Discovering Freak Wars 2021

Hello everyone!

As you know, from September 10th to 12th, the second online Freak Wars event will take place. Many of you are eagerly waiting for those dates to see what has been prepared for us.

We realized that, many times, we know about the event, but not the people behind it or the difficulties they face in organizing an event of this magnitude.

So, while we wait for the event with great anticipation, we bring you a very interesting interview with the organizers of Freak Wars.

Let’s get to it!

1/ Everyone in the miniature world in Spain knows what Freak Wars is, but tell us, who are Freak Wars? How many people are needed to run an event like this?

Even though many people think otherwise, Freak Wars does not have a company behind it, nor is anyone professionally dedicated to organizing events or has a significant financial backing. And we are certainly not mega-businessmen in suits driving Ferraris, as we’ve been asked before (we wish it was enough to at least get a Hot Wheels one!). In reality, we are just a group of friends that has grown a bit over the years, and we dedicate our free time (and vacation) to the event. But honestly, the organization consists of fewer than 15 people today. We manage all of this through an association called “La Posada del Friki,” which emerged from a forum created by Nico, one of the creators of Freak Wars, years ago. We are also fortunate to have an army of volunteers who are always by our side every year, especially in the physical editions, and without them, the event size we have now would be sheer madness. But even this hasn’t always been the case—in the beginning, when the event wasn’t very well known, these volunteers were our friends who gave us a hand (and two, and three), even our parents! In fact, those who attended the first editions probably remember some of them preparing our famous “lomoceta” sandwiches.

2/ When did you decide you wanted to organize your own event? What sparked the idea? What was the trigger?

It all started a few years ago, in 2014. Ross and Nico’s dream had always been to create an event dedicated to one of their passions, miniatures and wargames—a place to meet up with hobby enthusiasts and buy more plastic and resin than you could fit at home, to chat and play games with other hobby lovers, and to meet their painting heroes. So, after much discussion between them and another friend, Juan (also known as Videador, and owner of the brand Hungry Troll), the three decided to take the plunge and venture into the world of events, even though none of them had any experience. That’s how Rock & Games was born, starting out by mixing miniatures with concerts and live music. As several editions passed, the musical side gradually faded because it was challenging to find a place that could accommodate both activities, and because it ended up being like organizing two events at once. Then in 2016, the event changed its name to Freak Wars, becoming more like what we know today.

3/ When you started organizing the event, did you receive any help to get it off the ground? From other organizers? The city council? Or was it quite the opposite?

The first steps were difficult, but after pushing through on various fronts, we managed to get support from the Rivas Vaciamadrid city council, where the event was born, who provided us with a venue. We were also lucky that several brands trusted us from the beginning, even though it was a new event, and most of them have continued supporting us year after year in every edition. The real challenge has been in the later editions because the event’s space requirements have grown a lot, and it’s much harder to get support from the city council since, unfortunately, the hobby is still seen as a niche activity that doesn’t attract many people. With the increase in space also comes a significant increase in costs, reaching around €80,000 in 2019 for the venue, material rentals, services, etc. And honestly, without the great support from the brands that year, the event wouldn’t have been possible because it’s absolutely impossible for us to cover those costs ourselves. But little by little, and with the support of all of you, we are proving that our hobby is not as small as people think.

4/ What do you think is the most challenging part of organizing an event of this magnitude?

The two biggest challenges we face are always money and logistics. For the past few years, organizing an event of this scale has meant high costs—from purchasing and renting materials to, in our last physical edition, the venue itself. Additionally, these costs often require significant upfront payments, and with the event’s exponential growth, it’s increasingly difficult to have a financial cushion, especially since we’re a non-profit association. We reinvest everything we make to improve the event each year, and we try to make the hobby as accessible as possible to visitors, which is why we’ve fought every year to keep the event free to attend. However, in recent years, an additional challenge has arisen: we now need support from local governments to pull off the event. Without their help or some form of subsidy, it would be impossible to afford a large venue like the Pabellón de Cristal. This involves even more bureaucracy, chasing after people to show them that the event is worthwhile, and always racing against the clock each year because every edition requires starting from scratch.

5/ What’s your biggest concern one week before the event? What keeps you up at night in the days leading up to it?

Oh… there are so many things! So many things we’re afraid might go wrong that it’s hard to know where to start, and it also depends on each person and the area they are responsible for. In a physical edition, I think the biggest general fear is whether we’ll have enough time to set everything up, if the companies will be able to set up their stands, if we’ll have enough volunteers, and whether the event will be a chaotic mess. Then there’s always the fear of forgetting something essential at home since much of the equipment we use is our own, from lamps and airbrush compressors to cameras or laptops for the talks. And of course, there’s the irrational fear of some disaster preventing the event from happening, like the venue flooding, missing permits, or a meteor strike. You never know how Murphy’s Law might strike. These fears don’t disappear until the event is over, so at a physical edition, don’t be surprised if you see us running around with panicked looks on our faces! But I think the one thing we all share is dreaming about the event for the entire week leading up to it.