Why it's good to be involved in a hobby bromance

Greetings again all!

I'd like to bring up a topic that is rather dear to my heart. A topic that is somewhat controversial and will possibly raise a few eyebrows - yes, I'm talking about Bromance, and more importantly, Hobby Bromance. I am making the assumption that most of you that read my blog are Freebootaz, however if you're not, go to www.thefreebootaz.com and sign your ass up. It's possibly the best 40K community forum out. All the members are really passionate about 40K and are also a  really encouraging bunch who will always push you further and assist you in progressing in your hobby. 

Soldiers. The Manliest of all Manly Men. If they can hug a brother - so can you.

According to www.bromances.info, the definition of Bromance is:

A bromance is a term used to define a close friendship between two men that is not sexual. There is genuine love between men which is mutual and reciprocated that matures over time. A bromance is a passionate friendship between two men that has all the earmarks of a marriage without the sexual component.

Most of you will know of the Bromance that CiaphasCain and I share on the Freebootaz chat. It is infamous and also several kinds of awesome, and if you haven't embraced the power of Bromance, let me know. I will ensure that we make our presence known at a time that suits you.

Now that's done, let me get back on track. I know that for some of you, the idea of mixing bromance and a 'manly' activity of Warhammer / 40K seems all a bit gay. Let me point out to you though that you are part of a hobby that is an advanced version of toy soldiers. You're not in a position to give anyone crap. Depending upon youre interpretation of Bromance, and what specifically 'guy love' means, you may be a little scared by what I am suggesting. To put in Family Guy terminology, you're probably a 'Queer Chaser and Beater.' To this, I am not saying that you should all be as close with your best mate as Cain and I are, nor do you need to go around hugging all of your guy mates but there are several good reasons why you should embrace the bromance. I'm going to give you just three,because otherwise I would be typing all night.

1) Tournaments.

If you're any sort of hobbyist, you will have been to at least one tournament in your life. If you have not been to a tournament yet, you must. They are a great way to learn heaps about your army, meet some new people and get a heap of games in. One of the best parts about a tournament for me is those times when you experience moments of awesome. The time you table someone with a cheesy list, the time you pull of a Turn 5  victory, or should you be good enough, when you win an award. And let me tell you right now there's nothing better than having a mate to turn to to shout "OMFG DUDE, I WAS AWESOME. YOU SHOULD'VE SEEN IT!!!" Not only that, but having a good mate at a tournament can also allow you to talk through errors you've made, and perhaps how you can fix them going forward.

2) Hobby time

Now for me 'hobby time' means several things, but to narrow it down it all really comes down to one thing - the amount of time you spend on your hobby. Regardless of whether it's painting, playing a casual game on a Sunday, going to your FLGS or GW store, whatever it may be - having someone to do your hobby with can make it much more enjoyable. Not everyone likes to work in groups, and for some bootaz I know painting is a solitary task, however the average hobbyist, be honest - there are times when you will struggle with your hobby. That thing called life can really throw you off your hobby path, and having a mate to encourage you to finish that unit or get a game in can be really helpful. I myself benefit immensely from having a few mates that like to do painting nights. Not only can I catch up with my mates and have a few beers, but I will also get a heap more work done than if I were sitting by myself.

3) Hobby discussion

I realise that not everyone lives and breathes the GW hobbies - for some of you, it may be a 'when you can' type situation. Which is fine with me. I'm well and truly of the belief that the more people that are involved in our hobby, the better. Regardless of how well entrenched in the hobby you are, there will be those times when you need someone to talk to regarding your hobby. With 8th Edition Fantasy nearly here, a large portion of the hobby community are going to be doing a heap of talking. Getting your head around a new ruleset can sometimes be daunting, but having someone there to talk it through with can give you a different perspective and perhaps obtain a greater knowledge of what you're up against. However the talk will not stop here. Want to start a new army? Talk it out with your mate. Need a few painting tips? Talk it out with your mate. Want to design some fluff for your army? Talk it out with your mate. Discussion is essential to growing as a hobbyist, and for better or worse, having another opinion will quite often open your eyes to something you are blind to.

I think I've done enough talking now, but you should by now have seen my point. Having your best mate in the hobby is a wonderful thing, and will provide the both of you with many benefits. So if your best mate isn't already in the hobby, go buy them an AOBR box set. If they are, have a painting session together. Or, if they're your e-buddy, talk the shit out of the Freebootaz chat.

Until next time!

Sladie

Choose your own adventure..

One of the most fascinating aspects of the Warhammer hobby for myself is army selection, namely how people select their army and secondly how people create lists to for said army. Regardless of whether you play Fantasy or 40k, there are a huge range of factors that people take into consideration before choosing their army. Whether it be the hobby aspect (painting and converting), the sheer 'awesome' factor, narrative (fluff),  play style, whatever it may be - everyone will have their own reasons for selecting their first army.

Something that I have come to realise is that the first army you collect will often be the one most dear to your heart. If you are wealthy enough or have been a hobbyist for long enough,you may have multiple armies, but I can guarantee that you still remember the first time you picked up a Space Marine, a Crisis Suit or High Elf Dragon.

I first got into the hobby when I was around 12 or 13 through my best mate Julian. He had bought some Wood Elves and the minute I saw the miniatures I was intrigued. I somewhat half heartedly collected Space Marines for about two or three years, before falling out of the hobby largely due to teenage peer pressure. I would still buy White Dwarf on occasion, and never really lost touch with the hobby, but it was in this 'floating' period that I fell in love with a new race that were released, being the Tau. A new Games Workshop had opened up closer to my house and had some Crisis Suits, Fire Warriors and a Devilfish in the window. They were simply beautiful. The suits looked imposing, the weapons looked awesome and I knew that if I returned the hobby, I would have to get my hands on a few of these models.

I ended up re-immersing myself in the hobby just after I turned 19. I went to my local GW and bought my first Crisis Suit commander box and Codex and got cracking. At this stage I didn't even have the fourth edition rulebook, but it didn't matter. I had my Crisis Suit and that was all I needed. 

What followed was an interesting three or so years of learning, adapting and growing in the hobby as I learnt how to play, and win with an army that has very quickly become somewhat weak as more and more fifth edition codicies were released. Having said that I still love my Tau, and do not for a single moment regret starting them as my main army.

Too often I play against people that are on the fringe of giving up with their army - whether it be from a host of successive losses, bad luck, tough opponents, or the lure of a new codex/army book. The most recent example was a player I met at a tournament who had a beautiful looking Dark Angels army that utilised black as the main colour. He was on the verge of giving up after his very first game, simply because he got an unlucky draw against a somewhat cheesy 'new' blood angels list and couldn't handle how much better the Blood Angels codex was in comparison to the Dark Angels book.

If you are one of these players, have a good hard think about what it was that first drew you to your army. Find the reason you were once passionate about your army. If it was the hobby aspect - go and convert some new units and spend twice as long as normal painting them, make them a centerpiece, even if it's a unit that looks awesome but isn't that great in game. If it's the fluff, go and read your old codicies or Black Library books. If all else fails, rest assured that soon enough it will be your turn. If you're disheartened that the Blood Angels might have the floor at the moment, remember that those guys have had to wait the better part of ten years for their new codex!

Given that this is my first post on my new blog - for all of those that do take the time to visit, please forgive any initial teething problems that I may experience. Thanks for taking the time to stop by!

Sladie