PDA

View Full Version : Nerds in the Navy



Hairb
2008-09-05, 09:53 PM
I might have told this story before, I don't remember. Apologies if this is the case.

A friend of mine tells a story in which he and a friend went down to one of the city's premier comics and gaming shops to pick up some things for an upcoming campaign, only to find out that it was sold out of a great number of different D&D items. As it turns out, a US warship was in port and sailors on shore leave had gone on a shopping spree.

It hadn't really occured to me that RPGs might be popular in various armed forces. Is this the case, or is there one single US aircraft carrier floating around the ocean crewed exclusively by geeks?

tyckspoon
2008-09-05, 09:58 PM
I am told that roleplaying games are fairly popular in the armed forces. It makes sense- consider the situation. You're on tour; what kind of entertainment can you get? Normal media either doesn't get to your boat/base/desert tent or takes weeks or even months after first airing to get there. Electronic items in general have trouble, because of potential cabling and power system incompatibilities or even times when there just isn't any spare power for non-essential things (or no power at all.) But D&D and other roleplaying systems? You need the books, some dice, and some other guys who have some free time. The books and dice are durable and easily transportable once obtained- that's a bonus. And a boat or military base is *full* of other guys who often need something to do.

Knaight
2008-09-05, 10:02 PM
The question is, are corporate and school gossip games more popular in the armed forces? Seeing as civilians primarily play games with lots of combat. The armed forces get into combat, or at least have training. Granted, there are people who work radar and such, and a lot of time where not much happens, but its still worth considering. After all most people in corporate jobs probably don't want to play a game with it, and as for those of us at school, yeah, just yeah.

Zeta Kai
2008-09-05, 10:02 PM
One of my old coworkers was an ex-marine, & at the time, he was the only coworker who I could talk to about roleplaying. He was buff, yet dorky.

Sstoopidtallkid
2008-09-05, 10:07 PM
One of the guys I'm in an online RP with just finished Special Forces training. He's a closet nerd(his own words).

Crow
2008-09-05, 10:08 PM
He was buff, yet dorky.

Nothing wrong with that!

Hairb
2008-09-05, 10:12 PM
Nothing wrong with that!

Indeed. The buff dork is a time-tested sub-variety of nerd.

Fawsto
2008-09-05, 10:15 PM
Better this than sleeping enbraced with your m16.

The commanders should love it. I mean, the soldiers are "training" while they are using tactics in game.

Person_Man
2008-09-05, 10:15 PM
My brother, a combat medic in the Navy, just got back from his second tour in Iraq. He doesn't play, but apparently there were several D&D groups in his platoon. There is a LOT of down time over there, punctuated by the occasional few minutes of utter crisis whenever someone starts shooting at you or an IED goes off. It depends heavily on where you're based, but during the long stretches of down time, there often isn't television or video games (the main form of distraction). Sometimes there isn't electricity. So tabletop games are pretty popular, including D&D. Although for his unit, the big thing was poker. Apparently Magic also has a big following.

RTGoodman
2008-09-05, 10:30 PM
As part of a military family and a guy with a lot of military friends, I can attest that it's popular. At least three of my former group members have joined in the last two years (one Army, one Air Force, one Marines). One served a term in Iraq and played with guys over there, and I even included some dice in a package to him.

Also, there was a big drive in the last year where organizers put together Ziggurat Con (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ziggurat_Con) ("The World's First War-Zone Gaming Convention") and asked people to send gaming supplies in so they could be sent to the troops in Iraq. Some folks from my college gaming groups sent out e-mails about it and I think actually got a box or two together for it.

WotC/Hasbro itself acknowledges the preponderance of D&D players in the military. In their letter (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/4news/20080828) to Michael Goldfarb (the political staffer that made comments about D&D players in their basement not knowing the struggle our troops face) they informed him that (Surprise!) those two groups aren't mutually exclusive.

Not that I want to bring up politics or anything...

Lyndworm
2008-09-05, 10:36 PM
I don't have any knowledge of RPGs in the military, but it does make sense, as tyckspoon first explained... but I really prefer the idea of U.S.S. Geekery floating on the ocean, everyone all arguing over the effects power attack.

Zack

Chronicled
2008-09-05, 10:39 PM
I'm headed into the Air Force soon, and will continue to game there as much as I can. A friend of mine who's just finishing Navy Basic right now is also an avid D&Der (I unfortunately only found this last bit out right before she left); she's hoping to find a gaming group on her ship.

Thanatos 51-50
2008-09-05, 10:49 PM
I hear my name!

Yes, I am a Geek. Yes, I am in the Navy.
A nitpick in the OP: ITs Liberty, not Leave.

