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While lurking on one of the mailing lists I subscribe to, one of the all time classic questions cropped up: "Is the internet killing wargaming?" Of course it wan't long before all the old chestnuts were trotted out: "The damn kids these days have no damn appreciation for damn history!" "Computer games make it all too convenient!" "GW is the great satan!" Blah blah blah…And OF COURSE, the inevitable dithering about 'the graying of the hobby' came up. Personally I think that that's a load of balderdash, but that's just me. Amidst all the hand-wringing and back-patting however, one person made a statement that flipped a switch in my head: "Quick: what web site would you send a young person to to have historical miniatures explained and get him started? I don't know a really good one either. There should be one, and we all should know it." This has lit a fire under me to try and put one together. And the first thing I'm going to attempt to put together is a FAQ for both beginning wargamers and their parents. To do that however, I need a favor from you, the readers.

In the comments below ask two questions: One from the point of view of someone getting started (or thinking of getting started) in the hobby, and one from the point of view of one of those all-too-rare 'concerned parents' who take an interest in what their children are getting involved with. I look forward to seeing some of the questions!

1. Well, when i first started the hobby (hmm about 11/12) i wanted every single shiny model from the space marine department as i ended with marneus calgar and a honor guard squad with a land raider crusader with the units from battle from maccrage *sigh*. so i would ask the GW store manager "What should i get?"

2. As taking a perspective from my fathers view i would probably be ending up thinking "Is it really worth it?".

Here are a couple of articles I wrote. Maybe this will help answer some of your questions or generate new ones.

Why Miniatures Gaming Is A Great Hobby For Kids

Where Career Meets Hobby: 10 Business Lessons I Learned From Miniatures

Starting a New Warhammer or Warmachine Army

So You Want to Paint Miniatures?

This site is pretty cool:

http://www.juniorgeneral.org

1. A question which I still ask myself to this day is "Should I listen to the salesman at the GW?".

2. When I was younger my parents frequently asked, "what on earth is this all about?" and "How can it be healthy for you to spend all that time painting?"

I don't know if this is really answering the a question but when I was younger (like 14 years ago) and I spent all my time painting/modelling/playing my mother was thrilled. I asked her about it when I grew up and she said it was because:

A. She aways knew where I was...at a friends or in the kitchen painting.

B. I wasn't out getting drunk/high like a lot of other kids.

Lukus83 wrote:I don't know if this is really answering the a question but when I was younger (like 14 years ago) and I spent all my time painting/modelling/playing my mother was thrilled. I asked her about it when I grew up and she said it was because:

A. She aways knew where I was...at a friends or in the kitchen painting.

B. I wasn't out getting drunk/high like a lot of other kids.

quoted for truth.

my parents (when I was younger, and even now to a certain extent) have always loved that I have a hobby. They feel the same way with me. They would much rather have me in my room or at the LGS painting or gaming than out with people doing "stupid gak."

all of those links seemed pretty helpful as well.

Heh a parent of a friend of mine once suggested the drug habit would be cheaper....
1. Do I really need to use GW miniatures-No No No.
2. Doesn't it encourage violence?- To which I answer no its like chess and since when have a mob of deranged chess fans attacked riot police?

Hi all.
Wargaming is an engrossing and enriching hobby that spans many diverse and interesting topics.

The 'GW hobby' is a trite marketing campain with the express purpose of 'wallet rapeing' as many parents as possible before thier children give up on it.

DONT get them confused!

Enjoy wargaming in any capacity you feel comfotable with .Invest as little or as much as you want .
EG.
Down load 'Full Thrust' from GZG.FREE
12 space ship models from EM4 minatures £2.50
Wargame rules and minatures for less than £3.

TTFN
Lanrak.

My parents were more than happy with my 40K interest as it kept me out of the trouble i was usually up to. A few stains on the family dining table, kitchen surfaces, etc... were ignored as long as i wasn't breaking down 30 bottle rockets in order to destroy bins/cats...

From a personal point of view, Wargaming (and 40k particularly) allowed me to take out my competitive nature in a relatively relaxed and non-consequential environment. To whit; I could go to my flgs and be as aggressive/competitive as i liked and the worst outcome would be one pi**ed off teenager who'd lost a few games of toy soldiers. This is far preferable to going out and getting sooo stoned that i'd wake up the next day with all the flags from the local golf cousre artfully arranged on my parents' lawn (Damn if i don't sound like a spoiled middle-class brat!) with angry residents beating on the door saying OMG WTF NOOB etc...

I would like to stress that there is a downside to the hobby though. That being, the generally negative response i got when telling some of my friends (about age 12) that i was into 'collecting toy soldiers' rather than playing soccer/date raping/weed dealing. The amount of abuse i recieved at high school could only be equalled by admitting that you were a member of the chess team/science club. Sure, i can look back now and say what a character forming experience that was but, at the time, it was pretty harrowing.

As long as the youngun's know what they're getting into, same as anything, it's a fine hobby.

me im still young but warhammer helped me alot.
sure i got alot of stick about it, doing it for an art project didnt help but the feeling of ive got an army of space marines does help if someones bulling you i know.
its a great hobby ive seen 40 yr old men playing goth punks and laughing ive seen people come into that little store and so many cultures together for one thing little toy soilders.

assult marine