Heroes and villains have it out on the “battlefield” in these tournaments of strategy, sportsmanship and miniature masterpieces. Photo: South Coast Siege.
A few times a year, unbeknown to the vast majority of Illawarriors, an epic battle of strategy and strength rages in the region – and it’s a whole lot of fun.
These battles take place in miniature form using tabletop medieval fantasy game Warhammer, organised by British import Adam Wallis and his buddy Blake Ellison, who run them as part of Illawarra Warhammer enthusiast group “South Coast Siege“.
Warhammer is huge in Adam’s native England, and he just wants to do his bit to share the joy of it with his new Aussie compatriots.
“The difference between Warhammer and other tournaments is the terrain, which is supremely detailed. It’s immersive and makes you feel you’re part of this other world,” he says.
“The gameplay is heavily impacted by the terrain which can be anything from an icy wasteland to a jungle or a volcano or anything you can imagine, so the games are all vastly different.”
Warhammer players collect, build, and paint miniatures to create armies representing various factions in a fictional universe. Players use these armies to engage in strategic battles on a tabletop, using dice rolls and set rules to determine the outcomes of actions.
South Coast Siege adopts Warhammer’s “40,000 Grand Tournament” scheme, which ranks players overall by a Grand Tournament score, judged by a combination of gaming, sportsmanship and army presentation scores.
Games consist of five rounds, each with a mission, such as an assassination, the slaying of a monster or the procurement of an artefact. The aim is to score as many points as possible in each mission. In tournaments, the player with the most points proceeds to the next round, until the final showdown.
“There’s an element of luck because of the roll of the dice, which mimics reality in a way, where luck often plays a part. But it’s mostly strategy and preparation,” Adam says. “The one who wins is usually the player who’s able to think turns ahead.”
Though 40K tournaments are competitive, South Coast Siege approaches it with a casual mindset.
Participation has roughly tripled since its inception in February 2024 – and it’s growing. Players fill about 20 tables of terrain roughly 150 x 90 cm with detailed, hand-painted miniature figures.
If Adam neither ate nor slept, he could create one of these tables in about three weeks.
Players don’t need experience, but as they must select their equipment and characters before the battle begins, some strategising is required to ensure you’re ready for any eventuality.
“We want all levels of player to come. We have absolute beginners coming to try their hand, and experienced players from all around the Illawarra as far as Sydney coming down to play. They all have fun,” Adam says.
“It’s all about fun, sportsmanship and community, bringing together players for strategic battles and an inclusive, enjoyable gaming experience.”
The next South Coast Siege 40K tournament takes place Saturday 15 February at Collegians Rugby League Football Club, 3A Charlotte Street Wollongong. Spots are limited to 40 – register before 9 February via eventbrite.
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