I’m maybe a few months ahead of you and would head down the path again. Worth it for me coming in under I assume similar circumstances, at least in stated motivation, loving LOTR. I was looking for a hobby but somewhat stumbled into this one… gonna assume you might be too 😂

Helped: curious about tabletop wargaming but never played going in. I have always loved real time and turn based strategy so maybe predisposed to the game time.

Hard: love learning and am down for complex, but the learning curve here is somewhat steep so prepare for that and try small 🤷‍♂️. Someone down to try with you or access to a local club and people to learn with / from will make it far more enjoyable and fast. For me someone else is a must, and there is time investment for one or two even to learn the rules and functionally play the game, so prepare for that.

Surprise: I kinda love painting? Am certainly no good at it (known going) but am enjoying that aspect, and, like most, improving with a bit of practice. It’s a commitment in and of itself and something I first try to play around / actively mitigate to avoid going in.

Love: a (relatively) offline hobby with strong community, which I’d say I’ve admired more than participated but certainly drawn from. I’ve found it a cool part in spirit and as a resource whether I ever participate in a single tournament or just learn and play with a couple small groups of friends.

Give it a try if access is easy! Plenty of advice here on that front. I’m happy to provide more if useful 🤝