Quote from: Larsdangly;1052344I like WWII war games (particularly Panzer Blitz, Panzer Leader and Panzer Grenadier), so I get what you are saying. But it is also true that there is some overlap on the Ven diagram between wargamer nerds who like WWII themed games and Nazi fetishists who like Nazi regalia and hold warm thoughts about the martial spirit of the wehrmacht. These guys are creeps. No one can deny they exist, and they gravitate to these sorts of gaming communities. They also gravitate toward HEMA fencing clubs (we've had to kick a couple out of the one I attend). So, go ahead and enjoy your PKW V vs. T34 matchups, but keep in mind that the germans rounded up and shot millions of innocent civilians while those battles were going on, and there are some super shitty people out there who are kind of cool with it.

To be fair, this phenomenon isn't restricted to gaming. It plagues any group interested in WWII. I don't read military history forums any more, but back when I briefly lurked on some, I noticed that at least one "Just a little bit too impressed by the Nazis" guy was always around.

Quote from: Dimitrios;1052418To be fair, this phenomenon isn't restricted to gaming. It plagues any group interested in WWII. I don't read military history forums any more, but back when I briefly lurked on some, I noticed that at least one "Just a little bit too impressed by the Nazis" guy was always around.

Rommel was a tactical genius, so being impressed by him if you're into military history isn't too hard. Like most of the German army, though, he wasn't a Nazi, in at least so far as I can tell. I'm not a WWII aficionado, much more interested in Napoleonics, and Napoleon is my military idol. Does that mean I support oppressing the lower classes and an aristocracy, wanton killing of the enemy, and questionable treatment of allied troops? It's laughably absurd to assume that respect for someone's prowess in an area of expertise somehow implies you implicitly approve of every decision they ever made.

Even Moses did some really bad crap (murder, anyone) but I don't just dismiss Judaism because he wasn't perfect.

Quote from: tenbones;1052315In the days before cell-phones at my first Con in LA (OrcCon).. I vividly remember walking into the open gaming area, packed with hundreds of people playing... even back then there were lots of cosplayers (before that was even a word). I was taking it all in, seriously thinking I just stepped into another world.

I had just walked through an entire ballroom filled with wargamers doing a weekend-long re-enactment of World War II, and they were just getting going. And all these *old* guys in there were totally engrossed in it. Which made me engrossed in it - though I never played a wargame in my life.

It was all super-facinating. I felt like Luke in the Mos Eisly cantina...

Then I heard this voice behind me as I was staring into the Open gaming area, "What is this? It looks like the Allies have taken over!"

I turned around and there was this skinny older black guy with a big smile on his face wearing a full Nazi Officer uniform with hat - but because he was a big nerd, and had no sense of style, his afro was jutting out from under his hat. It looked absolutely ridiculous - but he gave no fucks. The look on his face was pure delight at simply being a big nerd among nerds reveling in the camaraderie of our hobby. And my smile of surprise turned into a bigger smile of pure absurd fun.

And it made me realize how much I loved the hobby at the moment...


how times have changed...

I like this story. There is a joie de vivre here that feels lost from modernity's 'post-partem polemical depression'.

Five stages of grief and all that, people. Even in the midst of "the bad ol' days" people could let down their guard and have a little absurdist fun. Self-righteousness junkies need to detox before things get worse (... and things can *always* get worse,).

Quote from: mhensley;1052383The most fun you can have at gencon now is to wear a maga hat to organized play games and see how many people you can trigger.

That might get you punched in the face by a tatted up power ranger.

Quote from: ArrozConLeche;1052439That might get you punched in the face by a tatted up power ranger.

Or the excuse of cultural appropriation if your white and not asian. Or he looked too long in the direction of the tatted up power ranget. Or he said something that triggered him. The list is endless.

It's important not to buy into the climate of fear. We have to stand up to these assholes.

Quote from: RPGPundit;1052751It's important not to buy into the climate of fear. We have to stand up to these assholes.

This right here. I have been asked aka told to leave public / convention games because I would not bash the President or someone's faith. I play games to have fun not stroke the ego of the game master.

Quote from: RPGPundit;1052751It's important not to buy into the climate of fear. We have to stand up to these assholes.

The most logical way to do this appears to be just not attending their conventions. If they are not supported financially, then they will not be able to sustain themselves.

Quote from: Gagarth;1052123Apparently Gencon was so filled with Nazis comitting microaggressions that POC did not feel safe joining for fear of being triggered. This is from email sent to one of the many Gencon  SJW panellists.

Wait, so... at a game convention, they had seminars on things other than... games? I'll have to ask my doctor friend if his next medical conference has a seminar on gaming, and scientist friends if they have a seminar on fishing.

And this person went to a game convention and didn't game? That's like a celibate nun going to a sexpo - why tease yourself like that? Game on!

It's as I've said for years: the real threat to the hobby isn't the old grognard fatbeards or catpissmen, it's the BNGs - the bitter non-gamers. That's how we got all that storygame nonsense and D&D4e, a bunch of people who were too stupid, lazy and misanthropic to sit down around a table, eat snacks and talk to people ended up writing games. Which of course were awful.

Here's a microaggression for you: if you don't game then you don't belong. What you have in your pants and where you like to put it and the details of your family tree are a matter of complete indifference to us all. But if you don't game and don't want to game, get the fuck out of my hobby. QWoCs are welcome, BNGs can fuck off.

Gagarth, do you even game, bro?

Quote from: jeff37923;1052775The most logical way to do this appears to be just not attending their conventions. If they are not supported financially, then they will not be able to sustain themselves.

THIS is the answer.

Now its just important to identify which conventions won't pander to SJWs...and see if they survive the social media onslaught.

AND if a con does have the guts to stand up, they MUST be supported and not left to hang in the wind.

Quote from: jeff37923;1052775The most logical way to do this appears to be just not attending their conventions. If they are not supported financially, then they will not be able to sustain themselves.

In this era of Patreon and Kickstarter that tactic doesnt work as well. Grifters like Anita can rake in hundreds of thousands or just play wounded gazelle and get donations.

And we are seeing companies start to adopt a "Fans are bad. We dont need fans." marketing mindset in media. If GenCon fails its the "Toxic" fans fault. "We dont need those dirty fans with their expectations of playing D&D the RPG." ad nausium.

Quote from: RPGPundit;1052751It's important not to buy into the climate of fear. We have to stand up to these assholes.

The problem is that people have been standing up to them and the SJWs and Feminists have just started calling anyone who speaks out as Nazis and Toxic Males and of course that closes down any resistance.

Quote from: Omega;1052784And we are seeing companies start to adopt a "Fans are bad. We dont need fans." marketing mindset in media.

No company wants fans. Everyone wants repeat customers and begrudgingly do the necessary marketing masturbation to make people believe its more than a financial transaction.

Fans THINK "fan" means "person whose opinion is valuable to the company" whereas the company KNOWS the word "fan" means "easier sales target."

When fans become hard to deal with (aka, want to have the opinions taken seriously), its not surprising companies would dial back on "engaging the community".

Stop trying to win internet arguments and create your own institutions.

Quote from: Ashakyre;1052794Stop trying to win internet arguments and create your own institutions.

Ah, but even creating your own thing is considered a threat by the SocJus crowd. More on that in a few weeks.