The League of Extraordinary Wargamers

Last month I introduced The League of Extraordinary Wargamers in a sneak peek preview.  A lot of work has been done in the interim and The League has officially launched!  The League currently supports the Warhammer 40k and Fantasy game systems, with plans to expand to others in the future.  Currently Fantasy league night is Thursdays at 6pm at 31st Century Games & Hobbies and 40k's is still to be determined.

The League's front page is a news blog that keeps members updated with current events.

The mission of The League is to promote a great gaming environment, provide hobby support, and give hobby gamers an outlet to gather without the pressure of painting requirements or expectations to play.  In short, members are free to come and go as they please, and wargame on the terms that suit them.

New and prospective members can take a narrative tour guided by The League's very own butler, Ferderick.  On the tour Frederick explains the rewards of membership, how to navigate the site, and how to join.

Member's profiles are displayed in the Hall of Accolades.  The gallery includes a picture of each member and a plaque for their achievements and medals.

There are two types of medals to be earned in The League, Commander medals awarded for hobbying and Strategist medals awarded for playing.  Commander medals are granted to a hobbyist for completely modeling and painting armies of certain points value.  From the lowest Commander rank, Scout Commander, fielding a minimum playable army (one HQ and two troops, or one general and three regiments) to the mightiest rank of Legion Commander who fields a 3,000pt army there are levels of command to represent any general.

Strategist medals are awarded for accumulating one, ten, twenty, and fifty wins, bestowing the respective ranks of: novice, adept, consummate, and master strategist.  Special achievements are also awarded to those who: table their opponent, win seven team games, and win a League of Extraordinary Wargamers tournament.  These special honors are called the Jolly Roger, Diplomat's Star, and Iron Cross.

Another feature of the Hall of Accolades is each member's option to have a personal gallery.  Here is an example of Tyler Paschall's gallery, where his ranks are displayed as well as pictures of his Dark Eldar and Blood Angel space marines.  Members may also include a gamer/hobbyist biography and any information they'd like to share about their armies (war stories, how they work on the table top, experiences painting them, etc.).

The League also has its own forum called the War Room.  This is the communication center for members and the heart of goings on in The League.

Member's can find games, report results, ask rules questions, get hobby tips, and show off their latest creations.

Stop by The League's homepage, visit the forums, and become a member today!  To become a member, email leagueofextraordinarywargamers@gmail.com with your name and a request to join.

In addition to hobby and gaming support, The League is also the official host to all 40k tournaments at 31st Century.  Here are last month's winners, Brandon Sherley 1st, Brad (BMS) 2nd, and Korbin best young player. 

Next month's tournament will be held on May 5th at noon.  If you're in the area, come by and throw down in a three round brawl for a purse of store credit and the coveted winner's trophy!

Presenting March's Mad Hobbyist & Something To Hang Your Hat On

I'm proud to announce Cameron, the proprietor of Rust and the City, as this month's Mad Hobbyist!  Since he created his blog last year, I have looked forward each week to stopping over and seeing all of the great projects he's working on.  There has been a progression to what Cameron has been putting together and it's been a true pleasure to follow along and see his skills as a hobbyist grow.

He hasn't been keeping hush about his methods either, among the great WIP's and galleries he's posted, Cameron has also produced a collection of excellent full-picture tutorials.  One of my favorites is his tutorial on adding rust and weathering to terrain pieces.  More often than not, terrain gets overlooked, not to mention given the care it deserves, so it is even more exciting to see a hobbyist taking the time to do it right.

Cameron's chaos renegades and Plague Marines are projects he's worked on since he first started showing off his creations on his blog.  In the beginning his conversions were relatively simple, the mixing of chaos bitz and Guardsmen.  But as time has gone on his models have become increasingly complex, first with the additions of wire, and then even creating his own sculpts from green stuff.

It is Cameron's green stuff modeling that I really take my hat off to.  When done right, Nurgle sculpts look amazing, and his offerings definitely hit the mark.  Green stuff modeling opens up a whole other world of possibilities when it comes to creating a great conversion and it shows with his Nurgle Marines.

Once again, congratulations to Cameron and the great work he does at Rust and the City!  Keep up the great hobby!

As for me, my hobby has slowed a bit as of late.  Getting a 40k league up and running and taking over the local 40k tournaments at my hobby store 31st Century Games & Hobbies have taken up a majority of my time.

Still these projects are extremely rewarding and I'm glad I have the opportunity to support hobby gaming at my local store.  Here's a sneak peek at some of the promotional materials that will be available after the tournament next month on April 7th.

More information will be forthcoming in the days ahead and I'll be sure to share it as it becomes available!

As for the work that I've been putting in for the upcoming 40k tournaments, here's a look at a couple of trophies that first and second place will receive.

In addition to taking home a trophy, winners will be awarded a nice little windfall of store credit for use at 31st Century.  If you'll be in the KC Metro area on the weekend of the 7th, drop by with a 1,500 point force and take a shot at first place or just come and hang out!