Any 6mm SciFi gamers here?

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madman
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Re: Any 6mm SciFi gamers here?

Post by madman »

So SitRep did a live "show" on you tube last night and I mentioned you (assuming you might be moving to Chicago) and they seemed genuinely interested. Whether it was for a show or as a regular gamer.

MechCommander
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Re: Any 6mm SciFi gamers here?

Post by MechCommander »

madman wrote:
Sun Aug 15, 2021 3:12 am
Hey! I'm in Canada and I don't limit myself to GW crap. Seriously I guess you may be talking the attitudes of your opponents or the store owner who hists the games. I have seen a couple venues where all they (are allowed to?) play is what the store sells. BS. Just support alternative scales/topics and grow the business.

Battletech is making, or never left, a comeback in this area. Every con or big game club that had a minis presence has a guy running at least a game per event. Maybe he does a full day or event every day but he always seems busy and always has a full table. Never looked closely so it may be the same guys always but that is better than nothing.

Myself I am too ** CENSORED ** about the "right" rules for this or that scale and period but am quickly narrowing that down. I find many players will at least try anything once in order to also find opponents. That and there are some damn good solo rules out there now. I am also seeing attempts at introducing solo into existing games.
Pretty much to be honest Madman, though in my hometowns case, we got more MTG and Pokemon players then we do mini wargaming since the owner of our only major "game shop" is unfortunately rather incompetent, to keep the wargaming hobby alive. I had tried to help grow that business before, but I keep getting weird replies or just no responses from the management team. Hell they told me that I should back the Clan Invasion kickstarter myself, instead of having the store back it, thinking its "cheaper" :roll: Which honestly defeats the purpose. It will be a very sad story if that store goes belly up, as it will take the hobby with them, which means wargaming players will have to move to places like Edmonton or Calgary to play.

chrisswim
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Re: Any 6mm SciFi gamers here?

Post by chrisswim »

Mech,
Why don’t you back the Clan Invasion Kickstarter. Put your money, your capital into it.
You’ll make some money, right?
Chris

MechCommander
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Re: Any 6mm SciFi gamers here?

Post by MechCommander »

chrisswim wrote:
Sun Aug 15, 2021 11:10 pm
Mech,
Why don’t you back the Clan Invasion Kickstarter. Put your money, your capital into it.
You’ll make some money, right?
I do make money Chris, but not enough to back the kickstarter. It was the reason why I asked the store to back it as they would have gotten alot of money out of the kickstarter through the quartermaster pledge and brought in new people into the hobby.

madman
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Re: Any 6mm SciFi gamers here?

Post by madman »

Don't know where your hometown is so can't make location specific comments. I thought you were Edmonton way.

Alternative is start your own club. We have a few I "used" to attend (before covid shut us down) but a few possible, and maybe cheap venues, are legion halls, game cafes and churches. I have played games in all three at local clubs. It will be some work to start things up and get players but it should net some bodies beyond the MTG, Pokeman or GW crowd. Be prepared to run a few games with other rules and minis as if already into such things that may be all they have. If the GW games are popular try a miniatures agnostic rules but with the mechanics you like. Then they can bring what they have for now (after you run and supply a game or few) and hopefully think on new lines in the future. Another group I found is an extended family, and friends, who meet in a guy's basement. They alternate through various games and RPGs but are willing to try anything if I run it and provide needed supplies.

I also have done RPGs, but not for years, so having a group or two of them as well might get a wider audience for wargames. Be sure they are willing to add players or run alternate games so new players don't get met with "this is our group for the past X years, we don't need newbies or anymore". Make sure using the venues means accommodating the crowd. Same thing for GW gamers. Let them come and play their games but understood this will be an open venue and encourage them to join in other games.

Not an easy thing but sometimes YOU need to do the work to get the ball rolling. Unless you are into solo or online remote stuff like VASSAL. Good luck.

madman
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Re: Any 6mm SciFi gamers here?

Post by madman »

I only backed two kickstarters. One was an update and reprint of an existing game expansion. I am pretty sure it was past the needed support when I bought in. It was also done by a known publishing house.

The other was the only "crapshoot" I got in on. I played a test game at one of our 4 times a year big game day meets (not just wargames but a mix). It felt great for my niece's kids but still deep enough to entertain an adult. Took a little over a year but monthly updates until the components arrived in Toronto. Then they started weekly updates. They keep sending info on more games but this one just caught my imagination.

