Rude Flea Market Gamers -- Argh!

Last evening while looking at photos of this year's Cold Wars convention in Lancaster, which we had planned to attend but had to pass on due to my wife's employment situation, I flashed back to a bad experience I had a couple years ago at the con's flea market tables.

While we enjoyed the flea market over all, there are always a few guys who just have little or no manners whatsoever. I'm not talking about bathing issues or bad breath issues, as important as those are. I'm talking about rude, selfish behavior that flea markets and cheap deals always seem to bring out.

One guy in particular at that year's flea market really got my goat. There I was, looking through a stack of game books a fellow gamer was selling for only $3 and $5 each. I was moving pretty fast, thumbing through them as I have done thousands of times at flea markets. Suddenly, this "big fellow" pushed his overly-large stomach into my back, leaned and reached around me, and grabbed a pile of books as soon as I reach them in the stack. They were original Rogue Trader rulebooks and supplements in great condition, $5 each.

Then he looked at me like he knew he was doing something wrong, pulled out his wallet, and tried paying for the books as quickly as he could--just like a little bratty kid. Ticked off, I politely mentioned that I had been looking through the books, and that I really would have liked to buy them. He replied "oh well" and that he gotten to them first. (That little "oh well" really ticked me off!) The poor fellow selling the books looked confused and frightened, eyes moving rapidly between the two of us. I could see he feared a confrontation was about to occur. So he took the guy's money and then turned away.

Not wanting to start a big scene, I left it go with a snarky remark that the rulebook would probably fall apart anyway as soon as he bent the spine. (A common problem with the Rogue Trader book that I exaggerated.) I should have just shrugged it off without saying anything, but man-oh-man, I was cheesed! And to boot, we were visiting PA that week to see my dad, who was dying, and Cold Wars was a way for us to escape that sadness for a short while that week. (I've also been thinking a lot about my dad, who died last year at this time. As a result, he and Cold Wars are forever tied together in our minds. But I digress...)

Let's Be Polite, People! Or Else!

Having gone to many flea markets, I've always believed that when someone is looking through a stack of books or rooting through a box of stuff, then that person has first dibs on everything there. (I know this is not a widely held ethic among flea marketeers, which is why I usually approach them with some apprehension, wondering how many jerks will bump and push me.) If I see someone thumbing through a stack of books or rummaging through a box, I'll ask them if they mind if I take a look as well. (Or just wait until they are done!) I'll often ask if there is anything special they're looking for, and even point it out when I find it, even if it were something I had been interested in. After all, they were there first.

Maybe I'm weird that way, but I just find it courteous. My son feels the same way. It also makes for a more enjoyable experience. I did that several times at the Cold Wars' flea market that year. Later on that hour, I even spotted stuff on another table and then bumped into that earlier-guy who let me share the box, tipping him off to check the table on the other side of the room. It's also made for some nice conversations. I don't think I'm being a sucker. I just like helping people when possible.

A Flame This High
But that guy who rudely "stole" those Rogue Trader books out from under me. I really hate that kind of rude behavior. I hope you guys don't have that happen to you--though I suspect it has too many times to remember. And if you're in the other camp... Well, enough said!

A Quick Thanks
I just want to take a moment to welcome all the new followers to the blog, as well as those people using blog readers who don't show up as followers. Remember that if you ever want to drop me an email about the blog or anything, simply click on my profile pane to the right. You can find my email address there. See you all next time!

American Guerrilla in the Philippines (1945) by Ira Wolfert

"This is the story of Lt. Iliff David Richardson, USNR. The story explains, for one thing, the role of the people in the guerrilla operations and what they did to help. Richardson was the executive officer of PT 34. After it was sunk by the Japanese, Richardson and a dozen fellow Americans attempted to sail a native outrigger to Australia, but the boat was sunk in a storm. He eventually joined the Philippine guerrilla forces, setting up a radio network to keep the various bands in touch with each other and Allied forces in Australia. After the liberation of the Philippines, Richardson dictated his memoirs to war correspondent Ira Wolfert, who published them in 1945 as this book." Actually, it's a great how to manual for conducting a guerrilla war! It seems this book is currently out of print.

This is another one of our recent thrift shop finds, paying less than $1. This is the original 1945 edition. It's a bit beaten up and foxed, but it's always fun holding and reading an original copy of an old book. Many years (decades!) ago, I put myself through college selling used and antique books at our family's antique store. My grandfather sold 19th century oil paintings (usually several thousand dollars each), my grandmother and step-mother sold antique jewelery, my dad sold old lithographs and other prints, and I sold old photos, old books, and 1950s porcelain kitchen tables that I restored. Pretty cool, eh! Thankfully before he died last year, my dad passed on his love for art and antiques to my son. He also passed on the fine art of haggling, which I don't like to do, but that is another story!

In 1950, the book was turned into a movie starting Tyrone Power, written by Wolfert, and directed by Fritz Lang. I've never seen the movie, so it's on my list to watch. You can read more about it at its wikipedia page. It's IMDb page is fairly skimpy.

Dispatches From HQ

A quick update on the blog: You might notice some changes. I have made the Soviet uniform post its own dedicated page. You can now get to it at any time by clicking on its link in the "Important Dispatches" pane to the right. (I'm trying to keep this Victorian naming theme going. I know it's corny! LOL) Also playing around with some other changes and probably adding some more dedicated pages. So bear with me if you see things changing a bit while your viewing the blog. After all, there is a price to pay for progress!

