An Interview with a Hobbyist, part two: Beers of War

Welcome to part two of our interview with Luke Fellows, professional hobbyist and star of the YouTube channel Luke's APS (Affordable Painting Service). Herein we'll learn about his current - and arguably most challenging - project, the forthcoming Beers of War tournament. So buckle up, Inmates ... things are gonna get boozy!

Not content with making a success of freelance miniature painting and having a stonkingly good YouTube channel, you’ve also organised a Kings of War tournament called Beers of War. Can you tell us a little about it?

Free Beer. Do I have to say more…?

…Oh, I do? Okay.

It’s a Kings Of War doubles tournament with an emphasis on fun and socialising without removing the competitive nature of the game. Each side plays three games rather than the usual four. This allows for more time between each game and a long dinner during which people can chat, eat and drink, or even slip in a fourth game if they so desire.

Me and my brother organised the tournament. Lee has been involved in organising music festivals and shows from the age of 16, and I, as a musician, have been in the entertainment industry from around 18. We have plenty of experience, and we’ve applied it to this event. Hence the free beer. People are suckers for free beer. We’ve also sourced plenty of good prizes.

What challenges did you face when organising the event?

One of the main challenges was finding a venue and knowing how big a venue we needed for our first venture.

One thing we notice when people talk about organising a wargaming event is they can’t find a good space for it. But they only look at hobby spaces and shops where everything is ready to go. You can put on a wargaming event anywhere. So we used our knowledge of venues in the area and found one we thought would work. You would be surprised how cheaply you can find a space to hire for a full day. Do your research, do the maths, and take the risk. We’re prepared to lose money in the beginning as an investment and make our money back from future events.

Another challenge has been getting all the tables and scenery sorted ourselves. However, we see it as once it’s done, it’s done. We can now put an event on anywhere using the same materials, or even sell the terrain for extra money on top.



In view of the fact Beers of War is already sold out, is it safe to assume you’ll be organising another?

Yes. In fact, we’re in the process of confirming a larger venue, and we have big plans for the future.

And what else do you see in both your tabletop future, and the future of your Youtube channel? Do you, for instance, have any more events lined up?


I hope to see the channel grow to the point where I can make a living from the hobby alone and set up a small business with a couple of friends and family. That’s the dream. I’m not going to pretend I’m in this for just the hobby alone and it’s all been about the art. It’s part of it, but if I can do it for a living and not have to work weekends and can support my family doing something I love, then I’m going to do it.

In terms of events I’m already planning a painting series to the tune of ‘paint good, quick’ in just a few simple steps. Companion videos will be a little more ‘advanced’, but they'll still stick to my ‘That'll do’ attitude, which a lot of my viewers appreciate. The majority of us just want to paint something good and play with it at the end of the day, don’t we?

And here endeth the sermon, Inmates. Please join us in thanking Luke for his interview.

So that's it for this edition of Asylum Wargaming's Writes of Asylum. We hope you join us next time when we'll bring you more tabletop awesome.