Roll Call Thread Addition -where are we all from ?

[Rafid]

From Germany (Freiburg)

In Germany WW2 is in the mind of 99% of people (including teachers) only the European theater. Started reading about the Pacific Theater by chance and found this game through Google about a year and a half ago. I think it was the unique complete combination of air, land and naval warfare which got me thinking: "This should make a great game, if you get it right." After reading some AARs I got hooked. I never played any board war games or any of its predecessors, but liked complex games and (having studied math) always had a thing for logistics.

I don't have the frequent time slots for a PBEM, so I only play the AI and I hardly had the time to do that in the last 6 month. I find that I like reading AARs almost as much as playing myself. So at the moment I spend more time on the forum than in the game itself.

[pontiouspilot]

I am obviously from Canada....that is the blip to the north of USA. Specifically from northern Alberta near mile 0 of Alaska highway. I know there are 3-4 other active Canucks on here.

There are some interesting common denominators in reading this thread: early interest in history and reading (much to my mother's dismay I read rise and fall of 3rd Reich when 12), early war gaming (I started when 11), some model builders, and many ex-military...at least amongst the Yanks. It strikes me that the demographics put 80% of us in the 45-60 yr range, obviously most with post-secondary schooling (I have 2 degrees). I wonder if the generations behind us are here and I'm missing them or whether our ilk are a dying breed?

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: pontiouspilot

I am obviously from Canada....

warspite1

I'm so very sorry [:(]

[Feltan]

ORIGINAL: pontiouspilot

I am obviously from Canada....that is the blip to the north of USA. Specifically from northern Alberta near mile 0 of Alaska highway. I know there are 3-4 other active Canucks on here.

There are some interesting common denominators in reading this thread: early interest in history and reading (much to my mother's dismay I read rise and fall of 3rd Reich when 12), early war gaming (I started when 11), some model builders, and many ex-military...at least amongst the Yanks. It strikes me that the demographics put 80% of us in the 45-60 yr range, obviously most with post-secondary schooling (I have 2 degrees). I wonder if the generations behind us are here and I'm missing them or whether our ilk are a dying breed?

Interesting observations .....

...early interest in history and reading: Check
...early war gaming: Check
...model builders: Check
...many ex-military: Check
... 45-60 yr range: Check
...post-secondary schooling: Check

My God. I have never been in the demographic for anything.

Regards,
Feltan

[jamesjohns]

Same here;

Early history interest- read everybook my school had on WWII and American Revolution
Early war gaming - started in middle school with cardboard
Model Builders - Attempted[;)] (unintentionally made B-24 looked post-Ploesti, a Sherman on the wrong end of a Panther and a P-40 on Guadalcanal)
Ex-Military - Army Enlisted and Officer, Armor
45-60 - Yes, on the young end of the range
post secondary - Yes Masters in a Science field

[paradigmblue]

ORIGINAL: pontiouspilot

I am obviously from Canada....that is the blip to the north of USA. Specifically from northern Alberta near mile 0 of Alaska highway. I know there are 3-4 other active Canucks on here.

There are some interesting common denominators in reading this thread: early interest in history and reading (much to my mother's dismay I read rise and fall of 3rd Reich when 12), early war gaming (I started when 11), some model builders, and many ex-military...at least amongst the Yanks. It strikes me that the demographics put 80% of us in the 45-60 yr range, obviously most with post-secondary schooling (I have 2 degrees). I wonder if the generations behind us are here and I'm missing them or whether our ilk are a dying breed?

There are some later generations here - I was born in 1981 and I think that Alikchi is younger than I am.

[MikeS4269]

Born in upstate NY in 1978.

Lived in Japan for four years; moved to Singapore and have been living here for the past eight years.

I was in the Merchant Marines for a few years, switched over to nautical cartography, and am now in education teaching English as a Second Language.

I am in October 1943 in my first grand campaign (as the Allies) and played Uncommon Valour and WitP Scenarios for years before having the courage (and enough wine) to take the plunge.

I do board game as often as I can and read PTO history any chance I am able.

(I have been away from the forums for a while and am now returning to keep current with the latest.) [:)]

[wdolson]

ORIGINAL: pontiouspilot

I am obviously from Canada....that is the blip to the north of USA. Specifically from northern Alberta near mile 0 of Alaska highway. I know there are 3-4 other active Canucks on here.

