I’ve mentioned before that some of my friends are responsible for the DC Geeks site, dedicated to any and all goings-on in Our (well, my and theirs, but some of you are Otherplacians) Nation’s Capital that might be considered geeky.

As it happens, this toy soldier painting thing we’ve got going on: not mainstream. (Who knew?)

Since it’s something unfamiliar to them, they’ve asked me to write a bit on how to get started in the minis hobby.

I think I did a pretty decent job of remaining impartial re: the biggest minis games in the area. Malifaux’s not for me and, although I don’t talk about it much, I hate Warmachine/Hordes like only an embittered devotee who’s lost their faith can… but that doesn’t mean the hypothetical reader of the article won’t enjoy them.

I know Dust Warfare’s picked up some steam locally and didn’t get mentioned. Two reasons for that. 1) It’s just started picking up steam locally. We’ve had more than our fair share of flash-in-the-pan, game-of-the-months. I’m not saying that I won’t take it seriously until Bill starts a podcast about it… but if people are still actually playing it six months from now, we’ll talk. 2) I seriously wrote the thing, like, two months ago. I’m only so prescient.

Anyway, I’m curious about any thoughts folks might have about it.

Similarly, they interviewed me on their podcast. If you’d like to listen to me chat with some friends for an hour or so ostensibly about toy soldiers (but, frankly, mostly about GW stuff), tune in.

I’ve got a weird relationship with podcasts: I’ve got several friends who run their own (8-Bit Radio, the aforementioned DC Geeks Podcast, Gamer’s Lounge). There are some really good ones out there, that do valuable, worthwhile things (11th Company, Jennisodes, WTF with Marc Maron). And I can’t hardly listen to any of them.

I find interviews really, really interesting (the Marc Maron stuff is amazing, and I think what Pat does on the 11th Company is the easily the most worthwhile thing being done with 40K podcasting)… but that’s it. The conversational, bunch-of-people in a room format that most podcasts use just isn’t something that works for me. Definitely a matter of taste, mind you, and I know that I’m in the minority here, so whatevs. (It does make me feel mildly hypocritical to shill about being interviewed, conversationally, on a podcast, though; hence the digression.)

Anyway, that’s all the self-slash-cross-promotion I’ve got in me for today.

I’m going to take a moment to shill for some friends:

So, if you’re into boardgames, zombies, or both: be aware of the game and check out the Kickstarter.

Speaking of living in Northern Virginia: something I’ve been remiss in noting here* is the DC Geeks blog that (another set of ) some of my friends run.  It’s dedicated to tracking, advertising, and documenting geeky things in the DC/NoVA/MD region.  This ranges from roller derby to video game art exhibitions to LARPing and on.  I’ve tried to keep them hip to local wargaming events, but not methodically or regularly.  I probably should change that.

If you’re nearish to the nation’s capital and are into the sorts of things that would be featured on a blog about geekery in DC, you should check them out.

* Negligence?  Or deliberate snubbing over not being interviewed as the region’s preeminent expert on piles of Warpstone? Jerks.