While I await the results of the 2023 survey to arrive in about one month's time, I return for one last (?) look at the 2022 survey results.With thoughts of data reliability still in mind (see On the Reliability of Data) and a change in the collection of respondents' answers to the best part of wargaming question from 2021 (see What Do We Like?), time to revisit this topic.
In the 2021 survey, respondents were asked to list their top three choices to the question of what are the best parts of wargaming. The choices were:
- Playing the game
- Painting the miniatures
- Hanging out with friends
- Collecting the miniatures
- Doing background research
- Collecting and building terrain
- Preparing scenarios
- Collecting rulesets
- Building the optimal army list
There was no specific ranking in place. A respondent simply checked the Top Three choices. No means for discerning which was the top choice. For the 2022 survey, choices remain the same but a ranked order was introduced. Now the results would show a respondent's specific ranking. Would that make a significant difference in aggregating the Top Three choices?
No! The ordering is the same with the exception that far down the list Preparing scenarios and Collecting rulesets have swapped places. Playing the game still heads up the list with Painting the miniatures coming in at a close second.
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| 2022 Rank Order |
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| 2021 Rank Order |
Aggregating the Top Three choices in each year produces similar results.What if only the top wargaming activity is singled out? Does the ordering change from the Top Three result?
Yes, it does.
Looking at only the top choice, Painting the miniatures takes the top place by a wide margin. Although in the aggregate, Playing the game tops the charts, perhaps the hobby is centered on figure painting after all?
Breaking out the results by a few attributes and comparing to 2021 results shows tendencies remain much the same to 2022.
That is for Age Group, younger wargamers tend toward building optimal army lists and collecting miniatures. Older wargamers seem more introspective than their younger counterparts with preferring to do background research and preparing scenarios relative to collecting miniatures and hanging out with friends.
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| 2022 by Age Group |
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| 2021 by Age Group |
When wargaming preferences are considered by Primary Interest, 2022 results reinforce the big differences seen in the 2021 survey. Historical wargamers are much more interested in doing background research and preparing scenarios than their Fantasy/Sci-fi counterparts. Fantasy/Sci-fi wargamers are more interested in building optimal army lists, collecting miniatures, and hanging out with friends than those with a historical primary interest. Again, results are similar to the findings from the 2021 survey. |
| 2022 by Primary Interest |
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| 2021 by Primary Interest |
Finally, taking a look at the relationship between wargamer preferences and collection size shows the tendency to collect miniatures falls off after having reached 1,000 figures in the collection. Similarly, the tendency to want to paint miniatures appears to slack off after having reached a collection size of 20,000 figures. Does any facet of wargaming increase as collection size increases? Yes. The switch from painting figures to preparing scenarios seems likely as the number of figures in a collection rises. |
2021 by Age Group
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Seeing results without wild swings from year to year is comforting especially given that roughly half of the respondents turn over annually.
Given your age, primary interest, and collection size, do these results reflect your wargaming preferences? If not, what is different and why?
What were your top three choices for best part of wargaming? Have those rankings changed over time?
Hey Jon, interesting stuff once again. Currently (for a few more days) I just scrape into the 51-60 category! I can't even really remember what I put in the recent survey, let alone previous ones, BUT I definitely had the first 4 as playing the game, collecting the figures, painting the figures and hanging out with friends, although not necessarily in that order - so seems like I am a pretty typical example (if I am honest, I have a gut feeling I may have had playing the game at 3 or 4...with collecting and painting the figures leading the preferences - but I am not sure!)
ReplyDelete61+ in a few days? Congratulations on slipping into a new age cohort. Welcome to the group!
DeleteInteresting in chart 1, a line could pretty much be drawn under the top 4 responses, making them fairly definitive … though not fitting my profile.
ReplyDeleteI can’t remember what I put, but looking through bleary eyes this morning with my coffee, I would select a) playing the game b) prepping scenarios c) background research.
There is an interesting thread started over on the Lead Adventure Forum about this years survey, with some observations and suggestions for next years survey.
LINK
https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=142235.0
Thanks for the link to the LAF discussion. I see you got your plug in for including a board, Wargaming question. I did make a note of your earlier request here for next year’s survey. I think the question can be asked without over complicating the survey.
DeleteInteresting data, like the others can't remember my exact choices, but relating to the age preferences, I definitely see myself moving away from collecting new armies to preparing scenarios. The benefit of being older is we generally already have the figures in our collection
ReplyDeleteNeil, you fit the profile of a mature, historical gamer, no doubt!
DeleteIt shouldn't be a surprise that painting the miniatures comes out highly in a survey from a miniatures based wargames magazine asking questions about wargaming with miniatures.
