The format for the 2008 Irresistible Force Masters has been released. There are a few changes being introduced this year as the Masters evolves and matures further cementing itself as the pinnacle of Warhammer Fantasy tournaments in Australasia. The Masters enters its 5th year in 2008 and has gone from strength to strength since its inception in 2004. From humble beginnings it has grown into the highlight of the tournament calendar and something that hundreds of players across Australia and New Zealand aspire to qualifying for each year.

The sky is the limit for the Masters in my mind. It has a fantastic format, enjoys the support of the entire community and places the Warhammer hobby up there with many other sports/hobbies of similar ilk. The health of the tournament scene, an accurate and detailed rankings system, the number of dedicated players and the wonderful array of well run tournaments deserves an end of season event such as the Masters. I remember when the Masters concept flickered to life in my head all those years ago I just felt something was needed to tie things together and give the tournament side of the hobby focus. The same way that the Golden Daemon awards had for the painting aspect of Warhammer. Hence the Warhammer Fantasy Masters was born.

Whilst it would be easy to sit back and rest on our laurels on the success and popularity of the Masters I still recognise the need to stay vigilant and push forward with the concept. I have many plans and ideas in my head for the Masters and I truly hope to bring them to fruition in the next few years. The introduction of the "Thunderdome" match this year is a small step towards reaching some of those goals and I will be working as hard as I can to ensure it is a success. Thunderdome is a match played between the top two generals as a standalone battle setup for the enjoyment of spectators with live commentary and video footage available over the internet.

The fact is that a Warhammer battle between two of the best players in the land is fast becoming a spectacle in its own right and there is interest in watching and discussing these titanic struggles. The Thunderdome concept is the next step in the evolution of our hobby and I hope that you are excited about it as I am. The people I have discussed it with thus far have certainly displayed unbridled enthusiasm for the idea. So bring it on!

The Masters is just 5 short months away, and the count down has begun to what is increasingly looking like one of the most hotly contested events ever. I for one cannot wait.

The tournament format for the 2008 Irresistible Force Masters can be found here.

Andrew Galea