May 04

ACTA DIURNA

Western Suburbs Games Society News

May 2004

Commentarii Senatus (Comments from the Senate)

Leviathan was another huge success, and on behalf of the club thanks must go to Garry & Mitchell, and their tireless worker bees for all their efforts this year. Feedback has fantastic, and we have really developed Leviathan into a well know and highly regarded event. Hopefully we can talk (hound) these 2 into hanging around and organising the event again next year, although I am sure there is room to spread the joy for 2005.

On behalf of WSGS congratulations must go to Andrew Waterson, who has been made an Honorary Life Member. Andrew has been a tireless worker for WSGS over an extended period, and this recognition is well deserved.

You may have heard the club was approached by Blacktown RPGA about the possibility of a merging of members. WSGS has a strong relationship with BRPGA through Leviathan Role-Play tournament, and several members of WSGS are also members of BRPGA. Unfortunately when we investigated the impacts on our insurance and other club issues, we could not come up with an acceptable arrangement, so at this stage we will not be going any further with this proposal.

A reminder that nominations for the 2004/05 committee are coming up, and we are always looking new blood.

Trevor Williams (Club President)

Leviathan 2004

Well Leviathan 1 has come and gone again!

Special thanks to Mitchell, Stephen, Rob, Trevor, Ross, Ty, Peter and Pat for their assistance in pre weekend organization. Thanks also to the multitude that helped to set up and pack up. There are too many to mention – the sign of a healthy club!! Many of our new members assisted wearing the yellow shirts. Thanks for your help. This was officially the biggest con that we have organized and the stress that it created was obvious. Without my wife (Ann) and family (Lauren, Alex, Julian and Michael) and the partners and families of other club members it would not have happened. Thank you for everything you did above and beyond the call of duty for the club. Thanks also to the participation and game organizers who did a great job in showcasing our hobbies. Thanks also to the other clubs that supported us – Emperors Legion, Western Warriors, Southern Battle Group, APMA and the Goulburn wargamers.

Special thanks to Andrew & Emma Bigwood for being there on Sunday and honoring a commitment to us. (Please remember that game organizers get honorary club membership for the coming year. See Stephen Black for a card.)

Apart from a few minor criticisms we ran more games, with more entrants very successfully. Prizes were bigger – thanks to our generous sponsors (See the sponsor honor roll in the show bags for a full listing) than in previous years and more practical. (Thanks also to Mitchell for the 100’s of km he put in visiting clubs and sponsors.) Some things can be improved upon as is always the case. If you spotted anything or have constructive criticism or suggestions direct it/them to me.

Some mopping up work still needs to be done to finalize the weekend and should be done by Sunday.

The upshot is that the Weekend really showcased our hobby and had gamers and sponsors working together to show the public what a great pastime it is. It also encouraged 6 people to join WSGS. Most of these were young although one family group signed up along with the famous rat lord of Sewer Prime II – Min the 42^nd and his royal consort. Welcome to all of you!!!

REMEMBER that August sees the role playing weekend ably organized by Pat Sibbald and Chris ‘Gammo’ Gammage happen. Yes, a little more low key but a great weekend. We need volunteers. Talk to myself or Pat during the Sunday meeting to put your name down.

NOTE: Chris (the recently turned 48 year old Pommy) Lloyd from the Southern Battle Group may be at the club on Sunday to have a game of Shoot out at the WSGS corral!! THANKS CHRIS!!!!

It is on this note that I am announcing my retirement from the organization of Leviathan in my current capacity. Yes I will assist and am preparing an organizers kit to assist my replacement. I will always be there to offer advice if asked and set up or pack up. I am a WSGS member and will always muck in when I am needed. This should be our creed! Unfortunately 3 years away from competition and the stress that my family has been put under is getting to me. (Not to mention the things that did not get done – at home and for my real job – during my two weeks of holiday. My stress was so obvious that several good friends were becoming scared of my occasional emotional outbursts. Not a good sign. The job will not kill anyone and is now at a stage where several key positions and a little earlier organization will greatly reduce the workload from what was experienced this year. I have learnt a lot from doing the job and have had many great moments coordinating it. My successor will get the same, whoever that is!

Gary Kenworthy (Overall Leviathan Organiser)

Membership Fees Due for 2004/2005 (July 2004 to June 2005)

The Western Suburbs Games Society (WSGS) has 22 meeting dates a year, normally every 1^st and 3^rd Sunday of the month. (Except long weekends and Fathers Day). This also currently includes 2 all weekend meetings for big games.

WSGS provides a large selection of terrain, a library and a venue to meet your friends, paint and play table top games. We participate in the WSGS interclub challenge between Penrith Emperor’s Legion and the Western Warriors (Baulkham Hills). WSGS also attends MOAB in October with a large variety of free participation games and promotes the hobby at the Matisse Arts and Craft October Open Day. In 2003 we were interviewed on ABC local radio, and in 2004 we were at the Sydney Easter Show. WSGS makes a genuine effort to promote our hobby.

To keep membership fees low and to cover insurance premiums we have several fund raisers at Bunnings Warehouse Nor West each year.

So what are the membership fees and types of Membership?

Junior Membership means 18 years old and younger and still at school. The fee is $15 and this entitles you to 22 meeting dates a year from July 2004 to June 2005. Grey Matter Games provides club members with a 10% discount. Tinsoldier provides club members with a 5% discount.

Adult Membership means 18 years old and older and not at school. The fee is $50 and this entitles you to 22 meeting dates a year from July 2004 to June 2005. In addition if you have paid the full year’s membership are entitle to enter one Leviathan weekend competition for free. The discounts mentioned in Junior membership also apply

Family Membership means Mum, Dad and your children still at school. The fee is $50 and this entitles you to 22 meeting dates a year from July 2004 to June 2005. The discounts mentioned in Junior membership also apply.

