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Do too many people play Space Marines?
No, not enough Space Marines. We need even more Space Marine players.
Yes, too many people play Space Marines.
Just the right amount play SM. - Status Quo is good.

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Made in be
Dakka Veteran




Manhattan

At most game stores I see at a minimum 50-75% of players play Space Marines (CSM, Grey Knights included). Loyalist Marines vs Loyalists (e.g. Space Wolves vs. Ultramarines) are super common. I almost never see a Xenos vs Xenos match. Often times when a 40k player who owns a Space Marine army decides to try sometime different with a new army he starts another "different" SM army. (Say Dark Angels player decides to start a Grey Knights Army [Completely different!]) You almost never to never see rarer armies like Skitaari, Harlequins, Dark Eldar... etc

Do you like the lack of diversity and the predominance of Space Marine players in the hobby? I added a poll.

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2016/08/02 20:51:05


 
   
Made in us
Ultramarine Librarian with Freaky Familiar





Southern California, USA

Warhammer 40,000 has kind of always been about Space Marines even from the very beginning. So, the fact that a good proportion of players have them is understandable.

Do I like it? I am fairly neutral about it. People can play whatever army they want. And I'd be a hypocrite if I said I hated it since I play Space Marines myself.

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Made in gb
Death-Dealing Ultramarine Devastator





MANCHESTER

I get the impression it might differ from place to place.
In the meta I play in the xenos players arent as outnumbered. We currently have 2 space marine players, of which im one, and 2 CSM players. Compare that to 3 ork, 2 guard, 1 eldar, 1 necron, 2 nid, and a tau player.

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Made in gb
Steady Space Marine Vet Sergeant




England

All people who have marines in my area also play another army as their "main". Only me and another Sally player really use our marines all the time. Also, I wouldn't really roll CSM and SM into one category. They're different enough to not call then SM.

If you can't believe in yourself, believe in me! Believe in the Dakka who believes in you!  
   
Made in au
Unrelenting Rubric Terminator of Tzeentch





The amount of marines is fine. While many marine players get a different colour of marine, many also get a xeno army as their 2nd/3rd/nth army too.

Fluff-wise: Marines are the hero of the story 9 times out of ten, marines are in every starter box, there's a marine legion out there that speaks to 95% of people on some level on what they think is cool, marines are the force that drives the main story forward. It's only expected that there's a large amount of marine players (espeially when you lump CSM in there as well, though they're getting pretty rare on the ground these days due to the poor rules).

Crunch-wise: Go take a look at an army that has minimal saves and see how well they do. Tell me how great it is to take Dark Eldar, non-carapace guardsmen or non-MC spam 'Nids. The basline of the str 4 AP5 bolter (or equivalent) means anything that doesn't get a save against this is basically worthless. Once you eliminate that, then you've only got 2+/3+/4+ troops left, with the 2+ option being restricted to most codecies.

You don't see armies like DE because they're terrible. You don't see Skitarii as much because they've only been out for a year unlike the ~30 years that marines have been a thing and you don't see harlies because they're both terrible AND new.

You could look at it one of 2 ways, either the marines have far too much of the spotlight (with 19+ different marine factions) and should be toned down to give the other armies a chance...

OR

The other armies are lucky to be made and are in effect subsidised by the massive amount of popular marine armies and only exist so that the marines have something new and interesting to fight.

Personaly, I play 7 different armies, 3 of which are marines, and I don't see any issue with army variation in my area as it's fairly rare for 2 people to collect the same army, and even if they do, they generally collect said army in a very different way (mech vs footsloggers).

 Peregrine wrote:
What, you don't like rolling dice to see how many dice you roll? Why are you such an anti-dice bigot?
 
   
Made in us
Flashy Flashgitz




Armageddon

Orks are my passion but I have been getting into Space Wolves on the side. I did this while knowing that too many people play space marines. But as I know nobody likes a mirror match, what I play depends on who im playing.

If anything is too common its imperial knights and riptides. I miss the Baneblade.

edit: Yea the numbers have everything to do with it tbh. Why get into nids where you have to paint 30 of them when you can just paint 5 marines and have a better save while you're at it? It just seems cost efficient.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2016/07/24 08:02:36


"People say on their first meeting a Man and an Ork exchanged a long, hard look, didn't care much for what they saw, and shot each other dead." 
   
Made in no
Committed Chaos Cult Marine






Space Marines is what brings most people into the hobby, so it's only natural that there is a predominance of space marine players - I think something like 50% had at least one SM army. Their tactics are versatile, the models are relatively easy to paint, and the image is iconic.

DorianGray wrote:

Do you like the lack of diversity and the predominance of Space Marine players in the hobby? I added a poll.


That's what you call a leading question btw.

 Drasius wrote:

You don't see armies like DE because they're terrible.


That doesn't explain the sheer amount of CSM players out there
   
Made in gb
Longtime Dakkanaut






Yes, yes and it's not going to change any time soon so there's very little point getting worked up about it.
   
Made in gb
Sneaky Sniper Drone




Nottingham

I've been back for about 6 months now playing most of my games at WHW with people I've met on here. I've only played against space marines once and spikey marines a few times. But I remember when I was in the hobby as little kid they seemed a lot more prevalent. Still, that was a very small sample size of games back then.
   
Made in au
Unrelenting Rubric Terminator of Tzeentch





 ChazSexington wrote:
Space Marines is what brings most people into the hobby, so it's only natural that there is a predominance of space marine players - I think something like 50% had at least one SM army. Their tactics are versatile, the models are relatively easy to paint, and the image is iconic.

DorianGray wrote:

Do you like the lack of diversity and the predominance of Space Marine players in the hobby? I added a poll.


That's what you call a leading question btw.

 Drasius wrote:

You don't see armies like DE because they're terrible.


That doesn't explain the sheer amount of CSM players out there


What amount of CSM players? Maybe it's just my area, but I'm the only person who has run actual CSM (and not just CSM for Belakor or a cabal) in over a year. You never see actual CSM armies at tournaments, and on the odd occassion that you do, they're left scrouging for scraps on the bottom tables. There's obviously a certain amount of people who play CSM because they like the fluff, the same goes for the DE, but the CSM side of things has more fluff around it due to the heresy being expanded upon as well as being a driving factor in the story while DE are treated like and afterthought. If you're seeing a bunch of CSM players, then you're in a very different meta to everyone else.

 Peregrine wrote:
What, you don't like rolling dice to see how many dice you roll? Why are you such an anti-dice bigot?
 
   
Made in no
Committed Chaos Cult Marine






 Drasius wrote:


What amount of CSM players? Maybe it's just my area, but I'm the only person who has run actual CSM (and not just CSM for Belakor or a cabal) in over a year. You never see actual CSM armies at tournaments, and on the odd occassion that you do, they're left scrouging for scraps on the bottom tables. There's obviously a certain amount of people who play CSM because they like the fluff, the same goes for the DE, but the CSM side of things has more fluff around it due to the heresy being expanded upon as well as being a driving factor in the story while DE are treated like and afterthought. If you're seeing a bunch of CSM players, then you're in a very different meta to everyone else.


As a total of the player base, CSM is the second largest faction (mirrored in my meta). At tournaments many players opt for a different army, but there are way more CSM armies at tournaments than their power level would suggest, though there is a definite lack of power armoured marines in these armies.
   
Made in ca
Commander of the Mysterious 2nd Legion





the question sounds more then a little leading, with that in mind here's my thoughts...

space marines are THE stars of 40k, of course they're the most common faction. to the average schlub on the street, if he's heard of 40k he's thinking space Marines. all the other armies? when he thinks of em at all he's proably thinking of a peice of art he saw feature SMs killing them.


with that in mind I don't think it's a HUUUGE lack of varity, space marines are, (even ignoring the differant 'dexes that mix things up) easily one of the most versitle armies in the game.

I can make a fast bike army, I can (aas of 7th edition now) make an armor heavy list, I can run mechanized infantry, I can do a drop pod alpha strike list. I can run a small number of tricked out heros, I can go psyker heavy, I can make a shooty army, I can make a choppy army... I can do everything, and if I build my lsit right, be reasonably solid at it.

if you have to fight one army and one army only, Marines gives you the best chance of varied tactics.

Opinions are not facts please don't confuse the two 
   
Made in nl
Longtime Dakkanaut






Yes GW is space marine centric.
Meh I don't care that much until I look at my codex and the ork supplements.

Inactive, user. New profile might pop up in a while 
   
Made in us
Devestating Grey Knight Dreadknight







I have nothing but Necrons, Tau, and an Ork player.

Of those only the Tau plays SM and he uses invisible centstar.

I would kill to get a DA or SW player to fight against.

 SHUPPET wrote:

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Made in au
Unrelenting Rubric Terminator of Tzeentch





 ChazSexington wrote:
 Drasius wrote:


What amount of CSM players? Maybe it's just my area, but I'm the only person who has run actual CSM (and not just CSM for Belakor or a cabal) in over a year. You never see actual CSM armies at tournaments, and on the odd occassion that you do, they're left scrouging for scraps on the bottom tables. There's obviously a certain amount of people who play CSM because they like the fluff, the same goes for the DE, but the CSM side of things has more fluff around it due to the heresy being expanded upon as well as being a driving factor in the story while DE are treated like and afterthought. If you're seeing a bunch of CSM players, then you're in a very different meta to everyone else.


As a total of the player base, CSM is the second largest faction (mirrored in my meta). At tournaments many players opt for a different army, but there are way more CSM armies at tournaments than their power level would suggest, though there is a definite lack of power armoured marines in these armies.


As a % of people who own CSM armies, yeah, sure, I could possibly believe that. As a % of people who actively play CSM armies, no, not even close.

 Peregrine wrote:
What, you don't like rolling dice to see how many dice you roll? Why are you such an anti-dice bigot?
 
   
Made in us
Krazed Killa Kan






I think GW focuses too much on space marines which creates the whole marine centric feel to 40k right now. As to what people play, it doesn't bother me if everyone played space marines although having variety in general is nice. I think some of the more interesting factions like Sisters, Dark Eldar, Orks, and the "Empire" portion of the Tau Empire get the short end of the stick when it comes to releases and developing them to be fun and interesting to play.

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Made in ca
Longtime Dakkanaut





Too much space marines. It drives me nuts. My cousin wanted to play them badly but went Chaos out of spite because of how many dumb and bad marine players there are.
   
Made in be
Dakka Veteran




Manhattan

The Genestealer Cults are coming out later this year after another Space Marine codex (deathwatch) ... Will it sell well?

:(

   
Made in ca
Longtime Dakkanaut





Oh my one friend is a huge Tyranids fan and its his fav between them and his orks. He already bought the boardgame just for the cult and if/when the full army comes out it has one person on board.

The models were really cool and of all the factions I like Tyranids myself quite a bit. If the DE and Necrons detonated the day before I was going to start my next army it's likely Tyranids would be it and at some point genestealer allies.
   
Made in us
Regular Dakkanaut




I run IF loyalists, Demonkin and Slaneesh CSM and I'll be the first to admit too many SMS out there. Almost everyone in my group has some form of marines (CSM, GK, BA, DA, SM). I think 4 out of 13 run strictly non-SM. On the bright side almost every marine player has a secondary or even tertiary army. That and our willingness to army swap for a battle/ campaign keeps stuff fresh. Bottom line is 9 out of 13 locals play SM.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2016/07/24 22:28:51


 
   
Made in us
Possessed Khorne Marine Covered in Spikes






New Hampshire

Marine heavy meta allows me to tailor my list for punching the crap out of armour. Melta and fearless daemon. Also I wouldn't group CSM with Marines, mostly because I'm a KDK player but still.

WAAAGH!!!

 
   
Made in us
Stoic Grail Knight





Raleigh, NC

I don't really mind it, I only have two beefs with it.

1) I think the number of Space Marine books is a little absurd. Hearing people clamor about how their vampire or monk or roman or crusader or viking (or are they just wolves now?) Space Marines are so super kewl and unique as to require a whole different book is a little frustrating, especially as the collections of books is never balanced and it's always one marine player griping about stuff the other doesn't get. I'd like to see maybe 2-3 books for Space Marines total, representing the relatively minor ways in which they deviate from each other.

2) I'd also love to see some of the oft-ignored xenos races get a kick up in power. Most of them don't have the luxury of allies, so it would be nice if they at least weren't punching bags for other armies (not just including Space Marines).
   
Made in us
Consigned to the Grim Darkness





USA

The existence of 30k proves there is only one answer. "Yes, far too many".

The people in the past who convinced themselves to do unspeakable things were no less human than you or I. They made their decisions; the only thing that prevents history from repeating itself is making different ones.
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My blog
 
   
Made in nl
Been Around the Block





I'm guilty myself of playing SM. I kinda abandoned my CSM since their current codex is too weak and they haven't received a decent update. That's why I'm homebrewing one.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2016/07/24 17:46:52


 
   
Made in us
Implacable Skitarii





None of the polls options feels like the right answer for me, so I suppose abstaining from voting is the best option.

I do think there's too many loyalist marine codices (this coming from someone who's pretty much only played the special snowflake books--BA, DA, SW, GK--too), but I don't actually think there's too many Marine players. That could just be a consequence of my local meta, where usually only one or two (during busy days) folks at the flgs are running some sort of loyalist power armour army.

Honestly, and this is a statement based solely on my area, I'm more concerned with too many CSM armies! The vast majority of players here own a CSM army on the side, if not their main. And what's more is that during tournaments even more CSM armies get taken to the store--easily 50% of matchups in a tourney will be against something like Berserkers or, Emperor forbid, 20-man power armour blobsquads. Even with a tame army it feels sorta bad to slaughter opponents like that. And it's super hard to make a list that can take on the other 50% of mostly Tau or Necrons, with some loyalist SM and one venom spam army which occasionally pops up, while also providing a fun fight for the CSM's.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2016/07/24 18:14:36


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Made in ca
Lord of the Fleet






Halifornia, Nova Scotia

Too many books, too much emphasis in the fluff on marines, particularly loyalists.

One loyalist marine book, one traitor marine book. Done.

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Made in nl
Been Around the Block





 Blacksails wrote:

One loyalist marine book, one traitor marine book. Done.

I'm fine with that.
   
Made in us
Ollanius Pius - Savior of the Emperor






Gathering the Informations.

 Limeblossom wrote:
 Blacksails wrote:

One loyalist marine book, one traitor marine book. Done.

I'm fine with that.

I'm not. If I had my way, each Chapter and its Successors would have their own book with some kind of "signature" unit.
The same goes for the Legions and something uniquely associated with them(Thousand Sons would be the most difficult here as they have not really split off into warbands, being a fairly intact Legion for all intents and purposes).

I would give Eldar a book for each Craftworld and Guard would get a book for each famous Regiment.
   
Made in us
Consigned to the Grim Darkness





USA

I'd be okay with marines having tons of books if everyone else did, too. Hell, I'd be at least mostly content with Marines having tons of books if they'd finally release some fething plastic Sisters of Battle.

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2016/07/24 18:59:15


The people in the past who convinced themselves to do unspeakable things were no less human than you or I. They made their decisions; the only thing that prevents history from repeating itself is making different ones.
-- Adam Serwer
My blog
 
   
Made in ca
Lord of the Fleet






Halifornia, Nova Scotia

Which I'd support if I could download all the rules for everything for free. Rules only, no fluff, in a PDF or epub file as I see fit.

If not, having a book for every single sub faction of note is incredibly costly to collect for those with a desire to have a flexible army or multiple armies, and would be an absolute bitch to keep track of every single snowflake rule scattered though 40+ books.

Mordian Iron Guard - Major Overhaul in Progress

+Spaceship Gaming Enthusiast+

Live near Halifax, NS? Ask me about our group, the Ordo Haligonias! 
   
 
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