The little wars grown-ups
> Miniature wargames have developed into a serious hobby with fans from all over the world,
is a 28-year veteran of the hobby. He is also the manager of Games Workshop here.
He recalls: “For me, it all started when I was 16, after I bought my first miniature, a model of Ragnar Blackmane (a heroic character and a Space Wolf, one of the many factions in Warhammer40k).
“I enjoy painting the miniatures and playing the games as well. Most hobbyists enjoy doing both.”
There, newcomers can try their hand at painting miniatures and playing the new games available, while experienced hobbyists can let loose their armies onto the battlefield, or build and paint more units.
A well-painted miniature can look like a work of art, but it does not take much to make a miniature look good.
Fellow enthusiast T.J. Van Der Molen, 34, says he got into the hobby when he was 11 years old after his friend showed him a collection of miniatures.
“Back then, there wasn’t an official Game Workshop presence in Holland,” says the Dutch-born Van Der Molen, who is also the Asia business development manager at Games Workshop.
“Now I consider myself both a painter and a gamer in the hobby. I’ve [also] entered many tournaments and painting competitions.”
He says hobbyists are free to build and paint their army any way they want, although beginners are advised to follow the building and paint guides, just to get a hang of things.
Most sets come with optional weapons, armour, heads, and accessories, complete with a plethora of build and paint suggestions.
For Chew Cheng Lim, a 38-year-old A levels physics teacher, what he likes the most about the hobby is the story and lore in the Warhammer universe, affectionately known as ‘fluff’. “It breathes life into these lumps of plastic,” explains Chew.
Books, novels, and magazines accompany the hobby to complete the fantasy universe. The books contain rules and lore of certain factions, the novels tell the story, and between the pages of the