It don't mean nothin'

 I grew up and began wargaming, like many of the first flourish of gamers after those sacred Founding Few, in a time when the world was both dangerous and very, very charged with politics and politically aware people.

And it meant that wargaming and roleplaying were wonderfully sane places by comparison. Sane places where we all jolly well fucked off to, to get away from the madness of the real world. True, we did have to deal with anti-nuclear and anti-war protesters outside shows, but they were actually surprisingly easy to deal with, because most 14 year old 'Moderns' gamers could take them apart in a debate on the subject of nuclear proliferation.

Still, those poor, misguided fuckers chanted and ranted all weekend. I guess their wives, mothers and significant others wouldn't let them take a National Express coach to London or Greenham Common, and yelling at gentlemen dreamers and D&D obsessed kids gave them a sense of putting the world to rights.

I remember one year at a well respected Northern show, how the group of anti-nuclear protesters were infiltrated on Saturday night (quite literally) and then spent Sunday looking hung over and arguing amongst themselves, hardly lifting a placard whilst certain 'Agents of Chaos' smiled knowingly and touched fingers to noses in the 'You ain't seen me, right?' gesture.

Grimdark was where we spent most of the week. Worlds of shining starships and stern browed warlords were where we went to escape from it all - quite successfully for several decades in fact.

Now, we have to deal with identity politics and political correctness in this haven of the imagination, and frankly, it's a fucking joke... No I mean it. It all lacks the background and passion of those days gone by.  So much of it is posturing and nothing more. We live a time where 'look at me, I am dysfunctional; I am special; I am different...' is more important than just getting on with living a productive life.

Where are the anti-war protesters outside shows, in a time when we really are at risk of fucking things up as a species?

Please tell me, truly, what any political stance or identity do to practically improve playing with toy soldiers? Absolutely nothing... And, here's a shocker... Lead models do not have political views or indulge in identity discussions. When it comes to buying those naked Hoplites, for most its Homer-erotic rather than homo-erotic ;)

Plastic pikemen are not going to start World War 3, unless someone pokes one into the face of one of the mad bastards at the top.

The news is full of this, every day and gaming has always been somewhere to get away from the real world, and always should be. Period!

No doubt, someone who commented on me being anti-gay the other week, would not be so willing to publicly apologise if a few salient and trenchant factual truths were presented to them, because that wouldn't serve their agenda. Instead, not knowing me or those around me, they made their statement.

But, frankly I am not bothered...

What I am bothered about is collecting and playing with lots of toy soldiers with interesting a fun people who likewise want to roll dice and talk shit, until one day we are taken in death's sweet embrace, one by one, having failed our most important saving throw.

And there you go...

Remember, this is just my opinion. You are not obliged to stop by this blog, or agree with it. The door swings both ways as it were. But for fuck's sake, go and move some toy soldiers and roll dice with friends before it's too late, and leave the real world at the doorstep.