I clicked hoping to find a conversation about this:

Hmm nuggets.

At my FLGS I see a lot of girls playing mainly D&D or some other RPG but I know of a couple of girls or women who play Flames of War and I have talked to a few on the Battletech website as well but my friends daughters are the only ones I have seen playing X-wing.

And btw, I am not really sure if gamer girls are a new thing. Sorry Millennials, we got them before you did. At least over in europe. I am a child of the 80's and all my adult life there were always girls in my groups, no matter if pnp, wow, or whatever. And not uncommonly way more than males. So right, sometimes it really seems like men are unicorns, Right. ;-)


Whole post, just to post a stallion unicorn ;-)

Many women are drawn to games where the style of play is co-operative. Of course lots of women are super competitive, but the general observation that we see more participation by women in RPGs and boardgames, and less in xwing, warhammer etc, is consistent with this idea.

The presence of women in a group definitely improves the behavior of men. One poster here thinks that it is somehow a disadvantage that the presence of women would inhibit foul language by men. That is just immature rubbish. XWING should be for all ages and cutting down on filthy language is an ADVANTAGE every single time.

Because star wars has such broad appeal, I expect that over time, more and more women will be drawn to xwing. If you want to try and recruit more women to play, then it might be a good idea to try and run some big games with teams where there is at least an element of co-operative play.

I prefer co-op to compet. Always have. The reason is though is that when I start getting competitive... well. There's a side to me I don't like showing people. I prefer to look like a wise, intelligent, even tempered person.

I prefer co-op to compet. Always have. The reason is though is that when I start getting competitive... well. There's a side to me I don't like showing people. I prefer to look like a wise, intelligent, even tempered person.

This makes so much sense. its crazy to see the difference in people when they do coop vs competitive.

Yeah. I can play compet games in short bursts, but I have to reign myself in pretty hard. Rather do co-op and go teamwork!

the best part is playing a competitive co-op game, such as a MOBA (league of legends, heroes of the storm; dota)

then, you can show off all your worst qualities as your desire to win and need to coordinate your teammates (a task not unlike herding cats) turns even the staunchest pacifist into a ticking time bomb

I wish I could worry about this topic, but sadly I'd be content if my LGS even HAD a playgroup outside of just me... I am lucky to get an opponent some weeks. You guys are off bickering about not having enough women in your groups, and I'm stuck here playing the world's smallest violin, surrounded by my lonely collection of ships, collecting dust in their box as I try to campaign to the dozens of MTG players in my area to just give it a try...

If I were a woman interested in gaming, the vast majority of this thread would make me never want to enter a game store.

All these phony "white knights" trying to suggest what role or purpose women serve (e.g. they shouldn't be coming to play X-Wing because they enjoy X-Wing, but because the men need them to reign in the male dregs of gaming society).

Jeez, OP, get a clue. You're as much a part of the overt and subtle sexism that plagues gaming culture as the basement trolls about which you're complaining. (And, before you counter: No, the fact that you've been happily married doesn't mean that you're incapable of having problematic attitudes or behaviors. Just like a racist might retort "but I'm not racist, I have a black friend!")


The secret to not being a sexist asshat is to simply treat everyone in a manner that is independent of their gender. Don't be overly polite to women because they are women. Don't be breaking people into categories based on their gender or your expectations for that gender. Just treat people like people. It's not hard.

the best part is playing a competitive co-op game, such as a MOBA (league of legends, heroes of the storm; dota)

then, you can show off all your worst qualities as your desire to win and need to coordinate your teammates (a task not unlike herding cats) turns even the staunchest pacifist into a ticking time bomb

Competitive gaming and random groups of complete strangers are kind of a recipe for disaster. The whole match making experience is making the world literally to a worse place. Good for lol that they now allow premade teams in ranked to slowly reduce that problem.

And hey, Caboose, even if you HAVE 50% or more woman in your group, group size can still be an issue. Two X-Wing players are still a rather small group, I really should infect my RPG group with X-Wing.

I wish I could worry about this topic, but sadly I'd be content if my LGS even HAD a playgroup outside of just me... I am lucky to get an opponent some weeks. You guys are off bickering about not having enough women in your groups, and I'm stuck here playing the world's smallest violin, surrounded by my lonely collection of ships, collecting dust in their box as I try to campaign to the dozens of MTG players in my area to just give it a try...

Try Warhammer. That will have you playing an even smaller fiddle! At least you'll have thousands upon thousands of dollars worth of a dozen or so minis to keep you company.

Kharne really is a great guy, just swell to be around.

I thought of this when I saw this topic....

Anything else is sexist.

Also, what's this about not being nice to women because they are women?

Sure sure, treat everyone equally. But be nicer to women because they are women. That's what we Gentlemen call being a Gent.

The vast majority of men on this planet should try it out sometime! I mean, heaven forbid a woman should see merit in a man treating her nicely.

Young boys who are reading this thread: Be nice to all women, even the skaggs. Just do it all the time. Say excuse me and open the door for them. If someone calls you a sexist for treating women kindly then you remind them that you're simply being a Gentleman. See lads, that's the other part of being a Gentleman. You have to treat everyone with respect, even if they have really dumb ideas about equality. So never mind this sexist tripe and just go on being polite to women no matter what. You'll find that you have a much easier time in life if you just remember to act like someone your Grandmother would approve of.

I keep hearing there is such as thing as women who play nerdy games, but I've yet to see any. My wife plays Imperial Assault, but that's only because she loves me.

When I mentioned playing X-Wing at my local game store (no one plays Imperial Assault or I'd be all over that), she gasped in horror. "No, you can't do that. That's too much! You'll be like THEM!"

