Introduction & Bona Fides

 Welcome, friends!

     I go by Hoot, welcome to my blog.  I am a father of two and pushing 40.  I've been playing games of all sorts since I was a kid and am now introducing my oldest (a lad of seven) to this wonderful hobby!

     My  first computer game was Microprose's WWI dogfighting classic "Knights of the Sky."  From there I moved on to Red Baron 3D, the first two Warcraft games, the first two Diablo games, Starcraft, the Total War series, Combat Mission series, and various other Strategy, Tactical, RPG, Shooter, and Simulator games.

     My first real boardgames (not including classics like Candyland, Battleship, or Monopoly) were games like Risk, Heroquest (at a friend's house), Axis & Allies, and various Avalon Hill titles (especially Gettysburg).

     My first tabletop miniatures game was the ACW classic Fire & Fury.  I also spent much time and treasure on 5th edition Warhammer Fantasy Battle.  I've played and dabbled in all sorts of miniatures games ranging from Ancients, Medievals, ACW, WWI dogfights, WWII skirmish and battalion level tactical games.

     Due to religious reasons, I wasn't allowed to play RPGs like D&D as a kid, but have always found the concept fascinating, and have as an adult enjoyed the older RPG classics as well as select newer titles.

    I put most of these hobbies away in my 20s while I was out being young and having fun.  What brought me back into these hobbies is my son, who is the spitting image of myself at his age.  Just after his 7th birthday, he discovered the Little Wars TV Youtube Channel and was enthralled.  He spent the next month binging their content repeatedly, to the consternation of his little sister.  Around the same time I discovered Peter Dennis' wonderful Paperboys ( Helion Publishing's Books and Peter's Paperboys website ) and decided to put together a small game for him!

     Over the course of Christmas Break, I put together two small American Revolution era Armies (totaling 65 stands of troops), and using the introductory rules provided in the Paperboys Wargaming the American Revolution book by Andy Callan (of "Loose Files and American Scramble" fame) we played through the battle two times.  I'll give a more detailed report of those games in an upcoming post.  I've also introduced him to Avalon Hill's "B-17: Queen of the Skies" and plan to write those up, too.

I hope you enjoy my chronicle of my return to the hobby and introduction of this wonderful thinking-man's pastime to my son!

 

Pictured Below the American forces I snipped together for my son's first game: