Three Things that have significantly impacted your wargaming

[Orcs]

Seeing the Bulk base deals offered by Leon it got me thinking how much the ability to buy cheap uniform bases has impacted my wargaming.

No longer do I spend hours with a ruler, pencil and scalpel cutting up beer mats or mounting board to achieve a pile of bases that are vaguely the correct size and mostly square. then going through them and ditching 10% as they are a a couple of mm to small and trimming 10% as they are a couple of mm too big.

This lead me on to think about other things that have had a profound effect on my hobby.

1 Acrylic Paints

The quick drying aspect has significantly  improved the speed at which I can paint. Plus ease of cleaning the brushes means that its actually worth sitting down to paint for 10 mins as you do get stuff done

2. Lasercut bases

These are now so cheap and available in so many shapes and sizes, that its not worth cutting your own unless you literally only want a couple.

3 The internet

This makes research into painting stuff so easy, and unfortunately so easy to find new projects and the figures for them.  but it does cut down on the number of expensive books you need. (not sure Mrs Orcs would agree  )  But you can find pictures of kit when you think "what colour did they paint the fuel tank on a WW2 German flamethrower"


What things have impacted your hobby 

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

10mm figures, look great en masse and lovely to paint!

[Steve J]

1. Acrylic paints. Easy to use and no smell.

2. The Internet. So easy to research a period, a unit, a uniform detail etc. The down side is that you can so easily get side tracked into a new period etc, thus possibly diluting your precious time.

3. Wargame rules. The proliferation of rules these days means that it is relatively easy to find ones that fit your gaming style, space available etc. Most of my gaming is now solo and on a 4' x 4' table, so being able to play large games using Bloody Big Battles or skirmishes with the 'Rampant' series in an evening is simply wonderful,

[Leman]

The Pendraken FPW range enabled me to really develop the kind of gaming I wanted in that period.

Chris Pringle's BBB rules made it possible to stage some of the biggest battles in history on a 6x4 table, whilst at the same time making those rules streamlined and enjoyable.

Impetus enabled me to get back into Ancient, Medieval  and early Renaissance warfare after years in the DBX wilderness.


* Are three things enough? Over on Peter Pig they've just passed 60 of 'my favourite wargame things'

[fsn]

1) Osprey books. They are my gateway to just about everything. For £10-£12 you get a primer on just about everything. If the Osprey tickles my interest, then serious reserach begins.

2) Acrylic paints. Even though I'm still not as good at them as I was with enamels. (I miss my Humbrol Authenticolour)

3) Pendraken. Before donning the off-white robe of a Pendraken novice, I was the victim of many, many scales. I had WWII in 1:300, 15mm, 20mm and ... 54mm. Now, everything is in 10mm. My life is tranquil. Pendraken offers such a wide range, and such a good service at such reasonable prices, that it is a one stop shop for all my wargaming needs.* I will include in that this forum which is what passes for a social life for me, certainly a wargames fraternity.




*expect tiny aircraft and tiny, tiny ships. 

[lowlylowlycook]

1)  Death of Warhammer Fantasy.   Until GW blew the whole thing up, there were always more Orcs to paint and a need to read through the pursuit rules yet again making it, in my mind, hard to justify branching out.  Now the scales have fallen from my eyes.

2) The Terrain Tutor.  In addition to getting me into making terrain,  this guys youtube channel full of  simple advice also got me over the hump as far as basing my figs.  Now to find the equivalent channel for making flags...

3) The unofficial Ethiopian army list for Bolt Action.  Without this, I doubt that it would have ever occurred to me to combine my love for this mostly forgotten country with wargaming.

[FierceKitty]

I've got Ethiopians in my Achaemenid army, and a 19th century Abyssinian army too. They aren't entirely forgotten, despite my hostile feelings after a six-hour delay at Addis airport last year!

[Raider4]

1) Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings films, and the GW game that followed. Got me back into modelling & gaming after a long time away.

2) The Warmaster game, that introduced me to 10mm, and led me to Pendraken.

3) As others have said, the internet. This opens you up to so much information.

Cheers, M.
--

[Matt J]

1) work

2) kids

3) house

Oh you mean positively....

[Orcs]

1) work

2) kids

3) house

Oh you mean positively....

I notice one very important omission from that list, or are you not brave enough to mention her?   ..... Your wife

[Matt J]

I notice one very important omission from that list, or are you not brave enough to mention her?   ..... Your wife

She passed the cost benefit analysis 

[Steve J]

Too true Matt, too true. I thought as the kids (now young adults) got older, I'd have way more time than when they were young, but sadly the reverse is true. Also being 20 years older does come into the equation somewhat...

[sunjester]

1. Acrylic paints - for the reasons already mentioned.

2. The internet - ditto.

3. My local club (Tring Wargames Club). We are a rather diverse bunch with a wide range on interests and in the 25-odd years I've been a member I have had the opportunity to play a huge variety of rules, periods and scales. Far more than I would have tried (or perhaps even been aware of) if I was gaming solo or with a couple of friends. It's also given me some good friends and, for me, the social aspect is an important part of my gaming enjoyment.

[Orcs]

3. My local club (Tring Wargames Club). We are a rather diverse bunch with a wide range on interests and in the 25-odd years I've been a member I have had the opportunity to play a huge variety of rules, periods and scales. Far more than I would have tried (or perhaps even been aware of) if I was gaming solo or with a couple of friends. It's also given me some good friends and, for me, the social aspect is an important part of my gaming enjoyment.

Yes we put up with you after all it is "Care in the community"

[Dr Dave]

Perry

Warlord

Pendraken