MUSING & MACHINATING
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SPALDING WARGAMING CLUB
Once upon a time we were all noobs. Some of us lucky enough to have a mentor where others made do with the fumblings of youth, but the fact remains that all of us were hapless noobs. There is a certain cliché that newcomers to any hobby are to be viewed at distance and with disdain, especially within wargaming. I know this for a fact, because I was a vile elitist. All these bright eyed kids who got their first box of miniatures and couldn't grasp they needed more than 10 scrubs to wage war upon the glorious field of battle? I had no time for their breed. I was 18 and had a pretty toxic attitude. I hadn't been part of any gaming groups and pretty much just played minor fixtures and between people I knew. So noobs weren't part of my world, until I met George. I moved to a new town and got involved with the local Games Workshop. I spent way more time than I should have done in there, for I was avoiding my girlfriend at the time and the store proved to be an exceptional repellent! I played games, got involved in store events, did the painting competitions, debated tactics and army lists. Now and again there would be a noob, with their dull grey plastic army, who had graduated from boot camp and was looking for a game. A veteran would be roused from their torpid painting session and eradicate them: this was colloquially known as ‘destroying hobbies’. To us it was a rite of passage, a gauntlet to be endured until they got better or quit. Eventually, one day, I was playing Warhammer Fantasy miniatures and a rather serious looking young lad came in with his parents and started browsing. One thing led to another and he ended up watching me play the game, as I was retooling a list for an Invasion tournament. He watched the whole thing, beginning to end, and left with a Fantasy starter set under his arm. Fast forward a few weeks and he'd graduated ‘Scrub Sunday' and ended up on a painting spot next to me one Friday evening. The store manager got him cracking with the a handy step-by-step process. I paid him no mind until I saw he hadn't brought the brush to a point and was having difficulty daubing on the paint. The manager was busy so I stopped him and, in a surly fashion, told him that he should clean the brush properly, use less paint and point the brush. He asked me to show him, so I did and got him to repeat after me. He thanked me and diligently went about painting, stopping now and again to ask how it looked. A few weeks later and I saw him playing a game, with all his models painted up. I was actually impressed that somebody took my advice and applied it ... It actually felt good. I took a shine to the serious, quiet boy. I watched a few of his games, asking how he thought it went afterwards, giving him tips and advice on building his army up. Eventually we started to play, with me stopping at every phase and telling him what I was doing and why I was doing it. He learned the intricacies of the game and got into the other systems and started new armies and we built up a good relationship. I actively helped him with his hobby, and I enjoyed it. I still struggled with a lot of new players, not because they were new, but because excited 11 year-olds tend to screech ... A lot. I had been an extreme (although not uncommon) example of the toxicity that exists within gaming circles. It is an unnecessary attitude to adopt and does little else but hurt the community at large. We all need to be generous with our patience, support and encouragement to those who are newcomers to our collective. The reason that I’ve been considering this is that Spalding Wargames Club (SWC) is currently merging with Spalding Youth Games Club. This has come about as the indefatigable Tom Hopkins will be venturing on distant shores soon and will be leaving a vast gap in his wake. He’s been a core member of SWC from the beginning and half of the duo that has kept Spalding's youth group going for many years. His energy, passion and enthusiasm are hard for any individual to match, which is why many members of SWC will be mucking in to fill the void left behind. In summation, noobs are just that; new. The need care and attention so they become good functional hobbyists. If you ever get the opportunity, I heavily recommend taking a protégé under your wing. There's not a lot more gratifying in the hobby than helping shape somebody into a player that you love to play against and will give you a thorough stomping.
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