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So, continuing a tangent I may have been forcing over here -> viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3367&start=30 <- I thought I'd start a topic to discuss how to get new players into the Oldhammer rulesets.
I'm very keen on expanding the boundaries of Oldhammer. Having gotten into tabletop RPGs through the OSR (try here for the uninitiated), despite having no prior involvement or nostalgia I found the DIY attitudes and healthy disrespect for the rules and established tropes exciting and inspiring. I think the Oldhammer movement is teetering towards becoming another OSR and we should give it a hefty shove to start it rolling!
First a couple of definitions so we're all on the same page:
1. New players - I'm specifically referring to people who have no experience of any of the Oldhammer games, whether they play games with current GW rules, other companies rules or have never played a wargame in their lives. For these people nostalgia for the rules or models don't factor in (which I suspect they do for a majority of us here), they also have no existing knowledge of the Oldhammer rulesets.
2. Oldhammer Rulesets - I think (and hope) everyone would agree that WFB up to 3rd edtion and RT/2nd ed 40k are Oldhammer (I know - looking at no one in particular Zhu - that some people think army lists aren't Oldhammer but I think it's concievable to play these games without). I would also consider all the Specialist Games Oldhammer, though maybe there is some disagreement there, let me know guys and gals.
So assuming we agree with these definitions the main questions to answer are:
1. Why should a new player get into Oldhammer? Specifically, why should they bother to learn an old set of rules instead of playing Infinity, Dust Tactics, Malifaux or any one of the clean polished modern games available today.
2. What obstacles are there for someone who is interested playing games using Oldhammer rulesets?
3. What can we, as a community, do to encourage involvement? How can we break down the barriers to entry?
Obviously I have some ideas and opinions on these questions but this post is getting long enough lets here what other people think!
I'm very keen on expanding the boundaries of Oldhammer. Having gotten into tabletop RPGs through the OSR (try here for the uninitiated), despite having no prior involvement or nostalgia I found the DIY attitudes and healthy disrespect for the rules and established tropes exciting and inspiring. I think the Oldhammer movement is teetering towards becoming another OSR and we should give it a hefty shove to start it rolling!
First a couple of definitions so we're all on the same page:
1. New players - I'm specifically referring to people who have no experience of any of the Oldhammer games, whether they play games with current GW rules, other companies rules or have never played a wargame in their lives. For these people nostalgia for the rules or models don't factor in (which I suspect they do for a majority of us here), they also have no existing knowledge of the Oldhammer rulesets.
2. Oldhammer Rulesets - I think (and hope) everyone would agree that WFB up to 3rd edtion and RT/2nd ed 40k are Oldhammer (I know - looking at no one in particular Zhu - that some people think army lists aren't Oldhammer but I think it's concievable to play these games without). I would also consider all the Specialist Games Oldhammer, though maybe there is some disagreement there, let me know guys and gals.
So assuming we agree with these definitions the main questions to answer are:
1. Why should a new player get into Oldhammer? Specifically, why should they bother to learn an old set of rules instead of playing Infinity, Dust Tactics, Malifaux or any one of the clean polished modern games available today.
2. What obstacles are there for someone who is interested playing games using Oldhammer rulesets?
3. What can we, as a community, do to encourage involvement? How can we break down the barriers to entry?
Obviously I have some ideas and opinions on these questions but this post is getting long enough lets here what other people think!