ReplyDeleteNo surprise to me, generally, although I know wargamers who only paint to game and those who don’t paint at all.
DeleteHave your answers changed since you discovered on-line wargaming?
DeleteUndoubtedly.
DeleteInteresting stuff. I suspect that a large chunk (maybe a majority?) of my hobby time is spent reading blogs - now is that 'background research' or 'hanging out with friends'?
ReplyDeleteGood question! I think reading blogs could be some of both. It is for me but more toward “hanging out with friends”.
DeleteInteresting idea. I'm physically isolated from gaming opportunities (for a mixture of practical and inclination reasons) but online discussion of the hobby, reading of blogs and commenting occassionally makes that less of an issue.
DeleteAdd in a remote miniatures game via Zoom and your situation opens up even more opportunities.
DeleteAn interesting post Jon, like everyone else I can't remember exactly what my picks were. It certainly wasn't building the optimal army list!
ReplyDeleteI enjoy painting, playing games and playing with pals, I'm sure the other Rejects would say, annoying and taking the pi55 out of my pals?
Ray, you’ve given me a new answer to consider!
DeleteHaha!
DeleteMy answers probably bucked the trend.....I'm an outlier in most surveys!
ReplyDeleteThe age thing reflects the different priorities as you get older, something seen anecdotally. When I was much younger, lots of time was spent looking at WRG army lists, paint was slapped on miniatures and the game was the ultimate end goal. It began to change once that pailed; I'd grown up in an isolated area with little chance of gaming. Once I'd scratched that itch, I moved to other things. Always liked researching and when I decided to paint as well as I could, these took priority. The dawning realisation that who you gamed with was as important than the rules you used, meant less and less focus on a game for the sake of a game. I've been fortunate to be in about four gaming groups around the UK with people who have shared similar attitudes. Most gaming was scenario based. The few encounters with people desperate to win have been less rewarding.
Older gamers probably value the social interactions and the aesthetics of gaming over the game itself. Younger players will value them too, just not as much. When you're young you think you have eternity to do all these things so don't prioritise.
Neil
Well said, Neil. A gamer’s personal circumstances, gaming style, age, interest, and resources often drive what is possible. I know, personally, that many (sometimes isolated) wargamers are enjoying the chance to game remotely and have rediscovered that joy.
DeleteCan't speak for anyone else, but I am also an outlier. As a "grognard" era historical gamer with a substantial collection, my #1 is preparing scenarios (they're always running through my head!). My #2 and #3 are close (and consistent): hanging out with friends and playing the game(s). However, where I depart the most is where painting figures lands: it is dead last for me (by far) in comparison to the other aspects of the hobby.
ReplyDeleteEd, I have always thought of you as exceptional! Great to see you back to blogging again.
DeleteInteresting thoughts Jonathan. I've just completed this years survey. I'll be interested in seeing the results. I'm firmly in the painting phase at the moment, rebuilding the collection, and thinking about streamlining my interests. Not sure if that's age drive at 54?
ReplyDeleteThanks for completing the survey! Stay tuned as results roll out throughout the year. Your situation sounds like an age-driven phenomenon to me.
DeleteInteresting, Jon. Thanks for your work on this - you obviously enjoy getting to grips with the data! I'm still on the fringes - perhaps we need a new entry in the questionnaire of "theoretical wargamer who dreams a lot about doing it and in the meantime produces flags for other people" ;-) - but hopefully that will change for me in the coming year...
ReplyDeleteYeah, I enjoy digging into the data. If your option is added to the list, I wonder if the sample size will be greater than one of respondents meeting this criterion?
DeleteProbably not! ;-)
DeleteThose were my top four, with painting number one and playing the game and hanging out with friends two and three, although I can't remember which order. I do know however that I'd enjoy painting the miniatures far less if there was never any prospect of them getting into a game as I don't enjoy painting as an end in itself, and I wouldn't last long gaming with people I don't like, so my first three responses are quite interrelated.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lawrence! Many of us likely share your views on interrelatability.
DeleteLike most I can't recall for sure what I answered last week in this years survey, to say nothing of last years, but UI am pretty sure playing the gamne, handing out with friends, and painting would be in the top three. The problem with answering the question for me is I enjoy every last one of those facets a lot, which is why it has made such a fantastic hobby for me for the past 55+ years!
ReplyDeleteI agree, Peter! The hobby has so much to offer. One for which you and I are yet to tire.
DeletePainting was number 1??!!! Surely that can’t be. What kind of weirdo hobby is this? 😀
ReplyDeletePlaying the game and hanging out with friends we’re my tops; and to me kinda the same thing.
