Mayday, Miss Marcy! Journey Troubles, Rules Woes, and Dietary Misery

Hello as soon as once more and welcome to the second Mayday, Miss Marcy of 2026. While the whole world appears to be always on fireplace in a mere 8 days into the brand new yr, we right here at Goonhammer are all the time working laborious on the issues that basically matter, and nothing issues right here greater than me answering questions that you simply all e mail to us (there may be definitely no authorial bias right here). This week, I’ve a brand new batch of three inquiries to reply, though a few of these dates into the final elements of 2025, however the expiry dates nonetheless appear effective, so let’s dig in!

But earlier than we do really begin, let’s put out a reminder about how issues work round right here in case you wish to submit your individual questions!

Have a query you need answered on absolutely anything you’d want recommendation on on this grand interest house of ours? Board video games, 40k, AOS, TTRPGs, MTG, something and all the pieces that we cowl, we may help with!

It’s a New Year for individuals who observe Gregorian Calendars anyway, and so on this time of renewal, tell us in case you have any questions becoming with getting began, new beginnings, or cleansing out these psychological cobwebs!

For some examples, check out earlier editions of our column at this hyperlink with a helpful tag to see all earlier questions and solutions!

If you wish to submit questions, we’ve got a couple of days you are able to do it. Patrons can use the Discord bot command to ask questions, which shall be obtained anonymously!

If you’re not a Patron, or simply don’t need further steps, you’ll be able to touch upon this text, or e-mail Marcy immediately at marcy@goonhammer.com!

If you missed final week’s article, you’ll be able to test it out right here. 

And now, on to the questions!

Traveling Troubles

Hi Miss Marcy,

This query would possibly sound slightly odd at first, however hear me out: Should I keep away from touring to the United States for Warhammer in 2026? I really feel like I already know the reply, however I made a decision to ask somebody anyway. For a bit extra context, I’ve gone to Adepticon nearly yearly since 2010, though COVID actually put a damper on issues. I additionally accepted work that brought about me to maneuver to the UK, so going has change into a bigger dedication than it was, however I nonetheless have been going to fulfill up with my mates, most of whom I’ve recognized my complete grownup life.

However, I’ve seen individuals say to not journey to the US or that there are causes to not; I perceive them, but it surely feels laborious to surrender one thing I’ve achieved a lot for that. So, what’s your take?

Alone On an Island

Dear Alone,

Short reply: Do not journey to the United States.

Long reply: Do not journey to the United States, as a result of even when you’re going to miss seeing your folks, the possibility that your journey will get you into some type of state of affairs on the border is a quantity increased than 0, even if you happen to assume you’ll be left alone. You can reside with out going to Adepticon for a yr or two, and your folks ought to (most likely) perceive you reluctance to take action. Instead, though it clearly breaks with custom, see if you happen to may go to some other massive Warhammer occasion; because you mentioned you reside within the UK, I’d need to think about they’re fairly simple to return by, and even some in Europe itself.

However, I wished to provide the longer reply as a result of I commiserate a bit; I get that giving up on one thing you’ve all the time achieved and seemed ahead to for nebulous fears or “could bes” feels dangerous, however you don’t want to go to Adepticon to reside. You will survive with out doing so, and the possibility of one thing taking place is de facto simply not well worth the headache; as a private opinion, the US financial system can do with out your help for a bit too. Maybe in a yr and a half or so, this query will sound insane to individuals. But proper now, keep residence and inform your folks to name you on Zoom or one thing.

Rules Today, Gone Tomorrow

Miss Marcy,

Hello there. I’m unsure if this query is bizarre or not however I’ve an extremely laborious time with guidelines for 40k. I perceive the overall stream of the sport and the way issues work, however when individuals begin utilizing jargon, lingo, no matter you wish to name it, I begin to tune it out like Charlie Brown listening to his mother and father. I personal the rulebooks and have learn them, I’ve watched movies about issues, I’ve seen battle studies that cowl my armies and the way the sport is performed, however typically issues simply don’t stick to me.

I’ve typically not had a significant challenge with this but, however I’m slightly nervous that I might need one ultimately; often if one thing comes up, I’ll simply play it off, and since 40k has loads of guidelines, my opponents don’t appear to thoughts and can typically clarify issues. I don’t actually play overly competitively both, so I haven’t had a lot challenge, however is there something you recommend?

Confused Conscript

Dear Confused,

I suppose I might have favored to know in case you have ever been examined for any type of studying or processing incapacity, or in case you have one thing like ADHD, however getting previous doable medical causes you might wish to think about, I’m slightly curious in case you have this drawback processing data in some other side of your life. You don’t point out it so both you don’t, otherwise you do, however you haven’t actually seen it in a method that you simply do with 40k.

