I dont understand SCW period and the overhelming engagement of Pendraken crew in it. (Although I imagine fighting communists can be funny  )
When I see so brilliant new SCW figs released, I cry ...that they are not new SYW stuff

Quote from: FierceKitty on 09 October 2010, 06:02:53 AM
The accepted wisdom among the cognoscenti is that rockets ARE over-rated as a means of space travel.

Only among the "cognoscenti" of sci-fi games. Games which are neither here nor there when it comes to historical importance. Personal preferences do not speak to historical importance anyway. The point being that people play games that fire their imagination. You want to change their preferences? Appeal to imagination, not to snobbery.

Cheers,
Aart

Those for whom combat begins and ends with Waterloo and Stalingrad may not have very active imaginations to appeal to. Of course, I say this as one arraigned, judged, and convicted of snobbery.

The popularity of periods often reflects their importance, e.g. Napoleonics and WWII, but they also have to have decent sources available in English (for anglophones at least). They have to present something "gameable" some wars aren't best suited to this; WWI for example (not that its ungameable, its not as dynamic as its sequel). Interesting armies help, as do those with at least a chance of winning.

I myself like the slightly more obscure side of things, or less familiar spins on mainstream stuff. I've always been into LoA, but that's only really become more noticed in the last few years.
Sometimes I am baffled by a lack of interest in facinating periods. Chinese history is a great big goldmine of wargaming stuff, yet we only tend to skim it in the West (lack of  reading material in English is probably the culprit). I hope its a bit like chinese cinema; ten or fifteen years ago it was only really noticed by enthusiasts, now they produce some great epics which hit the main ciinemas here.

Almost totally down to the scarce books on the subject is the lack of interest in the Imjin war, with all the Samurai armies there are out there, you'd think people would be clamouring for opponents that weren't other samurai.
Desperate seiges, Korean monks, multi- rocket launchers, chinese artillery, turttle ships; what's not to like?!

Quote from: clibinarium on 10 October 2010, 11:54:19 AM
The popularity of periods often reflects their importance, e.g. Napoleonics and WWII, but they also have to have decent sources available in English (for anglophones at least). They have to present something "gameable" some wars aren't best suited to this; WWI for example (not that its ungameable, its not as dynamic as its sequel). Interesting armies help, as do those with at least a chance of winning.

I myself like the slightly more obscure side of things, or less familiar spins on mainstream stuff. I've always been into LoA, but that's only really become more noticed in the last few years.
Sometimes I am baffled by a lack of interest in facinating periods. Chinese history is a great big goldmine of wargaming stuff, yet we only tend to skim it in the West (lack of  reading material in English is probably the culprit). I hope its a bit like chinese cinema; ten or fifteen years ago it was only really noticed by enthusiasts, now they produce some great epics which hit the main ciinemas here.

Almost totally down to the scarce books on the subject is the lack of interest in the Imjin war, with all the Samurai armies there are out there, you'd think people would be clamouring for opponents that weren't other samurai.
Desperate seiges, Korean monks, multi- rocket launchers, chinese artillery, turttle ships; what's not to like?!

Now there's a post that's bound to pique peoples interest. Maybe the Ancient Chinese wars will become more popular when computer game developers discover them as a source of plots and eye candy. I have been an active player of the Total War computer games for many years, starting with Shogun Total War, a brilliant game by the standard of 1998. I believe Shogun TW played an important role in popularising samurai culture and history. TW fans have been clamouring ever since for a China Total War game. Let's hope it happens. I will probably never play it (or Chinese tabletop wargames) but I can see why it fascinates people.

Cheers,
Aart

Not just ancient, though that's full of fun. But medieval Chinese armies are important too, and the pike and shot era armies are among the most rewarding of all.
   Actually, I'm doing a 10mm Ming army as we speak, but with a sad shortage of Pendraken figures in the ranks. I have been able to incorporate only a handful of crusades-era Turkish types and some ancient archers in sun hats, who convert obligingly enough too. I'd have used lots of Pendraken figures if they'd been available.

But some of us play anything - well almost. My last few games have been WOW WWI - Albatros blown up twice, 4 Modern 1/300 games (at Derby), and a shed load of Warmaster/Warmaster  Ancient games.

JUst bought FOG-R, have all the stuff for FOG.

