I Lurv Hobby Nite!!!

Last night was just brilliant! I had intended to paint up the bastion and a couple of other concrete-looking bunkers in the terrain box, but got enticed into an excellent Planetstrike game with Doc before I could even finish unpacking my paints (Doc didn't really have to try too hard in his 'enticement' - I'm easy). And he revealed his brand-new Ork army, with lots of Orky konvershens - including an Ork fortress and bastion.

On the other gaming tables, it was interesting to see Arzmi's new-config Inquisitorial army - much more flexible than the old one, IMHO. Joe's daemons were on the rampage, ploughing through Eldar and mon-keigh alike. Iqbal took on the Inquisition with his Raven Guard - it's always good to see his marines. Faizal's new IG army is progressing along nicely - the brand-new Leman Russ Executioner model he brought is niiice. Khairul's second game was his baptism of fire in Planetstrike - and his defence held my Alaitoc to a standstill.

Jeff brought his Unclean terminators and daemons, all primed in white. I believe the intent was to paint up the Lord in termie armor with base colors, and then give him the dip. But what happened was truly amazing - the termie Lord was painted and dipped, and so was another termie, and a few daemons to boot. On top of that, he also finished basing some of the Catachans from last week. Talk about productive!

I don't know about you, but this dip thing is a true revelation for me. Previously I've only read about it. But now having seen real-life examples - I'm sold. The termie Lord is particularly impressive. Jeff just block-painted base colors over the white undercoat, picking out metal details and cloak, etc. No highlighting, no shading,just flat colors. Then the dip brush came out. And a couple of seconds later - it's completely shaded, and actually gave the effect of highlights too! He's going to actually paint up the highlights for the Lord after the dip is dry, but he'd save a lot of time already. I won't get further into this, go check out his blog - I fully expect him to post pics there.

And Jeff was doing most of this while chatting with Saleem, who also brought some food. In fact, Saleem and I broke fast at the Legio. Redeye was there as well, assembling his brand-new Predator, no doubt from his newly-acquired Astartes armored column. Looking forward to seeing that painted in his chapter's white livery.

Anyways, I ramble. Looking forward to next hobby nite - and actually getting to my bastions :)

The New Legio - a Perspective

My guess is most people are aware that we are changing how we're doing things at Legio. And I really appreciate the positive response that we've been getting from the initial announcement. So let me share my view of why we're doing what we're doing.

Legio Malaysia was created to facilitate a wargames community that will take the hobby to new heights - in Malaysia, and then maybe globally. To my mind, that means bringing together a few people who are absolutely rabid about the wargames hobby, and just want the hobby to grow in terms of quality (modeling, painting, gaming, event standards, etc) and quantity (the easier part - number of people actively engaged in the hobby, number of game systems played, number of events, etc).

So we went ahead and did it. Comfortable and clean wargames venue with lots of tables and space, lots of events (4 tournaments, 3 leagues, 1 painting competition to date, with another tournament and league coming around the corner), t-shirts, dice. When we started Legio, we truly expected a maximum of 8 members or so. At one point, we had 33! Which is fantastic.

However, after more than a year, we were actually not much closer to our goals compared to when we started. While some people did sincerely help, almost everything else was actually done by Jeff and myself. I truly understand that people are busy and have commitments - I have 4 children, a wife, parents, mortgages, loans and stuff, and a corporate sales job with a multinational - so I know what that's like. I also know that for some people, the intent to help was there, but they did not how to engage and deliver the help. I'm not blaming anyone for anything here.

But the fact remains that it got to the point that Jeff and I felt like we were running a cinema - people come, pay their fees, roll some dice, go home. Nothing wrong with just turning up and playing a few games - in fact, that's what should happen most of the time. The more games the better! Roll dice! If you know me, you know I simply love to roll dice. The problem is, there was almost nothing else. Legio was being treated almost like a store, albeit without products. Which is not the way it was ever intended.

