A nice way to start the festivities whilst the house is quiet...

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Nice and comprehensive Norm

[paulr]

Many thanks for an interesting and enjoyable Saint Stephen's Day read Norm

It sounds like you have some interesting plans for the coming year

It is impressive the many uses you have managed to put Piggy Longton to

[Norm]

Thanks all. Paul, it was nice to have a wander around Piggy Longton while things are peaceful, usually it is mayhem and likely will be again soon :-)

[fred.]

Thanks for taking the time to write up that article Norm - just enjoyed reading it over breakfast. 

It strikes me that your gaming seems to be much more organised and structured than mine - most of my games tend to be a bit rushed in putting them together on a Friday evening after work. Perhaps spending a bit more time in the prep and in the battle reports would be a good thing to do!

If you do visit the Kelpies (which are super impressive to see) also aim to visit the boat lift which is just up the road. this is an alternative to a lock on the canal where the narrow boat is lifted through the air in a giant wheel. 

[Ithoriel]

Christmas Day being a bit busy I finally got round to your blog over a mug of coffee and a few segments of white chocolate orange.

An interesting and enjoyable read, as ever, but I do feel we are opposite ends of the gaming spectrum!

I'm still playing more virtual games than irl ones, Eurogames rather than traditional wargames and always looking for new things to play.

Learning a new game online consists of us agreeing which of the Recent or Beta games on BGA looks most promising, downloading the rules (which we rarely read) and plunging into the game, relying on the computer to point us at what's possible. By the end of game 1 at least a couple of us will have wrapped our heads around the mechanisms of the game well enough to explain it to the others. It's a slow evening if we don't get in half a dozen games. Allowing for illnesses and other real life interruptions we probably average at least a dozen games a week over our potential three sessions. So, maybe 600 games this year? Of which maybe 50 - 100 were things we'd never played before.

Regulars include Stone Age, Carcassonne: Hunters & Gatherers, Res Arcana, Splendor, Space Base and our regular session wrap up game 7 Wonders: Architects.

Miniatures games have been almost entirely solo this past year. Having a table that, when it's not impersonating a mini builder's yard, allows me a 1220 x 1800mm playing surface means I am free to let my megalomania run wild. I'm looking at ways to expand the available space not ways to reduce the footprint of games. I am hopeful that, having replaced the boiler, fixed the floorboards, re-furbished the bathroom, upgraded the fire alarm system and redecorated, the replacement of the gas hob with an induction one will finally see the builder's merchant look for my dining table revert to something I can eat off and play on!

I am keen to get my 2mm Romans on the gaming table and my 2mm Gauls onto the painting table. The next instalment of  the adventures of the crew of Freetrader Destiny's Child is ready to be played as soon as there is table space. Then it's on to some 10mm Russians to take on my BKC Germans .... unless something else grabs my attention first .... which is quite likely.

Thanks for the guided tour of Piggy Longton. If the cart does wend it's way to Scotland but not in time for Carronade (excellent show btw) there's always Claymore in Edinburgh in August. A chance, perchance, to allow you time to enjoy the show while Mrs Wargamer enjoys the cultural or commercial delights of Edinburgh at Festival time?

I'll second the recommendation to see the Kelpies and the boat lift if you visit Falkirk (or Edinburgh).

[Norm]

Kelpies AND the Wheel it is then :-)

That is a rich gaming world and who could ask for more! The friend I game with is very game orientated, whilst I am very simulation orientated, so I think he is a disappointed that I don't embrace the Euro game side of things, but he does do a bit of that online, which sounds similar to what you describe.

Hope you get your table back soon :-)

[Ithoriel]

Embrace your inner Euro, Norm

As for the "rich gaming world" don't I know it! And that runs alongside Elder Scrolls Online (4 hours online with my guildmates yesterday simultaneously in game and on Twitch), World of Warships, Planet Crafter and the odd foray back into Valheim.

How on earth did I have time for a job?

[fred.]

Learning a new game online consists of us agreeing which of the Recent or Beta games on BGA looks most promising, downloading the rules (which we rarely read) and plunging into the game, relying on the computer to point us at what's possible.

What is BGA in this context?

Seems like online board gaming is allowing you to get huge numbers of games in!

I do like a good board game, but rarely get chance to play them lately. 

[Ithoriel]

BGA - Board Game Arena

Massive selection of board games available on line.

I think I pay a couple of Euros a month for Premium membership which gives you access to all of the games. Some games are Premium only - though I think only the person starting the game needs to be a Premium member, iirc.

Some of the conversions from board to screen could be slicker, others are brilliant. So far, none have been unplayable.

It is designed for groups of friends to play remotely but there are some solo options as well.

There is also Yucata.de which we've used a few times. Smaller selection of games and not such good conversions in our very limited experience.

[fred.]

Thanks - that is a new site to me. Looks to have a huge number of games on it, including a few big name ones. 

Do you know how it works with the game publishers, I assume they are getting some income from their IP being used?

[Westmarcher]

Kelpies AND the Wheel it is then :-)

The added bonus of The Falkirk Wheel is that you are also on the Antonine Wall. Take the footpath leading up the hill behind the Wheel. Follow "the Roman helmet" shown on the signpost directions until you reach Rough Castle, the remains of the best preserved Roman fort on the Wall itself. There is an interpretation sign and the outline of the fort is clearly visible as is the outline of the magnificent ditch of the Wall stretching off into the distance. At the front of the north western side of the fort you will also find the surviving part of the "minefield" - aka the "lilia" - round pits designed to contain sharpened stakes. Well worth the relatively short walk (sorry, so long since I've visited and so I can't recall the walking time but best to set aside one hour walking there and back and around the fort and its environs).

[Ithoriel]

Thanks - that is a new site to me. Looks to have a huge number of games on it, including a few big name ones.

Do you know how it works with the game publishers, I assume they are getting some income from their IP being used?

No idea on that side but designers turn up from time to time so I presume it's all kosher. We even had the designer watch one of our games because we started a session just as it was made available so we were playing the first ever game of it on BGA. He was desperate for feedback so we had to fess up to not actually having read the rules!