There are some interesting common denominators in reading this thread: early interest in history and reading (much to my mother's dismay I read rise and fall of 3rd Reich when 12), early war gaming (I started when 11), some model builders, and many ex-military...at least amongst the Yanks. It strikes me that the demographics put 80% of us in the 45-60 yr range, obviously most with post-secondary schooling (I have 2 degrees). I wonder if the generations behind us are here and I'm missing them or whether our ilk are a dying breed?

The Boomers and early Gen Xers grew up with board games and some of the younger of us had something like an Atari while teens. Computers really weren't capable of doing even a reasonable job with a complex wargame until the late 80s. The early wargames were essentially translations of board games onto the screen. As computing power continued to improve, game makers added more eye candy in the way of graphics and real time features.

The Millennials mostly grew up with live action, real time games. Games that require you sit back and think about it a bit is alien. So I'm not surprised this is mostly an older person hobby.

As far as the demographics go, I'm not a perfect fit, but close:

History and reading at an early age - I was always a history geek, but a bit slow in picking up reading for entertainment. My 10 year older sister was reading voraciously by age 3, can read blindingly fast, and I just felt I couldn't "compete". I did become much more of a reader as a teen and always had a pleasure reading book in my bag during college.
Model building - Started at age 3 and have an embarrassingly large stash of unbuilt models today.
Ex-military - never went that route. I knew I would chafe at the culture and I probably would have been 4F anyway (bad knees).
45-60 - Lower end of that range, very early Gen X.
Post secondary - Only a bachelors. Got accepted to grad school but decided not to go.

Bill

[LST Express]

Some of us older types grew up around WW2 vets. Teachers, coaches, scout masters, neighbors, dads, uncles, you name it. Certainly a big influence on many people on this forum.

[Major Shane]

American.
Born in West Virginia, grew up in Virginia and Tennessee. Became an Army officer and have served at various posts in the U.S. Overseas deployments to Bosnia, Mid-East, and Afghanistan. Still serving, currently stationed in Kansas.

I enjoy the different problems set of this game and it's theaters. It forces you to have to think ahead and prioritize.

[cantona2]

Gibraltar, as in the Rock of Gibraltar

Always interested in History especially WW2. My grandfather was in the Parachute Regiment and fought at Monte Cassino, Operation Dragoon and Operation Manna in Greece. Studied History at uni, teach it for a living and currently doing an MA in Military History with the University of Birmingham

[cdnice]

Born, raised and living in Ottawa, Canada.

Grandfather, grandmother served in Army in WW2 and had aunts and uncles in Air Force and Navy (much to my grandfathers displeasure). Always been interested in history, specifically military history which I was piqued by some books my father had and cemented with the gift of a model of the U.S.S. Arizona whose history got me interested in the Pacific theatre.

Started out with the huge Avalon Hill games, one based on Europe and I also had(and still have) War in the Pacific. I used to love those little cardboard square ships......Could never really find anyone to play with although my dad gave it a few goes with me. Harpoon was my intro to computerized naval gaming and I have been hooked ever since. Played the original WITP and WITPAE now. I have always loved the naval games with editable databases so I can give Canada the Navy she usually planned for........but never got..........

[sventhebold]

Born in Crookston MN and raised mostly in that area.
I'm half Estonian half Norwegian. My Grandfather (Estonian) was a mechanic for the Estonian military. When the Russians invaded in 1939 (The war they never talk about on TV) He and all the other men of the family were inducted into the Russian military. Since he was already a mechanic he was treated well. All the other men were sent off to war and died. When the Germans invaded he was taken prisoner and was being sent back to the fatherland to work. But the train he was on was bombed(supposedly American bombers) and he was killed. Then my grandmother had no place and became a camp follower. She cooked for a work crew out on one of the islands close to Tallin. They were cutting down trees for lumber and for making roads as there were no roads to speak of on the drive to Leningrad. One day the German Major went into town to find out why the mail had not come for over a week. He came back in a rush on a motorcycle and told my grandma to get on the motorcycle NOW! He put them on a ship and she never saw him again. The refugee convoy they left on (courtesy of a German major I will never know) After they put out to sea one of the transports was torpedoed and there was a great loss of life.
They made it to Germany but like so many DP's (displaced persons) were just trying to stay alive. Grandma had a fishing and natural upbringing so she knew how to forage for wild spinach and other roots. Often selling the extra for money to get by. I know she also made dolls out of straw to sell to the children. She was often called "The doll lady" She ended up working in a factory near Frankenberg till it was bombed out of existence. They came to America in 1952? on an adoption program through Faaberg Lutheran church in Rindahl MN. The youngest son of the family that adopted the as an ID (indentured servant) became smitten with her and married her.

