Running a Press Gang

**SeaRoyal20** · 03-07-2013, 06:38

One of my plans for this game is to try to convert people I know who are game players into wargamers. The simplicity of this game plus the visual appeal should make it fairly easy. For example, we have a group of engineers that meet once a week at lunch to play board games. Now most of these games have 3D figures as tokens (FRAG by Jackson Games for example). Now these figs are functional but not so great in any other way.

The first step in my plan is to bring some nicely painted figures in to replace the FRAG figures. The there is an old west version of FRAG where I plan on doing the same. So an increased visual appeal with no added complexity or threat to the status quo. I may even do the same for Castle Panic.

Then step two, an email will show up in their mail boxes with a PDF of 3 or 4 pages of the Sails of Glory rules basic rules. I will offer a suggestion of something a bit different this week. A quick setup with some pretty maps and a few sailing ships, both rigged and unrigged, and a quick simple game.

Step three, a humbly toned :cool: email requesting their ealuation (engineers love to analyze and offer suggestions) which I will graciously accept. Then I will offer to run another game tentitively incorporating their ideas and suggestions.

Step four will be a recycle of steps one through three using Wings of Glory.

Step Five, a subtle camapaign to push the idea that it would be really great if we could game for more than an hour....say we could meet at work on a Saturday and I'll bring snacks!!! :p

Any advise?

**7eat51** · 03-07-2013, 07:16

Great idea. For step two, you might want to ask their opinions, as engineers, about the rule mechanism, letting them ask to see the game.

If you're their boss, the concept of press gang is even more attractive, say as a team-building exercise, or a mechanism to facilitate problem solving skills, in which they HAVE to attend. ;)

**SeaRoyal20** · 03-07-2013, 07:29

Great idea as well! Sadly, I am not their boss but I am the engineer that tests all their mechanical and software designs and reports on them to the management and regulatory teams. So they do like to keep me happy!

**OmegaLazarus** · 03-14-2013, 11:34

Originally Posted by SeaRoyal20

Then step two, an email will show up in their mail boxes with a PDF of 3 or 4 pages of the Sails of Glory rules basic rules. I will offer a suggestion of something a bit different this week.

This is a great plan! Normally, I would suggest against sending out the rules as people always seem more perplexed with a game when they read it versus being 'taught' it. However, in this case with engineers, the rules in Black and White might be better (and you know the people better). The alternative would be to e-mail them the suggested change and give them a quick tutorial with the pieces when they get there. But, as I said, your way might work better with engineer types.

**SeaRoyal20** · 03-14-2013, 12:01

I am also against sending out rules as it smacks of piracy (cmon no jokes here) and I want to support ARES as best I can. But a couple of pages to get them drooling a bit cannot hurt and may actually generate sales. In fact one of these guys just jumped into a second kickstarter that I told him about. Man his wife is going to kill me when we meet.
The guys in my other group are already chomping at the bit to play even though one of them has a bucket load of 1/2000 scale ships very nicely painted and rigged. They already know they will like SoG because they really liked WoG. That is remarkable since they hated the previous WW1 flyling rules I used (me too but...)

**SeaRoyal20** · 03-14-2013, 12:03

I forgot to say that in both my groups I have nothing but professional people who are very good at picking up rules and then beating me at my own game!!

**Cmmdre** · 04-07-2013, 19:35

Originally Posted by SeaRoyal20

One of my plans for this game is to try to convert people I know who are game players into wargamers. The simplicity of this game plus the visual appeal should make it fairly easy. For example, we have a group of engineers that meet once a week at lunch to play board games. Now most of these games have 3D figures as tokens (FRAG by Jackson Games for example). Now these figs are functional but not so great in any other way.

The first step in my plan is to bring some nicely painted figures in to replace the FRAG figures. The there is an old west version of FRAG where I plan on doing the same. So an increased visual appeal with no added complexity or threat to the status quo. I may even do the same for Castle Panic.

Then step two, an email will show up in their mail boxes with a PDF of 3 or 4 pages of the Sails of Glory rules basic rules. I will offer a suggestion of something a bit different this week. A quick setup with some pretty maps and a few sailing ships, both rigged and unrigged, and a quick simple game.

Step three, a humbly toned :cool: email requesting their ealuation (engineers love to analyze and offer suggestions) which I will graciously accept. Then I will offer to run another game tentitively incorporating their ideas and suggestions.

Step four will be a recycle of steps one through three using Wings of Glory.

Step Five, a subtle camapaign to push the idea that it would be really great if we could game for more than an hour....say we could meet at work on a Saturday and I'll bring snacks!!! :p

Any advise?

Step three you'll set that hook real good. Steps 4 and 5 will be as easy as reeling in a fish that won't fight. Good luck!

**Diamondback** · 04-07-2013, 19:43

Call it a Team-Building Exercise. LOL

And we need to press-gang on the KS... we just lost Level 3 of the Backers Goal. :(

EDIT: Crap, another deserter...