My aging body is serving as a reminder that I will not be able to wargame in perpetuity and that day when I have to hang up the dice may come sooner than I would like!
There is still a good deal I would like to do before that day arrives and a reappraisal of how much time I can devote to the blog beckons. As readers will have noted, some of my games which could normally be completed in an evening, or a weekend at most, can take many weeks to complete.
A significant part of the problem is the blog. I would estimate 80% - 90% of time it takes for each turn to complete is spent on preparing posts. My intention is to cut that down significantly but still maintain after action reports on most, if not all, the games I play.
You will notice a change in the next post, a Napoleonic campaign game, which will be more brief but hopefully still make clear how the action played out.
The bonus should be more AAR's!
Do what suits you, that's the only sensible thing. It comes to us all, my painting is getting ever slower as my hands insist on regular breaks.
ReplyDeleteMy painting is slowing too Rob. For me it is my back not allowing me to sit at the table for long hunched over figures.
DeleteSomething we all have to contend with and of late I've certainly been pondering how many more years I might be able to paint to a level I'm happy with. As for AAR's, over the years I've tried to cut down the length of them, both for me and for the reader too. As you say, recording the action can take far too long and detract from the enjoyment of the game itself.
ReplyDeleteYou have adopted a more sensible approach than I have Steve. I got into the habit of providing blow-by-blow accounts which I will have to wean myself off.
DeleteAs a rough rule of thumb, I worked out that the actual time spent playing the game was one third of the time, with one third on sorting out the scenario and the final third writing up the AAR. Quite often the latter took more time than the actual game!
DeleteThat's a good point about scenario preparation. I spend probably a little less time on this as most of the games tend to be from scenario books requiring some adaption for 6mm. There are exceptions though, particularly with regard to the Peninsular games.
DeleteAnyone who commits to writing comprehensive and engaging battle reports know your position. They take a lot of effort and time. You are not alone in wondering if these efforts are worth it.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks Jonathan.
DeleteI can relate! I'm in a fairly fortunate position that I no longer have much in the way or painting or building to do. My 'recruitment' projects are pretty much complete. I haven't bothered to attend the club's annual bring-n-buy events, lately. About three years ago I bought a bunch of stuff - and have done practically nothing with them since.
ReplyDeleteBut I now have campaigns and battles to fight, and the prep work for those, and the write-ups are becoming ever harder to put together. Mostly they are for my own entertainment, but it is nice to have a readership!
Cheers,
Ion
My AWI project will be the last new one. I know as wargamers, most of us tell us that repeatedly over our lives, but there comes a time when it really is the last. The will always be holes to fill in my existing collections but that is small fry in comparison.
DeleteDoing detailed AARs can easily take as long or longer than playing the game. All the best, and do what is right for you!
ReplyDeleteToo right Kym.
DeleteI echo the other comments Jon. I certainly appreciate the effort that goes into your games and more so into the AAR you post for our enjoyment.
ReplyDeleteDo what is right for you.
Looking over to the right hand side there is a LOT of reading for me to catch up on. 😂
Many thanks Ben. It's amazing how much content amasses over the years!
DeleteGood Morning Jon, Agree with Jonathan Freitag above - the recent problems in the delays in Blogger publishing posts adds to the creaking sustainability of a lot of time spent at the keyboard.
ReplyDeleteYour blog has been amongst the best examples in the blogosphere of sharing inspirational posts, but you owe it to yourself to re-examine the balance between gaming table and computer screen.
Many thanks Norm, and also your support from the beginning.
DeleteHi Jon,
ReplyDeleteA very sensible decision! As someone dealing with my own share of health issues, I totally understand where you're coming from. The balance between actual table time and keyboard time can so easily tip the wrong way, and writing detailed AARs is notoriously time-consuming. Streamlining the write-ups so you can spend more time actually rolling dice is the best move you can make. Looking forward to the Napoleonic report!
All the best, Andy
Many thanks for that Andrew.
DeleteWhen you have to prioritise, make sure to enjoy your hobby, and if you put less effort into sharing it with the rest of us, that's the right way round. Your blog is one that I have checked regularly for years, so you have done all this writing for me to read and yet I've never even sent you a card to say thanks. Let me finally take this opportunity to express my appreciation. Whatever you post in the future, I'll still be reading.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for that Pompey Dave. Much appreciated.
DeleteI very much enjoy your battle reports and they are always a great read, but I can understand your position. I've started writing more battle reports and I find during the game it disrupts the flow of the game, and probably adds 50% to the length of the game. And editing photos and writing the report often takes longer than the actual game!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks Kieran. Writing AARs does have a benefit adding depth to the game but it is certainly time consuming!
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