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Hobby How-To: Playing Your First Game

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Do you remember your first game? Come see one hobbyists advice on going on down to the game store and actually playing your first game!

Army is assembled and has more than just a coat of primer on in. In fact you are pretty proud of the paint you threw on this or that model and it’s time to show it off, and maybe win a match or two as well.

Which is great, one of the best parts of war gaming is how it brings together people who share a similar enjoyment in spending way too much money on plastic toys and then countless hours assembling and painting them! Really though going to a nearby FLGS (friendly local gaming store) or GW (games workshop) store is a great way to show off some models, get some painting tips, and maybe make a few friends while you try and beat each other to a pulp… Using dice!

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Just a couple of tips that I remember from my first outing which walking into a brand new community with a bunch of people that know each other can be intimidating. Just remember they want you there are much as you want to be there (especially the owner).

More people means new armies, new tactics, and frankly new people just to hang around and bounce ideas off of. Start off by calling the shop and finding out when they generally have war gaming night and see if people generally show up to play the game you interested in. Then join the stores face book page and monitor that as well, you can get a sense of the general time people show up to play and arrive around then.

Once you get there be sure to introduce yourself and make sure you let people know you are either new to the area and or new to the game. People will generally help you along on your first couple of games and try and explain rules as much as possible…. That being said be prepared!

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Preparation is key first if you have not played any games and are a newbie, watch a couple of videos on line of people playing the game you are interested in. You might not know the line and paragraph cover save is in the rule book but at least have a decent sense of turn order, how combat works, etc.

Next scrounge up a tape measure (cheaper the better) and as many six sided dice as you can muster. Grab them from the monopoly game you haven’t opened since 1988 and whatever else you can take them from. If you do not have at least ten you should pick some up, they are pretty cheap for some basic ones. Finally eat something, nobody like having to pause in the middle of a game so you can run out and get some grub, either eat beforehand or be prepared to go out right after gaming time is over.

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Of course the final rule is the one you have been hearing about since you were a kid and that is to have fun, even is some people bring face murdering armies.

Example one of my first games was my starter set of Khorne Bloodborne vs an all shooting Stormcast army. I believe I killed a single model in that game and it was frustrating, but it made me realize where the starter set was lacking and some ideas for future army expansion.

So I took it on the chin shook hands and then we talked about how I got a cool rust effect on some of my models. Winning isn’t everything especially if your models look good!

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About the Author: Travis Perkins

An avid homebrewer and Detroit sports fan (yes even the Lions). I am new to the world of wargamming and very much enjoying the journey. If you have any suggestions or comments feel free to comment on the article or email me at perki116@msu.edu