The 4 Mantras of 40k: Play your game, let others play theirs

Keeping it Positive: The 4 Mantras for 40k: Play your game, let others play theirs

Patron God: Nurgle. Live and let live kinda guy. He's friendly and wants to give you his gifts of friendship.

Backgound Information (not important if you want to get to the Crunch below)

40k attracts many kinds of individuals, ranging in ages from pre-teen to older adults. Some come to the hobby at a young age, while others might not buy their first model until their mid-40's. Most, if not all, 40k players have some nerd quotient. My nerd quotient started as a child, with my father reading me books about Tom Swift Jr.. We watched Star Wars as a family, and in addition to a swingset, we had a plywood shuttlecraft in the backyard. My first model was a cardboard airplane glued together, which the dog promptly ate. I was devastated and my dad went and bought me a F-15 fighter model that we assembled and painted together. I was hooked.

My nerd quotient increased as a Boy Scout, when my friends spent many campouts and patrol meetings playing Magic the Gathering, Risk, Axis and Allies, Star Wars CCG. I enjoyed these games but enjoy playing none of these games today. When I was 16 the same group of friends picked up a Boxed Set of 3rd Edition 40k: Spaz Marines vs Dark Eldar. The first time I saw 40k being played was on a couple chemistry classroom tables pushed together on afterschool day at science club.

I don't remember what I thought at that time, but I remember that within weeks, I had the beginnings of my Steel Legion army (one infantry squad and a Chimera). By Xmas I had the army boxed set and was well on my way to 40k enthusiast. What really started me as a lifelong 40k player was reading Dan Abnett's first three Gaunt's Ghost books.

(The Crunch Starts Here)

I'm sure many (most) 40k players all have a similar story, while other 40k players have a much different story, of how they got into the hobby. For me it was a love of science fiction, building models, friendships, and great fiction. My game is to collect armies that match the fluff, build models, and play friendly games with friends while drinking a few beers.

Other players, and from my observations, the most vocally negative on the Internetz, are the FLGS pickup crowd. I am no knocking this market segment, because I've played many games of 40k at the FLGSs here in Indiana. For many 40k players, the FLGS scene is their only opportunity to play 40k.

The prevailing business model of many FLGS for other games (specifically CCGs and prepainted miniatures games.) By providing a location for players to meet up and get a game of whatever (40k, MtG, Heroclix) in, the FLGS acts as a facilitator and clearing house for players to meet-up. And every time someone plays a game at the FLGS and looses, its so easy for that player to look at the rack of models or binder full of cards and buy whatever they think will win them the next game.

All that is needed is a single coincidence of wants (I want to play MtG, you want to play MtG.) In the FLGS environment, I've found that there is a mix of four kinds players: new (and new-to-the-area) players, veteran competitive gamers trying out a tournament list, veteran narrative gamers trying to meet new 40k gamers, and players that are "that guy." This environment is competitive rather than collaborative. The tournament scene is an extension of the FLGS model. And that is great for some players, its just not for me. I've played too many games against "That Guy" and been rickrolled by the latest FOTM netlist enough times to convince me that games at the FLGS just ain't for me.

FLGS by their very nature drive out players like myself: hobbyists that collect many many models (full companies 4TW) who need online discount retailers to stay solvent, enjoy having a beer or 2 with their game, and would much rather play with a friend than someone they just met. We retreat away from the FLGS to basements and garages, forming close-nit but isolated groups that try to Forge the Narrative through fun games and cool campaigns. Now conventions are something entirely different. Adepticon is so close that I need to go, and it has something for every type of miniatures gamer.

Regardless of which camp you fall into, or if you span both groups (more power to you), don't ever forget there is always another side to the hobby and game. Tournaments might not be your thing, but that doesn't mean a tournament player's opinions or perspectives on balance are invalid. And if you are a competitive FLGS or tournament player, try to maintain respect for your opponent and don't be "that guy." Instead, strive to be more like "this guy."

Father Nurgle (GW) loves all his children: the ones who play in tournaments, in FLGS, and in basements and garages. As long as you offer up your hard earned (or trust fund) Cash for the Cash God to buy your plastic models and hardbound rulebooks, you've appeased GW. Once you've bought it, you've got to own it: by playing YOUR game how YOU want to play. Don't let anyone negative on the internetz or That Guy at the FLGS tell you differently.

The 4 Mantras of 40k: Embrace Change by Changing

Keeping it Positive: The 4 Mantras for 40k

Embrace Change by Changing

Patron Chaos God "Tzneetch"

With the release of the IG Codex before this one, I took a break from 40k because I was ENRAGED at the fact the Valkyrie had its armor UPPED to 12 (it had been 11 in the Imperial Armor books). I was livid because GW clearly made the model awesome rules-wise (and created the bullshit that was undercosted Vendetta spam when IMHO they should have made a Vulture conversion kit for anti-tank) for its points cost and gave it better armor than a chimera tank. Yes, reader, that is correct. I raged because GW made something BETTER, not worse.

One key to avoid burnout is to embrace, rather than rage against, the changes GW makes to the game. GW is a "models" (not a "model", infact far from it) company, and therefore will often make newer units better rules-wise to buff sales. The recent IG codex release was an example of this: Stormtroopers went down in points and were made better by the addition of orders and command squads. Orgyns were made better, but not quite enough to justify their points cost, especially because their transport capacity is limited. Wyrvens are a new model, and therefore have some of the best rules of any of the Heavy Support choices, despite having clunky to-hit-and wound resolution mechanics. The only exception is the Hydra, which went from bad to worse because of a lack of interceptor. So overall GW TRIED to promote new models with better rules, and for the most part succeeded. People will buy the Hydra/Wyrven kit because of the Wyrven, and they might buy some Bullgryns for a mobile Aegis line.

