Modelling Commandments

Well, time for my weekly post on how to be a better Warhammer enthusiast, that's right kids its Modelling Commandments! Now in HD!

This weeks Commandment hits home for all of us, because it's about our home away from home; your Freindly Local Game Store!

Thou Shalt Patronize Thy FLGS!!*thunder*

Our Batcave, our Fortress of Solitude, our Central Perk...the focal point and sanctuary for gaming culture; the Freindly Local Game Store. Maybe it's populated by redshirts. It could be a baseball card store that has had to "diversify" and it has a single table and barely any stock. Perhaps a pal of yours cashed in his Star Wars toy collection to live the dream. Whatever it may be, these hubs of activity are integral to our gaming world, especially because of the nature of our hobby. We need venues and local suppliers to keep our game alive. I have always HATED the toolbox whom walks into my store, looks at the racks for an hour all the while scoffing at the prices of the merchandise, and then criticizes the clerk/owner for "charging too much!". He then leaves in a huff declaring "I'll buy online, it's cheaper anyway!". On the weekends though, he deigns to lower himself and come by the store and use the free access to tables, terrain, and the companionship of other players. Now, I'm not advocating what Ron Saikowski's area store does http://fromthewarp.blogspot.com/2010/01/would-you-pay-to-play-40k.html , but I do see the mathematics behind buying at my local store. I refuse to pay for table access. I keep those tables free by keeping my store open by buying their products. In keeping that store open, I enhance the hobby and keep new players coming in. I live in Maine. Check out the northeast on Games-Workshop.com for stores selling/promoting this hobby. I'll wait. Back again? Awesome. Yeah, slim pickings in Maine. I live near Bangor, and 3 Geek Games is the only serious store for 200 miles. It's one of the only partnership level stores in New England; thats Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, AND Maine. Imagine if 3 Geek went out of business. I would have to drive 2 hours to get a simple game of Warhammer in on a weekend, forget about just popping in to say "Hi" either. The toolbox buying online is robbing himself and everybody else of not only a local venue, but the very culture that grows at these strange gardens. And why stop at just dumping liquid cash into your FLGS? Why not bring the most valuable commodity a store can get; new customers. Introduce someone to the game. If you see someone wandering around the store and they seem lost or maybe the clerk is busy with someone else, take it upon yourself to be a salesman for your hobby(with careful permission from those that work there, of course). A good tip I always follow for people just starting out and who are clueless; AoBR. If you don't know, then now you know. AoBR is the best advice. You could also ask the shop if there is any painting that needs doing. Maybe you could even make some terrain for the tables, or do maintenance on said tables! Your store will appreciate it, and it's owner will be touched by your willingness to really make the venue "owned" by the patrons.