Traditional wargamers, table-toppers in particular, have for sometime been looking down their noses at D&D and SF/F games in general, considering themselves above, as they put it , such childish nonsense. What makes them act in such a superior manner?
Could it be a lack of understanding on their behalf? SF/ F gamers who, for the most part , started off on wargames understand that wargamers do not seek to revel in blood and gore when they play their games, but are merely pitting their strategical and tactical wits against each other whilst having fun It would seem reasonable, therefore, that wargamers should understand that SF/ F gamers are doing likewise.
If their argument is that the games lack skill, I suggest they try D&D, Star ship Troopers, White Bear Red Moon, Outreach, Ogre...
If their argument is that the games lack credibility, then I suggest that they come out of the past and look to the future.
But, perhaps, it's neither of the above two reasons and they do, in fact, appreciate that SF/F gamers are no different to themselves with respect to the attitude towards their games. What, then , couId be the reason for their action?
I believe that the real reason is that wargamers see SF/F games, with its ever growing band of followers, as being a serious challenge to their authority in the adult games hobby and are playing them down to prevent a take-over in popularity. They probably realise that magic and role-play in fantasy games, and futuristic weapons and monsters in science fiction games offer so much more than wargames ever can, being set within such narrow limits. So it must be a case of trying not to lose face.
But really, there ought to be harmony between both factions. Why should one try to lessen the status of the other? After all, wargames are a fantasy, and SF/F games are wargames with the added dimension of imagination.
Ian Livingstone
Table of Contents
COMPETITIVE D&D - 8
Scoring by Fred Hemmings
FIGURES REVIEW - 7
Asgard Miniatures
THE GREEN PLANET TRILOGY - 8
Reviewed by Lewis Pulsipher
BEFORE THE FLOOD - 11
Hartley Patterson's Midgard
OPEN BOX - 12
SF/F games reviewed
THE MONSTERMARK SYSTEM - 15
Revised Monster Tables by Don Turnbull
TREASURE CHEST - 18
A miscellany of D&D additions
LETTERS , CLASSIFIEDS & HELP - 22
