Interview with Eirini Ligia, ETC 2012 Greek team Coach.

I don't know if it was Eirini's enthusiasm about the game or her readiness to answer the questions that left me a very good image about her and to tell the truth i wasn't that stunned (or shaken) to learn about a girl that likes warhammer 40k so much or boardgames / role playing games since i know other girls who also like such games.

Eirini was the Coach of team Greece in the ETC 2012 - that means that she kept results from the games and advised our players during the games what results should they try to get depending on the results of the other players.

 
Lets see the interview with Eirini. 

So you're involved in the game? are you playing Warhammer 40.000 and if so for how long?

I haven't been playing for long, but it 's a game I like a lot. I hope that this year i will get involved more. ETC was a good start for me to see real players in real conditions (not just friendly games) and, frankly, I loved it!

Good thing that, and if I may say, quite rare although we have seen female players elsewhere, so you haven't taken part or seen any other Warhammer tournaments?

This was the first time and I thought it was going to be tough,but the team made it easy for me. In general I love strategy and Role Playing Games (I have been playing since I was 15). ETC was the first tournament I had a part in. I would like to see this game getting better and I want to support the Greek team as much as I can. Maybe I can convince some of my female friends to play, for now, I look a bit freaky to them in Greece...

  

It's quite an unknown hobby still in Greece, while the board game hobby is spreading - the miniature war game is still quite unknown or hard to get close to someone, especially to girls. You were playing other board games before getting to Warhammer 40.000?

I have been playing PC games at first and then Dungeons and Dragons. I even started to play Dungeon Master a few years ago. This year I am starting an all-female team, all things go well...It's a pity that those games are considered a male activity. It's like back to junior school that all the girls were supposed to play with dolls and boys with cars and soldiers. I don't think that imagination and strategic skills have to do with sex.

Neither do i, anyway, let's get on to the ETC experience, you knew about this tournament and the world wide participation that it has?

Yes, as soon as I started watching my friends and playing a few games. I couldn't imagine then, that I would take part in it. I only knew that I wanted Greece to be involved more and hit scores.

Some more details on the tournament, how you saw the games actually, did it looked difficult to you? Vasilis told us (and the previous captain too) that the gaming level there is very high, was our players  struggling to take scores?

I think that the most difficult thing was for the players to cope with their anxiety, which they did actually, after the first game, against England, a difficult team, with good lists and players. I don't think that the Greek team found it so hard to take good scores...We had a very competitive team and with good lists. Of course the level is very high, but with a little more experience and with less difficulties than this year, things will go better and better. For most players it was the first time and this tournament, as all the worldwide events has its own rules and manners.So, I wouldn't say struggling, just trying. And with all the circumstances considered, we did good. I cannot speak for the other tournament, as I wasn't there, but improving is always good.

 

How was your time in Poland outside of the tournament itself?

It was fantastic! All the team was together and they really made me feel a part of them, from the very beginning. Poland is a beautiful country and though I didn't manage to see a lot of it, I certainly want to go back someday, to stroll in the forests, eat their amazing food and do some sightseeing. The only problem was that Polish don't speak English, so we found it a bit difficult to communicate, but they are very kind and ready to help. As I have spent most of my time in the tournament field, seeing so many people from so many countries was a one in a lifetime experience. I thought the weather was going to be colder, but the two days were really hot.

Yes, regarding the other teams, was there a team or teams that made you the most impression?

With Austrians we practically became friends. Very kind and smiling people, fair players, they were those I preferred to talk to. I made coffee for them, they gave me sweets. Nice talkers too.

Players from the Netherlands were also very nice. It was nice going around and seeing faces I had just met the day before smiling and being ready to talk. What impressed me more was that almost everyone asked about the political and financial situation of Greece in a manner that showed interest and a tendency not to take the Media for granted.

I have the impression that events like that can contribute to knowing each other better. Generally, all the teams were fine and even when we had a misunderstanding, everybody tried to solve the problem in the most friendly way.

This is very good to know, actually it is a common knowledge to the people who take part in those tournaments that players already one thing, their hobby and this breaks the ice between them quite fast - and it's a good way to make friends even faster, do you think this is also true?

Certainly. You practically live with these people for some days. The only time we spent apart, was the night. And of course, I made some new friends from Greece, too. It's good to meet people that would otherwise be strangers.

You believe our team will do better next year?

We will rock!

 

You sound excited about it, you are planning to go to the tournament again?

Certainly! I would go even just to watch. I will tell them to take me again as coach, but that depends on the team and the places available.

Great, and good luck, you are planning to play the game too in the future and maybe on local tournaments too? if so with what army?

Hahahhaa!!!That's a thing! I like Eldars and Dark Eldars. I couldn't decide which one I like most, until 6th edition solved that for me. Taking part in tournaments after having studied as I want is in my future plans. Maybe I can participate in a ETC as a player in a few years.

You could do that for certain, Vasilis told us that it is the dedication that plays the most vital role in a player to participate in the team.

I believe so and I will do my best!I will have to cope with MY anxiety first, though...

You mentioned anxiety again, i think this problem will be solved with experience in the tournament.

I think so too. I was joking. Things get better when you start playing. Then only the battleground and the opponent army exist.

words from a true player I may say.

Thank you.Compliment accepted.

And not the opponent player? are players playing against each other mainly or against their opponent army? is there a difference? if you were playing in the game would you feel that you are playing mostly against the army the player or both?

That is the reason I put it this way. I never thought that the other player is the opponent, without me meaning that I cannot get competitive if the other plays this way. I always play for the game's pleasure and I try to learn from those that are better. Players should be friends. The game should be the best you can play in order to win. I don't get crossed when I lose, especially when the other is better, but, let's face it. It's a strategy game, you play to win. So...Opponent army, not player.

great, Irene thank you for your time.

I thank you!

It was good talking to you, good luck in your gaming adventures and most of all have fun!

 

That finished our small interview, i guess we will see Eiriri on a tournament soon, i hope that our small community will evolve even more