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Georgia specifically, what’s the deal with this place? I moved here because of the Army, when I got out I started playing Warhammer 40k with some friends. Since getting into the hobby I have started looking for tourneys to attend, and there are very few. Why is the war gaming community so small here is it just the large populous of welfare junkies and rednecks?

Primestick wrote:Georgia specifically, what’s the deal with this place? I moved here because of the Army, when I got out I started playing Warhammer 40k with some friends. Since getting into the hobby I have started looking for tourneys to attend, and there are very few. Why is the war gaming community so small here is it just the large populous of welfare junkies and rednecks?

Welcome to the south. The generally low income level of most of the south doesnt support an expensive hobby like gaming. The weather is warm most of the year so people do outdoor stuff. WHen I was growing up in New England there was much more gaming, but snow and cold weather during winter tended to keep most people indoors for a good chunk of the year...hence more hobbies like gaming.

where do you live? Around Atlanta there is a gigantic gaming community, and at least one tournament a month in one of the stores. We are currently in the midst of the Atlanta Circuit Tournament, first 3 rounds are done, 4th one happens end of this month.

I live in Columbus, I have been to giga-bites for one tourny. The hour and a half drive kinda sucks, you would think with fort benning right here more gamers would be around. Also the warm weather argument dosnt work, look at all the tournys in so-cal. I grew up in there the weather is awesome year round, and yet there are still loads of gamers.

The Chattanooga/Cleveland area also has a decent following and big tournaments and little ones monthly. Dicehead.com for the schedule. It is roughly 2 hours from Atlanta on tn side of course.

Primestick wrote:I live in Columbus, I have been to giga-bites for one tourny. The hour and a half drive kinda sucks, you would think with fort benning right here more gamers would be around.

And thats pretty much how it is in the South East.

For us is an 1:40 to 2 hours to Orlando, an 1:30+ to Jacksonville, or 3ish to Palm Bay for a game shop...

I went to Auburn, Columbus is dead, has been for over 12 years.

Atl , Birmingham, Chat, Huntsville, And Charlotte all have good gaming communities.

Memphis has the NA HQ for GW.

ATl, Bham , And Chatt frequently have Tournies.

You just missed a Decent con in Savanna GA the weekend of Adepticon.

Nashville has a booming game community, but that's a bit far away from you.
The thing about the South is, it's still primarily impoverished, under educated, and the machismo in the culture tends to suppress things that don't involve big motors, big guns, or booze.
Atlanta, however, in my experience, has the biggest gaming scene in the whole south, so if you can't find it there, you can't find it.

Central florida isn't bad, but it isn't great. Unless you live in the Orlando/Metro area, you're SOL for people to play. There isn't even a game store in Daytona Beach that sells Miniature games of any kind. Where I live I didn't know anyone that played, but decided to start collecting anyway. Figured I could drive the hour to the nearest place to play once in a while and be happy. Luckily people have picked up the game in my town and we can play in my garage most weekends no problem. GW opening the shop in Altamonte Springs has been the best thing ever for us in DeLand/Volusia. It's a ~30 minute drive. I've now picked up Fantasy since it opened.

Central florida is still widely a games desert. There are plenty of stores selling and hosting magic tournaments, but the kids there look at you like you've got two heads if you try to show them 40k, warmahordes, etc. Belligerent store owners that refuse to let you demo games to build a community don't help either *coughcloakanddaggercough*.

Cyporiean wrote:

Primestick wrote:I live in Columbus, I have been to giga-bites for one tourny. The hour and a half drive kinda sucks, you would think with fort benning right here more gamers would be around.

And thats pretty much how it is in the South East.

For us is an 1:40 to 2 hours to Orlando, an 1:30+ to Jacksonville, or 3ish to Palm Bay for a game shop...

Yup. I can go 1 hour to Tampa, or 2:30 to Orlando, thats about all the choice Ive got...hence the majority of my purchasing is done online, and pretty much all of my gaming done with my wife and our older son.

Primestick wrote:I live in Columbus, I have been to giga-bites for one tourny. The hour and a half drive kinda sucks, you would think with fort benning right here more gamers would be around. Also the warm weather argument dosnt work, look at all the tournys in so-cal. I grew up in there the weather is awesome year round, and yet there are still loads of gamers.

Nice weather and low income, was what he said. So-Cal has more disposable income.

