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…