40k Player Profile: Ted Nagel

Hey Folks, Jawaballs here!

I thought it would be interesting to do a recurring themed post about some of the various personalities I run into at all these gaming "events" I go to.  I try to hit up at least one a month, whether it is a major GT or a small tournament.  At all of these things there is always one thing that is the same. People!  If you go to enough of them, you start to see the same guys depending on where you go.  It has gotten to the point that I am happy to pack up and travel any where alone because no matter what I will have some one there to chill with.  A great example of this was my recent trip to Mechanicon.  It is just outside of Philadelphia and a good 3.5 hours from me.  The price tag excluded most of the guys in my club and Fritz was unable to cool the wife agro.  So away I went... Lobo-Jawa for the second year in a row.  But all was cool because I knew people would be there that I met the year before, or that I had met at other events.  I hung out with cool dudes the entire weekend and at no time did I feel alone.

The point of this is that the 40k tournament scene is a very small little family of guys who take time out of their separate lives to gather, play, drink and chill.  It is our privilege to be surrounded by great people and we should take advantage of it. One such dude is Ted Nagel.  I first met Ted at Mechanicon 2009.  He is a super friendly, personable and interesting dude.  But also, he is a great painter with no ego to speak of (unlike a certain Jawa :P ) and smacks face on the tables.

Ted working with the Bolter and Chainsword 

crew at Gamesday

He was there again this year and we got to speak more indepth.  Not a single negative word left his mouth the entire time.  It was refreshing to talk to him and inspiring in a way. I challenge you to try it some time. Have a conversation with some one for five minutes and not say something negative. Did you do it? Well try it for a day. Then a weekend.  Not so easy!

The guy joined the military right out of high school, married his high school girl friend to whom he is still married, left the military to take a related career which he served for quite a long time, retired from that one and has another where he is the boss and instructor.  (Intentionally vague to protect his privacy.)  He did all that and still looks like he is in his 30s.  Maybe he still is. The only reason why I think he is not is that he has teenage kids and has retired from two careers... Not the point!  The point is that in talking to him you get a sense of a truly happy guy. Granted, you could not catch him the entire weekend without a beverage in his hand... But isn't that part of why we go to these things to begin with? But better, if you do catch him without one, it is mere seconds before he is offering you one too and running up to the bar, or coming up to you and pushing one into your hands.  Social skills 101 guys.  He is the professor.

Ted is a Space Wolf player with a beautiful, and simply painted army.  He does not spend hours on blending, but instead has a method of painting that is so simple it is hard. And his stuff looks fantastic!

Ted's Space Wolves

Ted's Friday Night awards.

He knows his stuff looks good, but at the same time, claims to not be half the painter I am. Whatever man! First of all, I am just a hack myself who has figured out how to paint red.  I appreciate the compliment, but right back at you.  I learned a lot about painting by just looking at his wolves.  You need to see the army close up to know what I am talking about.  Great stuff.

Oh and did I mention that he plays wolves?  What is in his list you ask?  Certainly not the flavor of the month stuff you see most other wolf players fielding.  When asked why he has no rune priest he says and I quote "I know my army would be stronger with one, but psychic powers are for pussies."  With a joking smile on his face of course.  :)  He avoids playing the min/max list as a point of integrity and prefers to go to tournaments with a powerful, but personalized list made to his liking.  And he still beats face. He did not win Mechanicon, but he did well.  I think top 5? It certainly did not hurt him that he must have scored maximum sportsman and a very high painting score.  

That brings me to him as a player. Frankly, I think you could give him any list, without psykers of course, and he could do well. I played him in a pick up game last year and it was a knock down, drag out slug fest.  The guy knows how to beat face and how to punish you for your mistakes.  Quietly, but most definitely, one of the best players I have ever faced.  

Ted chews the fat with a couple other players 

late night on Friday at Mechanicon. 

Ok, time to end this manlove fest before Ted kicks my ass.  If he knew I was posting this up he would probably give me the "head or gutt" line from The Last Boyscout. It would depend on how many Yingling's he has had. But he is a shining example of the complete 40k player. 40k is a social game. Conventions and tournaments are social events. And Ted takes advantage of the opportunity to be social, shaking hands and buying beers.  He is a good player, painter and sportsman. He wins awards with a smile on his face and you are happy to see him do it. But more importantly than any of that, the guy has lived a charmed life, and simply talking to him is enough to feel a little charmed yourself.  He is a genuine and good natured guy. What more in life can you ask for?  I can't think of much myself.

Jawaballs