maybe some of you will recall some of the "Old Guard Games"...

Well, I started mostly on the "Wargaming" Side of things with BattleTech. Then dabbled a bit in SFB.

There seemed to be this idea that Wargaming was about the details, and very little about the abstract... That stopped me dealing with ASL a bit, as I was already invested in SFB and BTech...

Games Workshop gave the foothold of the abstract, straightforward game, but I dind't pick up Fantasty until its 3rd Edition. Around that time, it was more building scenery for RPGs, like Lone Wolf... I tried replicating their Kia Monastary from the Magnamund Companion book way back when...

But I've always tried to stay at the opening edge of things... I picked into Warmachine right away (but didn't stay there all that long), but some games have kept my attention for much longer... Necromunda, as well as some of my own gaming designs - I've had a few playtesting credits here and there.

These days, I have a 2 year old, and 90% of my hobby time comes in 10-30 minute intervals. So painting a full army takes forever. Painting some Armada Squadrons, maybe touching up a ship, I can do that...

Gaming Days are every second Sunday, so I Armada at the Sentry Box.

Outside of that, I try to keep up with Infinity, because the models are beautiful, and I only need a handful...

I started with GWs Epic Space Marine, still have them all, and I add to them every chance I get, even though my favorite opponent is half a nation away now. Played some Starfleet battles, Battletech, Battlefleet Gothic, and the Wizkids Pirates constructable card game. I have played several of the old school punch and play box games, but I honestly can't remember the names ATM.

I weigh in at 29, but I actually play with friends and family that range on down to 12. I am the "old guy" in my group. Granted, I don't play in stores, it is more just casual family play, but I am the oldest of seven siblings and I have about 60 cousins, so when I say "family" I mean "small army."

34, wargaming since I bought my first copy of BattleTech in 1993

Almost everyone in my gaming group is in their mid-30s or early 40s. Certainly everyone I know who plays Armada or X-Wing is in that age range.

Armada is the straightforward-but-tactically-deep game we've been waiting for, for a good long while.

Its not breakneck paced, where you need to make 30 decisions a turn and play for a hundred turns.

Its not 100 dice being thrown at once.

There's almost no on-paper record keeping, because tokens and cards are there to do the job for you...

Its a game where smart early planning is rewarding, and overt mistakes are punishing.

But you can't write it off as a game where you can just push models around and throw some dice - its got that level of complexity that makes you think over a glass of scotch, rather than hammer down a 6-pack.

I also played a ton of "wooden ships", and Advanced Squad Leader. I could never get to grips with Starfleet Battles though for some reason.

Other stuff I played:

Tons of Battletech

Warhammer, starting at 1st edition! I still have my full sets of books for this and Rogue Trader.

Ancients, mostly WRG rules.

Full Thrust

War of the Ring

These days I'm on:

Armada

Halo Fleet

Drop zone Commander

Infinity

Malifaux

Warmahordes

Along with dome of the older stuff and various "now and then" games.

Armada is the straightforward-but-tactically-deep game we've been waiting for, for a good long while.

Its not breakneck paced, where you need to make 30 decisions a turn and play for a hundred turns.

Its not 100 dice being thrown at once.

There's almost no on-paper record keeping, because tokens and cards are there to do the job for you...

Its a game where smart early planning is rewarding, and overt mistakes are punishing.

But you can't write it off as a game where you can just push models around and throw some dice - its got that level of complexity that makes you think over a glass of scotch, rather than hammer down a 6-pack.

Oh Yes--s-s-s-s....a nice 12 yr old single malt Dalbeattie.....room temp of course....mmm...jollyness and joyessness made one .....

also some Fiery classical music in the back ground........Holst "the Planets" comes to mind

Remember younglings, Youth and Speed are no match for Old age and treachery.....

"...but Youth and Speed gets the girls."

... Youth and Speed can spend all their Money on Girls for all I care.

I am 43 and and not even feeling old by any means. Mikael is the closest to my age in my area but having an 8 year old Star Wars fan as my Padawan I feel super young at heart. Now if I can just convince my body of that things would be perfect.

I will be getting my son into X-Wing soon but it may be a couple years before he will be into Armada. (Even though that kid is brighter than all get out and is at the top of his class. Woot! )

The beauty of Star Wars is that it transcends the Generational Gap and it brings together people that would normally not have much in common. This goes beyond gaming and is one of the reasons I am glad I grew up in the age where I got to see Star Wars for the first time with my Father in the Summer of 77. And my young son shares that same love and excitement as myself and that Old Man Shadowmax.

bwa-ha-ha!......3 und 40!

Remember younglings, Youth and Speed are no match for Old age and treachery.....

"...but Youth and Speed gets the girls."

Err

Youth, perhaps

Speed, though...well, let's just say it's not terribly attractive when applied to a ceetwin walk of romantic life

Just to chime in, I am 43 currently. Really enjoying Armada. My 9 year old son is playing it with me, but we are currently at the shooting at each other with some movement phase. Just added fighters and will actually use upgrade cards to build a fleet next time. I was just practicing moving ships for the first time and he saw me and joined right in.

