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Warhammer in the Antarctic – Meet the Royal Navy Officers Playing at the South Pole

Some awesome pictures recently hit social media, showing the Space Marines of the Rift Stalkers Chapter doing battle with some (presumably deeply heretical) Astra Militarum in the real-life ice world environment of the Antarctic. This chilly conflict was fought between two Lieutenants of the Royal Navy – Lt Jonny ‘Alpha Strike’ Talbot and Lt Max ‘Always Overcharging’ Friswell* of HMS Protector – and was billed as the most southerly game of Warhammer 40,000 ever played.

We couldn’t let this landmark bout go unmarked, so we got in touch – and they were kind enough to answer our questions.

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Warhammer Community: So why are you in the Antarctic?

Jonny: HMS Protector is the Royal Navy’s Ice Patrol ship, we spend the Austral Summer in Antarctic waters conducting various operations. We carry out Hydrographic Survey operations, collect environmental data to improve charting in the area, and support operations for other British and International research stations across the Antarctic Peninsula.  

We are both bridge watchkeepers, meaning we spend a minimum of eight hours each day responsible for the safety of Protector and her crew. On top of this, we each have additional duties we conduct outside of these watches. I am a Hydrographic Surveyor and Gunnery Officer, and Max plays a big role in health and safety on board. This means we can often end up working between 14 to 16 hours, and therefore Warhammer is a great way to unwind in quieter periods on board.     

WC: What's the story behind the game?

Jonny: We were conducting a resupply in the British Antarctic Survey base Rothera, and we had been playing games on ship and decided that the opportunity to get some photos for Twitter couldn’t be missed. 

A short walk outside of the base to give us a scenic backdrop allowed us to set up and play a 500 point game between the Astra Militarum** and Raven Guard successors the Rift Stalkers.

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WC: How did the game go, and who won?

Jonny: My Rift Stalkers managed to nip the victory on points with my pregame movement clearing much of the chaff. The Eliminators made short work of the enemy Command Squad, and this proved too much for the Cadians. 

WC: How often do you get a game? How many players are there in the Antarctic?

Jonny: We both agreed to take Warhammer with us on this deployment. Max hasn’t played for years, so was very keen to blow off the dust and rediscover the joy of the game. There are a few other players aboard, but what is very noticeable is the level of interest from people who have never played before. I have a feeling our numbers on board will grow in the near future!

WC: What challenges are there to face while playing Warhammer in extreme conditions? Most importantly, why aren't you wearing gloves!?

Jonny: The wind made setting up models very difficult! I’m sure that we’ve all played Gardenhammer on a summer's day, but this was on a whole new level. The instability of the playing surface was also particularly evident throughout the game – foxholes were formed from knees and elbows throughout.

Our usual games are played at sea on our conference room table. This removes the issues with exposure and temperature, and offers a far more stable and traditional playing surface.

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WC: Do you build and paint while you're there?

Jonny: No, we only make repairs where necessary. In the future this is definitely something that we have spoken about, although the sea state could make some of the finer details interesting… I’m not forecasting any Golden Demons anytime soon!

WC: Are you avid gamers outside of Antarctica? 

Jonny: I attend many tournaments when I’m at home, travelling across the country attending events whenever I can.

A few years back I formed the UKs number 5 ITC team, The Savvy Submariners, which has developed into a fantastic community of competitive Warhammer 40,000 players, of which I am very proud. I have won some smaller RTTs and tournaments in recent years, but my greatest success has been with the team.

Max has been collecting Warhammer since his childhood, but isn't up to date with the rules of the game. With a very active gaming friendship group he has only recently been dragged out of fifth edition rules – against his will. He still doesn’t understand where his flamer templates have gone.***

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WC: Do you find that Warhammer is popular in the services?

Jonny: The armed forces have an active wargaming community, and more and more people are becoming interested and invested in the hobby. Warhammer for me is all about community and competition. I enjoy the atmosphere and stimulation of a competitive environment, and I have developed some very strong bonds with like-minded individuals.

Max: I really enjoy the narrative aspects of the hobby, from the books to the stories made in game, such as every single plasma Guardsman’s weapon overheating every single game…

WC: Thanks guys! We look forward to hearing more about Warhammer on ice in the near future. Perhaps you could even submit a proposal to become yet another continent to host a qualifier for the World Championships of Warhammer!

And if any other readers have ever played Warhammer in a strange or unusual location, let us know on our Facebook or Twitter pages and you could appear on these illustrious web pages in the future!

* These names are on their birth certificates, believe it or not.

** As we don’t have a Warhammer store in Antarctica yet the guys had to use an older Astra Militarum list.

*** While we’re at it, where are our sustained fire dice?