Hey friends, I normally don't post stuff like this. I'm more of a lurker/hobby guy on here. Let me give you my WFB/Empire pedigree before I get going:

I have been playing WFB since 1997 and have collected and painted maybe around 7 armies. I have been involved with The Empire since the beginning and I have a gorgeous painted force that I am very proud of. As far as playing, I have dabbled in the tournament scene and ultimately found it to not be very fun for me. I ended up attending these big events to win painting honors while some battle-hardened elf general stomped my army into mush. Winning "Best Painted" and "Players Choice" was fun, but I came to the realization that it was too costly and stressful if I wasn't really going to be competitive in games. In my area (Rochester, NY) we have a small group of serious tourney players. A number of them play for Team USA at ETC. Good guys, good painters, highly skilled and trained game winners. Of course, these nice guys are not fun for me to play against as they are often preparing for their next out-of-town GT.

So how do I play Warhammer? After visiting the local shops every Saturday, I had 4 kids, bought a house that needs lots of attention, and have been limited to games in my basement or in friends homes. This type of Warhammer is very fun for me. You know...beer and pretzel gaming. Since I became a recluse though, I have seen the popularity of the game dwindle not only in my area but in America. Many stores no longer host Warhammer battle nights. I no longer see local 8-man WFB tournaments at comic book shops. Painted fantasy miniatures no longer dazzle customers in game shops-they have been replaced by magic cards or 40K stuff. Not that I have anything against these other hobbies. I simply miss the attention that Warhammer used to have. The attention that got me to purchase blister packs and White Dwarf.

How can we, the community of collectors, painters, modelers, and gamers keep this game...this hobby alive?

Here's what I'm doing: I have group of about 8 guys ranging in age from 20s to 40s that that get together to participate in a campaign. We use a modified Mighty Empires map, have our own fluff, and get together twice a year to do moves and fight battles. The meetings last an entire weekend and we eat, play, laugh, and talk miniatures. To me, these weekends epitomize everything that I and most folks love about Warhammer. As fun as this is...it's not working.

Warhammer is alive and well in The Real Rick Salamone's basement with a small group of guys. When I go to the shop, nobody plays and the selection of miniatures is dwindling. People aren't seeing Warhammer anymore because it's hiding in my basement.

If new players are going to become interested in this hobby, I need to present it to them. We are planning (even though it will be a logistical annoyance) to play some of our pivotal campaign battles in public places. This way, people can walk by and not only see grown men pushing figures around...but beautifully painted figures, miniatures converted just for the campaign to represent feats and injuries...playing a critical match for critical territory on a war-torn landscape of our own invention.

I feel that if we put forth the effort to show how fun Warhammer can be, not as a tournament thing but as a cool thing for people to do, we can hook people. I was hooked in 1997 when I saw some fat dudes rolling dice on a flimsy table in some back room at a smelly nerd store. Then I looked at the painted minis in a small glass case, then the owner game me an old Citadel Miniatures catalog to take home. My soul wanted to be a part of this Warhammer thing. We will struggle to compete with video games. We will struggle to find people with the attention span to create an entire painted army. We will struggle to find people willing to pay the high cost of plastic miniatures. But if we stay in the basement, curse what has become of GW, what has become of the End Times, and what 9th edition might look like. Nobody is going to play Warhammer anymore.

If anyone lives within driving distance of Rochester, NY, has a painted army, and wants to play Warhammer for the fun of it...hit me up. For the rest of you, get out where people can see you and show them your miniatures. Show them a nicely terrained table. Show them a good time.

ps

I want to be clear that I have nothing against people liking tournaments. Guys from my club play in them often and it is a great experience for them.