IHL Interviews: Paddy McCormick

(Rob) Up next in my series of interviews with IHL members is former Champion and all round nice guy, Paddy.

Welcome firstly to Over the Edge of the Wild. Could you first please introduce yourself to the readers?

(Paddy) Hi Rob, thanks for interviewing me. My name is Paddy McCormick, a project manager from the glens of Antrim.

Can you give us a little background about how you started in the hobby and some of your hobby highlights since?

Like many players returning to the game, I started for the with the fortnightly magazines “Battle Games in Middle-Earth”. I collected and painted the models for just under a year and fell out of the game. I returned in 2016, with yourself sending me the first welcoming message into the Irish Hobbit League. Since then I’ve been very eager in the hobby, playing in many local tournaments, travelling over to tournaments in the UK and representing my country at the ETC. Biggest hobby highlight for myself would be winning the IHL league back in 2018; winning a few tournaments is always a bonus whilst having fun with your Irish comrades.

You became well known in the Irish Hobbit community for painting some very well painted armies in some incredibly quick times. Any tips for some of the slower painters (such as myself) on getting projects finished in a timely manner?

Yeah, I do paint very quick! It’s just a skill that needs loads of practice and a very steady hand! Usually I would batch paint 5-10 models at a time, I could never sit and paint one warrior! Just make sure you have a fair idea of colour schemes and set up a production line on your table so that once one paint is drying, you’re already onto the next few models using the same colour.

What projects are currently on your painting table?

I’m currently doing a commission job for a close friend during these troubled times. I’ve got around 25 Marvel Crisis Protocol figures painted over a week which have been a blessing to keep me busy whilst not working. I’ve a few hero models started myself to add to a few of my collections. My next project is Gamling with the banner; gonna try my best at some free-hand horses, I’ve got plenty of time!

Are there any armies that you are particularly enjoying playing at the moment and if there is, what makes them enjoyable?

I’ve been taking a few legendary legions to tournaments lately, purely to play more relaxed and have fun with the special rules! I’ve always enjoyed playing with my dwarves from the Hobbit! Dain on War Boar and Thorin, King under the Mountain make an excellent killing combo. Those two with a wall of Iron Hills Warriors make a tough force which is hard to break through, and can easily hurt you back with the S4/F4 backing! I’ve started to collect a Rohan force, with basically every hero option purchased and a number of Riders of Rohan. I did however order some Royal Guard on Horse but was caught with GW not delivering at the moment (sad times). Once we are all safe and able to resume playing, I’ll be using my Riders of Théoden legendary legion to see what all the fuss is about with Gamling/Dernhelm combo!

And finally, what's the one piece of advice you would give to a new player thinking about starting out in the hobby?

For a new player it is very exciting times to be in the hobby compared to 4-5 years ago. A lot new releases in terms of miniatures and supplements means the game is constantly changing. My advice would be to simply have fun; it can be a competitive game but to simply tell them to play with a force they maybe like from the movies/books or to collect certain models because they simply look cool. The communities across the IHL/GBHL are very welcoming, and there’s always help coming from someone if anyone is having an issue about where to begin!

Thank you Paddy for taking the time to answer these questions and providing some photos of your beautiful armies and best of luck for when the IHL and international tournaments resume. 

IHL Interviews: Ivan Sheehan

(Rob) Today I'd to start a new series of posts where I interview prominent members of the Irish Hobbit League, and where better to start than with the current champion, Ivan Sheehan.

Firstly, would you like to introduce yourself. How did you get into wargaming in general and more specifically how did you start playing ME:SBG?

(Ivan) Yes of course. I'm Ivan Sheehan from Cork (best place). I think like most I got into wargaming in 40k when I was a small fella. From there I got big into competitive 40k and the things that work there seem to have translated well into Sbg which is fortunate. As for starting SBG my 1st encounter was with the battle games in middle earth magazines although that progressed into the main line books up until return of the king. I fell off the wagon then but it had not been my "serious" game at the time.

Once the new edition launched we picked it up in cork, 4 of us and we haven't looked back since. We were both surprised and delighted to find a scene existed that we could join as we had no clue it was a thing.

Over the course of 2019 you became known for taking armies that wouldn't perhaps at first glance be considered top tier (The Rangers and Uruk Hai Scouts) and using them to regularly win at the top tables. Can you briefly talk us through your army building methods? How do come up with the initial ideas and how are they developed into tournament winning armies?

Well to be honest it all starts with what I think I'll have fun playin, you definitely play better when you love the army than with flavour of the month builds. The Rangers, I really did fall in love with the playstyle very early on, though the journey to mastery was quite difficult. I think I played upwards of 30 games before my 1st event with that army, some armies really need your focus and attention but the rewards will come.

I always start with a theme (not like you Rob.) be it shooting or maneuver or just shenanigans, find the army that suits what I want to achieve and then try to make it as good as it can be over weeks of testing with plenty of revisions. I'm lucky in this sense to have a gaming partner in David Coleman who is not only good but can turn his hand to various things we need to test against. You can blame him for most of my armies. But yes it's mainly just the amount of play testing I dedicate to my armies that I attribute my success to. Knowing what it can do at vital moments in the games and more importantly what it can't do is so important.

On top of winning the League last year, you've also recently become a TO in the tail end of last year. What motivated you to organize your own tournament and how do you think your first taste of being TO went?

What motivated me? I suppose it was just as cork was new in the scene I needed to prove it existed lol. It was only a small event but it gave me a taste and it was an enjoyable experience.

You will also be hosting the 1st major tournament of the IHL year at the end of the month. Here's your chance for a free plug to try to drum up some support.

Ah yes warpcon! I'm looking forward to it as I'll get to be a full time TO and implement new Tournament point and good vs evil methods so I want to see how that works out.

It's on on the 25th and 26th of January in UCC so come along even if its just to look at our great game and meet the folks. We'd love to see more interest.

Looking ahead to 2020, what sort of things should we be expecting from you as you attempt to defend your title?

What should you expect? Well hopefully a strong title defense! In a more serious note I think my main armies this year will be Angmar and Halls of Thranduil so you will see that. The old Rangers are always hard to resist though and I'd like to take the Fellowship to an event and do well. As far as I'm concerned they are Lord of The Rings!

And finally, what advice would you give to a new player just starting out with ME:SBG?

My main advice to new players would be REACH OUT!. There're Sbg players all over the Island of Ireland (even Donegal) (and all around the world) and we always want more. So get out there find a group and start playing. We're a lovely bunch really so get stuck in and ask questions, we'd be delighted to answer as many as we can. 

If you want a good skirmish game with balanced rules and a love of Lord of The Rings then Sbg is for you.

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions and best of luck with Warpcon and the IHL title defence in 2020.

Thank you for the interview Rob and maybe I'll be talking to you again next year!. Best of luck with your blog it really has been a blast to see it grow.

Ivan Sheehan
2019 League Champion.

Thanks once again to Ivan and join us again soon for another IHL Interview.