Who are you? Why are you here?

[Calandale]

Consider this the welcome thread.

One post is necessary for certain features to be unlocked and all (I think),
so it's a good idea to put something like this here. Plus, it's nice to know
folk who use different names elsewhere - or whatever. Things can get
pretty chaotic if people start changing their profiles.

[usrlocal]

BGG sucks. CSW Social sucks. Do it to me.   

[Robin Hoodlum]

I discovered calandale about a year ago and I've been hooked ever since!
Without sounding like a FANBOI, I enjoy his play-throughs and reviews very, very much. I find him insightful, intelligent, knowledgeable about the material, and generally a helluva a guy!

Now, about me...
I'm old, college educated, married for the second time, have 3 children-all boys, ages 4,5, and 16.
I love wargaming and reading military history. I have a large wargame collection and library of Military History books.
I also play boardgames... mostly FF and things of that nature.
We have a gaming night every weekend, and I also solo play a lot of wargames like calandale does.

Questions?

[Calandale]

I'm a long time gamer - started out with Origins of WWII, and began trying to
make real wargames because of that design: without knowing IT was derived from
real wargames. It, the MB Heritage games (Skirmish was my first there), 3M stuff,
some weirder family games - they all caught my attention. My family always gamed
though - Monopoly, Risk, card games.

Found my first wargames at a tail gate sale. Picked up seven used S&Ts in the late
70's (for about $5!). I was totally hooked at that point. Searching for more SPI games
got me into AH, GDW, and even D&D. From their, I branched across all of adventure
hobby gaming.

When my ex-wife gave me the boot, I ended up going back to school, and didn't
have time or space for games. A good four years in school, and about that many
working, all without what had always sustained me. Different things took their
place (spamming, computer games, dancing). I had a couple of my games here,
and ordered a few more, but nothing was really getting me excited about the
hobby the way I once was.

Then, someone online suggested Imperial, and I tried it online and loved it.
Ended up ordering a few very good euros, some CDGs, and other newer designs,
and was back into gaming big time. When I did a video DAR of the Seven Days
(three game series of CWB games by The Gamers), I saw that people actually
wanted to watch solo plays - so I started what's been a continuing habit of
posting a lot of vids. They moved from just playthroughs, to including rules
intros and even final thoughts as reviews.

Ah...and BGG. When I first showed up at BGG, it was pretty dull - especially in
terms of wargames. But, when I got back, excited again by the hobby, it seemed
to fill a need. The site's gotten richer since then, but I'm sick and tired of pulling bans
for just discussing stuff. Maybe I'm a troll; maybe I'm not. I don't really give a ****.
I bent over backwards to try and not upset people enough - but I'm sick of that
****. It serves one purpose to me now - a place to post my vids. The symbiotic
relationship there cannot be jeopardized by my need to  have a place to discuss
games freely. So, I'm done posting there (at least for some time - but I feel
pretty much finished).

[baczyz]

Took a break from wargaming for about 10 years after burning out on CNA. Spent my time working,drinking and whoring while pretending to be an adult. After my quad bypass I was bored laying around and decided to check out this wonderful thing called "Ebay" my wife was raving about. Next thing you know I went from owning one game from the old old days to over 400, mostly ones I couldnt afford in college.....

I'm mostly a strategic gamer, the bigger the better. Monster games are where I thrive except I dont have the room anymore....sigh

My wife is more than supportive of my hobby. Thats good.

Mostly a solo gamer since the crowd I gamed with decided to vacate Buffalo for greener pastures and im to old and lazy to find a new crowd......

[Robin Hoodlum]

My wife is more than supportive of my hobby. Thats good.

My wife thinks I'm an idiot for spending as much money as I do on... games.

[ekted]

Hey!

I am ekted (Jim) from BGG. I actually joined this forum before I had seen "the video". I am here because I love the level of discussion that is sometimes not allowed on BGG.

Some of my favorite games are: Go, Shogi, A Victory Lost, Twilight Struggle, Goa, FAB: Bulge, Napoleon's Triumph, Here I Stand. I enjoy all game types except those where the only enjoyment is one of thematic pretense (i.e. there has to be a game behind those plastic figures). I only played "standard stuff" until I found BGG, although I owned ASL and SFB long before that just for the reading material. New games hopefully to be played soon: For the People, Empire of the Sun, Reluctant Enemies, The Mighty Endeavor, Kingdom of Heaven.

I avoid all things in life where lying is required (i.e. interacting with most people). I am OCD, probably a functional Asperger's, and probably a functional sociopath.

[Robin Hoodlum]

I am OCD, probably a functional Asperger's, and probably a functional sociopath.

You'll fit right in!
 

[usrlocal]

I avoid all things in life where lying is required (i.e. interacting with most people). I am OCD, probably a functional Asperger's, and probably a functional sociopath.

One of us!  One of us!   

[Calandale]

Maybe those elements should be requirements to be here.

[kira1y]

Now, about me... I'm old

44 ain't old!! (Says the guy who is also 44). 

I'm Jim. I like games.

[Robin Hoodlum]

Now, about me... I'm old

44 ain't old!! (Says the guy who is also 44). 

I'm Jim. I like games.

Hi Jim!
I like games too!
 

[egg_salad]

44 IS old.  I won't be 44 for at least 8 months.

[anarchy]

Oddly, I'm 44 as well (unless I've got my math wrong, which has been happening more and more). Started with D&D in 1977, found Ogre, Wizard and Melee in a local game store in Palm Springs, CA and got hooked. Played a ton of SFB, Battletech and Car Wars in high school.

I'm a closet wargamer. Mostly playing euros/ameritrash with my friends. Play some card games with family. Play miniatures with myself. Have a wargame buddy and we meet up about once a month to play whatever tickles our fancy (tactical to strategic, WW2 to ancients). Usually lighter fare.

I read and fondle wargames the rest of the month. Play some solo. I am a card carrying corner clipper.

I design computer games as my day job and do some stuff for VPG on the side.

I'm here because... well, crud, I dunno. I'm tired of over moderation on BGG (which is not that bad compared to RPG.net and Enworld.org -- you can't disagree with anyone on those sites without getting red texted). Every few months or years something sets me off and I get about *this* close to deleting my account there. I've stopped supporting them after 10 years because of the lack of consistent moderation policies and complete lack of care about user feedback. I get that they have to support several employees, but they way they give preference to advertisers annoys me as well. And Octavian needs to go.

I subscribe to Calandale's youtube channel and watch/listen during the day in the background as I work. I enjoy his posts and want to keep reading.

[Sluggonics]

New forum startup!  Exciting!

I've played wargames since I was a kid.  Around about 1988, though, PC gaming got its hooks in me in a big way, and for about 20 years I didn't do much wargaming, or even much boardgaming, aside from breaks for the occasional History of the World or Diplomacy.  But PC gaming, in the last 10 years or so, had become increasingly unsatisfying to me, and, attending Gen Con for most of the years it's been here in Indianapolis, I started drifting back to "analog" gaming - RPG's and boardgames.  Serious wargaming didn't enter the picture until about 2 years ago, on a spur-of-the-moment purchase at the CSI booth of Victoria Cross II.  Now, about $2000 later, I've got a pretty good collection going!