But, yeah, we exist - I just wish it were easier to find fellow gamers in Japan.

Dode
2008-09-05, 10:50 PM
I rp with a member of the canadian navy and an american ex-marine for going on over a year.

From what I've seen, military guys can have a lot of discretionary income and long stretches of free time with not much to do; it doesn't surprise me that a handful of guys from one of your floating cities could empty out a gaming store.

Chronos
2008-09-05, 11:15 PM
it doesn't surprise me that a handful of guys from one of your floating cities could empty out a gaming store.This is another good point: An aircraft carrier really is a floating city. Even if you only have the same number of role-players, proportionally, as any other city, a city worth of role-players is still a lot. And now consider that this city doesn't have its own gaming shop, and the only time any of them get a chance to stop at a gaming shop is when the ship's in dock.

SeeKay
2008-09-05, 11:34 PM
Geeks in the Armed Forces aren't new. Champions (and the Hero gaming system) were started by Navy guys assigned to a submarine looking for something to do when off duty. Since all you need for most RPG's is dice and time, it makes perfect scene for people in the military who get assigned to remote areas and/or areas with no non-essential power (ie: power for the comm system but not for the MP3 players) that they would use a power-free form of entertainment. I guess the ratio of geeks is about the same as any other place, but the fact that most of the military space is communal, it just seems like there are more gamers since everyone can see the groups. I also can understand poker and Magic (and other CCG's) being popular as well.

Lemur
2008-09-05, 11:57 PM
Roleplaying members of the armed forces definitely make up a section of the gamer crowd. You'd also be surprised how many larpers are part of the military.

PaladinBoy
2008-09-06, 08:17 AM
Huh. I know there are some other RPers here at the Naval Academy, but I have yet to find them. Oh well.... I'm sure I'll find someone to game with eventually.

Ascension
2008-09-06, 09:45 AM
I remember reading a post somewhere from a navy guy who said he chucked his dice off the ship whenever they rolled consistently badly. IIRC he said he has dice at the bottom of every ocean but the arctic.

Hairb
2008-09-06, 09:54 AM
I remember reading a post somewhere from a navy guy who said he chucked his dice off the ship whenever they rolled consistently badly. IIRC he said he has dice at the bottom of every ocean but the arctic.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: D&D is going to screw far future archeology right the hell up.

Hawriel
2008-09-06, 10:48 AM
Honestly Im supprized that your suprized about military types being gamers. Several of the posters her in OOTS land are in the military or former military. The last time I was in a star wars campain it was ran and played by mostly kids in the NROTC in my home town. I drank them under the table. one litteraly. :smallwink: When I was a teen one of the funnest guys to play with was a SEAL. He was the silliest smartest guy Ive ever met. A friend of mine still doesnt know how he found him sleeping on his couch coming home from work. All the doors where locked and the windows where locked. On several occasions I found that war games are very popular. (yeah big suprise :smallamused:) Battletech was very popular on army basess. A friend of mine who was a big magic fan enlisted last year.

There are alot of gamers in the armed forces.

DraPrime
2008-09-06, 10:58 AM
When I was a teen one of the funnest guys to play with was a SEAL. He was the silliest smartest guy Ive ever met. A friend of mine still doesnt know how he found him sleeping on his couch coming home from work. All the doors where locked and the windows where locked.

Well he is special forces.

Moff Chumley
2008-09-06, 11:50 AM
:eek:

Does this mean that peace/love antiwar hippies aren't welcome in the role playing community?

Hairb
2008-09-06, 11:52 AM
:eek:

Does this mean that peace/love antiwar hippies aren't welcome in the role playing community?

We're a pretty broad church, as the saying goes.

monty
2008-09-06, 11:59 AM
:eek:

Does this mean that peace/love antiwar hippies aren't welcome in the role playing community?

There's always Vow of Peace.

Admiral Squish
2008-09-06, 05:48 PM
Military geeks represent!

I be geek, and I be navy. Let the rocking begin.

D Knight
2008-09-07, 02:46 PM
hey my dad played D&D on a sub with some others. i get to hear all the old storys from them and its fun what they could do like have a flooting city for winged folk that went around blasting ocrs, i think, off the map.

Bob the Urgh
2008-09-07, 02:54 PM
It more depends on the rate. Im a MM, nuke, so theres a lot of people who i work with who play d&d

Jack_Simth
2008-09-07, 03:22 PM
I hear my name!

Yes, I am a Geek. Yes, I am in the Navy.
A nitpick in the OP: ITs Liberty, not Leave.

But, yeah, we exist - I just wish it were easier to find fellow gamers in Japan.

