If you're a regular reader of this blog then you already know I'm a huge game-geek. I'm not as high-tech as Q and Gyuss but I do love me a good table-top war game when I have time to play. Lately I've really gotten into the Axis and Allies Miniatures game. It's a fast paced, and fun war game with historical routes making it (perhaps) one of the least geeky of war games I have ever played. There are a few problems with the game, one being that a particular unit (namely the SS-Panzergrenadiers) is under priced and overly powerful... I digress.
In graduate school I took a class on starting a business and we were allowed to work on a project of our own design. I chose the Collectible Card Game market (or CCG for short). I had many discussions with fellow game-geek and project partner about which franchises would make good material for a CCG and we debated why certain games haven't already been made. Like why is there no CCG for the Indiana Jones property? One would think it would be a viable franchise to build a collectible card game around. One of our early theories was that perhaps the backdrop of the Nazi's as major characters in the franchise might make the game just a little too politically charged for someone to be willing to touch it.
Fast forward to today and the Axis and Allies Miniatures game. Now Axis and Allies has been around a long time as a board game but the recent development of a collectible miniatures game has brought with it all the trappings of the on-line fandom community including a forums section on the Avalon Hill AAM main page. Now everyone knows that membership in a forum requires a really cool avatar and fans of the AAM have chosen many an interesting avatar to depict their on-line persona. I was recently lurking around the forums and came across one thread that was initially started about a rules question but turned into a debate about one members avatar being a Nazi flag.
Out of the woodwork pop everyone with an opinion from mild-mannered level headed folks to the idiocy of what can only be pimply faced thirteen year olds spouting "free-speech" and "don't deny history!" Vomit! Like a car crash I was riveted and couldn't wait to see how long the moderators would allow this argument to continue. For a game that does involve Nazi Germany Avalon Hill shrewdly created a code of conduct that included no use of Nazi symbols and no political discussions allowed. Seams easy enough to respect. But there is always someone that believes the rules don't apply to them. This one guy whose member handle is "Himmler" and his avatar the swastika, actually felt like he wasn't doing anything wrong. What a jack-ass! I couldn't believe this guy actually thought he was in the right. And everyone that attempted to calmly and gently suggest he change his avatar and handle got flamed like you wouldn't believe! I was stunned. Eventually the moderator stepped in and explained to the group that the political discussion needed to cease and desist and return the thread to a gaming discussion. What followed was a series of posts resulting in quite possibly the funniest Nazi humor I have ever read.
MODERATOR: The political discussion is very definately out of place here, so please avoid that.
MEMBER X: Yikes, how did this just happen. Let's go back to complaining about the game.
MEMBER Y: Yeah! ... uhm ... SS Panzergrenadiers are underpriced!
MEMBER Z: Underpriced and big meanies. Those guys have committed many atrocities in my tackle box.
I have to say to Member Z, you may skirt the edge of socially correct humor but you are one funny son of a bitch!
15 comments:
So was his avatar like the flag that you fly right below the Texas State flag in front of your house?
Here's the thing when it comes to games like this, you either have to choose to be historically accurate or create a game that is based on history. AA minis are a game that is loosely based on history. Other war games are historically accurate games. You know that is one of my problems with the AA minis game.
If you are going for accuracy it is hard to deny the markings and flags that were used in this particular time in history. The German army used the swastika in many of their company markings and army symbols. For example the Afrika Korps symbol was a palm tree above a swastika, and the Germans also used the red flag with a white circle enclosing a swastika on many vehicles to signify that it was a German unit so that airplanes would not bomb them. This is an important marking in the war because it also forced them to lose some of their camouflage in the desert, thereby hindering the effectiveness of some of the units.
The guy using this as his avatar is an idiot for using it. He is more of an idiot for attempting to defend his use of it as an avatar. It has come to symbolize hate because of the atrocities that were committed while it flew over that regime. But my beef with AA is that they somewhat deny that it was even there, which is denying history and that is almost as bad as idiocy...
