I have been following an interesting discussion on the future of our hobby in the GMSN discussion group. This below was an unsigned posting. Even so, the writer brings up some interesting points. I wanted to share them with you. A question on the hobby. I think it would be helpful if we considered some basic attitudes here and considered one or two points less we rush off to make hasty decisions. I therefore with to propose the following case and ask the following questions. ASSUME- Assume that every historical hobby store on the planet closed its doors. Assume that every manufacturer of historical figures banged up shop. QUESTIONS Would you stop gaming? Would your group stop gaming and disband? Would you stop inviting friends, co-workers, family members or Acquaintances to a game if you had an inkling that they were or might be Interested? Would you stop planning, thinking about, and building models and stuff? Would you turn to and play board games and alt.games? I rather think all of us answered NO to all of the above. Given this then perhaps we must rethink some other attitudes we might have. Being in the hobby since 1962 has given me some perspective. Back then there was nothing and if you wanted to game in the Franco-Prussian war you took Civil War Airfix and converted World War One figures, or you contented yourself with gaming what games you could and Franco-Prussian War existed in your minds eye only. Perhaps that time must come again and we must narrow our focus and make do. As to manufacturers, if the case is as presented that they don't make that much on historical mini's then perhaps we will have to give up paying $1.50 for an infantryman and pay $9.00 for a figure so the manufacturer can make a return on his investment and keep up his molds, quality, and lines. Perhaps we will have to be content with buying one new unit at a convention than two new armies. Satiety may be another factor. How many people REALLY game in the odd-ball periods, so why should manufacturers make the huge investment to cater to a whim. If the major manufacturers should fail, and the hobby stores should fail, then perhaps we will have to start making our own figures. If the hobby is "graying" and "dying" then perhaps it’s because history no longer finds resonance in the hearts and minds of the young. It may well be then that we are dying, and if it is true then-- our time has come. But I am sure that even if that were the case we would keep gaming. But I rather think that as long as we answer no to all of the above questions, then others will arise to replace those who pass away, be they figure stores, figure manufacturers, clubs, and associations. Back to Dispatch June 2004 Table of Contents Back to Dispatch List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 2004 by HMGS Mid-South This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com