The Great Fusion

I've often thought the decline in board gaming in America can be traced to the decline in family activity. I've been kicking around an idea to create a "community outreach event for gaming" focused on getting families to play (not just us hardcore wargamers). So when Kaarin Engelmann of the Washington Gamer's Association (WGA) club proposed a joint NOVAG/WGA event after our last GAMECON, I was enthusiastic to revisit the "Family Game Day thing".

The problem was resolving on where to throw it. If we threw it in a store, the memberships of both our clubs would know about it, but would we get any new people? Likely not. So with the help of a good friend of mine in the community where I live, I looked into reserving a community center. Turns out that's okay with my local civic association, but I have to make the event open to the public, focused on the local citizenry, and cost nothing. All of those restrictions were bonuses in my eyes. So "Burke Center Family Gamedays" was born, the first one centered around the "Grand Fusion" theme.

I promoted this event heavily in the local newspaper, on community signboards, and the local email listserv run by the conservancy. Result: about 60 people (mixed hardcore gamers and walk-ins) between 11 and 8. "The Great Fusion" theme was meant to combine the best efforts of NOVAG and WGA by putting on events that are visual, may or may not have a miniatures element to them, and most important easy to TEACH. We stressed this was not a babysitting service, and we expected families to play games together.

The walk-ins were on average teenagers, with exceptions on both ends of the bell curve. I played a mean game of Circus Maximus (using miniatures, natch) with a bunch of them -- they got into the spirit of the thing most admirably. I dubbed one of them "The Horse Killer!" Another "Fusion" event (board game vs. miniatures) was Ed Wagamon's visually brilliant and tactically stimulating game of TABLETOP ACES (a fusion of miniatures and Avalon Hill's MUSTANGS), The Old Dominion Gameworks guy ran demos of Mein Panzer and other ODGW products, and even a homebrew Star Wars universe miniatures game (run by Dave Markley) was in evidence. I set up RAM SPEED, but was too busy playing other things to give it a shot.

Other games being put on were almost all Euro style board games-- CARCASSONE, ROYAL TURF, ZERTZ, SANTA FE RAILS, a 6-player TAJ MAHAL game, KINGDOMS. Board Wargames were not in evidence. Much as I love board wargaming as a hobby, It is not an easy lure for children. However, I have some hope... I intend to try big high- color simple wargames such as Battle Cry (Hasbro) and Battlemasters (Milton Bradley) next time.

The feedback I got was 100% positive, and I expect a repeat of it when I try the next Family Gameday on 11 August. I am positively charged by the success of the event, and the community I live in is providing the resources to me for free. A classic win-win situation.