MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- The Iwakuni Community Gaming Club gathered at Yuri Tower’s (Building 658) community room here to exercise their minds in a day of table-top strategy, board and card games, March 2, 2013.
“‘Exercise your mind, not your thumbs,’ it’s the statement of the gaming club,” said Sgt. Marcus Martinez, Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 12 aircraft armament equipment noncommissioned officer-in-charge and Iwakuni Community Gaming Club president. “The games we play here require much more thought and strategy than your average "Call of Duty" game.”
Among the games played, Warmachine and Hordes takes predominance as the top game played at the gaming club.
Martinez said the objective of the game is similar to the game of chess, where the goal is to kill the opposing player’s warlock or warcaster, which is similar to chess’s king. Even those who don’t have any experience are welcome to learn how to play the game.
“These gaming experiences give people the ability to learn, grow their minds and develop from their mistakes,” said Lance Cpl. Caleb Just, Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron bulk-fuel specialist and gaming club member. “I’ve played a couple of role-playing-games, but with Warmachine and Hordes, I had no experience at all.”
Table-top strategy games may not appeal to everyone, but the gaming club offers more games, such as "Clue," which require contemplating strategies. Some members bring their own type of games to the gaming club for others to try as well.
“Most of the players here play 'Dungeons and Dragons' and various other pen-and-paper (Role Playing Games),” said Martinez. “So if you’re interested, you can play, or run, some of those kinds of games.”
The gaming club may offer many different games, but their main goal is to bring people with the same kinds of personalities together.
“I came in thinking I wasn’t going to find a lot of the good friends that I have now,” said Just. “This gaming group is a great opportunity to be yourself amongst a group of people who are themselves. You don’t see this type of group anywhere else.”
Whether someone is a servicemember or dependent, experienced or not, the Iwakuni Community Gaming Club is a place where station residents can come together with a common goal of learning new hands-on gaming opportunities.