Paul Hardtman believed he was the only Warhammer fan on the Island when he was growing up.Today he’s one of several here addicted to the tabletop game.First, they assemble and paint miniature figures so that they represent futuristic soldiers, creatures and vehicles of war.The figures are then formed into armies which battle against those created by other players.Members in Mr Hardtman’s group are between the ages of ten and 35. They gather and play every Sunday, at Watford Sports Club in Sandys.Their aim is to now spread the word about their favourite pastime, which they insist is not just a hobby for young boys.Club ambassador Joshua Emmerson, age 26, said the game allowed people to be both mathematical and creative at the same time.He was around ten years old when he stumbled on the models while with his parents in California.“I have always been interested in medieval history and warfare, so once I learned about Warhammer and got my first models, I just went from there,” he said.“History was the best subject in school for me other than art. I like working with my hands so I get to assemble and hand paint it myself, which can be a very artistic thing to do. It just depends on how much time you want to spend on it it could be a basic model that takes about one day [to complete] or you can spend a week on one model, depending on how much detail you want to put into it.”Mr Hardtman was 15 when he found an old, white, dwarf figurine on the school bus one day. He took it home and spent the next couple of nights doing research.He convinced his mother to buy him some models but didn’t know of anyone else who played locally.“I thought there was no one else in it. It was 1990 when I found out about other groups, then in 1995 we did actually link up with a couple of them.“But when I went away to college [in Canada] I found there were quite a lot more people that were interested in it than I thought.“I came back [to Bermuda] and found a few more people and got some of my friends in the hobby.”From running into people on the street, he suggests there are about 25 serious players on the Island. According to the 33-year-old, other people would likely be interested if they knew more about it.“Mostly people find out about us through word of mouth, but they don’t know where to go to find out more about it,” he said.Researcher Harold Laude met Mr Hardtman six months ago, and decided to give the game a try.Mr Laude said: “I had heard of it before and wasn’t really into it, but was bored of playing video games and chess and things on the computer because it’s mostly mindless repetition.“But with Warhammer you can actually have your own thinking and you are not restricted. In video games you are restricted by certain rules or by the programme itself, but in Warhammer you can customise your models and really make it your own.”Warhammer on de Rock has been an official club since January. They have been playing at their West End location for the past three years; prior to that they played at the Aquarium on Thursday nights.The group is currently aiming to recruit more members, age ten and up.Mr Hardtman said the younger members have benefited from the pastime. “One mom [of a child in our club] is quite impressed that her son has stuck with something for two years now and his math skills are slowly improving as well.”The gaming fan said it was a social activity, but also involved strategising as happens with chess or checkers. “I like playing this because you are interacting with people instead of staring at a PC.“It’s a thinking game. It does involve a lot of math and calculations, problem solving and critical thinking skills. It also encourages you to use your imagination and be creative.”The game involves nine different armies; each figure has its own unique history. Players can either chose to follow that history or create their own little sub-story with special characters.According to Mr Hardtman, players usually have a small movie action sequence going on in their heads. After the game is over they have the opportunity to give a small explanation about what inspired their game strategy.A basic game lasts for two or three hours. Larger, more complex games can take several days to complete.Mr Hardtman said it was something both males and females could excel in, though he doesn’t know of many female players locally.“It’s not just something for young boys,” he added.“We are trying to educate more people about the hobby, especially now-a-days, with the phrase ‘there is nothing for my child to do’. There’s lots to do but some things might be out of the norm.“Once the parents read the documents we give, then they become receptive to the hobby. It’s a creative activity that uses both the left and right brain. Very few hobbies engage both sides of your brain with one thing.”Mr Emmerson, a goldsmith, believes the older group members will eventually step back and serve as coaches to the younger players.“Once you’ve played so many battles over the years, you just want to put your effort into getting new people and help them get it along. We love it so much we just want to help others get into it.”Warhammer on de Rock group meets Sundays, starting at 12.30pm. Visit their Facebook page, Warhammer on de Rock.