Interesting discussion in this month's Wargames, Soldiers and Strategy about whether you consider yourself a gamer or a collector. The definitions are that a collector enjoys researching and painting figures and MAY use them to wargame historical scenarios. A gamer however is more focused on the rules mechanisms and how they can be used to best advantage, and is not particularly interested in how good the playing pieces look. I know what I am (clue: I have loads of Ospreys and WRG uniform books). So where do you stand on this?

Both

Definitly a gamer, mind you my painting is so bad I couldnt class myself as anything but.

Greetings

I think it's a false dichotomy.  

I wouldn't have figures unless I wanted them to look broadly correct for the forces concerned (not that I necessarily enjoy the painting because I'm not very good at it) but I buy the figures with the intent to play - not to get best advantage out of a set of rules but to get a game with a look and feel that seems right for the period concerned.

Regards

Edward

I am a bit of both. I enjoy painting but am not very good at it and I also enjoy playing, again I am not very good as I have the worst dice rolls in our club
I like playing armies that fit in with the background of the force they supposed to represent not having the all killing murdering combinations  that some gamers field, you know them the I must win at all costs brigade. To me winning is the icing on the cake the hobby in my opinion is about having fun 

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The definitions are that a collector enjoys researching and painting figures and MAY use them to wargame historical scenarios.

I enjoy the research and painting but want to use them to game historical scenarios. After all that is what wargaming is about as far as I'm concerned.

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A gamer however is more focused on the rules mechanisms and how they can be used to best advantage, and is not particularly interested in how good the playing pieces look.

I like rule sets that reflect the period being gamed but are also enjoyable to play. I'm not interested in seeking out the best way to play the rules. If they are good they will reward historically correct tactics, units etc on the table.

So for me, both but not in equal measure.

Both for me...

1)  Cannot resist trying to buy EVERY possible combination of troops at a set points level (nominally 4000 for Warmaster).  I feel like I have to be able to field any ossible combination (I need help )

2)  Love to see an army build up...even armies I don't really use that often.

Quote from: kustenjaeger on 19 November 2013, 12:31:43 PM

I think it's a false dichotomy. 

Edward

Completely agree Edward

I'm both too, i love the painting and the gaming equally. When we game i rather have a nice balanced fight instead of a one sided pummeling though. It's always nicer if everyone is having fun!

Both. I'm in the "can't paint very well so have to be a gamer", but I do spend a lot of time doing the research. It's where I get inspiration and lets me know if I've got the "feel" of the game right. 

definite painter, haven't bung any dice in over 20 years. I like doing my research and I totally angst over the finished product. Then they get put in a box and never come out again 

I'm beginning to thinks it's shameful so I'm hoping to try out some solo games next year. I'm not totally worried about historical accuracy when it comes to gaming (its gaming!). First game I play may well be Mongols V Romans, because why not 

Definately both,

But bit fussy on the castings/models - If I don't like the casting I will not want to paint it.
Which often hamstrings my gaming side. 

W

I am both and a researcher as well.  To me there are three parts to the hobby; research, painting, playing. I've listed them in that order beceause thats the order they normally happen in.

I love all three and the bit I enjoy most about the playing is the interaction with other "like minded" people.

I love the amount of info available via the internet that has made research so much faster and fruitful. The ability to collaborate via forums and yahoo groups is amazing and great fun, interacting with "like minded" people all over the world.

I can get a bit carried away on research. I have a Free French force for Flames of War. I found a reference to "sub-units of armoured cars and Foreign Legion" in the official NZ history and ended up with an 80 page background including the names of all the crews of all the Crusaders and half page biographies on all the officers in the force. 

I hate painting, but do want them to look right.

I'm with Mr Hussar.

Don't mind painting vehicles, but hate painting figures.

Quote from: kustenjaeger on 19 November 2013, 12:31:43 PM
Greetings

I think it's a false dichotomy.  

Edward is absolutely right. I wouldn't collect and paint (or get painted!) the model soldiers if I didn't want to game with them.  I probably wouldn't be as devoted to the historical research on tactics, uniforms, battlefields etc, if I didn't have the miniatures  hobby.  It is not a pair of separate or parallel hobbies, it is one entirely absorbing whole.  All the joy and intellectual excitement and stimulus I gain from walking battlefields and researching campaigns would be as nothing without this hobby.


Mollinary