I too have a long history with games, but mostly RPGs. I did do some crazy SFB action back in Junior High. I spent all the money I earned mowing lawns on the huge Commander's Edition rule books and minis. Played PanzerBlitz too, but it tended to degrade into an argument over the rules. Heroclix was awesome for quite awhile and my son is showing an interest in that now too.

Gaming is really something for all ages. My dad just got back into Magic recently. He is 65 I think.

See ya,

Duncan

Just to chime in, I am 43 currently. Really enjoying Armada. My 9 year old son is playing it with me, but we are currently at the shooting at each other with some movement phase. Just added fighters and will actually use upgrade cards to build a fleet next time. I was just practicing moving ships for the first time and he saw me and joined right in.

Hey Duncan, great to hear - just a parrallel story to yours, there's a guy in our Local Armada League, who registered his 8 year old son as the player (for Prizes/recognition, etc) and plays the games along with him - getting 'tactical advice' from his Son, and getting him to throw all the Dice so he feels included... In the past 6 weeks of the league, the Son has gotten confident enough to drive a Victory around the board, as well as Wrangle half the Squadrons...

So yeah, its great when everyone is all involved and getting in

I like how the OP of this thread even types like a crazy old man.

im 27 myself, i play 40k/warzone and i used to play warmachine but the people i keep meeting that play it really tick me off so i sold my trolls. Personally i rarely come across anyone more than a couple years older than me.

However...

About every other month my FLGS will host a Flames of War tournament, and suddenly the store (8 4by6 tables in the main area with a 6by8 upstairs and a 4by12 downstairs) is jammed with about 90% people in their 60s, usually vets themselves. I just find it funny you never seem them except at those tournaments. Theyre great people, i never played any of them since i dont own flames of war and dont really have an intention to get into it either.

SW:A wise its literally my buddy, me, and we just found another guy that likes the game. Fortunately this game doesnt really get stale facing the same person lol.

The penalty for living in Nebraska's Lincoln area. There is just...nobody here except ranch hands lol. Probably why i rarely see people older than me save for those Flames of War guys.

I like how the OP of this thread even types like a crazy old man.

I'll take that as a compliment there son....I may have a bit of Mileage ( thanx Dras ), but I'm 170 pounds of wirey-ass Scots that can still hit a fly's eye at 100 ft feet with a long bow.( one of my many hobbies, besides Wargaming )............as long as theres a wash room close by.....

Tactics II was a gift for my 11th Birthday and I have been gaming ever since.

I like how the OP of this thread even types like a crazy old man.

I'll take that as a compliment there son....I may have a bit of Mileage ( thanx Dras ), but I'm 170 pounds of wirey-ass Scots that can still hit a fly's eye at 100 ft feet with a long bow.( one of my many hobbies, besides Wargaming )............as long as theres a wash room close by.....

Haha, I should have made it clear i meant it is very endearing, it's how i imagine a crotchety old wargamer.

Ahhh SFB... how I love thee!

Played a lot of that game in my early twenties, Klingon ships (especially my beloved D7 class) as my normal preference. Nothing beats the look on an opponents face when you hit him with a scatter-pack, overloaded disruptors at range 8 and t-bombs before finishing off with a phaser-hose as you fly past him, then mid-turn speed changing, tight turn and setting up another overloaded disruptor salvo on the next turn to tear through his aft shields finishing off the victim.

Off course, if you stuffed up your planning you were so much space dust as photons/plasma/helbores blew you into shredded metal.

Good times.

My FOW group definitely has the older demographic (average age is probably 40). We all have kids and careers that eat up most of our time.....my sons hockey feels like a second job some days.

Our Armada group probably averages around 30 years old.

I am 44.

Man oh Man, this has been the best thread, first... when reading my posts, imagine a slight Scots accent, a wirey looking bastard with a white goatee, long hair sticken out from under me doo rag and a twinkle in my eye.....Nice to meet(in a way) all of you who have visited this thread. i feel I know some of you alittle better here and its a great pleasure and I'm honored.

and thats not just an ol' man's sentiment.....

And no FickleGreen, I ain't been into the Scotch......

You sound exactly like a member of my own group Shadowmax. I think every group needs a small, wiry white haired Scot.
Even though our one is called Mick, and one of our Irish players is called Scot. So that confuses people beautifully.

And no FickleGreen, I ain't been into the Scotch......

Ahhhhh, but what a way to go. Paddy and Mick keep pullin' ya out and ya' just keep jumpin' back in.

45 here. Started with Battletech, then 40K, then x-wing, armada, and after 20 years full circle back to Battletech. The local gaming club that I used to play at had a range of ages from 12 to 70 until they decided to move to a FLGS 1/2 an hour away and it slowly dissolved to the stage that it wasn't much of a club anymore. So, I am mostly painting and collecting, playing games these days mostly with family, in between playing my pipes with the local pipe band.