Don't throw an Angry Lurker: questions for procrastinating wargamers.

The Angry Lurker and Don't throw a 1 are pretty great blogs that I always enjoy flicking through when I have a moment spare. The authors also tend to be prolific at writing up comments to support and encourage other warmongering/wargaming bloggers - a really good trait if you ask me. Recently they posted a series of questions which delve into the inner working of the wargaming psyche. I thought I might just have a crack at them myself. Feel free to give it a go yourself and share the experiment. 

1. Favourite Wargaming period and why?

I swing between Ancients (the Hellenistic period specifically) and the 16th-17th Centuries. The first is my great love in life, the subject of my doctorate, and an all-round fascinating period with colourful characters doing daring deeds and generally dyeing in the saddle of via a successful assassination attempt. And lets be honest, who doesn't love elephants?

The second became a real hobby period for me when I first moved to Ulster and discovered how much of an impact these centuries have had on the creation of the modern world. On the wargaming table it also allows you to shoot at armoured knights with noisy black powder weapons, or trudge through the jungle hunting indigenies while carrying the same noisy black powder weapons. 

2. Next period, money no object?Sigh... unfortunately money is always an object. However, I'd like to do more with the Hellenistic period. At the moment my armies are limited to DBA. I'm very tempted to jump into another game and do the same period but slightly grander.

3. Favourite 5 films?
In no particular order:

The Siege (1998)

Chronicles of Narnia: Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)

King Arthur (2004)

Van Helsing (2004)

Enemy at the Gates (2001)

4. Favourite 5 TV series?

Again in no particular order:

Band of Brothers (2001)

Tudors (all four series, 2007-2010)

Blackadder (all four series, 1982-1989)

IT Crowd (all four series, 2006-2010)

And as most good things seem to run in fours, I'll leave it there.

5. Favourite book and author?

See, now this one should have had the option of top five... three of them should have been my books, but anyway... No. You know what. I will make a list, 'cause books are good, and a dying thing in this world obsessed with iproducts. 

Watership Down - Richard Adams

The Shardlake mysteries (Dissolution, Dark Fire, Sovereign, Revelation, Heartstone) - C.J. Sansom

Stonehenge - Bernard Cornwall

The Albion series (The Last Companion, The White Phantom, The Lame Dancer) - Patrick McCormack

Olympiad - Tom Holt

6. Greatest General? Can’t count yourself!!

I'm going to go with Hannibal here and say Pyrrhos of Epeiros. Not sure why, but Hannibal wasn't a fool so there must be something in it.

7. Favourite Wargames rules?
Why, that would be Irregular Wars: Conflict at the World's End. Failing that, I will go with the versatility that is the SBH engine.

8. Favourite Sport and team?

Women's Hand Ball... Any Scandinavian team.

9. If you had a only use once time machine, when and where would you go?
Antioch on the Orontes in 200 BC, right at the hieght of the Seleukid empire.

10. Last meal on Death Row?
Red Thai duck curry with pineapple sitting on a cheese naan and served as a pizza (covered with more cheese of course).

11. Fantasy relationship and why?
Sophia Myles. She looks like the love child of Kate Winslet and Julia Styles. And she seems nice and witty to boot.

12. If your life were a movie, who would play you?

Tim Robbins

13. Favourite Comic Superhero?Does Hagar the Horrible count?

14. Favourite Military quote?

"One of the good things about being invaded is that you don't have so far to go to get to the battle." 

Cratus in Olympiad by Tom Holt.

15. Historical destination to visit?

Antioch on the Orontes (modern Antakya) was always the focus of my pilgrimages. Now that I've done it a few times, I'd love to get to Seleukeia on the Tigris (more or less Baghdad).

16. Biggest Wargaming regret?
Selling up a whole lot of stuff (ancients and Napoleonics, all 15mm) the first time I moved country...

17. Favourite Fantasy job?

Gryphon trainer...

18. Favourite Song, Top 5?
Follow me up to Carlow - Patrick McCall

Anna begins - Counting Crows

Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol

Mr Brightside - The Killers

My Immortal - Evanescence

19. Favourite Wargaming Moment?

The day I finally beat Steve Webb at DBA. Can't remember any of the details, but I know that I beat him... once.

20. The miserable Git question, what upsets you?

That stubborn kind of stupidity that seems to haunt my life. Not just uneducated people, or the ones who aren't all that quick on the uptake, but the ones who refuse to entertain any thoughts but the ones that they have already lodged in their flaccid minds.