The primary reason the old Legio had fees was to gain 'a pound of flesh' - a token of commitment. Trust me, while we do appreciate that the money collected was put to good use to help organize some of the events, it was much less than what the cost of the events actually were. Jeff and I forked out lots of cash for the events, t-shirts, tables, materials, etc - enough to build several (many many) new armies. But here's where we made the biggest mistake. The 'pound of flesh' did not translate into much commitment at all. Instead, it became just a ticket to go play.

The truth is, successful wargames communities always have a core group of people who drive things. I think the old structure of Legio somehow impeded that from happening. Perhaps there was too much formal stratification between the different levels of Legio members. Maybe the wargames club model that works in the UK and the US doesn't work in KL. Whatever the reason, it all feeds into the new way we run Legio.

The goal remains the same. And the strategic requirements are the same - a core group of hobbyists. Only the approach is different. Think of Legio as a private home with an excellent hobby room. Everyone is welcome to bring their armies and models and roll dice, paint, chat or whatever fuels your wargames juices. Being a private home, there's no door charge. But being a private home, you do need to RSVP that you're coming for hobby night. Of course, if you're a member of the family, no RSVP is required. And family members are people who are committed to one another.

Anyways, enough pseudo-philosophizing. See you at Hobby Nite!

Flames of War 1750 Mid War Tournament

The good folks at Imagine Games are running this tournament on Sunday, September 27th at 10:30 AM, with Round 1 starting at 11:00 AM sharp. This tournament allows the new "Mid War Monsters" to be used, so crack out the big guns!

There's a small entry fee of RM10 for this tournament.

This is being held at Toybox, the local retailer for all things Flames of War. For more information about this tournament, or to sign up, please contact Edwin at Imagine Games for the info.

Cheers

Nov 40K Tournament Good to Go Folks...

Hola hobby amigos!

Just a quick post here to clarify a couple of things that you might be concerned about, considering the changes that have been announced.

First off, everything is a GO for the Inquisition Wars 40K Tournament we're holding in November. No changes have been made to the tournament with the exception of capacity. We will have 24 slots available, unless another club member builds additional tables. In all other respects it's business as usual. Feel free to make travel plans and commit your calendar to this event- it is absolutely happening with no rescheduling, cancellation or anything like that. No worries!

Second, please note that if you wish to attend Hobby Night and are not a member, you MUST RSVP your attendance. Simply email us through the Legio Malaysia contact email, or you can email me directly for those that have my address. SMS to me is also fine. At 5:00 PM, we will not take any more RSVPs. I'll turn the list in to my guard house, and only those people on the list will be allowed in. NO EXCEPTIONS. It doesn't cost any money, and all you have to do is to let us know you're coming. Also, for active Legio Malaysia members, RSVP is not needed. You have an open invitation every night to come as you wish. Legio Malaysia members may also reserve tables if they wish- simply email us and we'll set that table aside for you.

As always, if anyone has any questions or doesn't understand something, please drop us a line and let us know. We'll get ya sorted...

Cheers

The End of the Beginning: The New Legio Malaysia

Like many of you, I’ve been a hobby guy for a very long time. I was living in Kentucky when I purchased my first lead miniatures- some “Terror Bears” made by Ral Partha as I recall. I painted them with a plastic bristle brush that came with a Testors enamel model painting set. I absolutely loved it, and that experience was a turning point in my life that has led to where I am now. I’ve got 25 years of hobby experience under my belt, and I’m fortunate enough to have made a career in the toy soldier industry. It means a great deal to me, and it was my passion for the hobby that motivated me to start Legio Malaysia last year.

I’ve been lucky enough to fall in with some fantastic gaming communities over the years. As I moved around the pattern was generally the same- I’d find a local group of gamers, and chip in as I was able to make tables, organize, or do whatever was needed to make things fun and exciting. Others who did the same thing in these groups taught me a great deal about painting, terrain building, tournaments, and other hobby skills that have stayed with me to this day. When Azlan and I started Legio Malaysia, we had this sort of model in mind- turn a group of gamers into a club of gamers. It’s been over a year since we began, and our initial vision for Legio Malaysia has not come to pass.

