Cultural Insensitivity and Wargaming
Its a tough world we live in, but all societies have rules… Even wargames need to proceed with care.
This is a short one folks, but it needs to be said.
Yes we know that many of our favorite wargaming factions are built on racial or ethnic steroetypes.
Games Workshop Ork/Orcs are a two fisted jab as English sporting hooligans and the aristocracy.
Warmachine’s Khador are build upon Russian/Soviet stereotypes.
We see things like this all the time yet they are either veiled attempts to point out the positive aspects of a culture, or poke fun at societal wrongs and injustices.
Umm, Houston, we have a problem…
Accidentally culturally insensitive, tone-deaf, or just cruel? Its hard to tell the intent, and even harder to find the right words to describe this and its place in tabletop wargaming. What’s your call?