ECHO Echo echo...

[StarCruiser]

Anyone here?

HELLO..Hello..hello...?

It's been getting a bit quiet here lately. Not many folks posting anything. I guess I need to wake folks up.

[Begemot]

Maybe they're busy digging bomb shelters for their Microarmor collections?

[StarCruiser]

Hum...could be.

After all "Best Korea" has been saber rattling lately.

[7.62]

I think the mainstream Imagi-nations have out done us this week!

We need to come up with some new wacky, bizarre, thought provoking scenarios for our GHQ pewter and take back the audience.

Then again you're got to admit we are up against some really good competition right now.
A lot of what I've seen this week would never make it into a rule book of possibilities, just not likely.
Just take your pick. Yemen, Kenya, Sudan, Saudi, Qatar, Venezuela, Russia, China Sea, China/India, the Baltic's, the normal ongoing conflict hot spots etc, maybe even Guam.

There is a good reason why the military of the World war game.
You never know how that Goat meat revolution may pan out.

Push pewter & post.

[Sudwind]

I think the mainstream Imagi-nations have out done us this week!

I have to tell you....it is the posts about imagi-nations that keep me from frequenting this forum more often.

I loved coming to this forum to see pics of 1/285 minis and historical/plausible game AAR's. That has dropped way off and instead I see threads about imagi-nations or endless wish lists. I just stopped checking this forum much at all.

I also fear bigger scales, more popular games and old age of 285th fans (and their failing eyesight) is killing what I once saw as the best scale/product available to wargamers. I have a huge 285th collection, but now I buy 15mm stuff for Tanks....a game that fits my limited time available for gaming, but still has a historical basis to it.

.

[7.62]

I have to tell you....it is the posts about imagi-nations that keep me from frequenting this forum more often.

.

Well considering the title of the OP I hate to reduce anything but if you think it will help.
I'll free up some bandwidth.

[Sudwind]

I doubt reducing imagi-nations posting will help much. I cited problems in our community that are likely the main culprits in reducing board activity here. I didn't even touch on the issues of competition from computer games.

The changes by photo bucket are also going to be a huge problem here as well.

Some key personalities dropped off on the board too, and were big hits....Tanner and Pibber immediately spring to mind.

I just think the bigger scales have captured the new blood and older folks with worsening eyesight (me included....but I just wear glasses and magnifiers to work/play with micro scales). I must also add that continuing price increases have discouraged me. I can now buy 15mm tanks pretty cheap from certain companies and they are detailed models, easier to paint and decal. They catch eye attention when on a gaming table too. There are good simple rule sets available that are made for those miniatures and drive purchases.

Micro works best en masse, but price increases are making that tougher. I think this scale is in desperate need of a great set of rules using larger diorama style stands...perhaps with each stand representing a battalion. The rules need slick cards and simple mechanics that give good games in 2 hours or less. Expensive figures and armies are more palatable,when you need them for that hot set of rules your group discovered!

When it comes to modern naval, a breakthrough ruleset is also needed....allowing the use of fairly large fleets, incorporating a satisfactory number of decision points, but simple and playable enough to give good games in 2 hours or less. I have a lot of 1/2400 and 1/6000 scale modern ships with nary a game that fits that bill. I have worked on rules for,modern naval, but each time fail to get satisfactory results!

[panzergator]

Folks, you may not like the imagi nations, but they are filling the void you are complaining about, Why would they chase you away when you can simply skip over them without reading them? If they are the only current contributions, however, they are at least keeping the forum going. We all have our idiosyncrasies, but how much have yours been contributing to the site lately? The imagi nations don't crowd out or prevent other contributions. At the moment, they are carrying the forum so that, in the event that you decide to make contributions of some other nature, the forum will be here for you.

I will admit that the imagi nations are kind of irritating at times, but they do encourage SOME to engage in exchanges between hobbyists and perhaps even lead to some folks getting together for wargames, which, of course, contribute to the hobby. Seems to me that, for those of you who game, anything that encourages gaming is good. There are times, too, when I can't resist poking at them by challenging what they are doing. .

