Just wanted to share (and express my thanks) that I've been teaching my 12-year-old Federation Commander. We've played two games so far (Fed CA vs Klink D7 and a Kzinti attack on a Fed starbase). He's been loving it. While he's been playing TTRPGs casually for about 2 years now, earlier this month, we played our first tabletop wargame. This was WW2 naval miniatures (Sorry, not Battlewagons), which he enjoyed. But, I've been a fan of the SFU since playing with the Designers Edition back in the 80s, so I wanted to share such a rich setting with him.
I realized that SFB would probably be a bit too much for him (he's smart, likes details, but he is twelve). So, since I have a copy of Fed Com from when it was first released, I decided to give that a go. It was an instant hit, and he liked it more than naval miniatures. He liked that he had more choices and decisions to make, energy allocation and how damage works.
Some thoughts on introducing a younger generation to our hobby:
1) While enthusiasm is important, temper it with not becoming a firehose of information. Don't overwhelm them too much.
2) Don't be afraid to set certain rules aside initially. In our first game, we completely ignored drones, marines, and tractors. I had him play the Klingons so that he didn't have to deal with multi-turn arming cycles. We also played using miniatures movement instead of on a hex map because turn modes are simpler to explain with miniatures movement, and you don't need involve sideslipping. In our second battle (the base assault), we didn't use marines or transporters.
3) After each game, talk with them about what they liked and didn't like, and make sure you highlight the things they did well (it's important to remember that in many games like Fed Comm, experience can make a huge difference).
Anyway, thank you, ADB, for decades of gaming and creating a game and setting that I can share with my son.
Building a New Generation of SFU Fans
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Toanstation
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cocktailholy
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Starting with simplified rules and gradually adding complexity is the best way to bring new players (especially younger ones) into FedCom and SFU. Highlighting what they enjoy and letting them feel successful keeps the momentum going. I also find that using miniatures or visual aids makes the game much more accessible. Thanks for sharing your experience—it’s encouraging to see the next generation getting into these games!
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schoon9953
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Adding to what's been said here...
Introducing SFB or FC to young or new players is much like running a convention game for new players.
My advice:
Keep it simple - use the fewest rules possible; don't be afraid to ignore rules that add complexity
Keep it dynamic - don't let any player sit idle for too long; make sure they get a chance to do something and not descend into phone scrolling while another player ponders something forever
Yes, and... - don't be afraid to wing it a bit in the name of fun
Introducing SFB or FC to young or new players is much like running a convention game for new players.
My advice:
Keep it simple - use the fewest rules possible; don't be afraid to ignore rules that add complexity
Keep it dynamic - don't let any player sit idle for too long; make sure they get a chance to do something and not descend into phone scrolling while another player ponders something forever
Yes, and... - don't be afraid to wing it a bit in the name of fun
