American Civil War Game Club (ACWGC)

<b><font color="beige">Just finished reading an article in the HMGS (historical miniature gaming society) news letter about the "graying" of their membership and got to wondering about the average age of our membership.

So how old are you.[?] [:0]

...and what can we do to interest younger players.</font id="beige"></b>

<b><font color="beige">Forgot to enter my own....48,also just 3 months from 49[;)]</font id="beige"></b>


<font color="blue"><b>Brig.Gen. R.A.Weir</b></font id="blue">
<font color="yellow">-- CALVERT LINE --</font id="yellow">

<b>First--III--AoA CSA</b>

Hi!

At a Guess . . . from my experiences within the Club . . . I'd take Evens on the average age of the Membership as being in the mid-40's.

My own age is 41 (nearly 42) . . physically and approx. 10 mentally! [:o)]

As to interesting a younger membership . . I feel that would be difficult because the nature of our Games is "static". That is to say . . Hex by Hex, a step at a time - as opposed to fluid graphics in 3D Shoot 'em ups - ála Hexen, Ageof Empires, Star Wars, Lara Croft, Flight Sims et al.

The Graphics in the HPS series is weak also . . . whilst I realise that the Battleground graphics would be expensive and time consuming to re-create . . a step in that direction is sorely needed if the HPS series is to remain to the forefront of the market. With state of the art graphics becoming the norm . . . HPS lies in imminent danger of becoming a Stone Age man's Scribblings on the Cave wall! [B)]

Pat.

Colonel Patrick G.M.Carroll,
Commanding
II Corps,
Army of Georgia.
"Spartan Southrons"
C.S.A.

" When My Country takes it's rightful place, amongst the Nations of the World, then and only then, let My Epitaph be written. "

I'm 51 and it's just great to know that I will not be the first 79 year old gamer as that honor is to MG Schlueter. So it is possible that I could have 28 more years of gaming. Then again, I could have 28 more minutes of gaming.

The point is well taken and the same point has been discussed in Model Railroading Forums as younger modelers are far and few between.

So with that said, I could care less about attracting younger gamers
because no matter what you suggest it ain't going to make a difference. Regardless of the age, you must have a passion for the war and also a passion for gaming. Everybody has access to the internet and if someone is interested they will find us.....

Let's see what we can do to attract YANKEES to the game!!!!!!!








Lt.Col. R.E.Daley
1st Corp of the ANV
3rd Calvary Divsion,
3rd Brigade
"We are the Midnight Riders"

38 here

As to attracting younger gamers... it's got to be an individual thing. Take someone who is frustrated with the limitations of Command and Conquer or Warcraft and show them "the light."

Brig. General Gary McClellan
1st Division, XXIII Corps
AoO,USA

46 and aging rapidly. If these Rebs keep beating me like a rented mule I'll probably be in the Old General's home soon.

General Mark Nelms
Union Chief of the Army
Cabinet Member

To anwser the question. I am 58 also a member of HMGS.

I'll also cast a vote for my son, who is 30 and on a temporary leave of abscence from the historical gaming hobby - a wife, a new son, a new house, a new job, no hobby time!

To opine on the graying of the Historical Gaming Hobby. There is certainly no shortage of youthful war gamers. The issue is that they strongly prefer fantasy games and shooter games. The interest in fantasy table top games is of most interest to me, because essentially the rules are the same. For some reason pushing orc's and elf's or worse, is more appealing then pushing yanks and rebs. I have an interest in Ironclads and bought the Battle Fleet Gothic miniatures because I thought they were very similar games in concept. The reasons are probably similar to why movies like Lord of the Rings and Star Wars have more audience appeal then Historical based movies.

I think it is the "historical" part of our gaming that is the issue. Except for the whole issue of turn based vs real time games, I wonder if HPS took one of its titles and converted the terrain to some fantasy world and converted the "troops" to creatures whether the appeal would change. Would Campaign Elfenland be a big commercial hit? Could I claim a royalty? Would that email game club attract a younger audience?