The wish lists generate excitement and enthusiasm and suggest new possibilities for aspects of the game. They suggest, sometimes, obscure and what-if scenarios.

As a collector, I don't have much interest in new rule sets or game scenarios. I would like to see more discussion on TOE, camouflage schemes, painting techniques and paints. I am always impressed by the game board scenery. With the Photobucket policy enforcement, however, posting pics has become a problem, and we must either develop a solution or move in a different direction.

I have contributed information based on my experiences and reading that might be of use, but that only goes so far, and I'm not about to make stuff up. I'm in kind of a dead space right now and don't have much to say. Yes, I am distracted by what's happening in the world, but it is far above my pay grade and I have no control over it and dammit, nobody has called to ask me, so I must go on about my daily business as best I can.

I guess you've been on the forum a long time. That experience must be a starting point for contributions here. You can complain in the dark or light a candle, Fellas. Which will it be?

[Sudwind]

I know it came off bad, but I just have noticed this forum slipping away from the historical stuff lately and it is sad for anold Grognard to witness.

I have posted pics in the past, but discussion generated was sparing. The standards set by Tanner, Pibber and others certainly were quite high.

I still believe that GHQ minis really need a high quality set of games to generate more interest. I worry that 285th scale is fading away....

I also don't mind a lot more discussion of TOE's, modeling techniques and history! I am a collector as well as a gamer!

[chatto]

I have to (respectfully!) disagree about 6mm fading away.

The only reason it is fading from places like these forums is because we have easier to access areas now like Facebook groups.

Now before anyone complains about that, think back to how it was before these forums were made... how everything was 'word of mouth' or through mail order or making connections only through events... that's if you even knew the event existed!

Then you had forums like this. The social media trend is easier, faster and much more responsive than these old forums. Here you have to complete a form... WAIT for said form to be seen and acted upon, which may not happen any time soon... I waited months for someone to finally activate my account posting rights after asking about it.

I know in Australia it is only getting bigger and bigger... check out the 6mm group in Canberra, check out my blog (albeit quiet at the moment because my life got knocked around a bit but it is getting back) and check out the 6mm FB pages!

As for imagi-nations being a problem... I can appreciate that when all it is is the banter between people, but let's be real - where have the good battle reports gone?

The other issue of course is photos, having to use this clunky old interface for Photobucket which has now shot itself in the foot is a solid way to drive a nail into the coffin of old forums like these!

I enjoy coming here to learn about upcoming releases, but my content goes on my blog and onto the easier access social media pages.

[Sudwind]

I wouldn't know about GHQ and micro armor on Facebook. I avoid it religiously as Facebook collects far too much info off its members....

[BurtWolf]

The whole photobucket issue stinks. I have to learn a new way to post photos. Just haven't had time to do so yet.

[panzergator]

The disadvantages of Facebook far outweigh its advantages. I do not wish to expose myself to its invasive technology.

[chatto]

That's fair enough, but frankly you will be left behind. The amount of sharing done on that system is leagues beyond anything seen here.

Social media can only use the data you input into it, so if you keep it to the bare basics then you will remain reasonably secure.

As for data collection, let's be real, most of us are ex-service or know someone who was... if your respective governments wanted to know about you - they already know everything they need to. Heck; FB is just the latest way of doing it; the fact you have a computer connected to the internet is more than sufficient to find out EVERYTHING if the person has the right programs and skill.

There'll always be those who do not come across and that's cool; but ever since the first 6mm groups opened up about this time last year the posts here began to dry up... the tech is simply moving on and the forum, as useful as it is, will become the TMP of 6mm; the odd useful post here and there, but a very slow moving place.

[panzergator]

Yeah, at 67, what is the price of getting left behind on social media? LOL! I learned how to get along without FB a LOOOONG time ago.