Honourary Membership Leviathan Game Organisers become Honourary free members for the year.

Honourary Life Members. This is a very rare honour given to members in recognition of their extraordinary service to our club. Remember our club has been running since the early 1970’s. Our oldest continuous member is Andrew Waterson who joined in 1981. Ty Gock joined in 1978 however he was not a member from 1982 to 1984.

Visitor’s Fees, Non members visiting may have the first meeting for free and there after it is $5 a meeting.

NOTE: Only fully paid financial members may run for Committee and vote in the WSGS Committee Elections to be held on Sunday 20^th June 2004. This excludes Honourary members from being on Committee or voting unless they wish to become full financial members.

Committee Roles and Voting

We vote for a club president (the only directly elected role) and 4 committee members. After the vote for club president and 4 committee members meet to decide who will fill what committee role.

WSGS Committee Roles

Club President, provides direction and leadership for WSGS and works to ensure WSGS remains a viable and successful club providing a good environment for hobbyists to meet and play our hobby. This is a directly elected role.

Treasurer. Keeps our financial records, anticipates our financial needs and endeavours to ensure our funds will meet our costs. Organises the Visitor fee collection each meeting, and helps establish the years program of activities within our financial means.

Club Secretary. Keeps committee minutes and looks after all WSGS correspondence in accordance with the directions provided by the club President. Follows up and prompts others about commitments made and deadlines in the club minutes. The club newsletter and web site is also a responsibility of the Club Secretary.

Publicity/ Marketing Officer, is responsible for all the events and activities that promote WSGS and our Hobby. Currently this includes Leviathan, Bunnings promotions and fund raisers, MOAB participation games, The Matisse Open day, the Easter Show and November interclub challenge.

Committee Member/ Librarian. Is responsible for internal activities and our library. For example terrain making days to build up our club terrain library, family days where club games may be used to provide activities for the families and the painting at family days to encourage kids to paint a miniature for our club Display days.

Delegated work.

The committee has the authority to delegate work to other club members to assist in the above. Hence Leviathan may be delegated to 1-3 club members, the club newsletter or web page is another item sometimes delegated. The committee members still remain responsible to ensure the delegated work is competed on time and appropriately.

Want to provide Newsletter input – Please see Ty Gock.

News

q WWII replica planes being built.

There are many WWII replicas being built to order at the moment. From 262, Fw190A , FW190D and Me109’s.

Go to http://wwwflugwerk.de. and http://www.stormbirds.com. The 262’s are actually being built by the Texas Airplane Factory for Classic Fighter Industries, Inc.

q Family day 4/4/2004

Full Thrust made a great return and the painting desk saw 6 kids and 3 parents around the table. The Battletech campaign continued.

q Easter Show 9^th and 10^th April 2004

So how many miniature hobby clubs can say they had a display at the Royal Easter Show? Just One, us!

This was amazing, we gave out around 600 show bags and talked ourselves horse. Yes even Gary couldn’t say another word. Mitchell kept trying to talk but wasn’t making any sense. The walk back to the car was a killer.

A number of families attended Leviathan after seeing us at the Easter show, including one of the Arts and Craft Easter Show Hall Organisers. I would like to thank the following volunteers: Ty Gock, Mitchell Ortuondo, David Pasilow, Jacqueline Kartono, Steve Stopford, Ross Heenan, Pat Sibbald, Gary Kenworthy

q Bunnings 18/4/2004

We sold out of 19 kgs of sausages by 1p.m. It was a great opportunity to promote Leviathan, we could have sold another 5 kgs by 3p.m. but we were too tired. Thanks to Mitchell, Andrew and Ty.

q Meeting 18/4/2004

Our 40K campaign continued to grow.

UP and COMING MEETING and EVENTS

q Family Day and BBQ 2^nd May 2004

Children 14 years and under accompanied by their parent(s) will receive lunch from the BBQ for free. Paint has been provided courtesy of Matisse Paints. All the children need to bring is their paint brushes and a miniature to paint. Children are invited to bring their favourite table top game. E.g. Yu-Gi-Oh, Spaceships for Full thrust, all miniatures and kits are welcome. WE need a volunteer for the BBQ for this meeting.

q 2^nd May 2004 – Battletech Campaign

The Battletech campaign is played on the first Sunday meeting of the month. All are invited to join in and have some fun playing a game where you command 10m tall robots weighing in from 20 to 100 tones. No rules knowledge is needed, just rock on up and see Rob, the ½ Ogre with the Mohawk.

q 16^th May 2004 Meeting

q 19^th and 20^th June All weekend meeting.

Organise your Massive 2 day game NOW!

q A General Meeting 20^th June Committee Elections

q WSGS Inaugural Dinner - Saturday evening 10th July 2004, from 5.30pm

q Theme: Medieval and Dark Ages, Myths and Reality

q Venue: Unlimited Hobbies Games area

q Costs: WSGS Members/ Former Members/ and Partners plus friends of current Members $22 per head. Children 12 and under free, 13 and over $12 per head

q Places are limited to approximately 40 people.

q All Funds remaining after food and other necessary items are purchased will go into prizes

q Prizes

q All attending go into a raffle for some prizes

q Plus prizes for Best Gentlemen in Costume, Best Lady in Costume and Best Child Costume

q Volunteer needed, volunteers that attend all the preparation and assist during the night have their partner and children join in for free. Volunteers need to be available Saturday Day. Please see Ty (I’m looking for 2 webber ovens to use on the day.)

q If you are interested in attending in costume, please start preparing as soon as possible.

q The Menu is subject to change however I am considering the following.