Reporting for Duty

SdKfz 234/2 Puma performs reconnaissance maneuvers
from Flames of War. 

I always enjoy the beginnings of a thing. Not knowing how something is going to shape up but having the general concept in mind is an exciting stage for me.

For me, the beginning of this blog is also an ending, so I'm a bit nostalgic about it. I'm starting up this blog because having only recently moved back to Ottawa I'm now finding myself having to go back to Calgary (life is funny in these ways) for work. However, in the four short months have I've been in Ottawa, I've joined a totally incredible gaming club; quite possibly the best that I've ever been a part of.

These guys are awesome. No one takes themselves too seriously, we're all out for some fun, everyone is a good sportsman. Every Friday night we get together, eschewing kids, wives, 'date-night' and other obligations of adult living and instead gather at our houses with some brews and toy soldiers and push some models around. Lots of ribbing, laughing and joking at these gatherings and after having worked a hard week I can honestly say that we all look forward to chilling out with the guys. At the end of the night, bleary eyed, we head home feeling lighter.

My Pak40s providing covering fire.

Simply put, what we do on our Friday nights is no different then what our kids are doing at the tree fort. Guys hang out, we like to pit ourselves against each other in competitive, sportsmanlike ways. Through that competitiveness we learn from each other, share tips and tactics, talk about life and things larger than toy soldiers or imagined combats, we form a brotherhood.

So it's knowing that I'm part of a brotherhood that I write this first post on my own tabletop gaming blog. The last time I was part of a brotherhood I was a 13 year old lanky kid, so they don't really come that often for me. Honestly, it's the saddest part about me leaving Ottawa, is leaving the guys. And while this blog isn't going to be filled with this kind of... philosophy very often (let's face it, we're all here to talk about toy soldiers), I feel it's important to set out why I'm starting this blog at the outset.

So this blog is my attempt to create something of what I've experienced here in Ottawa in Calgary. I wouldn't dream of trying to replace our club or the members of it with others, that would be stupid. But I do want to take a bit of the spirit of our club here in Ottawa and use that to start up one in Calgary of like-minded guys who might also happen to enjoy pushing around toy soldiers on a Friday night.

Hopefully in time there will be other authors to this blog and who knows, maybe a year or so down the road there will be a community of tabletop gamers who contribute to this blog and help make something cool.

This one's for you boys!