Stew, some without your social graces enjoy the solitude of painting. Playing the game and hanging out with friends seem linked to me too unless, of course, you prefer solo gaming.
Deletepoint taken. By Weido, I of course mean 'fine people who are also good looking.' 😁
DeletePainting is always number one, hanging out with friends and research vie for two and three, it's funny I thought of Stew and his likely response as I answered, because there are only three answers I couldn't fit in playing the game in spite of gaming increasing due to joining my local club, as always entertaining analysis!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
Thanks, Iain!
DeleteI suppose I fit my age group pretty well, with playing the game/hanging out with friends (to me they are inextricably linked), background research and preparing scenarios being my Top 3. I do like painting but these days it's very much geared towards getting stuff ready for the table rather than for its own sake, which used to be the case.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Steve. With your concentration on solo gaming, I am somewhat surprised that gaming and hanging out with friends are so closely linked.
DeleteYou fit your age group’s profile very well.
Solo gaming is more a matter of circumstance than choice, as all my gaming chums have moved away. Like most gamers I prefer FtF games and all the interaction before, during and after a game that that entails. So when we do meet up it really does enhance the whole experience.
DeleteI'd be worried about the relationship between age and memory but my memory/lack of focus on has a lonnggggg history. 1st clear memory of memory lapse was when I was 5......
ReplyDeleteAnyway, painting used to be high up there but with wonky eyes and shaky hand, its getting closer to a chore so playing games is at the top. With friends in person is on top with solo a close second. One might suspect that writing and adjusting rules would be in top 3 but its part habit and partly being out of sync with current rule or rather 'Game' styles/trends, and partly that I mostly play solo so get to play it "my way" .
But over all, my focus hasn't changed all that much since the 70's. (apart from getting past the "winning" thing a few decades ago.)
Thanks, Ross! Your feedback much appreciated. With all of your rules’ fiddling, I did expect research to rise near the top for you.
DeleteExtremely interesting analysis Jon. I suppose I pretty much fit the 60+ historical gamer typical profile. Not surprised that interest in collecting figures declines with age as collections grow with time. Hanging out? Definitely, both FtF and online. In this last respect blogs are a godsend even though I must admit I am much less active than others.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mike! Knowing that there are other, likeminded wargamers is a comfort. Blogs help us to unite or at least find one another.
DeleteI have most definitely forgotten what I chose, but i would bet Playing the Game topped the list. I don't know what was second or third, I doubt it was painting. I find painting a chore and stressful as often as I find it relaxing - perhaps it's a love-hate thing.
ReplyDeleteCollecting rules or perhaps modifying them might have been on there and I can make a case for background research (when i started, i just wanted to use figures in a game, history be damned! Until I began wargaming, I was never much of a history fan, and then, through gaming, I fell in love with reading history)
Oddly (pardon my rambling, please) when i was 10-12 or so, I painted fantasy miniatures, not for gaming, just for fun. Yet, when I took up wargaming in my 30s, I painted miniatures because I felt like i had to based on what I saw and read on blogs and on TMP (and the vitrol spewed against unpainted armies). Had I never visited those places, I would still be gaming happily with my unpainted 54mm plastic (which I've started doing again) and homemade cardstock counters.
Thanks, John! No need to apologize. I enjoy reading how others prioritize their hobby time. Excellent insight!
DeleteGood lord, they list me in the oldest of gamers! Painting is always up in the things I like, but then rebasing is another. Reading about the periods, setting up pretty tables for games is another joy. I like scenario building, and campaign nonsense. I mean umpire duties.
ReplyDeleteDon't like "list building " exercises and would be awful at writing rules. Since no one ever wrote perfect Napoleonic rules set I will stick with what I like as well as the WW2 sets I like. Last is the mission of painting all my toys. Probably should concentrate on that now. Heh heh.
Joe, you are in luck! Next year, I adjust the top end of the age groups. You may no longer find yourself in the oldest bracket.
DeleteThanks for the insight in how you spend your hobby time. There is great liberation in realizing one will never paint all of their toys.
Jonathan, thank you for the good news on aging! I spent 2 hours gluing and 1 hour painting and 30 minutes rule reviewing today. Two hours cleaning up clutter in the cellar on and around the gaming table. I even got to visit with my oldest grand daughter, who says I have a full-time hobby. And all of it was fun.
DeleteSounds like a very productive day.
DeleteInteresting analysis Jon but hard for me really to compare the different aspects of the hobby, no one clear winner I enjoy many aspects !
ReplyDeleteThanks, Matt! As Teddy Roosevelt said, "Comparison is the thief of joy."
Delete