I can give you a couple of concepts, although, as a result of there may be the possibility that you’re new to the sport and are simply having sensory overload from the truth that the sport does certainly have loads of guidelines, phrases, group slang, and numerous armies and skills. A really helpful tip at the least on your personal military and the overall stream of the sport is to take precise, bodily notes. Sit together with your rulebooks, write down notes such as you did at school, and use these as methods that will help you higher be taught what’s going on. The act of really writing the principles out in your individual phrases and organizing your ideas on a bodily web page completes part of the studying course of that helps your mind create and retain information by synthesis.

I additionally marvel if you’re really very new and have made the slight mistake of leaping proper in to full video games immediately with out really taking the time to be correctly taught the sport and ramped up your expertise? You point out your opponents haven’t complained or seen, but in addition that you simply don’t play very competitively, so it sounds such as you’re most likely taking part in at an LGS or comparable informal venue. If that’s true, you would possibly really be attempting to swim within the deep finish with out having really realized to swim, and also you simply so occur to be lucking out that individuals are pulling you above water; like most issues, although, that luck might be going to expire. Consider attempting the word taking not only for your self, but in addition on your fellow gamers, who you’re basically tasking with instructing you the sport each time you play it; additionally, actually do think about if that is ONLY a 40k drawback, as a result of if not, you might wish to search a second opinion from somebody with a special sort of doctorate than I’ve.

Food to Go

Happy New Year Miss Marcy,

Last yr, I began having some points with my dietary wants that I’ll hold temporary, however I’m discovering that I each don’t eat sufficient after I go on gaming journeys/weekends, and that the sorts of meals I want usually are not all the time as simple to get as I’d like. In the previous I simply tanked it by consuming something that was out there or surviving off quick meals, however I’ve been advised that isn’t actually an choice for me anymore.

I can’t count on gaming occasions to all the time have the meals I want after I want them, however I’ve additionally run into locations prior to now that can balk at having water bottles, not to mention meals or coolers. I’ve been attempting to think about options that don’t boil right down to “stop going” to sure issues, however which may be the case…

Hungry for Help

Dear Hungry,

Happy New Year to you too! And boy, does that query simply really feel just like the “so you’ve reached the stage of adulthood where things just start to go in a different direction”. The joke that at 30 you’re randomly assigned a everlasting debuff to one thing randomly in your physique does sort of maintain a little bit of weight, and even with out dietary restrictions, I typically struggled to remain correctly hydrated and fed at conventions after I traveled to them. The value, availability, and choice have been all the time constant issues, and I’ve additionally had the annoyance of being advised that I can’t deliver meals or drink in with me to locations out of what looks as if a have to pressure me to spend 10 {dollars} on a scorching canine.

I actually do wish to offer you a greater reply, however… you’ll have to make the precise selection of “not doing thing”, which is sort of a much less enjoyable reply than you most likely would love. But I feel additionally it is the reply you have been most likely anticipating to listen to and already knew, so as an alternative, I feel you need to give attention to the occasions or gaming experiences you are able to do safely and with out further stress. Focusing on these would possibly make it simpler to curtail different occasions, however you actually don’t wish to have a significant well being disaster (or a minor one!) at a spot simply to play Warhammer for a day. If there may be an occasion you actually wish to attend however is presenting probably the most points, you could possibly contact the occasion and focus on your well being wants with them and see in the event that they may help you accommodate them; it by no means hurts to ask, and if they are saying no, then simply save your self the headache. Otherwise, one of the best options are issues like packing/making ready your individual meals to deliver with you in no matter amount is dependable/doable, and maybe making ready snacks/small meals that might show you how to get via the occasion.

I’ll supply a tip, although: I used to run into a difficulty at conventions of getting very hungry and thirsty, and whereas bringing a water bottle (reusable) solves a kind of, the opposite is tougher, however I discovered that always issues like “granola bars” and the like hardly ever ever did something to supply me with the power and sustenance that I really wanted. So, for me, I began to check them earlier than going by taking a day or two and utilizing power bars to typically get via the majority of the day, round 6 hours or so, to see how I felt. It wasn’t good, but it surely did assist me slender down what sorts of fast, small, packaged meals I may carry that might work, and sometimes carried a bit greater than I felt I wanted as a result of strolling round, standing, taking part in, socializing, and comparable are going to require extra power than you most likely use every day.

Have any questions or suggestions? Drop us a word within the feedback under or e mail us at contact@goonhammer.com. Want articles like this linked in your inbox each Monday morning? Sign up for our publication. And don’t neglect that you may support us on Patreon for backer rewards like early video content material, Administratum entry, an ad-free expertise on our web site and extra.

Related