For me, it’s a shame. I had really high hopes that yes, may have been unrealistic. I had hoped by now that we’d have a core of people that were going to step up and help us with the administration, growth, and promotion of Legio Malaysia. People have been more than happy to come and play, but very few have volunteered to become a larger part of the club. In the absence of volunteers, planning and execution of Legio events has fallen to me and Azlan almost entirely. While doing this has actually been quite fun, it’s also been too much for us. We’ve scheduled too much, taken on too much, and have been too ambitious in our plans for hobby growth. We waited a year to see if things would change, but they haven’t. So, where do we go from here?

Ending Legio Malaysia is not an option either of us wish to entertain. We want a place to play, and we certainly enjoy the company and hobby of many of the people who have become members. So, this isn’t the end of Legio Malaysia. However, this is a turning point for the club, and we’re making significant changes. We’re going to narrow our focus, trim back on events, and keep things simple. What does all that mean? Here’s what we’re doing:

* We are no longer accepting any more membership applications. We are not accepting any membership renewals. Once current memberships expire, that’s it for your membership. From this point forward membership will be by invitation only. No dues will be taken, and Legio Malaysia will no longer collect money from members in any capacity.

* Azlan and myself will be the initial/founding members of the “new” Legio Malaysia. All terrain, tables, and other materials will remain with Legio Malaysia and be disposed of as the club leadership (us for the time being) sees fit.

* From this point forward anyone is welcome to attend hobby night unless they’ve been banned by the club. All that we require is that you RSVP your attendance by 5 PM Hobby Night to either myself, Azlan, or the Legio Malaysia contact email. The list of people who RSVP will be given to the gate guard, and ONLY those people will be allowed to enter. You don’t need to pay to attend. Great news!

* All future activities and events will be done by membership consensus. If the club membership is not willing to chip in the time, work, and money, the event doesn’t happen. Simple!

* For the upcoming November 40K tournament, I volunteer to build TWO tables, which will give our tournament a capacity of 24 players. If no one else builds a table(s), 24 will be the limit for the tournament. I also volunteer to administrate Season 3 of the 40K League, build trophies, and run the Wild Card and League Championships. No other events or activities are currently scheduled for Legio Malaysia.

So, there you have it folks. I imagine this announcement is largely a happy one for everyone. You get to keep coming and playing games, and you don’t have to pay for it. I’m not going to keep scheduling events and trying to get people to come to things- you’ll be left alone to your own devices to play the games you wish (as long as it’s miniatures. Just like before, no card or video games, or prepainted games like Monsterpocalypse ) I’m going to start doing my own thing just like everyone else, and chip in for the occasional campaign or tournament.

So, I look forward to seeing the same faces having the same fun every Hobby Night. The blog will continue to keep folks informed as to the latest Legio news. Welcome to the new Legio Malaysia…

Quiet Night...?

Well, from what I've heard several Legio regulars won't be making it tonight. It's a shame, but that's definitely not stopping us from opening up tonight. I will be here painting away on some Catachans, and Azlan will also be present to stir up his usual brand of hobby trouble.

For those who can make it tonight, I look forward to seeing you...

On another note, I forgot to mention that the rules pack for Season 3 of the 40K League got posted earlier this week. Many thanks to those who bothered to vote- it was a close one, and we hope that the date we ended up choosing doesn't vex too many people. Check out the Legio Downloads section on the right and grab your copy today.

The Rumors Were True

Space Hulk has just gone up on the GW site, available for pre-order and shipping September 5th. This is awesome, and those are the coolest Blood Angel models I have ever seen! Awesome!

I have a feeling we're going to see this getting played at Legio Hobby Nights in the very near future...

Check out the GW site for a cool pop-up ad as well.

Now That Was Some Hobby Nite!

