Thursday, September 19, 2013

"So Wat's This Then?"

So what is Oldhammer? Well it will be different things to different people. For some of it - lets see what some of the bloggers have said:

Gaj's thoughts on Warhammer for Adults: Why Is It Called Warhammer For Adults? 

Orlygg's first post, on why 3rd edition - Welcome Traveller to My Blog

Zhu's Guide to "The Oldhammer Contract" - "The Oldhammer Contract"

This is Thantsant's post just before Oldhammer Day - pay particular attention to the ethos bit! : Stop Its Almost Hammer Time

How has this confused some people? Orlygg has a great post about his here: Mythbusters - Oldhammer Etiquette


So what does Oldhammer mean to me? Or what should it mean to you? Well, truly the answer (to me) is pretty much whatever you want it to mean to you with only a few caveats (and mostly Zhu's points as well):

1) Oldhammer is not really about a certain set of rules, it is more about the contract between players (and a game master). This contract is for fun, challenging and fair bouts of gaming. Sometimes this may mean the story is more important than the outcome for you personally - and that is perfectly fine! This is not about tournaments, points, or above all god - Winning! - at all costs! If you require those, please leave me in my Oldhammer World - there is probably a tournament coming up for you soon.

2) While we all have piles of unpainted figures (or most of us do), Oldhammer is also about love of old figures (for me personally for old Citadel especially - and old Citadel designers)or at least old-style figures. It is more about the way you hobby and game. You have freedom. Get what you want and build it. If prices are getting you down, but you like Nick Lund's old Grenadiers - Great! Otherworld or those new Wrath of Kings figures float your boat - fine. But here is the big part.....PAINT! Yep that is right, if you are going to get into Oldhammer, then you got to do some hobbying! After all one of the biggest things about this is that you have to build the figures you can get on the table to complete the contract from point 1. My Daemons from 2-4th edition aren't doing much for Oldhammer as silver parts in a box- all they are is part of my COLLECTION - not playable parts.

Long ago I fell in love with Citadel miniatures. I can only thank all of the Citadel designers (too many to mention and list) from the bygone eras. I have poured over my White Dwarf collection, my old rulebooks, my old Fantasty Miniatures books, and just about every book I could get from GW so many more hours than I have ever been able to play the wonderful game (mainly because you can do it by yourself - though I used to do it in college as my girlfriend gave me my nightly massage (and she played too!)). I spent one Xmas Eve at GW reading through WD 85-104 (In the late 90s. I was alone in the office - the only one on the phones and we were dead). I poured through every one of those old Epic articles when I played it often - but I still look at them every year and remember that feeling.

I am a collector. I'm a father and step-father. I've gotten the older kids playing with figures. I'm often their game master. Its one of my biggest kicks.  I don't get to paint as often as I would like (2 girls under 3 after all!) but I make whatever progress I can. This blog is an attempt to make sure that I get more done - after all I'm going to have to show something on here. I'm completely inspired by like-minded people throughout the world - enough to write this blog. I'm looking for more people on this side of the pond who play, want to play, or are interested in learning about it. I want an American Oldhammer day!

And that is what Oldhammer is to me.


And Oldhammer with the group in the UK even celebrated all they had done in one year....Happy Birthday Oldhammer!

2 comments:

  1. Sounds like you've hit the nail on the head there!

    Best go and paint some minis now...

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