GW also changes to rules to correct perceived rules imbalances. The changes do not happen quickly. Mostly it's over the course of a whole edition or Codex cycle that things get "fixed." The Vendetta points cost being upped to the current value and losing some transport capacity is an prime example. Everyone knew it was a problem, and it took GW years to fix the problem. There are probably dozens of examples of this just in 6th edition alone.

Its been like this for as long as I've played. Anyone remember 3rd edition Rhino Rush? Iron Warriors Obliterator and Basilisk armies? How about Nidzilla? The list of problems that GW has tried to correct go on and on. Many times, instead of just making a small correction, GW swings the nerf bat like a juiced-up MLB player. They overreact to small problems while creating new major ones, such as 2++ rerollable saves. Obviously this is the result of both a different focus (beer and pretzels and hobbying) for the designers than the majority of the US playerbase (tournaments and FLGS pick-up games), a disassociation of the GW studio with the competitive community, and a lack of adequate playtesting with players who love to find the next broken list and have a love of powergaming.

All this imbalance and, arguably, rules writing incompetence can be infuriating. In order to deal with much of the rules changes and blunders, a 40k player or group of players has only one option, and oddly it's the method GW suggests themselves: If You Don't Like the Rules, Change Them!

We'll cover this more in the next mantra, but the gist of it is this: You gotta own the rules like you own models. Tournament Organizers do this all the time: they change the rules to fit the kind game the organizers and players demand. Nothing stops you and your gaming group from sitting down, listing all the crazy mistakes that GW has made, and creating a list of house rules.

If more people took this proactive approach to change, there would be far less bitching and moaning on the internet forums. So what if GW took away your Marbo? Use his old entry from the last Codex. As long as your opponent agrees, its fine. The GW Arbites aren't going to show up in your basement or FLGS and arrest you. If the GW designers showed up, would probably high-five (do the Brits still high-five?) you for changing the rules to fit your kind of game.

My challenge to you is this: the only way to deal with change is by changing. Whenever GW makes a change you don't like, just change it back within the privacy of your own gaming group. Own the 40k game, don't let it own you.

The 4 Mantras of 40k: You Gotta Pay to Play

Keeping it Positive: The 4 Mantras for 40k

You gotta pay to play

Patron God: Khorne. "Cash for the Cash God, debt for the debt throne"

A co-worker once used this phrase to explain why our agency was interested in purchasing a property for public hunting access. (Warning Economics Content) I had sent him an article about how prices for agricultural land could be artifically high because of the Federal Reserve's quantiative easing. His response was that the land was for sale now, and not in the future when prices would potentially be lower (or higher). He then stated "You gotta PAY to PLAY." This mantra holds as true for land acquisition as it does for the 40k hobby.

Being in the hobby since 2001 has taught me the following: GW will always, always, always increase prices, and do it by more than the cost of inflation. Part of this is the dramatic increase in the quality of the plastics. Part of it is the price of inputs. Part of it is a desire for profits. The only thing that matters to me, as the consumer, is that the longer I put off buying something I want, the MORE it will inevitibly cost new (and potentially used on Ebay). This is a universal truth of our hobby, and an immmutable law like gravity or thermodynamics. GW will always and inevitibly raise prices, and not amount of complaining, negativity, nor internet rants will ever change their business model. And as people leave GW for other rules and model alternatives, GW will continue to raise prices, because that's what they do, despite the fact that lower prices might bring their estranged customers back to the fold.

A 40k player in this for the long haul must come to terms with the Law of Price Increases. There are postitive ways to deal with price increases and the overall expense of the hobby. Complaining on the internet, to friends, or your family is not a one of them.

Plan your purchases ahead of time: When you are making an army, make sure you plan out what you are going to buy. 1500 or 2000 points is a good amount of models to shoot for. After this core forces is assembled and PAINTED, then branch out, one unit or option at a time, to experiment with. This saves you the expense of having models on the shelf that are unplayable (leman russ executioner) in the short run.

Buy for the Fluff, not for the Crunch: In the long run, GW will inevitibly make some units better Cruch wise and other units worse. You can't control that, see Mantra #2. But if you love the models you buy because of their look or background, you'll play with them even if they aren't the best (rough riders). At worse, you can always use a cool model as a proxy or counts-as.

Buy only what you need from GW direct: This includes metal and finecast bits. Some things you just HAVE to buy from GW, like webstore exclusives, new metal conversion bits, and the like. But

Online discount retailers are your friends: Personally, I buy as much new stuff as I can from Neal at the War Store. I know there are others, but I really like the company and their selection. Shipping is cheap and they have Maxmini conversion bits.

Ebay is your friend: From used models to bits stores (windowbox is my favorite source), Ebay is a 40k gamer's best friend. There is a ton of "churn" in the 40k community, with players growing dissatisfied with one FOTM (flavor of the month) army and selling it to finance a new one, or players who simply want out.

Never sell an army, especially on Ebay: This is a lesson I learned the hard way. I've sold 2 fully painted armies on ebay, my Steel Legion and my Cadian Infantry army with 3 resin vultures. At the time I sold them I needed the money. But I do miss them and will eventually recollect and repaint replacement forces. I've always come back to 40k after breaks, sometimes lasting 1 or 2 years, and stuff is always more expensive when I return. If you sell your army, you are throwing cash and value away! If you must sell it, sell it to a friend who will use it and care for it, and potentially sell it back to you if you ever want it again.

That's it for now. Next time we tackle Tzneech's favorite mantra, Change is the only constant.