Our club's double-length Journeyman League wrapped up this week, though the last game was played on 20 December. As a player, I reveled in the event; but as a club organizer, I was less than pleased.
It started out strong, with twenty-six players, but by the twelfth week had dwindled to around eight. Scoring was reasonably strong, and everyone seemed to have a good time. Several hundred points of models were painted over the course of the event, new factions were adopted, and lessons were learned. When you run one of these multi-week events, be sure your organizer or press ganger understands the club's expectations. One can't expect them to understand your local club culture and motivations. Be sure they communicate well and that their goals correspond with the club's goals, that the establish the rules, plan for player retention, and build motivational sub-goals into the event. And plan how a lengthy event will affect non-participants. Communication – before, during, and after. Drop me an email if you'd like an earful on the subject.
Still, I'm grateful the League got so many players into painting their first figures. List-crafting and tabletop generalship is rewarding, but there's something about the personal connection one creates putting hours into making each figure one's own, then putting them down on the table that brings it all together. Several other club players mentioned during the league that playing against painted armies was motivating them to paint, too. And while there are plenty of solid arguments against groupthink and social conformity, in this hobby, placing down a painted army is mostly a gift to the players.
At its roots, our hobby is the nexus of social-crafting-puzzle and shared story-telling. And a well-run Journeyman League can give that to your club.