Last nite was simply amazing. Started off quietly enough, with me doing a bit more stuff on terrain and assembling Space Hulk minis. But it quickly escalated. Before you knew it, battles were raging on the war-torn battlescapes of forlorn planets in the 41st millennium, just as regiments of the Empire faced the reeking mass of Ogres, and meks faced each other on blasted wastelands.

What was really cool about last Hobby Nite was that we had a few 40k, Fantasy and Heavy Gear games going all at once (hmmm, where were the FoW guys?). Last Hobby Nite also saw the return of some long-lost souls - Saleem's back from the deserts of Tallarn, Doc's ship came in after countless months in the Warp, and Faizal the paxter rode in at the head of his Vampire Counts army (claiming to be a nube and thrashing a certain Dark Elf army all in one undead breathe).

Love it! Looking forward to next Friday!

The Other Bald Dude ...

That's right. This Friday 14th August, I'm your guest-host at the Legio. So if you think the bald dude hosting Hobby Nite doesn't quite look mat salleh, that's because the mat salleh won't be around. And you guys will have to deal with the malay bald dude instead ...

So I'll see you guys. I heard there will be some WFB action. I'm bringing either my IG, Eldar or Thousand Sons. And Space Hulk. I also heard there may be a surprise visit from an old friend ... but it's just rumors for now ...

Input Needed- The Next 40K League

That's right folks, that time of the year has come around once again. It's time for "The League"!

We thought it would be great to have The League feature 1750 point armies, so players can potentially test out new lists for the upcoming "Inquisition Wars" tournament. We also have cool trophies to give away to last season's winners, so we want to get Season 3 scheduled!

So, please scroll down and vote on the poll below. We know that Ramadan and Hari Raya complicates scheduling for many of you, so we thought we'd put the start date to a vote. The League will last 6 weeks, just like last time. We're going to start Season 3 on one of the three dates listed below- we'll leave it to a vote over the next week.

So, get involved and click on your choice!

Hobby Night- Huzzah!

I'm looking forward to seeing as much of our membership as possible tomorrow night- I know everyone's excited about our tournament coming up in November, and I know more than a few of you have mentioned wanting to play on the new "dead" tables in the back. We unveiled them at the Warhammer tournament, and I think they look pretty cool. Azlan is working on a Chaos Altar terrain piece for one of them, and I've got a couple ideas for the other as a finishing touch. Good times!

FYI tomorrow will not be a late night folks. Last game will be at 10 PM, so please plan accordingly. In them meantime, I'll see you tomorrow!

Cheers

Jeff

Singapore Wins Big at Legio Warhammer Tournament

Wow, what a day!

Legio Malaysia's inaugural Warhammer tournament featured 14 players, 9 of which made a hobby pilgrimage from Singapore for the event. Armies clashed, dice were chucked, and the howls of the vanquished echoed through the hall over three rounds of tough competition. When the dust settled and the points were added up, "Team Singapore" acheived a tournament-wide "Massacre" result by taking all of the trophies!

Overall Winner: Justin Phua

Best Sportsman: G1

Best Appearance: Lee Kok Foong

Sincerest congratulations go out to the winners for their well deserved victories, as well as all of the competitors who came out yesterday to play. I think this tournament could be a great catalyst for more "inter-nation" rivalry, as well as a resurgence of interest in Legio Malaysia for the Warhammer hobby.

Call me biased, but don't let the final results fool you. The Malaysian players showed up to play, and from what I saw there were a lot of tight games. I also must mention that Iskazri pulled off another pre-tournament hobby "All Nighter", painting like a maniac to get his army up to snuff. In fact, take a look at the Appearance scores, and you'll see that Iskazri was tied for second! Is, I take my hat off to you! :)

The complete results are posted below- check 'em out!

Personally, I loved seeing all that Warhammer action going down yesterday, and I think this is only the beginning. I spoke with several of the Singapore team members, and we all agreed that some sort of "Singapore/Malaysia Invitational" needs to get organized and run every year. This event would not only feature Warhammer, but also 40K and even Flames of War. What do you guys think? Post and discuss!