Declaration of Intent.

In which; a past is described and a future envisioned.

In the last few months I have rediscovered a passion for wargaming which had long lain dormant. Why I fell out of playing wargames and painting miniatures who can say. I had not really found much of an opportunity for the pastime since I left university. Now the cynical reader might easily suppose at this point that my time at university was spent playing with toy soldiers instead of studying. In order to dispel this notion, and 'nip it in the bud' as they say, I will clarify;

"No, I did not spend all my time at university playing toy soldiers, instead I squandered the opportunity to fully concentrate on my wargaming endeavors and instead, like many of my generation split the time mainly between good honest toil and good honest drink. This only left a small amount of time for wargaming which I only really participated in as a pleasant counterpoint to my efforts towards producing a dissertation thick enough to be confused with the latest edition of the Warhammer rulebook. Had I the opportunity again I am sure gaming would have featured slightly more prominently!"

That issue addressed, it may surprise you that moving away from my university town of Scarborough in order to start full time employment in the bustling and vibrant city of Hull, I again let the opportunity to engage in wargaming pass as I threw myself into my work - only for mortgage sourcing, home building and entrepreneurial endeavor to ensue.

4 years pass.

Possessed of the rarest of rare- a free weekend, I chanced to nip into Games workshop in Hull city centre with a vague notion of buying the latest edition of the monthly periodical 'White Dwarf'. This magazine will need no introduction to the intended readership so I will offer none.

Whilst visiting the store, or 'Hobby Centre' as I believe they fashion themselves, a pleasant young lady in a blue games workshop t-shirt (yet another rarity in the extreme) offered me a flyer for 'Hulls Angels' gaming club. The flyer, whilst dog eared and riddled with hasty scrawlings out and a multitude of amendments made in blue biro was to me the Golden ticket that I had unknowingly being searching for.

A few weeks later finds me in Hull city centre once more - on this occasion intent on intrepidly exploring the wilderness of George Street. My journey took me through the street offering virtually every delight known to consumer soceity's modern gentleman. From book stores to board-game shops, from clubs offering exotic ladies to establishments promising laser combat themed entertainment.

On this day none of these could sway me from my intended goal.

And so I discovered Hulls Angels gaming club and was suitably amazed that such a place could exist in little ol' Hull. A vast long house of permanent gaming tables open almost every evening and each weekend. I had scarcely imagined such a treasure house!

A few weeks pass and I am becoming ever more regular a sight at the club but despite this picture of perfection not all was as it should be.

Whilst I was now able to play wargames as often as I could like (and as infrequently as my then girlfriend, now fiance, would let me). I found I was not enjoying my game of choice (Warhammer 40,000) as much as I had all those years ago. Whether this dour note was struck by familiarity or any inherent problem with the gaming system, I do not know. I hope that absence will make the heart grow fonder and that I may again dust of the black templars, eldar or vostroyan army cases and lead them into battle anew with gusto and enthusiasm. However that day may be a little distance off.

Before I could really dwell on the problem I was facing the solution presented itself. Or rather, it was presented to me in the form of a demo night for a game I was unfamiliar with ran by a gentleman I had not yet met.

That game was Warmachine - and it was also Hordes I suppose, but for the purposes of this blog I will address them as one and the same. The game was demoed expertly by two chaps called Nick Langrick and Mark Coultas who I have since come to know better and been beaten soundly by.

During the demo night I saw the enthusiasm and potential in the new game being played in Hull and endeavored to purchase myself a small force so I could give this game a whirl along with several other chaps who had attended the night.

In doing so I found myself again hooked with wargaming and also pepped with a new determination to improve my painting - something I had never been happy with.

In order to find regular opponents and gaming opportunities I established Hull Warmachine - an entity with the objectives of running regular Warmachine club nights and slightly less frequent but still decidedly regular events such as tournaments and campaign weekends.

Through doing so I have met and befriended some extraordinary people and some more ordinary (another rarity in this hobby) ones as-well. I will perhaps revisit the growth of the group and the successes and failures of early events in a later blog but I will progress to the point and purpose of this, already long winded rambling.

I have set up this website (in the manner I believe is now becoming fairly common amongst gamers at the club) to document my recent painting projects and gaming exploits. This will not necessarily be exclusively Warmachine or Hulls Angels related but may provide interest to some of you.

I have attempted to run a blog before and failed miserably but I am hopeful that the stipulation that this one maintains a focus (or fury) for wargaming and miniature painting, that I will be able to generate the necessary content more easily.

Good luck brave reader, you may need it!