I think the claim that AA denies the swastika is a bit of a "red-herring." I don't disagree that the AA minis and cards avoid using the swastika and perhaps at a detrement to the overal historical accuracy of the game. But the game doesn't claim to be the end-all be-all of historical accuracy. If they wanted to make that kind of game they couldn't, other companies do it better with games like Flames of War. What AA has done well is create a fun and FAST PACED game that you can crack-open, construct, and play in sixty minutes. With little free time this time of game is infinately appealing to me versus the more exacting and accurate war games. I don't know what the market penetration is on AA for FOW but I'd also guess that AA probably has a broader marketing campiagn with more eye-balls seeing their ads so they are forced to be more careful with such emotionally charged symbols. Anyway, nice sideline from the original point of this post, Q. That being to praise the comedic genius of forum member "Z".
I thought Q's comments were very relevant to the original post.
I also think that we need to focus less energy on developing games that are divisive and thrive on conflict. I think more games need to be developed that are inclusive and engender a feeling of unity and togetherness. How else will we be able to accomplish the utopian society that is our ultimate goal.
I'm almost done with my Care Bears CCG. I'll be bringing it to the Blog Wars Summer Slam 2007
That will sell like hot-cakes!
I think you sideswiped your own post within the post CyberD. I merely commented on the state of historic miniature games in today's world and the fallacy that is AA minis...
Carebear Stare!?!
Q, my post was not an in-depth study on how great AAM is. I had to set up a bit of brief background to build on my post but the post was intended to be about the idiocy of teen forum members and the social tight-rope of using the Nazi's as a backdrop for what is for all intents and purposes an escapist form of entertainment. That and the funny ending to an otherwise boring forum argument. You spent one paragraph cracking a joke pretending I'm a fascist and then three paragraphs talking about why AAM sucks. I know you think it sucks so you can move on to another subject. Care Bears will do just fine.
If AA did use swastikas, there are parts of Europe, including Germany, where it would be illegal to sell them.
And I'm shocked that online forums can turn into flam wars and are populated by immature idiots.
I hate you all.
Ok, so lets reexamine your post CyberD.
Paragraph 1: How great AA minis are
Paragraph 2: Theory, a game with Nazi's will not ever sell.
Paragraph 3: How great AA minis are
Paragraph 4: Nazi flag avatar forum guy and everyone bagging on him.
Dialog End: You saying how funny Nazi guy is and sympathizing with Mr. Z. as in Naught-ZEE.
Now lets analyze my blogment:
Paragraph 1: Asking a legitimate question about the flag in your yard.
Paragraph 2: Separating historically based games into two categories.
Paragraph 3: Defending my position that it is hard to make a historically based game and lose the markings that were used at the time.
Paragraph 4: Me talking about how Avatar Dude was an idiot.
So in conclusion, did you even read my blogment or just assume I was all over you about AA minis by habit?
Is there a Nazi Bear in your game Gyuss?
Interesting how you twist words, Q. Your assessment of my post.
Paragraph 1: True, I did say I like AAM but I also acknowledge that in one of my earlier blogments and said that I needed to set up some information on what AAM is in order to continue my post. Also, didn't go on and on about it. I just said that I play it and why I like it.
Paragraph 2: False, I didn't say that a game with Nazi's would never sell. I said I wondered why an Indiana Jones card game hadn't already been developed and I theorized that the Nazi overtones might DETER a COMPANY from producing it. That's a big difference than saying a game with Nazi's would never sell to consumers.
Paragraph 3: False, I wasn't talking about how great AAM is. I was seting up the fact that there is an on-line forum for AAM and that is where I ran across this funny dialogue.
Paragraph 4: False, and I'll take partial responsibility on this one because I don't identify nazi-idiot by name but Member Z is NOT the insulting teen who flies the Nazi flag as his avatar. Member Z was somebody entirely different.
Dialogue End: obviously wasn't sympathizing with nazi-idiot.
Now let's examine your blogment:
Crap, crap, crap, crap. Case closed! Stick that in your pipe and SMOKE IT!
Dagromm,
There is no Nazi bear in the Care Bear CCG, but Professor Cold Heart is nastier than them all. He can't love!
Gyuss-That's truly frightening. Professor Cold Heart that is not the lack of a Nazi Care Bear. We should start up a forum for the Care Bear CCG where players could come and offer their thoughts and opinions on the game.
Kind of like this one for Axis and Allies.
After reading this blogment war, I totally forgot what I was going to say. I'm leaving for the hair salon. Please resolve this before I get back, or there will be hell to pay. Or cute pictures of me. One or the other. Whichever is more appropriate to this discussion.
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