Dead Games Society

[helbent4]

Speaking of players younger than the game, my 12-year old son was the other guy in the Top Secret game at the Con. 1953 Berlin meant nothing to him, the Cold War is something they might not cover in social-studies class. I have hooked him on D&D, versions 2, 3.5, and 4. The good stuff comes later....

Good-o on Squad Leader, I kept all mine even after selling off ASL.

Lee,

Hmm, do your pre-teen kids count in the same way It's not like they're going to know about the Cold War even in school, like you say! Still, maybe you get triple points for indoctrinating a new generation!

My wife jokes that when we have kids they could be third generation gamers. After getting out of the Van Doos/Airborne in the 70's my father-in-law went back to school (after stints working for corrections and as a parole officer up North, and earning his high school diploma) to study for his Doctorate in Criminology. While he was at SFU in the 90's he was part of the gaming club there and played AD&D, so there's definitely a generational connection there.

(Funny story, my father-in-law in effect interrogated me the first time we met, and he told me how he was going to do it beforehand. It didn't involve water-boarding or a polygraph.)

Tony

[pmulcahy11b]

Aside: After years of playing D&D 3.5, it's hard to believe the small size of the rulebooks in T2k and Traveller! I just glanced thru the v1 Player's book-- 24 pages!! Really!

Similar in size to Metamorphosis Alpha, the first RPG I ever played, and the predecessor to Gamma World.

[Adm.Lee]

It's not like they're going to know about the Cold War even in school, like you say! Still, maybe you get triple points for indoctrinating a new generation!

No, I shouldn't have expected him to know the history, but even when I was twelve, I knew the Soviets were scary guys. That's all gone, and it was a small shock to confront that.

My wife (also a gamer) and I would kid that our kids would be popular jocks, and horribly embarrassed by their geek parents. So far, not so, but only the oldest one is interested in games. And he's more interested in D&D and Star Wars RPGs (like Mom) than dad's historical wargames or tactical stuff. The younger one is rejecting all kinds of games, so far.

RE: size of the rulebooks. I know there are smaller books out there, but in my memory, the T2k v.1 books seemed bigger. Again, it was a small shock to see it in print.

[boogiedowndonovan]

Now thats an oldie but goldie. Still pull it out and run a game every so often!

sadly, I never played Behind Enemy Lines, I remember I asked for for my birthday. I was probably 13 or 14 and heavy into AD&D, I saw it at the game store. So my mom and dad buy it for me, I open up the box and it is missing one of the rulebooks. So I returned it and picked up Car Wars instead. fun times!

[dragoon500ly]

sadly, I never played Behind Enemy Lines, I remember I asked for for my birthday. I was probably 13 or 14 and heavy into AD&D, I saw it at the game store. So my mom and dad buy it for me, I open up the box and it is missing one of the rulebooks. So I returned it and picked up Car Wars instead. fun times!

One of the first decent military RPGs, and the character gen shows it!

The Companions produced the basic rule books; the Squad Leader's Pocket Guide; the Platoon Leader's Pocket Guide; The British in WWII Sourcebook; Until Relieved adventure book; The Long Patrol adventure book and then BEL was purchased by FASA who released British Commandos adventure and The Guns of Navarone adventure.

I've picked up all except the Long Patrol and, of the lot, the two FASA books are probably the worst! LOL.

[JimmyRay73]

"Boot Hill" you say Heh, I have fond memories of playing a few sessions of that with old friends, run by a guy that passed away about 12 years ago. The skill rules were kludge but the quick-draw was amusing. Plus I had possibly the best character name and I cadged it from a road sign on I-75 south of Toledo, Ohio. I started thinking up the background for Lucky Haskins shortly after passing the sign that said "Luckey, Haskins. Next Exit"

[helbent4]

"Boot Hill" you say Heh, I have fond memories of playing a few sessions of that with old friends, run by a guy that passed away about 12 years ago. The skill rules were kludge but the quick-draw was amusing. Plus I had possibly the best character name and I cadged it from a road sign on I-75 south of Toledo, Ohio. I started thinking up the background for Lucky Haskins shortly after passing the sign that said "Luckey, Haskins. Next Exit"

Jimmy Ray,

Boot Hill, a classic! I started running Lost Conquistador Mine last year but it never got anywhere past the first session or so.

