tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185876513552272723.post7433230464176793431..comments2024-03-28T03:10:23.679-07:00Comments on Polemarch: The Wargame WallThe Polemarchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10958736917525649927noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185876513552272723.post-40311814369839468222017-02-20T02:38:01.799-08:002017-02-20T02:38:01.799-08:00I think, as I noted in another comment, that perha...I think, as I noted in another comment, that perhaps I need to get the current real life stuff sorted out and then I might have some resource left to do some soldiers. Deadlines are looming, but I do try to keep a sense of perspective, and some time aside for hobby stuff.The Polemarchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10958736917525649927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185876513552272723.post-82227794841972878222017-02-20T02:36:04.045-08:002017-02-20T02:36:04.045-08:00On doing something different, I was only thinking ...On doing something different, I was only thinking last night about my Hussite non-project. <br /><br />For years I hankered after hoplite armies, as my first 'proper' wargame figure was a Spartan. I've done that now.<br /><br />But for years I've hankered after a Hussite army, as well, mostly because it is one of the oddest ones out there in my periods. But I've never managed it. But would buying more lead and starting another project really help? I'm not sure.The Polemarchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10958736917525649927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185876513552272723.post-27143080618347927752017-02-20T02:32:21.733-08:002017-02-20T02:32:21.733-08:00I recall, a long time ago, someone paraphrasing a ...I recall, a long time ago, someone paraphrasing a film posters as 'Dr Strangelove or how I stopped worrying and learnt to love the dice' to describe one of their problems with the hobby.<br /><br />It is a cycle, I agree, but every once in a while i start to worry that I've fallen off it and can't get back on....The Polemarchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10958736917525649927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185876513552272723.post-44819783813539733872017-02-20T02:29:45.644-08:002017-02-20T02:29:45.644-08:00I'm not sure there is a lofty tone to be lower...I'm not sure there is a lofty tone to be lowered here, but it is kind of you to suggest that there is.<br /><br />Over-business is one of the issues right now I think. Maybe I need to finish some real life stuff before getting back to the little men. And our local ducks will appreciate you kindly advice too.The Polemarchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10958736917525649927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185876513552272723.post-60494121871255058702017-02-18T23:43:57.689-08:002017-02-18T23:43:57.689-08:00For me, the wargaming wall is entirely related to ...For me, the wargaming wall is entirely related to "real life". There is a point of stress when wargaming stops being fun - for me, it is a hobby that I enjoy in the good times, it rarely gets me out of the blues. So the solution for me is to forget wargaming for a while and concentrate on sorting out my life. What can be good in these periods are regular board games - or even something like Heroquest - played with friends and family.<br />I wonder if the wall would feel very different if I weren't primarily a solo player?JWHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01637785437909299947noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185876513552272723.post-47905488149421915472017-02-18T14:50:23.012-08:002017-02-18T14:50:23.012-08:00I think that is why I have always preferred to pla...I think that is why I have always preferred to play historical battles - I like to understand why the battle occurred. Putting the battle into context makes me enjoy the battle more. Ancients battles are really good for me in this respect as there is always a decent prequel to the battle that can sometimes stretch back decades! The other period I play - WW2 - is similar in that there is enough of a background available on why a battle is being fought.<br /><br />I have never hit a wall where I do nothing. I have slow periods (one lasting 12 years with only a few games a year). I do hit periods when the motivation is not there, and getting a game on the table does not break it (just coming out of one of those right now). I seem to like research and tweaking my rules at least as much as I like playing. To get out of this current slump I am writing some rules for pulp skirmish gaming to play with my children. I did not intentionally do it do get out of the slump. I have been thinking on doing this for a while and just worked on it more over the last few months, and realised only last week I am out of the doldrums. From reading on others that have been in the same boat, I think doing something different, even different hobbies, seems to be the way over the wall; in comparison to forcing more of the same wargamimg that is probably not going to actually help.Shaun Travershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05691522858410783769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185876513552272723.post-6994549169970217922017-02-18T12:44:10.217-08:002017-02-18T12:44:10.217-08:00Your comment about leaders struck a chord today an...Your comment about leaders struck a chord today and made me chuckle. I attended a conference and one of the papers discussed Cnut the Great. The speaker had included a quote from a contemporary source stating that he was tall, handsome, of piercing gaze, but not a man of great wisdom. The source further stated that his forebears were lacking in wisdom too. I wonder if we might not find similar, probably unexpressed views of many rulers.<br /><br />Regarding the wall, I've always thought of it as a saturation point. I've either had enough of painting, or my unpainted lead pile has reached daunting proportions and puts me off, or I just get fed up of whinging about dice rolls. There's also the point where I have too many games I want to play and choice overload kicks in, leaving me unable and unwilling to pick just one. Real Life(tm) is occasionally to blame, leaving me valuing my gaming time less as a result of other factors that reduce my joy in everything. Reasons are manifold, but the saturation seems to go in cycles too. I've gone several years at a time without gaming and then return to it somewhat refreshed and more willing to play again. The fallow years do tend to coincide with periods of no opponents, so I guess my gaming is largely social. I find it harder to motivate myself to set up and play a solo game.Ruaridhhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13003128932063213463noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5185876513552272723.post-58147748958087937682017-02-18T02:35:46.033-08:002017-02-18T02:35:46.033-08:00I am reluctant to lower the lofty tone by commenti...I am reluctant to lower the lofty tone by commenting here, but I can say yes, I hit a wargaming wall some 25 years ago. I was hugely busy doing work things and family things and other things, my regular opponents had variously emigrated and/or died suddenly, and I was mightily fed up with the demise of figures in my chosen scale.<br /><br />What I did was I safely packed everything away for a while, did some gentle reading on history and so on, and came back to it after about 14 years - I had more time, eBay had changed figure availability, and the hobby seemed to have become more sensible. It's not necessary to have a sabbatical of such length.<br /><br />Here's a plan. Get a bag of stale bread, and go to feed the ducks in the park. While you are feeding them, remember how much you enjoyed some wargame years ago that still pleases you, and think how you would feel if you could never play again. Then have a little cry and go home and tidy up your soldiers, ready for action.MSFoyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14470241067504971068noreply@blogger.com