Arkham Horror: First Win!

Tonight, we finally won our first game of Arkham Horror by Fantasy Flight Games! It took a little over three hours to finish. This is one of our favorite games and one of the hardest to win, at least it seems that way for us. This game we went up against Yig and its minions. Yig's Doom Track got down to 8 and the game's Terror Track got down to 9. It really came down to the wire before Yig could wake up and smear us across the streets of Arkham.

Jeremy played with the character Bob Jenkins and I decided to try Ashcan Pete, the local drifter. Pete was ok for a little while, then pretty much became useless much of the game, hanging out at Arkham Asylum an awful lot. Ergh! Notice how few items he has, like only one? And $1 to his name? I think I will retire Pete before I go permanently insane! Anyway, Arkham is a fun game. For me, it ranks up there with Runebound and Ticket to Ride. Read more about Arkham Horror at it Boardgame Geek entry.

The board at the end of the game, the last gate closed

Jeremy's character and his stash. For a salesmen, Bob is a decent Other World fighter!

I love using these cups to store chits! Much easier than baggies or counter trays.

1st Infantry Division (Spearhead) by Ian Westwell

I recently bought this book at a local thrift store, paying only $1. This is part of the Spearhead series of books from 2002. About the series from an Amazon page: "This series looks at the cutting edge of war, and deals exclusively with units capable of operating independently in the forefront of battle. Each volume in the series examines the chosen unit's origins and history, its organisation and order of battle, its battle history theatre by theatre, its insignia and its markings. Also covered are biographies of the most important commanders of each unit. Each title ends with an assessment of unit effectiveness - as seen by the unit itself, by its opponents and in the light of more recent historical research. The books also include a detailed reference section with a critical biography, a listing of relevant museums and web sites, plus information about re-enactment groups and memorials."

For someone like myself learning about the details of WWII, I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It's chock full of actual photos, reenactor photos, maps, organizational charts, weapon details, and everything else a miniature gamer could ask for. There are a number of books in this series, originally published in the UK by Ian Allen Publishing. Several private dealers at Amazon sell the 1st Infantry Division book very cheaply. I'm sure other places online sell it cheaply as well. I'm looking into getting other books in the series, such as the books covering Rangers, British Commandos, and the Desert Rats. Great stuff! Below are some photos of pages within the book.

Stalingrad For $3: Wargames, Soldiers, and Strategy #28

Keeping with the Soviet theme of late, I downloaded the PDF version of issue #28 of Wargames, Soldiers, and Strategy, paying only $3.05 after conversion from Euro to dollars. Though I began writing this post as a small blurb about the issue and a link to it, it quickly grew into an overview of the issue. Hopefully, folks will find it useful.

I downloaded the issue because a large portion of it, what they call a "dossier," centers around The Battle of Stalingrad during WWII.This is one of those "battles" (more like a protracted siege) that has always fascinated and horrified me since I was a teenager playing boardgames.

Historical Background
There is a 13 page history of the battle, "Stalingrad, The Hero City," complete with maps of the battle and a double-page spread of the city under attack, illustrated with photos of battle-destroyed 28mm buildings and Black Tree Design German and Soviet. I was a bit surprised that actual photos of the battle were not included, but those are easy enough to come by.


Miniature Reviews
Next comes a one-page article on available 20mm and 28mm miniatures. Since the list is five years old, it's getting a bit dated. Still, it's only a page.

Scenarios
Two rules-generic scenarios follow the listing of available miniatures. The first two-page scenario is "Pavlov's House, 29 October 1942." The German forces are elements of the 389th Infantry Division, 6th Army. The scenario calls for a platoon of four infantry squads, five halftracks, a Panzer III, and a Panzer IV. They are attacking only eleven Soviet infantry holding out in Pavlov's house. They also get an AT gun, a couple 50mm mortars, and a dreaded sniper team. Then there is the Soviet minefield to spice it up a bit. To be fair, the Germans also get some mortars. This looks like an interesting defensive battle, the type which occured over and over again in the city.

The second scenario, "Stalingrad Sniper Hunt, 19 November 1942," uses about the same number of German forces against a larger, platoon-sized Soviet force. This one tries to capture the feel of sniper teams lurking about the city, preying on enemy soldiers. Looks pretty interesting as well, though it needs more buildings than the first.

Book Reviews
This is a one-page listing of several books covering the Battle of Stalingrad.

Building Ruined Buildings
From where I sit, this is the best article in the entire issue. Paul Darnell of Touching History fame writes an excellent five-page article about creating ruined buildings and scenery for Stalingrad. The best part is that anyone can do this, not just a master modeler! I have always feared doing an urban game like Stalingrad because I fear making or buying all the buildings I would need. (While building structures and scenery was my primary hobby when I did model railroading, I seem to have pulled away from it as I've gotten older.) Plus, his tips and techniques will work for any ruined buildings, from Mordheim to Normandy. Many process photos help as well. Note that Paul's work also graces the historical article. Sadly, Paul's website seems to be offline for now.

Final Word
While lately I have not always been kind to Wargames, Soldiers, and Strategy, I found this older issue very useful, especially for only $3 in PDF. I recommend it as a nice introduction to Stalingrad.