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My new team leader began to make fun when I said I was taking the afternoon off to paint models (I was using annual leave, not skiving btw). I'm 33 and should know better by now, but I kept answering his questions even though he was obviously finding it more and more funny.

In the end I shrugged and got on with my work (a sure sign that I was annoyed because I usually do bugger all work). He let it drop after that.

I don't dislike him for it, but as far as I can tell his hobbies don't amount to anything more than drinking pints and watching Bournemouth FC attempt to play football.

Heh. It always amuses me when people rank hobbies like that. I've had people try and make fun of me for gaming before, but I'm genuinely not embarassed by it so it tends not to work.

I tell NO ONE. Me and a few close friends started, and we will take it to our graves! Whenever we have to talk about it in public we refer to it as "Lifting Weights" or "Watching the Game"

thekerrick wrote:I tell NO ONE. Me and a few close friends started, and we will take it to our graves! Whenever we have to talk about it in public we refer to it as "Lifting Weights" or "Watching the Game"

People are going to start to think you two are in the closet.

malfred wrote:

thekerrick wrote:I tell NO ONE. Me and a few close friends started, and we will take it to our graves! Whenever we have to talk about it in public we refer to it as "Lifting Weights" or "Watching the Game"

People are going to start to think you two are in the closet.

Haha its all in good fun. We constantly joke about a pack of neanderthal esque jocks that follow us around and break our stuff.

The game store which my dad and my younger brother live in was having a tournament one weekend. I stopped by my dad's place and ended up trying to explain what we were playing at the tournament.

I think I ended up trying to explain it as a combination of model railroading and playing with toy soldiers. Aside from the rules arguments, that's about it, isn't it?

That's pretty cool you can be so open about it.
Where I'm from alot of people range from blank stares to WTF? Hobbying in general doesn't go over very well.

But being in a new place I shouldn't be uncomfy talking about little plastic soliders, right?

Which begs the question what is the funniest response you ever got from somebody after mentioning you wargame?

"Something like chess, but involves dice."
All inquiries tend to dry up if you say its a more complicated version of D&D.


No funny questions or responses though, other than "why" and edging away slightly.

I ask people if they've ever seen a war film or spy film where generals are pushing around little tanks and guys around on a big map. If they say "No", I recommend a few films. If they say "Yes", I tell them that I am working on a new system based on complex mathematics and a 6 sided dice as an off-shoot of my doctoral thesis. At that point, if they realise I am BSing them, I try and follow the guidelines outlined by the OP.

I used to get a lot of responses of disbelief, but then you can ask what they do in their spare time and you realize in tandem that their free-time generally involves TV and protracted zombification.

I just say I like modelling and games, it's usually followed with "What, like building model ships" and the response is 'yeah, something like that'

I have entirely no embarresment about the hobby I love it, and people who don't get why I like it or try to mock it are pretty much morons :p

I am not shy to tell some one about the hobby if I know that they have some interest in either s/f of fantasy. But to everyone else I just don't even mentioned since mainstream culture tents to look down on everything that they don't consider to be cool. And unfortunately 20' to 40' years old people playing with models, in a table full of miniature terrain is not cool by their standards.

binky wrote:That's pretty cool you can be so open about it.
Where I'm from alot of people range from blank stares to WTF? Hobbying in general doesn't go over very well.

But being in a new place I shouldn't be uncomfy talking about little plastic soliders, right?

Which begs the question what is the funniest response you ever got from somebody after mentioning you wargame?

"So you play with...little...dolls?"

Thats probably the best one I remember
I think it was the look on her face. She even did the "little" hand motion. It was priceless

Some of you really hide your involvement in wargaming? You're kidding, right?

I'm blatantly obvious about it. Have to wear a badge at work, my lanyard is a Games Workshop one from a GT. I keep painted miniatures on my desk. My normal casual attire (jeans/shorts and t-shirt) means a GW event or promo t-shirt. "Hey boss, I'm taking Friday off, got another wargaming tourney this weekend. Yeah, going to Vegas for a tourney..........." If there's anyone here at work that doesn't know I'm a gamer, it's because they're a social recluse.

KingCracker wrote:

binky wrote:That's pretty cool you can be so open about it.
Where I'm from alot of people range from blank stares to WTF? Hobbying in general doesn't go over very well.

But being in a new place I shouldn't be uncomfy talking about little plastic soliders, right?

Which begs the question what is the funniest response you ever got from somebody after mentioning you wargame?

"So you play with...little...dolls?"

Thats probably the best one I remember
I think it was the look on her face. She even did the "little" hand motion. It was priceless

Haha I haven't had anyone say anything that funny to me about war gaming yet.

My favorite response to wargaming is "Cool..." followed by the uncomfortable/awkward shift away from me.

Edit to add a somewhat related story:
I was watching Live Free or Die Hard (Die Hard 4) with my room mates and in the beginning where Bruce Willis looks around at Justin Long's room and says "you play with dolls?" and picks up an action figure and breaks off its arm. One of my room mates watched my reaction during that scene and I visibly cringed.

This is how I handle it:

Addressing a friend who is in the know: So I was going to completely ambush his orks with my kroot but then when I made the move and rolled for the assault, 7 out 12 dice rolled 1. But wait it gets better...

When I talk to my wife about it:

wife: How did your game go?

me: good

wife: Did you win?

me: Eh, no.

wife: I'm sorry.

me: Thanks. =)

Well, I'm generally open about it.
I say it's miniature, table-top gaming.

I focus on painting and scuplting little models.

Most people are eased into it when you involve the artistic side of things I've found.

Sanctjud wrote:Well, I'm generally open about it.
I say it's miniature, table-top gaming.

I focus on painting and scuplting little models.

Most people are eased into it when you involve the artistic side of things I've found.

It also helps to tell them that when I quit smoking I needed something to with that excess energy and to keep my mind off of smoking.

Well...what were you smoking?