Paintingwise, well in the last 6 months I've done an Arab, Sassinid, and started on Turkish and Polish Ren (This will double as Kislev), the Helis for most of a Russian Airmobile, with all the infantry, + btns of Arab and NATO stuff - all for someone else, and a Hunic with Indian allies again for a third party.

So your statement that msot of us just play 18th and 20th century warfare is just wrong.

IanS

Like Zbigniew I don't understand the popularity of the Spanish Civil War amongst gamers. In fact most Civil War periods seem to be gamed disproportionately. I can explain this with the ACW & ECW as most of the figure manufacturers hail from those nations so in their day was taught in history class if not today.

Quote from: NTM on 11 October 2010, 08:10:27 AM
Like Zbigniew I don't understand the popularity of the Spanish Civil War amongst gamers.

Have you ever asked them? They won't bite, you know. I've known a few and the reasons they give are that they love some of the more exotic or irregular units, the creaky early armoured vehicles, the landscape - oh, and let's not forget they love Spain, a major holiday destination for three European generations now. Things can be as simple as that. I know lovers of the Franco-Prussian war who are in it just because they love the uniforms of the zouaves, period.

I certainly don't play my fav periods out of some arcane historical interest. I adore Napoleonic uniforms. I am fascinated by the superiority of German WWII armour in combination with the profound evil they represented. Historical importance my foot. I am a historian by training, I have a history library of 4000 titles. I don't need wargames to fill in the details of a certain period - pleease...

I play wargames because I love a table full of colourful stuff lovingly put together by friends or acquaintances, good company. Basically I love it because it is so useless, it's a marvellous 'waste of time' from almost any (financial, political, economic, scientific) viewpoint except the obvious: I'm having a great afternoon for no practical reason at all and with no practical consequences whatsoever.

If there is one thing I don't understand, it's why people take their wargaming so damned seriously sometimes.  

Cheers,
Aart

That's a nice post there Aart - like it lots 

Quote from: Aart Brouwer on 11 October 2010, 01:48:06 PM
Have you ever asked them?

No because if I do they might give me some long boring explaination as to why 

I'm not knocking it was just throwing something into the hat based on the original question. I don't feel that the periods I game or rule systems I use are in some way more worthy than any others. I game beqause I enjoy it, if not I would just post on TMP or Frothers all day.

Quote from: NTM on 11 October 2010, 03:26:25 PM
I game beqause I enjoy it, if not I would just post on TMP or Frothers all day.

Cheers,
Aart

I think Warhammer Fantasy is overrated by GW, whereas Warmaster is vastly underated by GW. But then the pimply teens need something like Warham&eggs to allow their still forming brains to function at the same time as rolling dice.

I'm really enjoying turning into a grumpy old wargamer, never had so much fun. No need to be polite anymore.

Quote from: Aart Brouwer on 11 October 2010, 01:48:06 PM
Have you ever asked them? They won't bite, you know. I've known a few and the reasons they give are that they love some of the more exotic or irregular units, the creaky early armoured vehicles, the landscape - oh, and let's not forget they love Spain, a major holiday destination for three European generations now. Things can be as simple as that. I know lovers of the Franco-Prussian war who are in it just because they love the uniforms of the zouaves, period.

I certainly don't play my fav periods out of some arcane historical interest. I adore Napoleonic uniforms. I am fascinated by the superiority of German WWII armour in combination with the profound evil they represented. Historical importance my foot. I am a historian by training, I have a history library of 4000 titles. I don't need wargames to fill in the details of a certain period - pleease...

I play wargames because I love a table full of colourful stuff lovingly put together by friends or acquaintances, good company. Basically I love it because it is so useless, it's a marvellous 'waste of time' from almost any (financial, political, economic, scientific) viewpoint except the obvious: I'm having a great afternoon for no practical reason at all and with no practical consequences whatsoever.

If there is one thing I don't understand, it's why people take their wargaming so damned seriously sometimes.  

Cheers,
Aart

Its misunderstanding. It is not that I dont notice one particular Mr Hemingway's novel influence in SCW interest. I guess pretty female Spaniard soldiers have also something to do with it.
I am not a bit "serious" about wargaming or bloody history. Far from it. If I was serious about wargaming I wouldnt be able to play war being a declared pacifist 
I am just curious if SCW is really so popular among players that it deserves such Pendraken interest.

Quote from: Zbigniew on 13 October 2010, 06:45:54 AM
I am just curious if SCW is really so popular among players that it deserves such Pendraken interest.

If Nik Harwood is interested it deserves Pendraken's attention