Tony

[HorseSoldier]

Was it Boot Hill and Gamma World that had conversion rules in the first edition AD&D Dungeon Masters Guide Seriously old school stuff there.

Hmm, do your pre-teen kids count in the same way It's not like they're going to know about the Cold War even in school, like you say! Still, maybe you get triple points for indoctrinating a new generation!

Even my 18-21 ish Joes in my platoon don't really know about the Cold War, not in a way to understand what it was really like to live during it. "Soviets" are as been there/done that/beaten as "Nazis" in their world. Maybe less so, since there's no Saving Private Ryan or Band of Brothers or endless documentary footage about bullets actually flying and all.

[/Cranky Old Bastard Mode]

[helbent4]

Was it Boot Hill and Gamma World that had conversion rules in the first edition AD&D Dungeon Masters Guide Seriously old school stuff there.



Even my 18-21 ish Joes in my platoon don't really know about the Cold War, not in a way to understand what it was really like to live during it. "Soviets" are as been there/done that/beaten as "Nazis" in their world. Maybe less so, since there's no Saving Private Ryan or Band of Brothers or endless documentary footage about bullets actually flying and all.

[/Cranky Old Bastard Mode]

HS,

Those were the ones: 1st ed. Gamma World and 1st ed. Boot Hill had conversion rules in the DMG. Come to think of it, I ran PBeMs for both games and also a sit-down game for GW 1st ed within the last 10 years.

Hey, we can always educate the younger generation. I also see a certain kind of dismissiveness of the WP in T2K. I would imagine younger players see them as a defeated enemy without the at least grudging respect accorded fallen foes like the Nazis, Germans, Japanese, even Chinese (in Korea). Older players probably "get" the Cold War but as well there's a certain degree of "sure, we woulda whupped 'em, no doubt!" as part and parcel of NATO's do-or-die role and revelations that have come out after the fall of the Soviet Union.

Interestingly enough, in the timeline of T2K, the WP has done much better than NATO in practically all theatres (while fighting on several fronts at once). Enough to call into question or even shatter the belief of NATO's ultimate superiourity on the battlefield.

Tony

[Legbreaker]

I also see a certain kind of dismissiveness of the WP in T2K.

I strongly agree with that statement. Although we know IRL that the Pact may not have performed as well as feared, the presumption of the game and the timeline is that they were more than competent, and serious opponents.
Anyone writing anything for T2K not presuming this is doing themselves, and the game, a grave disservice.

[Nowhere Man 1966]

Was it Boot Hill and Gamma World that had conversion rules in the first edition AD&D Dungeon Masters Guide Seriously old school stuff there.



Even my 18-21 ish Joes in my platoon don't really know about the Cold War, not in a way to understand what it was really like to live during it. "Soviets" are as been there/done that/beaten as "Nazis" in their world. Maybe less so, since there's no Saving Private Ryan or Band of Brothers or endless documentary footage about bullets actually flying and all.

[/Cranky Old Bastard Mode]

I know what you mean, I run into that where "I was born in 1988/1991" a lot. It sure makes one feel a bit old at times. Tell you the truth to add to it, my eye doctor prescribed bifocals for me this year as well.

Chuck

[Adm.Lee]

A little resurrection

I'm going through with my earlier threat, and I will be running a Merc:2000 session at Con on the Cob next weekend.

Rules will be 2.2, with a house rule or two, if I can remember them.

Setting will be the Caribbean, much like the Merc game I ran in the '90s. I have dug up some of the old character sheets from those players, since I find making pre-gens to be drudgery.

If this goes well, I hope to ride the enthusiasm to Origins and Ancon next year.

[cavtroop]

I'm going through with my earlier threat, and I will be running a Merc:2000 session at Con on the Cob next weekend.

Rules will be 2.2, with a house rule or two, if I can remember them.

Setting will be the Caribbean, much like the Merc game I ran in the '90s. I have dug up some of the old character sheets from those players, since I find making pre-gens to be drudgery.

If this goes well, I hope to ride the enthusiasm to Origins and Ancon next year.

Awesome! Let us know how it goes! I'm probably going to Origins again next year, if you run a game, I'm in!

[Cdnwolf]

Speaking of SL and ASL ..... found this little gem that I am trying to convert to TW2000

http://www.vassalengine.org/