As to the graying topic there has been some recent good news IMHO. Hasbro/Avalon Hill Division has recently introduced the collectable miniatures Axis $ Allies game. Now I'm not a WWII gamer, but I believe that period is HPS's biggest business and I suspect based on what I see posted on the local historical miniature discussion groups it represents a very high percentge of HMGS member interest as well. Now the initial feedback from the miniature gaming people I know has not been postive about the new A & A effort (I bought a starter set for $25 to see what it was about), but I suspect HMGS members are not the target audience for Hasbro. They must see an opportunity among the youthful fantasy crowd. Let's hope they are right. It will bring the average age down and the hair color will be less gray.



Lt Gen Bob Breen
Commanding XIX Corps, AoS

I will be 47 this year in December. Started playing board games at 10 (Tactics II). My son (10 years old now) has not show any great interest. Will ocasionally play a short 4 or 5 turn hot seat game with me.

BG Joe Mishurda

Joe Mishurda, The Cast Iron Division
2nd Div. XXV Corp, AoJ

Gentlemen,

I am 48 years old, just 3 months from 49. Started gaming with the old AH bookshelf games like Luftwaffe and Feudal at about 13 years of age. A friend then shortly intoduced me to the SPI magazine games and a few years later Terrible Swift Sword came out and it was all over for me. I was truely addicted. Still own that very beat up and well worn copy of TSS.

Can't say I'm greying though, cuz I shave my head!

Your Humble Servant
Brig Gen Mark E. Wolken
I/Cav/XVI AoT

as stated before, it would be a personal choice. They would have to have an interest in American History of this time frame, myself I've been playing board and computer games since I was 12, I'll be 53 in December, and hope to be playing for another 53[:p].

Lt. Col. Gery Bastiani
Fightin' Carolinians
4/2/II AotM CSA

36 [8D]

LGen. Hamilton
II Corps
ANV, CSA
Signal Corps - Editor in Chief

Just turned 23 today! Looks like I am the youngest buck to respond thus far, but I am certain there are younger, more able officers in the club.

I am not sure what can be done in recruiting younger players. I got my friend Damian (25) into the club, but we are the appropriate type of freak that is necessary to enjoy this sort of hobby.[8D] I would assume it is true for people of any age; either wargaming is something you find attractive, or you don't (and most don't). Though, I will add, it took me some time to get into it, and it was not until after I became interested in the history of the Civil War that I took to wargaming. So if you have a friend who you think may be a candidate for enjoying the hobby, keep pounding it into him (or her) . . . maybe he'll come around in the end.[:D]

Lt. Col. Brad Slepetz
III Corps
AoG

Born in 1966, so what is that 39? Anyway, agree with Colonel Patrick G.M.Carroll about what the younger crowd is looking for. For myself, having learned with hexes and turns, it would cloud the experience to have it real time or fancy graphic. I prefer the chess match.

MG Michael Laabs
3/III A of M

49

... and I think there is a zeitgeist issue. For many of us WWII was our parents and/or older siblings war. They'd had enough of the real thing to not be that keen on playing it out.

For most of us it had a profound impact on our lives without our actually being alive to experience it first hand. Thus we had a fascination with the war/history, and while TV was/would be part of our lives it came without dominating it, and we believed you could influence this world. Into that mix AH or some such cam along.

The post-boomers were in a different world. TV was a much bigger influence. 'Nam was history never mind WWII, and so on. Most importantly, I don't think there is much belief among them in the ability of the individual to influence the world, hence the move to the fantasy realms.

We were drawn to our greater influences, they are to theirs ... and I don't think it's historical simulations.

Lt Gen Mike Kaulbars
3rd "Freiheit" Division
VIII/AoS

<font face="Andale Mono"><font color="pink">Color me the same as Gery Bastiani[:D]!

Regards,</font id="pink"></font id="Andale Mono">

Nick Kunz

Brigadier General
Commandant, VMI
Commanding,
3rd Cavalry Division,
III Corps, Army of Alabama
Confederate States of America

I'll be 42 in December and I was also heavy into HMGS. I have many 15mm ACW guys and 25MM Ancients. Alas, it's been almost two years since I did any painting or playing. I liked the miniature feel to the BG series and that's why I started playing BG games in 1996. Strange, but now I only play in 2D. I just can't see enough detail in 3D.