Greybeards & Grognards 1

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Good idea for a blog. Not sure it's going to work great as a message board series.

 

[Rothe]

Just like geek used to be the word the chearleaders and jocks caste used on D&D kids in high school and now it's used as a badge of honor by those same D&D kids in life past high school.

Yeah I think Bill Gate's being one of the richest people in the world really helped there.

The difference is, from my recollection, that it was not like that wargamers called RPGers grognards in derision and now RPGers are proud of the term, but the other way around.

Not that I care much, I wondering more if anyone else recalls this past use of the term grognard or if it is just me.

 

[jgbrowning]

I think this thread is the perfect example of grognards and greybeards.



joe b.

 

[Mark CMG]

I think this thread is the perfect example of grognards and greybeards.



joe b.

The irony is strong in this one . . .

 

[DragonLancer]

I'm a geek. I stand proud of my geekiness.

As for Grognard, I see it all the time by gamers of both RPG's and wargames (and boardgames sometimes) so it's a term for both. Sorted.

 

[Chris Tavares]

A geek is someone who bites the heads off live animals.
A nerd is someone who knows this.

 

[painandgreed]

I consider myself a grognard and I like 3.5.

Ya, I hate losing Ausf-Gs like that.

 

[Steel_Wind]

Nope. I stand stalwartly against the coopting of the word "grognard" to describe someone who isn't an old school wargamer. You're welcome to "greybeard" (some use the term "fatbeard," from what I am told) but "grognard" is off limits until everyone who was playing wargames before RPGs were even invented is dead.

Uhm... yeah I got to go with this.

Grognard is an old campaigner. He's a wargamer or an old skool miniature's player (from whence D&D was derived). Back then, there really wasn't much of a difference.

Now, it is true that many grognards became early OD&D Diaglo style RPG players and continue to be active in RPGs. Gary Gygax, Rob Kuntz and Dave Arneson were Grognards. Grognards created the game, after all.

And grognards continued to develop after RPGs were released. A Star Fleet Battles hardcore junkie has a claim, of sorts, to the title.

Still, a grogs' credentials ultimately lie in Squad Leader, Afrika Corps, and Panzer Leader et al - they don't lie in any game played with a D20.

Greybeard for RPGs? Yes. Grognard? No. Although there are many greybeards who also happen to BE grognards. The two are not mutually exclusive.

Now all that said, "Greybeards and Grognards" is a great and catchy title. By all means keep it.

 

[WayneLigon]

Guess I'm not a grognard, then. I started with three-book OD&D, but think the newest stuff is far better than anything that came before.

 

[Jeremy757]

Nope. I stand stalwartly against the coopting of the word "grognard" to describe someone who isn't an old school wargamer. You're welcome to "greybeard" (some use the term "fatbeard," from what I am told) but "grognard" is off limits until everyone who was playing wargames before RPGs were even invented is dead.

Sorry wargamers don't hold the exclusive license to this word. This is the English language, words mean whatever popular culture wants them to mean, you may not like it, but its the reality. And we both know that even after all the wargamers have died off, they will still be complaining about it.

Somewhere in the multiverse are a bunch of old dead french guys who are gnashing teeth because your coopting "grognard" to describe someone who just plays at war on a tabletop.

If you really want to lay claim to the word you need to go to France and get yourself shot by some British dudes.