Gamer Dad was one of The Campaigners first, and still most popular, regular article series. Written by Paul O’Grady, it focused on parents bringing tabletop into their children’s lives. This first Gamer Dad article originally appeared in Issue 2 of The Campaigner, published in 2012. The issue is still available as digital download or in limited print stock.
By Paul O’Grady
The Campaigner’s editor has asked me to contribute to the magazine not in my capacity as a gamer, but as father who actively incorporates my children into the Hobby.
Admittedly this is something that is not always easy to do, but it is immensely rewarding. Having put down some initial thoughts on how this can be accomplished (‘Training your Future Opponent’, Wargames Illustrated 291) I was delighted with the opportunity to have a regular column here where I can expand upon it. My caveat for this and following articles is that these are things that have worked for me and my son (aka Gamer Lad, of almost 12 yrs). I’m no game design guru, child psychologist or frequent game demonstrator, but I trust what I can offer will be of use or at least interesting! It’s not rocket science, but sometimes it is difficult to think back to what got you into gaming and kept you interested.
First of all, being a Gamer Dad is a long term project and I sub-consciously started on Day 1 when the first present I gave him (in the crib) was a packet of plastic Green Army Men. When he got to about 5yrs I came up with the campaign plan, for want of a better term, to eventually get myself an opponent who could challenge me playing complex gaming systems in different periods. Breaking this up into incremental stages was obviously going to be key, as was maintaining his interest. I also have an older daughter who enjoys the odd game as well (card and board games, not wargames), but she has made it clear that it’s not really her thing anymore in her teen years. An infamous quote from her one afternoon was “Just because I beat you doesn’t mean I enjoyed the game – it’s just a bonus”! Nevertheless, she shows great enthusiasm during games like ‘Kittens in the Blender’ and ‘Poo’, which demonstrates where good game selection can get you. Anyway, back to my cunning campaign plan – where to start?
In my suspiciously absent spare time, I moonlight as a Scout Leader. A key personal lesson from that experience is the use of imagination, particularly with kids aged 12 and under. If you can grab it and keep it, you are more than half way home and they will want to play. Clearly, you need to select your gaming genre and scale to make it engaging. You may love your massed battles in the black powder era, but ranks of 6mm Napoleonic infantry and support troops isn’t likely to cut it at an early stage. Fantasy or Sci-Fi tends to work well, historical generally not so much but there are exceptions like Vikings and armoured knights. Watch a few movies together and see what interests them – conveniently they are pretty suggestible at this age (but that doesn’t necessarily mean that Waterloo or Spartacus will get their blood pumping- think Lord of the Rings and Star Wars or Aliens instead). Similarly, skirmish games tend to appeal best initially because it’s more understandable. You’ll get your Athenian Commander or Panzer General in due course, but for now its back to basics. You’ll be surprised how much you enjoy it too.
The remainder of this article is available in Issue 2. The issue is still available as a digital download or in print.
