A Gap Year?
It's been nine years since I started playing Art de la Guerre (ADLG) and I have decided to take a break for the next year or so. I believe this is known as "stepping back" in current newspeak.
I’ve been down this path before. I played ADLG v3 for a couple of years in 2017–18, then took a break in 2019 intending to start fresh in 2020. After the pandemic, I picked it up again in 2021. Having now played ADLG v4 for five years, it feels like the right time for another break.
Naturally, this will shift the focus of the blog a little. There’ll probably be more painted miniatures featured, but I’m sure there are other interesting hobby subjects to write about.
Why now?
In 2019 I was dissatisfied with my progress as an ADLG player, but also wargaming in general. The latter had been building for a while: as far back as 2016 I was writing about the need for a "quality experience" at competitions.
This time my decision has been brought about by many things: more a steady drip of negatives than any one issue. Here are the top reasons, starting with the most important:
I've come to realise that, despite my best efforts and recent events, I'm not a very good ADLG player. I've reached my level: I'm hard to beat and that's about it. On its own this isn't sufficient reason to stop playing, but it's a factor nonetheless.
I don't play often enough due to an absence of local opponents. I've found ADLG easy to learn and hard to master. It requires regular practice to avoid stupid mistakes and develop effective tabletop tactics. Too often I have relearned the same tactical lessons.
As I now only play ADLG in competitions, the associated logistics, travel, tight timetables and cramped venues have all played their part in reducing my enthusiasm. I have returned from too many one-day events feeling dreadful.
The vast majority of my opponents were excellent, but not all. A few games I would have gladly avoided. They tested my patience and left me with some less than pleasant memories.
ADLG’s design reduced many of the geometric quirks present in earlier DBx systems, but did not eliminate them entirely. Those remaining were increasingly exploited in complex moves, which slowed play and were difficult to verify when starting positions were not marked.
Online support for the game is weak: endless "rules-lawyering" forum threads, issues left unresolved, and a recent trend of dismissive “it is what it is” replies. There should be an actively maintained FAQ.
There are other reasons behind my decision - some boring, some personal, and others not for publication. Ultimately, the novelty has worn off, the enjoyment has faded, and I’ve simply had enough.
What will I miss?
In the short term, and until I work out what I'm going to do instead, I'll miss:
Chatting with like-minded enthusiasts, swapping war stories, gossip, and sharing painting tips: the engaging, social side of competitions. I imagine I’ll be able to replace this by attending more shows.
That sense of anticipation as an event draws near. There’s something about having a hobby-related event to look forward to that keeps the enthusiasm alive.
A clear focus for my painting. For example, in 2023 and 2024 I painted new armies for October’s King in the North ADLG event.
A reason to buy more toys. This year, I’ve been working through my unpainted lead pile and finishing half-completed projects. I will probably stick with this for now.
Writing about ADLG. Whether it’s reverse engineering rules, battle reports, or army analysis, it has been rewarding, but I’ll need to find new topics to explore. However, I expect the army analysis will continue for a while yet.
The above are mostly generic, and not tied to ADLG, so I should find a replacement easily enough.
What next?
The short answer is I don't know yet. A break seems sensible, but I don't know if it'll be permanent or temporary. I could be back in twelve months raring to go. Then again, I might have found something completely new.
I play wargames mainly because it provides an end point for all the hours I spend painting figures. I like seeing my armies arrayed on the table and I want to do this in a relaxed, hassle free environment. When I find this Nirvana you'll be the first to know.