Unfortunately, she has a point. When I go to my gaming store and attempt to communicate with the large men hunched over the tables, they usually look at me and then quickly look away several times or mutter indecipherable things while taping the toes of their shoes together. Not only are there no normal men, there's certainly no gamer chicks.

Is this how it is everywhere?

Could be because you are calling them "chicks"

I mean...come on

I hear ya, I don't really refer to females as chicks. I just hear the term "gaming chicks" a lot. I'm actually quite polite to women, which is why I've managed to own one for 13 years now.

THAT WAS ANOTHER JOKE. Calm down. :-)

I really am polite to ladies, and I greatly appreciate their influence and ability to help normalize men. Which is why I think it's a very good thing when we have women playing games like X-Wing.

You're delusional... everyone knows it's the women who own the men.

Young boys who are reading this thread: Be nice to all women, even the skaggs. Just do it all the time. Say excuse me and open the door for them. If someone calls you a sexist for treating women kindly then you remind them that you're simply being a Gentleman. See lads, that's the other part of being a Gentleman. You have to treat everyone with respect, even if they have really dumb ideas about equality. So never mind this sexist tripe and just go on being polite to women no matter what. You'll find that you have a much easier time in life if you just remember to act like someone your Grandmother would approve of.

Being a teenager still, it irks me so much when Guys are total dolts to girls, drives me nuts. Ive almost gotten in a couple fights because I was defending girls from guys being completly innapropriate. luckily, I can be very imposing, so guys don't really fight me. Boys, do take this advice seriously.

I don't really care if women play the game or not because I don't care about the gender of my opponent, I crush them all just the same.

It would be nice if it was 50/50 that way I could easily find a partner that shared my interests of course.

But it's a non-issue. If the only women that play X-Wing are the girlfriends of male players that get them to play and they don't on the whole choose to play, so what? As long as we're friendly and treat them as we would males I don't see the issue. Adding a bunch of token female pilots into the game won't do anything.

Also, what's this about not being nice to women because they are women?

Sure sure, treat everyone equally. But be nicer to women because they are women. That's what we Gentlemen call being a Gent.

The vast majority of men on this planet should try it out sometime! I mean, heaven forbid a woman should see merit in a man treating her nicely.

Young boys who are reading this thread: Be nice to all women, even the skaggs. Just do it all the time. Say excuse me and open the door for them. If someone calls you a sexist for treating women kindly then you remind them that you're simply being a Gentleman. See lads, that's the other part of being a Gentleman. You have to treat everyone with respect, even if they have really dumb ideas about equality. So never mind this sexist tripe and just go on being polite to women no matter what. You'll find that you have a much easier time in life if you just remember to act like someone your Grandmother would approve of.

Why should't a woman open a door just like a man would? I am sure that their weak little lady wrists can handle it.

Young boys who are reading this thread:

Think.

I use the word "chicks," then clarify why I did and proceed to try and compliment women by saying they make things better - but I'm a sexist fill-in-the-blank? Someone poo-pooed the fact that I've been married over ten years (13 to be exact) as if that isn't a major accomplishment (most end in divorce after 8), but somehow I'm a sexist pig because of a few words? I will spare everyone a list of examples of why I'm not a sexist pig, if your mind is made up about my character as a person because of a couple remarks in a single thread, then I suppose there's nothing to be done about that.

I attacked NO ONE personally in this thread, but I was attacked more than once. That's a little unfair and presumptuous to jump to such conclusions so quickly - and then to lash out at me.

I will further clarify, the use of the term "chicks" was not meant as derogatory. If I offended someone by that usage then I apologize. I meant it no different than using the word "dudes" for a guy, I am genuinely sorry if I misused a word and offended someone.

I am not perfect, I try to treat people right. Once again, I am sorry if I offended anyone over this.

IRONY:

Seconds after that last post, I received an e-mail from my wife saying "Thank you for being patient, kind, understanding and gentle."

Nothing in there about being a sexist jerk.

Also, what's this about not being nice to women because they are women?

Sure sure, treat everyone equally. But be nicer to women because they are women. That's what we Gentlemen call being a Gent.

The vast majority of men on this planet should try it out sometime! I mean, heaven forbid a woman should see merit in a man treating her nicely.

Young boys who are reading this thread: Be nice to all women, even the skaggs. Just do it all the time. Say excuse me and open the door for them. If someone calls you a sexist for treating women kindly then you remind them that you're simply being a Gentleman. See lads, that's the other part of being a Gentleman. You have to treat everyone with respect, even if they have really dumb ideas about equality. So never mind this sexist tripe and just go on being polite to women no matter what. You'll find that you have a much easier time in life if you just remember to act like someone your Grandmother would approve of.

You honestly don't see how that is sexist? Does the fact that you are coddling a human being different based on their sex not make you even slightly suspicious that your behavior might be sexist?

Why should't a woman open a door just like a man would? I am sure that their weak little lady wrists can handle it.

Young boys who are reading this thread:

Think.

I tend to open doors for just about everyone.... so does my sister.

IRONY:

Seconds after that last post, I received an e-mail from my wife saying "Thank you for being patient, kind, understanding and gentle."

Nothing in there about being a sexist jerk.

Now, as I did start this threat, I do feel a little responsible to try and keep it from flying off the rails into a flame war.

The essence of my honest and sincere question, without controversial terminology, was basically: "Do you have very many female X-Wing players that play at your local gamestore?"

I wish i got to my game stores more...

At any rate I wanted to take the time to derail the thread and say that you had 777 posts.