Remembering them

It may be odd for a teacher obsessed with a war game to be mentioning this on a blog about how to push to soldiers around more efficiently. But as a teacher it's important to mention the solemn days alongside the big flashy holiday ones.


Today our students stood outside in the cold to sing hymns at a remembrance cross. Poppies were laid it to foot of the cross, alongside the names of former students who had lost their lives during the First World War.


A pair of students played the Last Post, and we all shuffled off back to lessons.


Today is Remembrance Day. And it's important.


Whilst we sometimes glorify the violence in 40K, and have a lot of fun describing the graphic detail in which an ork will chop up a guardsman, we must remember that it is only a game. We are not generals of an army, merely hobby enthusiasts with some plastic tanks. When a unit dies for us, it pops up in the next battle like nothing happened.


This is not reality.


It's important for students, particularly war gamers, to realise the finality of battles. Days like this are the balance point, the reminder that loss in a true war is permanent. We don't get a second chance, and there is no 2 out of 3 wins.


Sometimes soldiers roll 1s on their saving throws, and that would be a family without a father.


The thing I try to instil the most in students is balance of opinion, and a moderate approach to issues. With 40K with do run the risk of insensitivity when dealing with military matters. What Remembrance Day teaches them is that they are not experts on war, and what we do really is just a game. Seeing the costs of actual combat like this is important in maintain the balance.


We must remember those that really did run out of cover to grab that objective. The ones who really did make the ultimate sacrifice. The ones who did not come home.


And we will remember them.


Until next time.

Thanks for reading.

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