So I think I wouldn't personally back one unless done by reputable outfit, or one that really interested me and I had some hands on experience. I have been tempted by a handful but kept my hands in my pocket as it were. Just my $0.02 and worth every penny you spent on it.

MechCommander
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Re: Any 6mm SciFi gamers here?

Post by MechCommander »

I’m from a northern city called Grande Prairie. And as for venues I mainly run games at a little comics and collectables store called Strange ideas which is the closest we get to a FLGS in town as our actual game store downtown is not a good place anymore.

madman
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Re: Any 6mm SciFi gamers here?

Post by madman »

Grand Prairie is not a bad size. I am in Keswick Ontario which is opposite lake Simcoe from Barrie, population about 15K and about an hour north of Toronto. Nearest large town is Newmarket which is about a quarter hour south and is a bit bigger than you. That is where one of the game clubs and the guys with the basement club are. My late wife's family is from Lac La Biche and always wanted to go for a visit, but...

Anyways if you are looking for ideas of potential games which might interest your locals I would be willing to share my experiences, FWIW. As for solo my best results have been an Ultra Modern game called Battlespace which I play in 15mm. Got it from Wargame Vault. You could play in 6mm. I never felt it suited skirmish but have heard of some guys doing so in Europe and in very small homes.

MechCommander
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Re: Any 6mm SciFi gamers here?

Post by MechCommander »

madman wrote:
Mon Aug 16, 2021 1:29 am
Grand Prairie is not a bad size. I am in Keswick Ontario which is opposite lake Simcoe from Barrie, population about 15K and about an hour north of Toronto. Nearest large town is Newmarket which is about a quarter hour south and is a bit bigger than you. That is where one of the game clubs and the guys with the basement club are. My late wife's family is from Lac La Biche and always wanted to go for a visit, but...

Anyways if you are looking for ideas of potential games which might interest your locals I would be willing to share my experiences, FWIW. As for solo my best results have been an Ultra Modern game called Battlespace which I play in 15mm. Got it from Wargame Vault. You could play in 6mm. I never felt it suited skirmish but have heard of some guys doing so in Europe and in very small homes.
Indeed and Grande Prairie is still continuing to grow fast every year. But we only have 2 gaming places, we had a 3rd one with Hanger 19 but it was closed last year due to COVID. Now we are down to just Wonderland, the very downtown store that’s problematic to deal with. And Strange Ideas the store that is the closest to a FLGS we will ever get.

As far as getting new games it’s a challenge as the groups here often ignores new games in favour of MTG/Pokémon or 40k. I got called out by a player for “breaking traditions” by hosting BattleTech games.

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Re: Any 6mm SciFi gamers here?

Post by Extra Crispy »

Breaking traditions is the best thing to do with them!
Mark Severin
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madman
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Re: Any 6mm SciFi gamers here?

Post by madman »

Yes, that one would be a turn off for sure. I hope he doesn't speak for the group, whether they are all as narrow minded or he bullies them into his line. Seen both, sadly.

MechCommander
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Re: Any 6mm SciFi gamers here?

Post by MechCommander »

madman wrote:
Mon Aug 16, 2021 4:29 am
Yes, that one would be a turn off for sure. I hope he doesn't speak for the group, whether they are all as narrow minded or he bullies them into his line. Seen both, sadly.
Fortunately hes not the admin for the group but he was a little bit narrow minded, the downtown store owner however... Hes acts sort of like Benito Mussolini almost.

whenimaginationfails
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Re: Any 6mm SciFi gamers here?

Post by whenimaginationfails »

Got some Renegade Legion and Dark Star 6mm grav tanks waiting to be finished. Any time now....

MechCommander
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Re: Any 6mm SciFi gamers here?

Post by MechCommander »

whenimaginationfails wrote:
Thu Aug 19, 2021 8:39 am
Got some Renegade Legion and Dark Star 6mm grav tanks waiting to be finished. Any time now....
Nice Renegade Legion is made by the same people who made BattleTech.

On and a but of a update, it looks like ill be sharing table space with Pokemon players as their group migrated to Strange Ideas just recently, looks like they had issues to the downtown store.

StarCruiser
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Re: Any 6mm SciFi gamers here?

Post by StarCruiser »

Yep - both games (along with "Star Trek the Roleplaying Game") were produced by FASA...

Strangely, the original FASA Star Trek minis were designed by GHQ (bad falling out when GHQ lost the Origin award to their own designs) while the Renegade Legion minis were created by CinC.
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