One of the most interesting things I always find out about our Hammerers is where it all began. That first miniature, first visit to a Games Workshop store, or computer game that unveiled the world of Warhammer. It’s always fascinating to hear who, or what got you into the hobby, and at what time in your life you started, stopped, & inevitability continued.
So let us all know! What got you into the hobby & what were your first miniatures?
My first experience of the hobby started when I was about eight. My Aunty had a clothing business & lived in a bungalow in the countryside just outside Leicester that I’d often visit at weekends. Her entire ‘loft’ was used to store fabric, machines & materials for her to make some designs from home, except for a single back room that was converted into an art studio with sky light. She loves watercolour, preferring to paint characters instead of usual country landscapes. She also has a love for all things Disney so the walls & ceilings of the studio were covered with sketches & paintings of all the many characters, surrounded by memorabilia & theme park souvenirs.
While exploring the studio, I found that she had a collection of citadel miniatures displayed on a small shelf near various canvases. Thing was, these miniatures were much more individual than the boxed units you can buy now. There were a few one off models including an ogre & treeman as well as a box of dwarf lords. All metal, all individual one-piece miniatures. The dwarves were in classic styles: A slayer, a king/thane, a miner etc. I played with them all afternoon, and as we left she gave me the minis, some (citadel) paints & brushes, and two miniatures catalogues made by Games Workshop that I assume they put in your bag every time you bought something.
I poured over the magazines for weeks, wanting to collect everything inside while trying to work out what all the different models did & the various different games they represented. I remember the covers really vividly, and will always remember the centre-fold in the (red) catalogue of an Imperator-Class titan designed for the Epic 40,000 game. Ungrimm Ironfist & Ikit Claw also became firm favourites too.
One product in the magazines had me completely sold & firmly fixed on getting started into the world of Warhammer, even though another game (and still my first love in the hobby) would be introduced first. I begged my parents every day for weeks for my first boxed set for my birthday, that even included a character that’s recently re-emerged in the new Lumineth Realm lords range. But more on that later…………..
Over to you. Let us know about your introduction to Warhammer & the wargaming community...
See you on the ‘field.