Weird Question with a Purpose

[Solomoriah]

I've got a question for you all. Assume for the moment that you are going to the home of an old friend to play a wargame; your friend has all the regular game materials there (miniatures, dice, board, rules). What do you take with you?

And I mean everything. What's in your pockets, not just what's in your hands? If you were surprised at the game by, say, a supervillain, or an intergalactic emergency, what would you have brought to the party? Anything might be useful, after all.

[GM Parseth]

Me personally?

My backpack with my laptop and charger, cell phone and charger, clothes (duh) and wallet with my ID and cards, probably my hoodie and possibly my own dice. Might also have some books or notes on me because I usually have them with me where I go.

[Metroknight]

Probably cellphone, spare battery pack for it, wallet with various cards (licence, credit cards, insurance card, etc..), gaming material (books, paper, pen or pencil, along with dice, etc..) in a backpack or box, and usually on me at most times is a multitool, or a knife, or both. Many people down in the Alabama also carry a handgun since it is an open carry state but I don't (personal preferences).

[AlMan]

Car and house keys
Billfold with CC, and insurance info
Pocket knife
Cell phone
Cash

Bring along Players Manual for game being played, mechanical pencils, eraser, notebook, personal character minis (not my creature minis), dice chest, book I'm currently reading, my "Magic Elvin Box" (other people call it a calculator), cell phone charger. Put all this in a reusable "cloth" grocery bag.

Before I go I would call the host to see if we are going to order food out or if we are going to have a potluck, if its potluck, ask what the host wants me to bring for food. If we order out bring extra cash. Also ask if there are any movies that I might have that they don't and that we all want to watch after the game session to wind down.

Also bring along a couple of soft drinks in bottles (2 liter to share at potluck and a couple of personal sodas for the table.)

[Longman]

You've said a war-game. But are you planning to run a "you are role-playing yourselves at the table right now when something weird happens" RPG set-up?

I have longed to run one of those, but I always get the response that people don't want to play themselves as that's too wacky and hasn't worked before. (Both my groups have a rule that the GM for any game has to run the idea by the group, so people can indicate whether they want play that style or not.)

My answer: a set of RPG dice in a cigar case. My phone. My diary and notebook and pencil-case in my bag. Beer. Car keys.

[Solomoriah]

Not exactly "yourselves" in play, but rather representative "modern" wargame or boardgame players.

I'm putting together pregens for a game like this, for play at a convention.

[Metroknight]

You could always have your players empty their pockets on the table the next time you run or play a game so that you can get a general representation of what is carried on a typical game night.

[Solomoriah]

... and I thought THIS THREAD was weird ...