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 Evolution of the Widgey-Widgey?
Way back in 1985, Jer and I started playing Car Wars together. Once school was out for the summer, we pretty much played all the time. Ah, to be too young to work and still able to find a little disposable income again. That year began a tradition of playing games - board/tabletop games, role-playing, the occasional video game - every summer.

I managed to log a little something about each summer and the games therein, and for some reason have hung on to a lot of those insights into our gaming lives for the past 20 years. Various incarnations of Russellmania have held this archive, and although it really does seem dated now, it's still nice to look back on and get a chuckle out of every once in a while.

To most who wander upon this section, none of this will make any sense, it's the ramblings of a 15 year-old. For me and Jer, it's a way to wonder how "flechettes to the tire" can still make me grimace after all these years.

In the summer of 2005, we jump started the Summer of the Game with a venture into Star Wars Miniatures. For a couple of years we tried to get back to our old ways of game playing, but a combination of free time (or the lack) and the needless complication of most of the games we played limited that involvement. It looked like the Summer of the Game would once again fall to the wayside.

The winter of 2007 gave us new hope. During a night with the guys from work - although only 2 were working, let alone working together at the time - we used a game of Robo-Rally as an excuse for everybody to get away from wives and kids for a night. Food, gaming, the ribald fellowship that only I can provide. It was a blast. While playing Robo-Rally, there's a part of the turn where the board moves - gears, conveyor belts, etc. I began to call that phase of the turn "widgey widgey", since that's the sound of gears turning. Everybody knows that. Before long we would all announce the widgey widgey phase of the turn. For days, nights, and weeks afterward that night of gaming came to be known as Widgey Widgey Night.
 Rules of the Widgey-Widgey
There are a couple of important points to make about a Widgey Widgey Night. Most importantly, games aren't limited to only being played by me and Jerry like the Summers of the Game turned out to be. Luckily there's more people than him to whoop up on!

The Mission Statement of Widgey Widgey Night
It's not about winning the game, or even about competition. It's about hanging out and just having some fun!

Yeah, that sounds simplistic, but most of the old games have been ruined by over analyzing strategy and dragging things out in an attempt to come out victorious. Every game has to have a loser. If you've lost but had fun on the way, it's a good game.

The Rules of Widgey Widgey Night

  • Have fun, you heartless bastards!
  • No phallically challenged - this is also an excuse to get away from wives. And girlfriend. I still love you Gina!
  • No young'uns - this is also an excuse to get away from the little darlings. I have lots of sharp objects near electical outlets to help facilitate this.
  • Games must have turns <= 1 hour. That's 1 hour before you get to do anything again, and that's pushing it. 10 minutes are better. This rules out games like Star Fleet Battles. And probably Car Wars.
  • There better be some food. Pizza. Summer sausage. Something!
  • Computer/Console Games don't count. I spend enough of the day in front of a computer. Part of Widgey'ing is the human interaction of talking the smack while moving pieces about a board.
I bet the guys that have been playing didn't even know we had these rules!
 Summer of the Game
The Early Years
 Summer of the Game
The Rebirth
 Widgey-Widgey Nite
 Gaming Collection/Rules