IN THE BEGINNING!

In the world of tabletop gaming there are a variety of preferences, opinions, and deeply divisive topics over which we, as a community, are consistently discussing, plotting, and debating. There is one constant, however, that we cannot escape no matter our stances on this wonderful hobby which we all share: we all have need of a community in order to play our games.

In this community of Kings of War we are fortunate to have a society that is rather open to discussion and civil in its discourse, but there is still this gentle divide that is likely persistent throughout any community which focuses on people gathering around a table to roll dice and tell stories. I’m talking about the age old Garage Gamers vs the Tournament Chasers. Some people argue that it is the narrative and the friendly games that can only occur in the safety of a controlled environment within the confines of a private residence or between a close knit group of friends. Others thrive on the social nature of tournaments and the competitive nature of struggling against the best players in the area and the sharpening of the tactical aspects that this game has to offer. I am here to state quite firmly my position:

There are benefits to both types of gameplay, and I am not here to argue that. Both styles of play are a necessary part of what makes Kings of War such an enjoyable. Garage Gamers are the lifeblood of the community. They are the silent majority whose hard earned dollars go towards keeping Mantic interested in providing us with new and better minis. Tournaments are the beating heart of the community and are the visible standard by which we can measure the health of the community. These are the vocal minority who travel to different locations and are actively engaged in building a larger community with ties between different regions and are the leaders in forming a globally united community.

And here’s the kicker: most players are a combination of the two and in reality we should stop the argument of why one is superior to the other. Because, just like most things in life, this is not a black and white kind of issue but rather a spectrum that runs the gambit of grays (insert obligatory 50 Shades of Gray mockery here…) and that diversity is what makes our community so great.

I myself identify more as a narrative player, which is evidenced in my part in helping to organize the International Campaign Days, my contributions to Counter Charge’s Narrative Workshops, and the upcoming release of a future novel set in the Kings of War universe (look for it in quarter 1 of 2020). I think I have the credentials to claim a membership card to the fluff bunny mansion. I have also travelled pretty far to participate in several large tournaments including Lady of the Lake, and the 2017 Masters. So I know the enjoyment of a well run competitive event. The best part is that I don’t think that my credentials are unique to me, and I feel that my experience is somewhat representative of a large majority of players throughout our combined communities.

Now, the conclusion of this rambling introduction and onto the purpose of this segment for this new joint venture here on -/28. While both the narrative/Garage Gamer and the Tournament camps are equally important to the growth and development of our beloved game, often times the flashier tournaments tend to get more attention as they are usually self-contained entities that give us a neat place to focus our attention. Whereas the average player who spends most of his gaming activity in a basement with a close group of friends tends to be more scattered and less universal in the examination of each experience, which is both a wonderful thing and something that is difficult to report on.

That being said, this segment which we lovingly call “Not Your Mama’s Basement” whose acronym, NYMB, I am going to lovingly say is pronounced much like that infamous labs who created those lovely animated rats of Don Bluth fame (read NIMH, as in Ms. Frisby and her home on the lee of the stone), this segment will be focused on the wonderful, often times chaotic, and almost always enjoyable Garage Gamers of our community.

What benefits are there for basement gaming? What advantages are there to focusing your efforts on a small group of friends rather than attempting to build up a colossal community in your area, complete with a nationally renowned GT? Simply put: it comes down to what degree of control you want to have. The smaller the group, the more specific its focus, the more control you have over how your game is played. This extends to campaigns, stories told, scenarios utilized, custom house rules utilized, and variety of snacks available at get togethers. All of these things are crucial reasons why gaming from the comfort of a home setting can have its advantages.

The bigger your community the more universal the rules that are required in order to create a common baseline among your players. If it is just you and your group of friends, it is entirely possible that you can bring out your custom-built model with its own individual stat line that you’ve created specifically for a campaign that the four or five of you have put together. You are the master of your domain, the captain of your models’ combined destinies. In these kinds of settings our game of rank and flank can sometimes swing closer to a Dungeons and Dragons gaming group than your traditional group of players. This doesn’t mean that garage gamers cannot have mini tournaments between mates for the sake of keeping some keen competitive prowess sharp, either, but it seems that most of the time when you have the same group of opponents, a narrative tends to emerge as our dwarves begin to despise the orc krudger who consistently harrasses their borders, or our goblin big git begins to savor a grudge against those blasted Basilean paladins who constantly thwart their plans for conquest. Even if there is no formal campaign system in use, a narrative usually emerges organically out of your prolonged imagined campaigns against one another.

There is something to be said about the company you keep, as well. In a garage gaming environment, players are there by invitation and those invitations can be modified or adapted as necessary. While there is a danger when going to a tournament that you will be paired against that guy who sours your feelings towards the game for a few players (on this please note that I’ve never had one of those games myself, but there are stories of the nefarious character all across the interwebz).

In a private setting afforded by playing in someone’s game room, there is a greater degree of control over what kind of players are invited back to be a part of this setting, which by its very nature is exclusive which is not always a bad thing.

Lastly, and this is my favorite, there is the storytelling that comes from this more intimate setting. One of my fondest memories that I have involves a long term campaign set in the game which shall not be named (starts with a “w” and rhymes with s’more hammer). This campaign went on for the better part of a year and in that time a narrative evolved, which I turned into a loosely set of narrative updates. There was drama, humor, epic fight scenes immortalized in memory. Each battle became a more deeply invested and desperate struggle, as players fought one another for control of a fabled artifact, that would control the fate of our figurative lands. Tournaments are a blast, don’t get me wrong, but nothing beats a good narrative campaign; where all the players are invested and there is a developing storyline between the struggles.

It’s all a matter of preference. This is a fun game no matter how you play it, and anytime you are surrounded by other gamers; throwing dice and playing games, then you are bound to have fun. Some people live for the custom experience that can only be achieved in a gamer’s garage, some thrive on the competition of a tournament. Whatever your preference, I look forward to having you along with us as we explore the nuances of small group gaming. In this segment we will explore campaign ideas, mini tournament organizations, ways to grow your small group in a controlled way, special rulesets, scenario ideas, and other ways to galvanize your group of friends and get more enjoyment out of your hobby.

If you have any ideas you’d like to discuss then please let us know! No topic will not be considered, unless it swerves into something that would give us an R-rating were this a movie. My hope is that this will be an open discussion for all of us basement gamers out there, and will lead to a more unified voice within the community at large.

Good gaming everyone, and Happy New Year!