Sell it as conversational English practice to the locals. Advertise in the local paper - you'll have to charge admission to keep the numbers down.

Person_Man
2008-09-07, 04:05 PM
:eek:

Does this mean that peace/love antiwar hippies aren't welcome in the role playing community?

Though I come from a military family, and have played D&D with active service personnel who are good friends of mine, I'm a Quaker and a pacifist. People of honest disagreements can still be friends and enjoy a beer and a game together. And just because I enjoy pretend violence doesn't mean I employ it in real life. People see plenty of sitcoms on tv. Does that means there's comedy in the streets? Or so the saying goes.

DraPrime
2008-09-07, 04:13 PM
Though I come from a military family, and have played D&D with active service personnel who are good friends of mine, I'm a Quaker and a pacifist. People of honest disagreements can still be friends and enjoy a beer and a game together. And just because I enjoy pretend violence doesn't mean I employ it in real life. People see plenty of sitcoms on tv. Does that means there's comedy in the streets? Or so the saying goes.

Indeed. I live in Assachusetts where I disagree ideologically with most of the state, yet I manage to get along with quite a few people. Even people who I can't talk politics with without getting into a massive argument.

Waspinator
2008-09-08, 01:31 AM
I've said it before and I'll say it again: D&D is going to screw far future archeology right the hell up.

I can see it now:
"Obviously, in the late 20th century, society began to devolve to a state resembling that of medieval Europe in many ways. This was probably due to radiation from nuclear weapons and reactors destabilizing civilization and which would also have caused mutations such as "orcs" and "elves" to occur."

Skillness622
2008-09-08, 02:25 AM
I'm in the British Army, and while there arent as many gamers/rpers as it sounds like in the US forces, there are a few if you know where to look, mostly the ones I've run into have been in Germany, so I dont know what that says about the place.

Also, theres far more of an expectation that you should be spending your free time and disposable income looting and pillaging various local bars, rather than actually being civilised.:smallbiggrin:

JettWilderbeast
2008-09-08, 04:10 AM
Also, theres far more of an expectation that you should be spending your free time and disposable income looting and pillaging various local bars, rather than actually being civilised.
And that is why I'm proud to be british, we do drunk better than anywhere else in the world.
Wait, should I be proud?

Hairb
2008-09-08, 04:10 AM
I can see it now:
"Obviously, in the late 20th century, society began to devolve to a state resembling that of medieval Europe in many ways. This was probably due to radiation from nuclear weapons and reactors destabilizing civilization and which would also have caused mutations such as "orcs" and "elves" to occur."

"Gregory discovered a cache of "Manuals of Exalted Power" today which we believe to be more work of the scholar-king known as the White Wolf. What little information can be gleaned from these books without the use of a fully functioning translation matrix will be vital to our understanding of how the fabled 'Cold Wars' were fought."

shadow_archmagi
2008-09-08, 04:28 AM
"Gregory discovered a cache of "Manuals of Exalted Power" today which we believe to be more work of the scholar-king known as the White Wolf. What little information can be gleaned from these books without the use of a fully functioning translation matrix will be vital to our understanding of how the fabled 'Cold Wars' were fought."

The recently translated "ark hives" have brought to light a revolutionary breakthrough: If not satisfied with their gods, people were encouraged to "Ref-luff" and design new ones to their liking.

The incredible hypocrisy and lunacy of simply making up a god is both comedic and a great outrage to His Holyness The Divine Ostrich of Aasimar.

aarondirebear
2008-09-09, 12:14 PM
Playing an immersive role playing game does not make you a nerd.
Stop degrading yourself.

Its like a black man calling himself the N word.

End pastime discrimination once and for all, no more slurs against people based on the games they play, movies they like, or things they like to read.

monty
2008-09-09, 12:41 PM
You say that like being a nerd is a bad thing...

Hairb
2008-09-09, 09:30 PM
Playing an immersive role playing game does not make you a nerd.
Stop degrading yourself.

Its like a black man calling himself the N word.

End pastime discrimination once and for all, no more slurs against people based on the games they play, movies they like, or things they like to read.

Wait, what?

Jayngfet
2008-09-10, 01:10 AM
Didn't one group ban Dnd from the military?

Gnomish Lab
2008-09-10, 02:07 AM
Also, there was a big drive in the last year where organizers put together Ziggurat Con (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ziggurat_Con) ("The World's First War-Zone Gaming Convention") and asked people to send gaming supplies in so they could be sent to the troops in Iraq. Some folks from my college gaming groups sent out e-mails about it and I think actually got a box or two together for it.

Not that I want to bring up politics or anything...


Wow, you got your military to organize a con?
Lucky Americans...
:smallwink: