In August of 1988, at GENCON/ORIGINS GAME FAIR in Milwaukee, I met Hal Thinglum - I also met (in alpmabetical order for diplomacy's sake) Bob & John Bigelow; Lynn Bodin; Scotty Bowden; Dick Bryant; Ken Bunger; Jim Butters; Pat Condray; Steve Dake; Todd Fisher; Jim Getz; Jayson Gralewicz; Martin Gordon; Gary Gygax; John Hill; Harold Johnson; Joel Kloepping; Bill Kominers; Keith Leidy; Jeff Lowry; Jim Lurvey; Mike Montemarano; Rick Nance; Mark Olsvon; Jeff Perren; Bill Protz; Anthony Reeves, and -- larger than life -- Duke Seifried. To any I have missed, I sincerely apologize for my incomplete list, nor will they have received the letter of thanks I wrote to all of the above upon my return to Great Britain. Most I knew by name with the familiarity of up to twenty years or more; I had met Jeff Perren and the Duke in my home in England about ten years ago. Maybe it was euphoria or perhaps the imagination mellows with encroaching age, but it seemed to me that I established an endearing and most remarkable rapport with all of them in a very short time -- I hope they felt the same.
However, as I said in the beginning, I met Hal Thinglum and when, almost shyly, he said his name, quite spontaneously I was moved to put my arms around his shoulders and give him a brotherly hug. I write that word advisedly because, to me, Hal is a brother, a brother-in-arms if you like, who writes such nice things about me in his editorials and seems to have made wargaming as much a part of his life as I have. In fact, everyone mentioned by name here -- and the thousands whom I have never met but share the bond our Hobby -- qualify to be among -- (and here I quote Sam Gill in July/August MWAN who pinched it from Bill Shakespeare anyway) "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers". And when old Duke (with Jim Getz) drove 80 odd miles to and from his home in Clinton to bring me out and take me back to Milwaukee when the Convention ended, his first words were: "Donald... forget all the hassle... you are with family now."
Now, we all know Duke has got a great line in charm (and has had a few wives to prove it), but like all bullshit, it sounded great and was lovely to hear because I knew that, in his expansive way, Duke really meant it.
Now, this isn't a back-slapping exercise nor is it as sentimental as it may seem because it is meant as a calculated preamble to words on an aspect of Wargaming that we tend to take for granted yet in its way is the supreme feature of our mutual hobby, transforming it from a pleasurable, brain-teasing game to an invaluable cornerstone of our lives. Wargaming may begin by amassing armies of model soldiers and moving them over tabletop terrains, but dull must he be of soul who doesn't quickly realise that those who battle alongside or against him have become trusty comrades, some remaining so for the rest of our lives. There are those among us who learned the value of comradeship in the Forces, sometimes amid the stress of War, when all the unpleasant things we put up with were made bearable only because we had mates by our side -- alone we couldn't have coped but with the support of our comrades we stuck it out.
Of course, wargaming isn't as bad as that -- at least it isn't in my neck of the woods -- but friends are friends are friends (read it s'owly, its not a misprint) and there is nothing else in life so comforting or helpful. So, I thoroughly recommend what we call here (and I believe originated in Australia) 'matesmanship'.
Those of us who occasionally find ourselves being quizzed by earnest young men and women from the media -- Press or TV -- are accustomed to the artless yet studied question: "But don't you think that playing at war encourages violence?" In response, shake the head slowriy, smile sadly and say: "On the contrary, it is a social exercise that can only be pleasurably played between friends, so that it encourages friendship and all its best qualities."
From reading MWAN, COURIER, P.W. REVIEW, SEVEN YEARS WAR ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER, and the other publications so kindly pressed upon me when in America, it is evident that Americans share the same spirit of gregariousness that marks the British people -- put a few of us in one place and inevitably we'll form a club. We have had wargaming clubs here in Southampton, but have tended as the years pass, to replace them with regular gatherings of congenial people who fight their battles without acrimony or the relentless pursuit of victory. This has been greatly encouraged by the incredibly simple rules to which we fight - demonstrated under some difficulties at GENCON/ORIGINS GAME FAIR and seemingly sufficiently enjoyable to have had many requests for them (they are a basic foundation upon which tactical aspects of any period can be overlaid so that if you fight them once you know them for good). Wargamers who thrash their brains during the day trying to earn an honest living and become a YUPPIE (Editor's Notes Please, Donald, not a Yuppie!) don't want to thrash than by night over a game that does not pay a wage -- so simple rules equate with enjoyment and it gets you up to the pub for a beer before closing-time, Wargaming has many fringe-benefits, among them are kindred clubs such as the Wessex Military Society and the Wessex Military Dining Club both here in Southampton, Hampshire, U.K.
The former meets bi-monthly in a good hotel where we lunch a well known Services personality who lectures to us afterwards; the second meets monthly in the Officers Wardroom of a shore-based Royal Naval Reserve, when we dine well and then discuss in civilised fashion the latest military books, our recent finds, a battle-anniversary etc etc., all shared with a guest of the month who might be a Field-Marshal or a Chelsea Pensioner. If you are visiting the U.K. and want to come to either of these clubs, ring me on 0703 550361 -- first Saturday afternoon in February, April, June, August, October and December, and the Dining Club on the evening of the third Wednesday in each month t It's worth scheming to get yourself down South in England, away from Edinburgh and Culloden; Stratford-on-Avon and the Tower of London -- you can always let your Wife think you are going to Winchester or to see Nelson's VICTORY at Portsmouth!
And -- its all part of that wonderful comradeship aura that I have managed to weave around myself, that brings so much comfort, joy and strength and which lays at the bottom of the quite memorable manner in which I -- a very English Englishman -- managed to discover in a crowd of distant Americans established bonds of friendship that will be cherished all my life. Here ends the Lesson.
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© Copyright 1989 Hal Thinglum
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