[PHO] PHOENIX HISTORICAL SIMULATIONS GROUP Peter Szymonik of Simulations Online has asked me to provide some background on the Phoenix Historical Simulations Group and how it was formed. I've broken out this discussion in four sections. Part One discusses how our group was initially formed. Part Two discusses how the communications and activities within our group serve to promote our organization and increase local membership. Part Three discusses the benefits achieved from forming a local gaming group. And finally, Part Four is a cookbook of sorts for individuals to follow when forming and running an organized gaming group in their area. Part One: The Phoenix Historical Simulations Group and its beginnings First, a little background information might prove helpful to illustrate my motivation in wanting to form a local gaming group. I fell out of the hobby for about a ten year period just before SPI met its ultimate demise. Last Spring, I rediscovered my interest in gaming and began to research what had happened the past ten years in the industry while I was busy going to school and working. Well, I quickly found out that it was tough on my own to figure out what I'd missed over the years - except for the endlessly repeated observation that many considered the hobby dying off due to the lack of new blood (caused by the growing popularity of computer games and fantasy /role-playing games). I was concerned about this and thought that a historical gaming group might revive some long-overdue excitement needed for our hobby. Thus, the decision was made and I decided I would ATTEMPT to form a gaming group - although I knew of no one in the area that was a gamer. I purchased the subscriber list of Strategy & Tactics magazine from Keith Poulter of 3W. A letter announcing a meeting to discuss the formation of a local gaming group was then sent out to about thirty S&T subscribers in my area. Well, to make a long story short - about nine gamers total showed up at the meeting and we enjoyed discussions on our personal experience with wargaming and the idea of starting a local historical gaming club. We discussed the need of locating a facility in which we could meet on a biweekly basis in our area in order to hold open-gaming sessions. About one month later, I found a meeting site - and thus the Phoenix Historical Simulations Group was born in May of 1990. Part Two: Club Communications and Activities A vehicle is needed within any organization to promote communications among members and with the community at large. I decided I would produce on a bimonthly basis our own club newsletter. The format of the newsletter was quite simple. Members could list games they would like to play and articles would appear that are written by our members as well. A newsletter is also necessary to communicate the dates of future events and open-gaming sessions for the group as well. In a nutshell, a club newsletter is the nucleus of any organized group since it sends out a single and consistent message to all members and keeps them informed with what is going on. Activities conducted within our group have been consistent and numerous. We often hold round robin tournaments, club trips to game conventions, game raffles sponsored by local stores, special all-weekend gaming sessions based on a historical theme (i.e. Civil War Weekend to play games based on the Civil War), guest visits from industry personalities, game auctions, and so on. We even have currently scheduled a Dog Day Afternoon session in which the member which brings in the absolute WORST game ever published and makes the best three minute presentation on WHY the game is so BAD will win a special club prize! And just when you thought it was safe to game.... Part III: Benefits of a Gaming Group or Is it all Worth the Effort? If you are wondering if the time and effort you would need to put into forming and sustaining a gaming group is worth the effort, my answer is an unequivocal YES. Having been in operation for ten months, our group now consists of more than 130 local members and 30 members from out-of-state (these members receive our bimonthly newsletter). Obviously, numbers don't tell half the story. It's the quality of the people and the friendships developed that have made this all worth the effort. I can't tell you how heartening it is to see someone rediscover the hobby by attending one of our biweekly open-gaming sessions. A recent poll showed that 75% of our members are gaming more now than before joining our organization. Also, sales at select local retail hobby stores that support our group have grown VERY well. In the end, it's been a win-win situation for everyone involved. Not only are our members gaming more, but they are much better informed with what is happening in the industry in general - and that old-time excitement of days passed certainly seems to have been rekindled. Part IV: A Cookbook on Forming and Sustaining a Gaming Group This section lists some ideas born out from my own experience on how to go about forming and sustaining a Gaming Group. In forming a gaming group, you will want to contact all the major gaming companies (Decision Games, XTR, Avalon Hill, Clash of Arms, GMT, etc.) and acquire their current mailing /subscriber list. You should then send out letters to these people informing them of an initial meeting to be held to form a group. Next, you will need to find a location for open-gaming sessions. Try local libraries, schools, etc. in which you can reserve rooms and gaming tables. When your club meets, be sure to hold a group update meeting to inform members of club news and ask them for input on ideas for special activities. One nice touch might be selecting a member to present a game to the group for about ten minutes. Be sure you have some type of newsletter published on at least a bimonthly basis. Exchange advertising space for funding support to have your club newsletter printed with local gaming stores in your area. This should avoid the necessity of charging a club membership fee. Have your newsletters available at local hobby stores in your area (participating stores will be glad to keep copies of your newsletter available since they have placed an advertisement). For more specific ideas on what to include in your newsletter, I'd suggest you contact me directly so I can send you a copy of ours. We publish a bimonthly newsletter that is about thirty pages in length, but most club newsletters need be only two to four pages long to get the job done. At least our newsletter will give you an idea of some features you may want to include in your club newsletter. Finally, arrange some special events such as game tournaments (to be played outside of your club gaming sessions held), swapmeets, game raffles sponsored by local stores, so on and so forth. The ideas are really only limited by the creativity of your individual members! In closing, I hope this brief article has at least communicated to you the fact that our hobby does not have to die off! Gaming is truly meant as a social activity (it really beats solitaire/computer gaming!) as you will soon discover as you form your gaming club and make many new friendships in your area. If you would like some guidance on forming your own gaming group, please feel free to give me a call at 602-942-2798, or send me an e-mail message! John Kranz Phoenix Historical Simulations Group