A Wargamer! What will the neighbours say?

         So I had an interesting day at work today, some of my colleagues found out that I paint little toy soldiers and push them around a board using dice to see how many of my opponents little toy soldiers I have killed.

Its what most people think!

So this left a few options.

Option A

Go all shy and deny everything.

I have got very embarrassed at work before and gone all red before, but not this time.

Option B

Sit in corner and start rocking backward and forward and hope nobody says anything.

Some people there already think I have issues, no need to add fuel that fire (at this point anyway).

Option C

Sell up, move on and never have to

worry about what they think again.

A bit extreme, plus we have only just had a really good tidy up, so no.

Option D

Kill them all and

hope no-one notices...

So very tempting.....

Option E

Tell them a bit about what

it is I do and why.     

A waste of breath? maybe, maybe not.



So as viable as all the above options were I thought sod it, in for a penny. So I showed a few of them the pictures I have on my phone, my blog and tried to explain what it is I do. The total ridicule, pointing, laughing and name calling never came! A few laughs and funny looks, but when an adult is reading about a goblin warboss on a gigantic spider written by another adult its totally justified. Some took a bit of convincing that I had actually done them because they are too good for me to have done, which I didn't get offended about at all. In fact it was great, I spend of time and effort making and painting these models and every now and then its great to hear someone say something like that.

So, where am I going with all this obvious defense of my hobby? Well, the way I see it and please correct me if I'm wrong (I normally am so its not a problem, just ask the missus), is that everybody has a thing, from sports to cooking to computer games to dressing up as a badger and locking yourself in small room for a few hours, the list is endless, they are all just things that people enjoy. I for one would never ram my hobby down someone throat and bang on about it virtues to someone that is not interested, its not fair and I hate it when people do it to me. Which is why I go to my club on the Fridays I can, like minded people doing what they love because they can and they understand what is going on (well sometimes). I have met loads of people that I really like that are into the same thing as me that I would not have done if I didn't walk in one Friday evening and say hello. The club has more variety of people than you would imagine, from students, to teachers to an ambulance driver (whose good lady makes the best cakes ever!). I can honestly see what other people do when they walk past, a shop full of men pushing toy soldiers about with handfuls of dice and massive rule books. And I have to admit to myself, yes it is somewhat strange, but I would probably find there thing strange or damn right stupid, but your thing is your thing. As long as your not hurting anybody just get on with it.

Some of the things I do are geeky, I fully admit that but I would not place myself in the stereotypical geek club i.e. the picture to the left because of it. They do exist, believe me they do, walk around any wargaming convention anywhere and you will find them. From those that know every rule in a given wargame to those that know how many rivets a Tiger tank should have, I say good luck to them.

I read comics, watch superhero films, I love zombie films and pretty much anything to do with zombies really. I make up stories and backgrounds for some of my miniatures, its just what I do and it all adds to my thing for me. In the end that's what its all about, I'm enjoying myself and not hurting anybody.

If you made it this far thanks for sticking with me, a bit of rant that I never planned it to be, next time maybe some more goblins, SAGA or even Menoth!

Thanks again for stopping by, take care and hope to see you again soon.