Noir wrote:

Primestick wrote:I live in Columbus, I have been to giga-bites for one tourny. The hour and a half drive kinda sucks, you would think with fort benning right here more gamers would be around. Also the warm weather argument dosnt work, look at all the tournys in so-cal. I grew up in there the weather is awesome year round, and yet there are still loads of gamers.

Nice weather and low income, was what he said. So-Cal has more disposable income.

I grew up in Orange County, California, and I think the difference actually is that wages tend to be high, but so is cost of living. So I don't think it is all about disposable income. Games Workshop, at least, costs the same no matter where in the US, so if you're in So. California, earning CA wages and paying CA costs, miniatures are on the cheap side. I'm trying to say (not well) that for places with less inflated wages/Cost of Living, minigaming feels more expensive relatively speaking. Compare a box of marines to a tank of gas in both places... Cost of those marines feels more like chump change in So Cal.

I'm emphasizing value per dollar vs. absolute dollars, I guess.

Oh, and of course, in So. Cal, a dense population and geek-chic means there are a lot more potential customers per area, so stores are more supportable. I miss the good old days when I had 6 stores in a 1 hour drive radius...

Edit- My gawd that was bad grammar. I apologize.

Its also interesting that with Ft. Benning right here that no game stores are here. soldiers are always wasting there money on something (I know I use to be one).

Gymnogyps wrote:

Noir wrote:

Primestick wrote:I live in Columbus, I have been to giga-bites for one tourny. The hour and a half drive kinda sucks, you would think with fort benning right here more gamers would be around. Also the warm weather argument dosnt work, look at all the tournys in so-cal. I grew up in there the weather is awesome year round, and yet there are still loads of gamers.

Nice weather and low income, was what he said. So-Cal has more disposable income.

I grew up in Orange County, and I think the difference actually is that wages tend to be high, but so does cost of living. So I don't think it is all about disposable income. Games workshop, at least, costs the same no matter where in the US, so if you're in So. California, earning CA wages and paying CA costs, miniatures are on the cheap side. I'm trying to say (not well) that for places with less inflated wages/CoL, minigaming feels more expensive relatively speaking. Compare a box of marines to a tank of gas in both places... Cost of those marines feels more like chump change in so. Cal. I'm emphasizing value per dollar vs. Absolute dollars, I guess.

Oh, and of course, in so. Cal high, dense population and geek-chic means there are a lot more potential customers per area, so stores are more supportable. I miss the good old days when I had 6 stores in a 1 hour drive radius...

Exactly. Here in west-central FL the typical starting wage (unskilled jobs, the most common around) is about $7.50/hr, and if your making $10/hr your doing pretty good. That makes GW a pretty expensive hobby. Theres also the general culture...people around here would rather grab a case of beer n party that paint minis and game. Most people dont even know what gaming is. Within the very small local geek population the preferred gaming is cards.

Another large part of the local population is old people, who arent gamers either.

Mad4Minis wrote:Exactly. Here in west-central FL the typical starting wage (unskilled jobs, the most common around) is about $7.50/hr, and if your making $10/hr your doing pretty good. That makes GW a pretty expensive hobby. Theres also the general culture...people around here would rather grab a case of beer n party that paint minis and game. Most people dont even know what gaming is. Within the very small local geek population the preferred gaming is cards.

Another large part of the local population is old people, who arent gamers either.

Hammer -> Head of nail.

Natty Lite is cheaper than terminators around here. So many people play Magic or whatever card game, there are game stores open in Volusia that do damn near only cards. Some heroclix mixed in. As soon as you get that tape measure out they just glaze over.

Zygrot24 wrote:Natty Lite is cheaper than terminators around here. So many people play Magic or whatever card game, there are game stores open in Volusia that do damn near only cards. Some heroclix mixed in. As soon as you get that tape measure out they just glaze over.

I remember trying to explain WarmaHordes to the 'Clixers there a few years ago... 'What do you mean you have to paint the models?'


There used to be a Game Shop on Nova, Dragon Star Games, they were the ones who actually got us into Miniatures gaming.. but sadly they closed about 5 years ago.

Decks and Duels is in South Daytona, but its tiny (Literally a storage shed) and despite the stock of WarmaHordes and claims that WarmaHordes happens there, I've always just seen Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh kids.