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There are few Warhammer aesthetics that I love more than Necromunda. It hits all the right buttons: grungy and decrepit buildings, the Underhive, the multiple levels of verticality which make the game interesting in a 3D-chess sort of way.
Eric’s Hobby Workshop is unique because Eric is a very precise and excellent modeler–he will often spend great amounts of time to create the perfect I-Beams out of chip board–but he also makes EXTENSIVE use of the Dollar Store to find his parts and pieces. He’s rarely taking Games Workshop terrain and modifying it; instead, he’s taking things like broken toys and sawed-up squirt guns and any bits that he can find that will add fascinating detail to a scratch-built set of scenery.
Sometimes this is sci-fi, with Necromunda, and sometimes it’s fantasy, like Mordheim or Warhammer Fantasy Battles.
And on a personal note, he’s one of the most chill and easy-going YouTubers that you’ll come across, who never seems to be chasing algorithms and is content to be doing exactly what he wants to do, no matter what. Watching his channel is a mix of hobby inspiration and Zen.
Without further ado, here’s the interview with Eric from Eric’s Hobby Workshop.
1. What was the very first thing that got you into terrain and wargaming?
Eric: I always loved Lego and Micromachines, and was very crafty and artistic as a kid, but my first brush with wargames terrain was coming into my next-door neighbor’s basement and seeing some Warhammer set up on the pool table. I immediately was drawn to the smooth green expanse of the battlefield and the miniature trees that towered over the minis.
Shortly after this, another friend of mine gave me a flyer that they used to give out in games workshop in the 90s, full of cool full-colour pictures of armies and miniatures on well appointed tabletops. The centrefold was a brilliant battle between Lizardmen and Bretonnia. I took this flyer in the car on a road trip with my family, and in long stretches on the highway my brothers and I passed it around and marveled at the gorgeous images.
On that trip, our grandmother gave us each $20, and we pledged that we would all spend it on Warhammer when we returned. The rest, as they say, is history.
2. What games do you primarily play, and why do you love them?
Eric: Warhammer fantasy is my first love. Its full of classic fantasy tropes that hit all the right notes for me and really gets my imagination going. I love the setting and models, but to be honest the 6th edition rules that i grew up playing (and still play with my brothers) are kind of clunky and slow compared to other game systems.
In recent years I have started playing 40k, Necromunda and Mordheim. After playing WHFB, a 40k shooting phase is positively exhilarating. Mordheim is a game that I love the aesthetic of – creating a characterful gang and ruined city to battle in is so much fun. Necromunda is perhaps my favourite. The incredibly cool setting, the fast and engaging gameplay and the fun of building a gang over the course of a narrative campaign is second to none for me.
3. What made you decide to take the plunge into YouTube?
Eric: I learned a lot over the years from White Dwarf magazine and other GW books, as well as the old terragenesis forums. I noticed that these resources don’t exist for new players the way they used to when I was young, and it seemed appropriate to share some of what I have learned since this hobby has brought me so much joy over the years. Watching legends like Black Magic Craft and Wyloch’s Armory inspired me as well, so when I had an idea for making a piece of terrain from a watergun a few years ago I figured I might as well make a video tutorial as I build.
4. Looking back, what do you wish you had known before you got started in YouTubing?
Eric: I have no regrets and don’t really like to dwell on past mistakes or “what ifs”. I am still learning and improving at videography and many other skills and will continue to improve for many years I hope!
5. What makes you most optimistic about the future of the hobby?
Eric: The level of talent in the hobby has grown exponentially in the last few years as communities have grown on social media. There’s so much inspiration and information out there these days! We are really only at the beginning of a golden age. This hobby is ancient: We know that as early as 40,000 years ago, people in the Lone valley in present day Germany were carving mythical figurines out of mammoth tusks, manifesting their imaginations in miniature form! To this day, almost every children’s toy is a miniature version of something. Creating in miniature is human nature and has universal appeal. Miniaturizing the world around us allows us to create and play and dream at scales limited only by our wildest fantasies.
6. What makes you most pessimistic about the future of the hobby?
Eric: Nothing, good vibes only my dude.
7. If you could make one change to one game or one IP, what would it be?
Eric: I would make Sigmar one of the missing Primarchs and fold Warhammer Fantasy into the 40k universe. Or not. I don’t worry too much about official lore. I think of it only as guidelines and a potential source of inspiration. If something is cool, it becomes my head-canon.
8. What advice would you give to someone who is just getting into the hobby?
Eric: Just do what makes you happy. You do not need anyone to validate your creations or works. And don’t be hard on yourself. I think a lot of people (including me) can get discouraged sometimes when they see really talented people doing incredible things. It’s important to remember that your hobby is your own journey. Enjoy the process of crafting and painting first, and improvement will come naturally.
Follow Eric’s Hobby Workshop here:
