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The tabletop game itself is fine for younger kids, the only thing I would deem inappropriate is the in depth fluff and some passages of the many books written in 40k setting. The must fethed up I've read is definitely about the Daemonculaba, definitely not child friendly.

SBG wrote:
My 7 year old plays (admittedly brief) games and has a full grasp of the concepts. I started last year by explaining 'wounds' as 'damage' and deaths as just 'having to remove the model due to too much damage' and she has had no negative effects.

Now when we play she gets super excited when her Battle Sisters/Wolf Guard kill team 'kills' my Tyranid monsters. A well balanced kid can differentiate between real and imaginary, and she knows that even though her Marines might 'die' and that she's gunning down dozens of clawed terrors, it's just a game. And she gets to paint minis as well!

The only real issue is, now she wants 40k at Christmas too. And that gets expensive. :/

pretty much this. If a kid plays space marines and doesn't beat up the kids with down's or similar handicaps while screaming KILL THE MUTANT! PURGE THE UNCLEAN! then, the kid should have ABSOLUTELY no reason to be disallowed from playing... speaking of dark eldar and slaneesh, i would approve it as well, because do you really think that kid with access to the internet, the most disturbing thing he can see there is a hermaphroditic deamon?

From what I have seen, most active players that go to shops and play are in their mid teens to adulthood. A good 50% are in their late 20's. The lore lends itself to any age really. If the kid is old enough to comprehend what's going on and he has a good head on his shoulder than there really should be no problem there.

Painting is a great way to build fine motor skills and build on child parent time.

With that all being said. Most kids will be easily distracted if they are not actively pushing to get into modeling. Also, since alot of older kids and adults play, it's not something you can leave a little kid unattended to do. It's like when you go to your local hobby store and you have the hapless parent drop their kid off to run down the aisles like it's a toysrus. Small kids should be accompanied by a parent. So as some other poster said. PG13 seems about right.

The game would be fine for kids... if it were not so expensive. Only the very richest kids would be able to afford playing 40k.

You don't have to play 40k with a gagillion minis, though.

The best part about real young kids with 40k is that what they really like is novelty and painting, and have really, really low standards. You can go to ebay and buy the cheapest possible plastic glued garbage and your kids will still like painting them and making pew noises.

I would rate most of Warhammer around 12+

Except Angry Marines.. they're at least 16+

 Ailaros wrote:
You don't have to play 40k with a gagillion minis, though.

The best part about real young kids with 40k is that what they really like is novelty and painting, and have really, really low standards. You can go to ebay and buy the cheapest possible plastic glued garbage and your kids will still like painting them and making pew noises.

Reaper bones minis work well for the kids as well. Durable and easy to paint, and pretty cheap.

 jreilly89 wrote:
After lurking in another thread about tasteless models, a thought occurred to me: is 40k really a kids game? The models and lore, while occasionally silly, read more like a version of Heavy Metal or Akira. There are kids who come to play at my LGS, but most of them are fourteen or older. What do you guys think? Should there be an age limit on games like this, or do you think everyone should be welcome?

I bet you're talking about the stripper landraider.

Tasteless, vulgar, and discouraging for anyone not a complete pervert that wants to enter this hobby.

Most of the lore and books are easily PG-13. It's a bit sexist as an understatement. Fans just take it too far.

 Pyeatt wrote:

 jreilly89 wrote:
After lurking in another thread about tasteless models, a thought occurred to me: is 40k really a kids game? The models and lore, while occasionally silly, read more like a version of Heavy Metal or Akira. There are kids who come to play at my LGS, but most of them are fourteen or older. What do you guys think? Should there be an age limit on games like this, or do you think everyone should be welcome?

I bet you're talking about the stripper landraider.

Tasteless, vulgar, and discouraging for anyone not a complete pervert that wants to enter this hobby.

Most of the lore and books are easily PG-13. It's a bit sexist as an understatement. Fans just take it too far.

The SJW rears its ugly head again. Run ye who would dare go against his PC wrath

Well, the model range is a bit sexist, and the "girls only club" could do with a bit more exposure to make things even with the "boys only club".

But it's kind of OK, because the girls only club are even cooler than the boys only club, and for every other person who wants a feminine army, there's Tyranids or Eldar. Especially since the setting itself - gender clubs aside - is actually pretty gender-equal. Life sucks for everyone. As many women hold high office as do men (and are usually better at it).

Also, there are actually good reasons to introduce 40k to kids at a young age. It gives a good grounding in probability calculation and mental arithmetic, as well as long addition for those who don't cheat with battlescribe - and for those who do want a computer answer but haven't found those programs, it can even give a good grounding in spreadsheet programs!

Maybe that's just me being an '80s kid talking though.

The tabletop game is fine. Yes, you're imagining violence occurring between two armies, but that's nothing compared to your typical video game. On top of that, it's a game. Pieces that you make to move around and represent the soldiers in your armies.

The lore, well, that's another thing altogether. My kids are 5 and 3, and they're starting to realize that there's death in the world, and sometimes there aren't do-overs... that sort of thing. They aren't ready for any of the themes that 40k contains. but they like to look at the models, and I've made a couple of marines for my oldest, because he thinks they're cool.

I keep the things separate. Really, I'm a gamer in this hobby. I like building, and playing. Playing, more than anything. After that, I dabble in the fluff, but only shallow dips. I don't enjoy painting at all, but I like having a painted army, so I grind through when the impulse [rarely] strikes. Much of the fluff is hard to get into, for me. It breaks my suspension of disbelief, so I take it in little bites, and try to be inspired by the ideas, rather than the specific content.

 Pyeatt wrote:

 jreilly89 wrote:
After lurking in another thread about tasteless models, a thought occurred to me: is 40k really a kids game? The models and lore, while occasionally silly, read more like a version of Heavy Metal or Akira. There are kids who come to play at my LGS, but most of them are fourteen or older. What do you guys think? Should there be an age limit on games like this, or do you think everyone should be welcome?

I bet you're talking about the stripper landraider.

Tasteless, vulgar, and discouraging for anyone not a complete pervert that wants to enter this hobby.

Most of the lore and books are easily PG-13. It's a bit sexist as an understatement. Fans just take it too far.

I think that's a bit much. Sure, tasteless, crass, and a bit sexist I could see, but I would HARDLY call people who think its cool looking perverts.

 greatbigtree wrote:

The lore, well, that's another thing altogether. My kids are 5 and 3, and they're starting to realize that there's death in the world, and sometimes there aren't do-overs... that sort of thing. They aren't ready for any of the themes that 40k contains. but they like to look at the models, and I've made a couple of marines for my oldest, because he thinks they're cool.
.

My cousin learned about death when she was five through the medium of a rabbit. She was very morbid for a few years, then grew up to be one of those scary genius kids. Early exposure's not always a bad thing.

I started when I was 9.

I sell video games and I can't tell you how many parents come in and buy GTA 5 for their 6 year olds even after we've told them about the interactive strip club mini games where you grope the girls, the 20 minutes of killing cops, 6 minutes of the F bomb and full out sex scenes. Same goes for Red Dead Redemption and Witcher 2, all we hear is "oh we'll just mute it".

Warhammer is fine content wise, there are worse things my kids could do (if I had kids).

Furyou Miko wrote:She was very morbid for a few years, then grew up to be one of those scary genius kids.

Please tell me that's a causation, not a correlation. My little girl is 15 months old and I will definitely stab a hobo in front of her tomorrow if it means she gets a high-paying job or something in academia.

Actually, if that were true, then what would really be kid-friendly would be something more graphic, rather than less. Sounds like I need to make my penis-slaanesh army, and soon. You know, for my little girl's future. Now just to get the wife to agree...

that is intensely disturbing

40k as a game? Is fine. It's just models, and dice rolling. Lore wise? I don't think it's really that bad either. Some of it can be, like the Dark Eldar I've heard have very grim lore, but I've never read it myself to see just how 'graphic' it is.

 Ustrello wrote:

 Pyeatt wrote:

 jreilly89 wrote:
After lurking in another thread about tasteless models, a thought occurred to me: is 40k really a kids game? The models and lore, while occasionally silly, read more like a version of Heavy Metal or Akira. There are kids who come to play at my LGS, but most of them are fourteen or older. What do you guys think? Should there be an age limit on games like this, or do you think everyone should be welcome?

I bet you're talking about the stripper landraider.

Tasteless, vulgar, and discouraging for anyone not a complete pervert that wants to enter this hobby.

Most of the lore and books are easily PG-13. It's a bit sexist as an understatement. Fans just take it too far.

The SJW rears its ugly head again. Run ye who would dare go against his PC wrath

First I'd like to say I have no clue what SJW stands for. Second, if PC is supposed to stand for politically correct, then you're mistaken. Is it politically correct to want this game to appeal to women as well as men? Is it PC to be angered about the hostile climates many females experience at tournaments? (I'll quote sources if you like, or you can google search about women at 40k tournaments) Is it PC to see the correlation between this mistreatment of our better-smelling halves and the wanton objectification of them? The stripper landraider as an example, that's not a GW model. You won't see a stripper landraider anywhere, even on Forgeworld. That's a guy showing his low opinion of women.

 Pyeatt wrote:

 Ustrello wrote:

 Pyeatt wrote:

 jreilly89 wrote:
After lurking in another thread about tasteless models, a thought occurred to me: is 40k really a kids game? The models and lore, while occasionally silly, read more like a version of Heavy Metal or Akira. There are kids who come to play at my LGS, but most of them are fourteen or older. What do you guys think? Should there be an age limit on games like this, or do you think everyone should be welcome?

I bet you're talking about the stripper landraider.

Tasteless, vulgar, and discouraging for anyone not a complete pervert that wants to enter this hobby.

Most of the lore and books are easily PG-13. It's a bit sexist as an understatement. Fans just take it too far.

The SJW rears its ugly head again. Run ye who would dare go against his PC wrath

First I'd like to say I have no clue what SJW stands for. Second, if PC is supposed to stand for politically correct, then you're mistaken. Is it politically correct to want this game to appeal to women as well as men? Is it PC to be angered about the hostile climates many females experience at tournaments? (I'll quote sources if you like, or you can google search about women at 40k tournaments) Is it PC to see the correlation between this mistreatment of our better-smelling halves and the wanton objectification of them? The stripper landraider as an example, that's not a GW model. You won't see a stripper landraider anywhere, even on Forgeworld. That's a guy showing his low opinion of women.

You make a lot of valid points, but I still don't see this LR as the model that is spear heading the utter debasement and repression of women. Seriously, I don't think that Khorne is the misogyny god. Don't get me wrong, this is definitely a male dominated area, and I would love to see more equality in the wargaming scene, but I also think the lady at my FLGS would a) laugh hard at that Land Raider and b) kick anyones ass on the table. She is one tough ass general and actually runs all of our tournaments

 Pyeatt wrote:

 Ustrello wrote:

 Pyeatt wrote:

 jreilly89 wrote:
After lurking in another thread about tasteless models, a thought occurred to me: is 40k really a kids game? The models and lore, while occasionally silly, read more like a version of Heavy Metal or Akira. There are kids who come to play at my LGS, but most of them are fourteen or older. What do you guys think? Should there be an age limit on games like this, or do you think everyone should be welcome?

I bet you're talking about the stripper landraider.

Tasteless, vulgar, and discouraging for anyone not a complete pervert that wants to enter this hobby.

Most of the lore and books are easily PG-13. It's a bit sexist as an understatement. Fans just take it too far.

The SJW rears its ugly head again. Run ye who would dare go against his PC wrath

First I'd like to say I have no clue what SJW stands for. Second, if PC is supposed to stand for politically correct, then you're mistaken. Is it politically correct to want this game to appeal to women as well as men? Is it PC to be angered about the hostile climates many females experience at tournaments? (I'll quote sources if you like, or you can google search about women at 40k tournaments) Is it PC to see the correlation between this mistreatment of our better-smelling halves and the wanton objectification of them? The stripper landraider as an example, that's not a GW model. You won't see a stripper landraider anywhere, even on Forgeworld. That's a guy showing his low opinion of women.

If only there were a technological wonder that lets you have the worlds information at your finger tips then maybe you could figure it out. But as the thread and model you are referring to shows anything, is that you are on the minority most people dont care about it and overly sensitive people are the only ones making a big deal about it

Just because I'm the minority, doesn't mean I'm wrong.

 Pyeatt wrote:
Just because I'm the minority, doesn't mean I'm wrong.

While being in the minority doesnt usually make people wrong, in this case yes it does.

You're entitled to your opinion.

http://space-wolves-grey.blogspot.com/2012/12/why-girls-dont-play-40k.html
http://www.3plusplus.net/2012/12/why-are-there-no-girl-wargamers/
http://www.chickhammer.com/2012/06/experiences-as-lady-in-wargaming.html?m=1

Granted these posts are focused on women, and that's a bit out of topic. But a hostile environment is a hostile environment.

Of course, it's a wonderful thing for kids. I don't know why people feel the need to rob their children of amazing and magical stories, all in the name of "protecting" them from some imagined harm. It really does make me sad when I read about parents stopping their kids from watching things like Star Wars and Goonies, and restrict them to patronizing tosh.

When I was a kid, no one really paid too much attention to what I was watching. My grandmother would rent me whatever I handed her in the video store (as she didn't know any better). I used to love hyper violent films like Robocop and Conan, and they never did me a bit of harm. If I'm honest, the 'adult-themed' parts weren't really of interest to me, so I barely even noticed them.

I actually wish I could go back and watch more stuff as a child. Horror movies, and low budget fantasy films are completely wasted on adults. All I can see now is crappy rubber masks and wooden acting. But as a kid it was all real, I miss that.

I don't think there is anything especially harmful in 40k, and kids will probably enjoy the fluff much more than discerning adults.

As for the original post, exceptions can be found in books, but for enough to form a fair generality, the game itself, and most of the lore, is fairly kid friendly. I think it's the fans that take it too far.

 Pyeatt wrote:
You're entitled to your opinion.

http://space-wolves-grey.blogspot.com/2012/12/why-girls-dont-play-40k.html
http://www.3plusplus.net/2012/12/why-are-there-no-girl-wargamers/
http://www.chickhammer.com/2012/06/experiences-as-lady-in-wargaming.html?m=1

Granted these posts are focused on women, and that's a bit out of topic. But a hostile environment is a hostile environment.

Ah yes ignore the fact that you called everyone who thought the model was cool was a pervert and nothing more than that.

...daemonculaba... shudder


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Ustrello wrote:

 Pyeatt wrote:
You're entitled to your opinion.

http://space-wolves-grey.blogspot.com/2012/12/why-girls-dont-play-40k.html
http://www.3plusplus.net/2012/12/why-are-there-no-girl-wargamers/
http://www.chickhammer.com/2012/06/experiences-as-lady-in-wargaming.html?m=1

Granted these posts are focused on women, and that's a bit out of topic. But a hostile environment is a hostile environment.

Ah yes ignore the fact that you called everyone who thought the model was cool was a pervert and nothing more than that.

I stand by my statement that the image of that particular model was vulgar, cheap, and discouraging to any adult who wants to bring their kids to the store, and that people who really liked the model likely are perverted with low regard for women.

To say that that painter is talented is similar to complimenting a skillful animated porn artist.

 Pyeatt wrote:
...daemonculaba... shudder


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Ustrello wrote:

 Pyeatt wrote:
You're entitled to your opinion.

http://space-wolves-grey.blogspot.com/2012/12/why-girls-dont-play-40k.html
http://www.3plusplus.net/2012/12/why-are-there-no-girl-wargamers/
http://www.chickhammer.com/2012/06/experiences-as-lady-in-wargaming.html?m=1

Granted these posts are focused on women, and that's a bit out of topic. But a hostile environment is a hostile environment.

Ah yes ignore the fact that you called everyone who thought the model was cool was a pervert and nothing more than that.

I stand by my statement that the image of that particular model was vulgar, cheap, and discouraging to any adult who wants to bring their kids to the store, and that people who really liked the model likely are perverted with low regard for women.

To say that that painter is talented is similar to complimenting a skillful animated porn artist.

Interesting. I honestly would love to follow you around unseen and comment on everything you do. Seriously, you're taking a hard stance over a toy, going so far as to call people perverts. I really would like to see what you do behind closed doors, for you to have such a harsh opinion of others

Ailaros wrote:

Furyou Miko wrote:She was very morbid for a few years, then grew up to be one of those scary genius kids.

Please tell me that's a causation, not a correlation. My little girl is 15 months old and I will definitely stab a hobo in front of her tomorrow if it means she gets a high-paying job or something in academia.

Actually, if that were true, then what would really be kid-friendly would be something more graphic, rather than less. Sounds like I need to make my penis-slaanesh army, and soon. You know, for my little girl's future. Now just to get the wife to agree...

Sadly, my subject group is not large enough to give a definitive answer. I believe that the knowledge of impermenancy drove her to seek to excel as a way of leaving a lasting mark upon the world, however... but it's not the sort of thing that can be taught. Like true faith, that kind of personal philosophy has to come from inside.

 Smacks wrote:
Of course, it's a wonderful thing for kids. I don't know why people feel the need to rob their children of amazing and magical stories, all in the name of "protecting" them from some imagined harm. It really does make me sad when I read about parents stopping their kids from watching things like Star Wars and Goonies, and restrict them to patronizing tosh.

I know right? It is the mass media fault: A psychopath goes on the shooting spree and then the media say he played a violent game (usually CoD, but that is not the point) just to sell better, resulting in misguided braindead people to go on the ridicioulous anti -videogame crusades.. Now the point i am trying to make is that people are SOOOOO brainwashed that they already think a pieces of plastic soldiers are not kid friendly (aside from the price$), but that is GeeDubs we are talking about.
@OP: no offence meant