Returning from a Self-imposed Gaming Exile

Returning from a Self-imposed Gaming Exile

Five years ago I made a huge choice and moved my wife and myself away from our friends and family in the United States to Europe for work purposes. It was really a no-brainier, we had been kid-less for over a decade, with no grandkids, I had recently retired from active duty in the Navy, and my current job satisfaction was at a low point. On the plus side my wife and I love to travel, being a history major, and a gamer how can living in Europe be anything but a positive.

So in the past five years we have seen lots of stuff, from castles to battlefields, and from small villages to the great cities. All has been great except for one unexpected consequence. My gaming has suffered terribly. I have always been more of an introvert vice an extrovert, so to find new opponents, and not knowing the local language was very hard.

The Lion of Waterloo

Plaque on top of the Lion.

D-Day Memorial at Utah Beach

Chateau Gaillard

The Vassa in Stockholm Sweden

HMS Victory

I did try a few times, but it was not a pleasant experience, not unpleasant but more unsatisfying. The game I was playing, War Machine/Hordes, was under going a change in editions and I did not have the time or motivation to really learn that edition and the guys I was trying to play with were in a very competitive organization. Not that they were bad or obnoxious players, but just a little too intense. One avenue closed. My best gaming buddies back in the US tried to be creative, and Zoom me in a few times. That was fun, but time differences, and setting things up did not work very well. Second avenue closed. I had brought over the better part of my lead mountain, and over the next few years did work on that, and other gaming projects. Maybe I didn’t paint as much as I would have liked, but I did complete a few projects which will help when the exile ends.

Projects painted:

2017 Painting output.

Guild Ball starter set, Skirmish Figures

Warmachine- Menoth

Rigged Napoleonic ships

Victorian and Post apocalyptic Skirmish figures

28mm Crusader Army

28mm WWII German and US forces

I am not a real prolific painter, but I think I cut some of the lead mountain down. I also used these years in exile to change some of my painting techniques, and expanded my tools, including an airbrush to start experimenting with some things as well.

The day to return will be hopefully coming soon, once the pandemic runs it course and commerce starts moving again. Until then the exile continues and I keep doing a few small painting projects to keep the lead pile shrinking and the mind engaged.

On the painting table for probably my last set of figures before the movers come are some post apocalyptic figures which aren't game specific, could be used in most games of that genre, such as Wreck-age, Walking Dead, Across the Dead Earth, Fallout, and others.

Next time: How to prepare for the big move.