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Sunday, 7 February 2010

I'm feeling old today ...

... which is not surprising, as it is my birthday ... and it is one of those important ones this year because it has a big ZERO at the end of it!

Once my new 'Freedom Pass' arrives, I shall be able to travel on public transport in London for free, and hopefully this means that I will be able to visit all those museums and other historic places that I have been meaning to visit for years!

Roll on retirement ... when I can get down to some serious reading, wargaming, and blogging.

Have a nice day ... I intend to!

16 comments:

  1. Happy birthday--I'll be hitting my magic end-in-zero birthday this December, and hope to retire six months later. Trouble is, my mind keeps saying, "Retire?! But I'm only 25!" while my body is saying,"Give it a rest, pal, you feel (sometimes) like 75!"

    I wanted to respond to a comment you made with regard to the Commander thread: you mentioned you envisioned only smaller games. What has your experience been as to upper and lower size limits--that is, how small can a game be and still work; and how large can a game be before things hopelessly bog down?

    My general experience with large games has been that they look great and promise much--and then the game starts and it all goes south. I think less really is more when it comes to gaming . . .

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  2. Also, on the off-chance you haven't seen this already, a sort of birthday present:

    ftp://ftp.grognard.com/download/games/board/tankgame.pdf

    Best wishes

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  3. Chris J,

    Good luck to you! I hope to give up working in 2012, once my mortgage is paid off, but until then ...

    In answer to your question about game size, I find that once a player has more than 7 to 10 'units' to control, things start to get too cumbersome and slow. Likewise, less than 5 and players don't seem to have enough to do.

    When fighting large battles (e.g. Megablitz), players usually control nothing larger than a large Division or small Corps, although because the Russian units are so monolithic they can sometimes control Corps and small Armies. They usually have enough to do 'running' a command of that size (especially with all the logistics they need) and often get so engrossed in their part of the ‘operation’ that they lose track of the fuller picture … often with dire consequences, just like in real life!

    All the best,

    Bob

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  4. Chris J,

    I had never seen that game Tank battle before.

    It is very interesting ... and poses some intriguing problems for players to solve.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  5. Happy Birthday, Bob! Enjoy the Museums and I look forward to more blog posts from you.

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  6. Patrick Smyrl,

    Many thanks for your good wishes.

    I hope to carry on blogging for as long as I have something to write that I think is worthwhile sharing with other people.

    All the best,

    Bob

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  7. Hi Bob,

    Many Happy Returns! I hope the birthday prezzie fairy was kind as well!

    Re game size and Morschauser - for the Balkans I envisage a dozen units a side at the maximum - usually more like 8 to 10, with a command group although I am undecided how they will work.

    All the best,

    Ogre

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  8. Happy Birthday Bob.

    I am turning a big number in August, s few weeks after my first COW at which I hope to make the most of my young care free days before turning over night into a grumpy old man!

    Have a good 'un
    Sean

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  9. Happy Birthday, Bob!...Got a way to go to catch you up...I'd retire tomorrow if I could!

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  10. Happy Birthday, Bob! Enjoy!
    I think the rate of change in so many areas of life today makes one feel increasingly past one's 'Best Before' date, and that there is a greater psychological gap between me and my pupils today than there was between myself and my teachers.
    Perhaps that's why I have embraced 'Old School' wargaming and enjoy your Morschauser-derived games so much. Long may your blog continue!
    Only four years and two months before this old dinosaur, too, will have a Freedom Pass...

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  11. Bob,

    May you have a most happy birthday with many many joyfully healthy repetitions, sir.


    -- Jeff

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  12. Dear all,

    Many thanks for your very kind words and best wishes.

    Some days I still feel like a 18 year-old ... but this can be dangerous as I work in a Sixth Form College!

    Seriously, I don't feel any older; a bit slower and a bit stiffer (in the joints!), not older. I am sure that wargaming is part of keeping me feeling young, because at its heart, it is imaginative 'play'. I will know when I am old; I won't want to wargame any more!

    So keep wargaming; it keeps you young!

    All the best,

    Bob

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  13. Happy Birthday!

    Older. Wiser. Better Looking.

    Another great day.

    Enjoy.

    Jim

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  14. So, you've finally caught up with me at 40! Congratulations, Bob! Happy birthday! May you be blessed by other thousands years of tabletop battles!

    Adolfo

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  15. DestoFante,

    Thanks for your kind regards.

    40! That is a distant memory! Add another 20 and you will be there!

    All the best,

    Bob

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