Leigh Tresidder - Hall of Fame 2019
Success looms large for a player who may well be the Best Player to ever roll dice and move toy soldiers at Arc40k.
Probably the Best of All Time.
Without a doubt this mountain of a man is also one of the most influential personalities that has graced the gaming tables of Arc40k and if you’ve played against him it’s inevitably a fun couple of hours - even if his Orks have Waagh’d the heck all over your force and they’ve fled the field of battle.
Leigh has a record that is unparalleled and probably unreachable. No one comes close in the overall points scored over the 25 years since the doors were first opened at an Arc weekend.
Records, records and then records have been set and broken by Leigh Tressider. He was the first multiple winner of Arc40k and remains the only player to hold the overall Champion Trophy aloft three times.
He has finished in the Top 10 in nine of the 15 Arc40k appearances. Finishing 1st in every five events played, 4th place has been his on 4 separate occasions and he’s finished second twice...
Oh and Leigh has also secured Best General in 2012 and the converted Players Choice Award was clinched in 2014 for a magnificent Eldar Army painted primarily to secure votes for its appearance.
But records and statistics only give an insight into the intellect and gaming acumen of this Arc40k Champion.
What sort of bloke is he?
Well, I’m biased as I am able to call him a long-time friend.
I first met him as this precious Kid who was a customer of the then newly opened GW Greensborough store in the Northern Suburbs of Melbourne.
He pestered, annoyed and most of all claimed he would make a great casual staff member. What could I do but give him a go - to see if he might fail…
Anyone close to Leigh will attest to the fact that when the big fella faces a challenge and makes a commitment - then he’s going to do everything to achieve it - and well he was right, he was damn good and got the job!
Back in an era where GW Games Nights were about hosting loud involving games - Leigh as a teenager did all that. Taller than the other teenager customers, with his massive Mohawk, he captivated and whipped everyone surrounding his Games Night table into a Warhammer Frenzy.
Chants of six, six, six, were part of the rolling narrative of challenging for shots being fired, questioning if players had what it took to roll the damage to be dealt, and always a glorious success was cheered for the victors while others were left with heads being shook in their defeat. Everyone enjoyed the games he controlled. Can I get a Waaaagh!
That narrative of excitement and involvement is a hallmark of Leigh across the gaming table - as a narrative game runner or as a very challenging but entertaining opponent.
So he wore the Red Shirt, ran games, collected and painted, went to Games Days, immersed himself in the Warhammer Hobby.
And his Store Manager was heavily invested in recruiting anyone he could to sign up for the annual hobby challenge he would at the time claim to be the best Hobby event ever… that event was Arc40k.
So sorry everyone - I may have pointed, even encouraged him - I certainly enabled him as he had to be rostered off work to attend.
The truth is that everyone, customers and staff alike, were at that time challenged to sign on and tackle this event to have fun, get involved and do more hobby.
Ultimately it was Leigh that had the skill, personality and talent to learn how to win, win and win again.
Many have been defeated by Leigh Tresider across the 90 games he’s played at Arc40k. It’s an experience worth the price of entry - I’ve been demolished by his rampaging Orks - more than once.
In grand spirits he’ll tell you how he went about your defeat. How the inevitable was unstoppable but that had you done some things differently then the battle would have been a harder challenge for him.
Is that arrogance? Some might think that, but when he’s smiling and giving you his honest opinion on the game you’ve just played, I’d say it’s a confidence that few people have in playing the game. I have always learnt more playing against and loosing to Leigh than any other player.
The fun social nature of his game, the narrative, and efficiency in how he plays are part of the formula for his success. Leigh’s army’s always score well in their theme, strength and presentation. He scores points consistently at the top of every aspect of the Arc40k system.
If you are lucky enough you’ll face the challenge of playing against the Bad Fang Boy. It’s nothing, if not entertaining.
