New to all this!

[Forgingengineer]

Hi, my first post so id better introduce myself!

ive been scale modelling for a while with cars but wanted to paint in a little more detail and found that the warhammer miniatures were perfect and keep me entertained for hours of painting. Really enjoying the painting and soon hope to do a small amount of modification and custom work.

now the difficult bit....
i had never considered myself interested in wargaming although spent many a night doing it on a PC (C&C etc). i have watched a few videos online and read a few battle reports and decided to purchase an army book. i really want to have a crack at it, but can't really handle the headache of more than 15mins in a games workshop store.
i have looked for local clubs close to me, droitiwch, worcestershire, uk. and found a couple but they dont seem too focused on warhammer? also not sure anyone would be willing to sacrifice their monthly gaming night to teach me the absolute basics!
suggestions would be very welcome!

i have picked up the dark elves based on the models appearance and not being the most common of armies. the relatively small amount of info i have read encourages me that this army is adaptable and likely to always make me think with a vast array of tactics employable. being honest im really not sure about the story line behind the army?! seems like a bit of a mess? perhaps theres some better reading than the army book content!

my posts wont be this long in future!! and any help on the above would be much appreciated, im sure you can understand that joining this hobby fresh at 30 is exciting but also daunting regarding ways to learn.
Thanks
Steve

[Lady kaerlith]

i really want to have a crack at it, but can't really handle the headache of more than 15mins in a games workshop store.

If you mean an actual GW store, then I feel your pain. I love hanging out in gaming shops and spent a load of time in them when I was a teenager, but actual GW stores aren't the same. I've only been in a few of them, but in each case I had someone basically standing behind me and prodding me with a stick if I didn't look like I was about to buy something immediately.

i have picked up the dark elves based on the models appearance and not being the most common of armies. the relatively small amount of info i have read encourages me that this army is adaptable and likely to always make me think with a vast array of tactics employable. being honest im really not sure about the story line behind the army?! seems like a bit of a mess? perhaps theres some better reading than the army book content!

Games Workshop has its own line of novels, under the "Black Library" publishing house. I'll be honest, a lot of it's pretty cheesy and a few of their authors are terrible, but overall it's not bad. Gav Thorpe, the same guy who wrote our current army book, wrote a three-part novel series called "The Sundering" that basically covers the entire split between the Dark Elves and the High Elves, starting when they were still a single united group of elves. The first book is called "Malekith," I forget the other two and don't have them at hand. I've read the first two and found them fairly good, but I haven't read the third yet.

my posts wont be this long in future!! and any help on the above would be much appreciated, im sure you can understand that joining this hobby fresh at 30 is exciting but also daunting regarding ways to learn.

Haha, I can imagine. At any rate, welcome to the community!

[Calisson]

Welcome forgingengineer to D.net.

Based on your reluctance to play complex games and to absorb the finesses of hundreds of pages or rules, I suggest you played smaller games, 500 pts, until you progressively get familiar with the game. I suggest you did not use magic at first.
Be prepared that your Dark Elf army is not the easiest to play with and win. When your usual opponent will get used to your way of playing, you'll have to adapt yourself, or lose more than often.

That's where D.net can help.

[Forgingengineer]

Still enjoying and painting but not having any luck learning and playing. is there anyone local to Worcester (uk) who can teach / play.
Don't mind driving a little distance to learn.
Whats the best way of finding fellow gamers? theres a local club wyvern wargamers I will visit but they don't seem to play much warhammer fantasy.
Thanks

[xFallenx]

Welcome to the site Forging. As Cal said, D.Net is a great place to get a handle on the DE's and I'm sure you'll find most everything you need, & with a little luck, someone to get a game in.

I would also suggest joining other sites & introducing yourself there too, that way you'll be able to expand your player pool.

Being in England I would also give a listen to the Bad Dice Daily podcast & drop in on the UK tourney scene (Not to play if it's not your cup o tea) & meet fellow players/hobbyists. You may also consider dropping the members of the podcast an e-mail as they are usually more than happy to set players looking to meet other players up.

[Torakeen]

Welcome to the site Forgingengineer. You will find this site a virtual cornucopia of knowledge. Despite the High Elves vicious rumors of us being evil, it's simply propaganda. We simply prefer to expedite Darwin's theories of natural selection...Naturally, we select.

All kidding aside, I also have been drawn in by the models and the potential for conversions. I would recommend the "Painting and Modeling" section for some great conversion ideas if that is what you seek for modeling.

[Darktalon]

Malus Darkblade is a great series of books, I highly suggest it.