There are just a few short points that Andrew Smith, Donna Dwyer, and myself would like to make. In reading over this manuscript and reliving the experience of the last few weeks we all felt the need to make some added thoughts. First, Andrew: he is British, upper-middle class, and conventionally liberal.

Thanks for the build-up, Jack. Reader, you are dealing with a naval politics bluff, not a hard-core wargamer; but I consider that this adds a new perspective to what I have to say. Some time ago I proposed to Jack that we should write something called a joint article on wargaming and the counterculture, but it fell through in the Isla Vista discussions devoted to it, owning to Jack and I disagreeing over a working definition of the counterculture, no doubt due to cultural differences! Origins I and "Pilgrimage" have given rise to some new thoughts and confirmed some old ones.

It struck me that what Origins I was really about was images, both of wargaming as a hobby and of wargamers as indidividuals. Origns was the most impressive convention I have seen, and the press clippings I harvested reflect a less patronizing tone than usual; now, if only SPI would buy a Lear jet ... ! The concentration of so many of the hobby's hard core in one place was extremely good; naturally nobody had enough time to talk to everybody, but much was explained, often by physical appearance and not in conversation.

Everybody there was greatly relieved to find that no Nazis had emerged from their closets (or should that read bunkers?) and thus were our liberal credentials established for use in mutual congratulation. As Jack says, "one out of every five wargamers is a freak", and I suppose that this percentage rises if one considers only the hard core. We all read hidden values into wargaming: straight people think it makes them freakish, freaks that it helps them conform some of the time, outsiders that we are warmongers, hard-core gamers that they are some sort of elite; and I understand the Spartans believe that wargaming one day be as professionally organized and intellectually demanding as chess which thought I find ludicrous.

A true picture is that wargaming contains a large number of socially functional individuals; this accounts for the fact that people drift out of hobby in their mid-twenties and predicatably will continue to do so. Expansion of the hobby will rely on locating more of these people since recruitment up and down the age "ladder" goes rather slowly. Perhaps one day there will be a study of the social values and life-style of typical solo gamer; it will make interesting reading. I cannot agree that wargaming is an "underground trip"; we still are four middle-class white males for every freak! Moreover the main purpose seen by Origins was to reinforce this by proving that wargamers were "just like you and I".

In spite of this, it must be admitted that with luck and the right conections you may meet and get to know people with different backgrounds and habits.

My own hopes for the future of gaming? I would like to see the impossible happen: more designers publishing and the breakdown of the trend toward the using a few game systems epitomised by SPI. Remember Sixth Fleet? Dare we ever let SPI forget it? No system or small group of systems can cover every eventually or fairly be used to cover up a lack of imagination or research, both of which are sadly apparent when Napoleon at Waterloo put out to sea.

Upon returning Larry and I were reunited with our respective lovers. Wendy Asrael found the comments by the women in "Pilgrimage" article to be "honest ... but uninspiring." Donna Dwyer felt strong enough on this question to write the following statement:

In retrospect I was disturbed by some of the comments by women wargamers. Though it is encouraging that they are strong enough to admit to aggressiveness in their own nature (ignoring society's pre-conceived notions of passive women) it is somewhat disheartening that these same women accept other stereotypes. Comments about short and easy games and letting husbands explain rules were grossly unfair. The impression left was, "Sure, we're competitive, we're into gaming, but nothing too difficult. We're here for our husbands." Certainly all of these women are completely capable of handling the most difficult of games! If they feel the need to accept these concepts they are greatly under-estimating themselves.

There were three main impressions I was left with after this trip.

One was that many of us within the Hobby are close-minded in both the games we will or will not play. In other words, many of us play just this company's games or that period. I would suspect that the readership of this article does not fall into that category but the majority of wargamers do! This close-mindedness extends itself into social realms as well, which I think is fairly self-evident judging from many of the answers I received in part or in total from many individuals.

Secondly, I was left with a strong impression that very little is actually known about the make-up of our Hobby.

Finally, I felt the need at sometime in the future for an organization of some sorts to handle Hobby problems, conduct research, aid in the Hobby's development, whatever. There is no place for one to receive a "good housekeeping seal of approval" to avoid Liberator Games rip- offs. There is no independent agency that is neutral within the maze of companies. There is no real direction in relationship to Conventions or ultimately, rules-disputes. While not a critical need to the Hobby, I do feel that such a body could help.

I would like to thank everyone for their co- operation and hospitality, and especially Larry Hoffman, Andrew Smith, and Donna Dwyer. I also owe a special thanks to the S.D.C. Foundation that made the trip possible.

More Cathedrals

Cathedrals of Wargaming: Introduction
Cathedrals of Wargaming: Game Designers' Workshop
Cathedrals of Wargaming: Avalon Hill
Cathedrals of Wargaming: SPI
Cathedrals of Wargaming: On the Road to Origins
Cathedrals of Wargaming: Joe Seliga and Steve Peek
Cathedrals of Wargaming: Taurus Games
Cathedrals of Wargaming: Postscript