Sunday, February 12, 2023

Why Don't More Women Play Wargames?

Late to the party, and I'm not going to add anything of value, but I did fall upon Little Wars TV's video on "Why Don't More Women Play Wargames?"

      

As someone who's tried to indoctrinate their daughters into wargaming since they were still in high chairs, it's not them, it's US.  From the opposite view of video, men professionally dominate the field of military history, but even more so, the average person with a casual interest is even more dominantly male.  Between casual gaming for decades and kids sports for nine years, the "win at all costs" attitude is instilled far earlier with boys, and even I can remember all-or-nothing battles in the sandbox with near 100% causalities of our green army guys.

With my girls, who are as competitive and aggression on the field/courts as they can be, wargames are vague strategies and slaughteramas, it's usually about objectives, asking "Why?", a short vindictive streak if the opportunity presents itself (Millie will deviate from the mission faster than Maja, but that's more a shorter span/interest in the game I'm running).  

I might not know what women want, but I'm rarely playing in all-male games at conventions (and there are plenty of those), so I'm thinking I share a few demographics from the traditional female wargamers, all the way to the female family members attending their first con.
  • I want something that sounds interesting. 
  • Expert or novice, I want everybody to be accepted at the table and treated with respect.
  • Commanding a side or a single figure, I want to be active in the game.
  • Win, lose, or draw, I want to have FUN.  
It seems so simple, yet I've been in enough games where this isn't a case.  And if a white dude well into middle-age can feel this, I can barely imagine how anyone else not matching the demographic is dealing with things.

Answers to solve this issue?  I really have none, and I'm while it won't correct itself this year, I believe its a generational evolution, where third or fourth generation wargaming is simply more appealing to everyone.  

As for me?  I have the girls putting together warbands for Fantasy, Sci-Fi, and Pulp skirmish this weekend.  Each option is going to be far more intricate than commanding a company in the Charge of the Light Brigade,  defending a remote hill with an artillery battery during a massive ACW game, or a mind-numbing 40k tournament.  Perhaps that's why they keep asking about playing.  

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