More to come. I have to get busy.

[Sardaukar]

I was born in Central Finland with Western Finland family. Had lifetime fascination about military history. Served as officer in Finnish Defence Forces. I have lived in Finland, Malta and Israel...never have gotten to Pacific, though I have many Australian and New Zealander friends.

[Symon]

Born in Germany from an American father. Served as an officer in the US Army, Artillery branch, and some other unusual postings. From Florida, schools in Maine and Cambridge Mass. MS Optical Physics, Physical Chemistry, Material Science. Lived pretty much everywhere, but now a days divide my time between Mobile Alabama and Puerto Varas, Patagonia, Chile. Am an instructor for the Chilean national sailboat racing team.

[nashvillen]

Started in Upstate NY (South of Rochester in the Finger Lakes Region) years 0-16, moved to Oklahoma for five years 16-21, then in Middle Tennessee (SE of Nashville) the rest of the time 21+.

Retired Fire Chief. The US army wouldn't take me, bum knee, so I ruined it firefighting. Now work as a public safety data analyst with Geographic Information Systems supporting all emergency services in our county.

Married to a wife that doesn't understand my need to play WWII in the pacific day by day, but sees that it makes me happy and is OK with that. Two kids, one a rising Senior in high school and a rising sophomore in high school.

Other interests include model building and war gaming (the old cardboard and paper map kind), although Vassal works well when room is not available. Started in Military History in 6th grade with "A Two Ocean War" and AH's War at Sea, quickly followed by Victory in the Pacific. It was all downhill from there...

[sanch]

Early interest in history - check. I still have paperback of 'Hitler Moves East' I read in 10th grade.

Early gaming - check. First was something from Avalon Hill called 'Tactics II', and squares, not even hexes.

Model building - some. built a wooden Viking long boat from scratch for high school project. Sent it out across the lake with a lit cherry bomb in the hold at the end of the school year. Labored long and hard over a balsa flyable plane. When finished, sent it out on first flight. Nose dived and splintered. Last of flying machines for me.

Ex-military - nope. I truthfully had no desire to stomp the jungles of SE Asia. If I was one month older, would have been drafted, tho.

45-60 - nope. Too old.

Post-secondary - check. BA, MS

Lived early years upstate NY (Gilbertsville, a truly massive metropolis); grade school in northeast PA; high school years in coastal NH. Then back to NY for several years, then to CT for 1st job out of school, and in CT ever since.

[pws1225]

From a nice little swamp in north Florida. Grew up in another bigger swamp in north Florida.

Early gaming - yep Tactics II like sanch

Model building - only the plastic cheapies.

Early interest in history - oh yea, and still learning.

Ex-military - yep, US Navy '69-'73 NAS Jax VW-4 (and good times in Barbados!)

45-60 - I wish, passed that a while ago.

Post-secondary - yep, BS, MS.

[TOMLABEL]

Born in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
Spent some early years in Tennessee/Kentucky, but was raised in Mobile, Alabama and Ft. Walton Beach, Florida. After school spent several years working for DOD at WPAFB, Ohio and now reside in Birmingham, Alabama.

ROLL TIDE!!!!

TOMLABEL

[John 3rd]

Born in Carrollton, MO to a Father and Mother who were movie theatre managers.

Grew up on John Wayne and History.

LOVED Flattop, GEV/OGRE, and AD&D.

Graduated University of Northern Colorado: BAs History and Political Science, Minor in Theatre--MA History. Taught High School 9 years and College/University 15+.

Due to a serious life disruption, I left education and now manage a Subway with plans to buy two Franchises within 12-18 months. Just turned 49 a couple of weeks ago.

Married for 13 Years to the lovely Miss Paula and have two sons--John (11) and Christopher (8). Have to admit my eldest is learning to play Uncommon Valor and will play me within a few months.

Does that qualify as a GEEK raising a GEEK??!!