PRINTTable-Top Gamer: Patrick Nolan, 38
Rachel Swetnam
July 24, 2008 | 12:00 a.m. CST
During the week, Patrick Nolan works for the Missouri Book Service. But every weekend, he assumes command of a small but vicious militia of warriors, robots and fantastical creatures. Each Saturday, he visits Valhalla’s Gate gaming store with his bag of multi-colored dice and his case of figurines to battle his many adversaries, who also double as friends.
Nolan has played all sorts of games, but he prefers Warmachine, a miniature war game in which opponents roll dice to advance small pewter armies across a tabletop battlefield.
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Nolan likes the game’s combination of skill and luck. Moves involve intense, pre-turn planning, he says, but “there’s a certain level of randomness … It’s not pure strategy.”
Warmachine players spend time alone painting figurines and strategizing, but Nolan emphasizes the game’s social aspect. “When you’re fighting, you can learn about that person, you can interact with them,” he says. “You’re not just sitting alone at home.”
Amassing the tiny battalion cost Nolan $1,500. His favorite piece is Karchev the Terrible, a chunky, axe-wielding warrior-robot. “He’s big and silly… But he’s very straightforward,” Nolan says. “He hits insanely hard.”
Nolan might as well be describing himself in the throes of an epic mock battle. As the game intensifies, Nolan’s initial reserve disappears. He’s slowly taking out the enemy, and the dice keep landing in his favor. He tosses out a little smack talk as his opponent agonizes over a move. He laughs and drinks from a liter of Diet Mountain Dew. Sometime after 4 p.m., Nolan’s luck runs out. Undesirable dice combinations undermine his strategy, and his army is soon defeated.
“It’s just a game,” he says as he gently tucks his miniature militia into a black carrying case. “I don’t go home and liquor up if I lose.” In fact, a long night of gaming with friends is in store. Besides, there’s always next weekend.
How well I know this smiling face. And how good it is to see him looking strong and happy. So many times I was taken to the hearth for an evening of gaming, only to fall asleep trying to understand the complexities of Advanced D&D, as, patiently, he and his sister explained the levels and spells to this uninitiated novice. I finally understood the meaning after reading The Ring Trilogy, and I fell in love with Tolkien's use of the language. Thanks, Erin, you've captured my gentle warrior quite well! You've got to know I'm his Mom! Love you, Patrick!
Posted by Diane Couillard Nolan on Jul 25, 2008 at 2:45 p.m. (Report Comment)