Are the fantasists taking over?

[Glorfindel]

I remember reading a similar discussion way back in 'Battle' magazine
(but with more entrenched opinions and vitriolic letters).   This time, its
much more civilised, and better for it.

I expect most wargamers have some experience of both (with the pervasive
GW influence).   I'm certainly happy to play both and do so regularly
(Warmaster, Epic & Black Powder).

I do, however, agree with Luddite :

>>The only problem i ever have with this old and probably endless debate is
the idea (either implicit or explicit) that historical gaming is worthy whereas
fantasy and sci fi gaming isn't.<<

Even though I love both, there is a certain reluctance to 'own up' to Fantasy or
Sci-Fi gaming.   Strange.   Anyway, as I'm now approaching 50, I've decided that
I really don't give a stuff about the nay-sayers - its all good (historical, sci-fi or
fantasy).   Just don't get me started on people who play those silly skirmish
games...   


Phil

[Ithoriel]

Friend turned up unexpectedly this evening so I fed him coffee and biscuits and inveigled him into a game of FRAG Deadlands - Zombie-Vampire-Cowboys AND a skirmish (if a single figure counts as skirmish?) game!

My Harrowed Gunslinger narrowly beat The Man In The Black Duster.

If you have a problem with that I'll see you come noon .... in the bar .... might even buy ya a sasparilla!

[FierceKitty]

When I started this thread I wondered how long it would be before the old chestnut of "all wargaming is fantasy" would crop up. I beg to differ. Panzergrenadiers are not fantasy; zombie panzergrenadiers definitely are. There is also the point that if fantasy 'unleashes the imagination' then if you're going to photon blast my fairies, then I imagine my fairies are immune to photon blasts because photon blasts temporarily turn them into giant photon blaster devouring werewolves who cause the photon blaster operatives to hallucinate, see pink reptillian flying elephantine mammoths and flee. Imagine the surprise of my opponent.

Well said, on several points.

[Steve J]

I play mainly historical games, but also some near future/sci-fi. I enjoy both and wouldn't want to change. I might move back into 'classic' fantasy games of Dwarves vs Goblins at some point, just as a trip down memory lane to my formative gaming years. Sadly I have plenty of stuff in the queue to stop me indulgin, but the release of 'Dragon Rampant' may change this .

[fsn]

Back to the original question. Are the fantasists taking over? Not really.

Remember last year when it was "Mongol this" and "Jingis that"?

These things will pass. The Dark Lord is wise and we should trust in him. 

[Luddite]

Are the fantasists taking over?   No. 

Was a time you couldn't move on the forum for Centurion tanks.

Aye.  Boring wasn't it?  Nothing but tanks and Aztecs to talk about...

Now it's goblins, dwarves and fairies.

Is it?  And thats a bad thing?

Whatever happened to history?

Nothing, its still going strong.
[/quote]

[fsn]

 "Enough historical out there, we need fantasy! A fantasy range of buildings please, unit cards, unofficial game of thrones lists please."
- Warband Facebook Page

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

*Falsetto*
Is this the real life...
Is it just fantasy?

[Techno]

No escape from reality ? 
Cheers - Phil

[Steeleye]

Some of my fondest wargame memories are of my English Civil War army fighting a friend's Orcs, or, when my Medieval longbowmen arrow stormed a unit of Goblin wolf riders, or my Men-at-arms fighting to the last man (and woman) against the Evil Skeleton hordes.

I like historical armies but have no problem setting them against 'fantasy' armies, in fact I'm sort of setting up a 'fantasy world' with various pike and shot' armies against more primitive human and fantasy foes.

As long as all things are equal...things like the effects of magic are hammered out before the game starts, I really have no problem with 'fantasy', or sci-fi; my Vietnam war Americans spend most of their time fighting 'Bugs' or giant robots!

As someone has already said, as long as you enjoy yourself who cares?

Also hasn't there been some discussion about 'Warband Historical'? Perhaps we're taking about the wrong thing here, perhaps the reason Fantasy appears to be taking over/more popular is because the rules are more 'fun'/easier to get a grip on.

Coming from a generation of gamers who had to write their own rules I have to say I'm not impressed with most commercial rules, it often seems to me that you're fighting the rules not your opponent.

[fsn]

Techno will be pleased to know that he's been rescued from the Borg hive mind and has had most of the implants removed. Now, in my mind Techno looks like this ...



Fantasy is wonderful!

[Womble67]

Hi all my take on this is we are all wargamers with different tastes, so as far as I'm concerned the more the merrier.

Take care

Andy

[FierceKitty]

Techno will be pleased to know that he's been rescued from the Borg hive mind and has had most of the implants removed. Now, in my mind Techno looks like this ...



Fantasy is wonderful!

Why is everyone so unkind to him, I ask myself.

[Subedai]

I may not be interested in a lot of historical stuff ie AWI, European medieval or even TYW but I don't go round poo-pooing people who do. To my mind the word wargaming covers all aspects of warfare be it two Neanderthals slugging it out with thigh bones or two starship troopers in a null-g environment firing at each other with beam weapons.

I think the problem lies in that because historical gaming set the precedence, some wargamers think they belong to an elite club as the senior service, rather like the navy being the senior service of the armed forces.

This is course utter tosh. It's case of whatever floats your boat.

#fsn  'Jingis'? Haven't seen that one for a while.

[fsn]

#fsn  'Jingis'? Haven't seen that one for a while.

Really? Shows how much I know about Mongols. Are we back to "Gengis"?