What would you say?

-Don't try to magnetise your models, it won't work.
-I know those Tyranids look cool, but listen to the others in the store and stay far away from them.
-Use inks sparingly and don't try to use them to tint bright silver a deep red.
-You're going to discover a bunch of amazing hobby stores filled with people just like you. Don't get attached to any of them.
-When playing the game, wear short sleeves.
-Don't paint on the couch, seriously.

Buy as much stuff online as you can, right now. Convince your parents to stock up on Land Raiders and Stormravens.

I started playing about six months before GW simultaneously bumped up their prices and cracked down on webstore sales. (Back then, you could pretty easily find a Land Raider for 25-30 bucks. Fifty of those, shrinkwrapped and ready for Ebay a year later, could have made me a nice tidy investment profit.)


Does it have to be 40k related advice? If not:
Invest in Bitcoin. Trust me, past self.
Titanium Metals company, too. Buy as much stock as you possibly can.

Buy more boxes of sisters. No, don't bothers with those catachans or nids- no forget them; you're going to love sisters always and they're going to vanish soon and when they come back they'll be twice the price. Get them now- and spec weapons, get heaps of those!

I would have said try as many new painting techniques you can and SLOW DOWN with your painting process. Get real good with plasticard and greenstuff too.
Also would have told myself to never stop painting models even for a little. It really is not like riding a bike and you DO forget stuff. Also, get real good at freehand so you can do your own logos etc more easily.
And just keep painting. Also, try to finish one project before starting 3 others(even though I still do that to my demise in not just hobby but every aspect of my life and really need to stop.) start something, see it through to the end, then begin something new.

"For the money you're going to spend on paint supplies, you could have gotten a good sized army painted by a pro."

I don't like painting and I'm only halfway decent at it. No interest in getting better either. I wish I had just paid for a cool army.

Thin your paints! Don't play Eldar, don't worry about competition.

Don't buy Terminators - they suck.

When selling on ebay, don't sell as a lot sell it individually. It might be more hassle but you will get more cash for it.

Stick to Chaos, always Chaos.

Don't take a break from the hobby, keep doing it because you enjoy doing it. Don't listen to other people who don't get it.

Stick with painting, each time you paint you get a little better. You may never be a pro but look at the differences.

 Pilau Rice wrote:
Don't take a break from the hobby

I think if you followed that advice, you may have found yourself telling yourself the opposite

Taking a break when things are dropping into a rut is one of the easiest way to rekindle your love for the hobby. Most of us need a breather and the feeling of coming in fresh every now and then! If you stick with it out of spite you might find yourself getting sick of it for good.

 Pilau Rice wrote:

Stick with painting, each time you paint you get a little better. You may never be a pro but look at the differences.

You speak truth there.

Think thrice before setting up on a colour scheme, not after painting a whole unit and a vehicle.

It may seem a few models but I really feel the time I take when painting. I guess I'll just learn to love my colour scheme.

 Purifier wrote:

 Pilau Rice wrote:
Don't take a break from the hobby

I think if you followed that advice, you may have found yourself telling yourself the opposite

Taking a break when things are dropping into a rut is one of the easiest way to rekindle your love for the hobby. Most of us need a breather and the feeling of coming in fresh every now and then! If you stick with it out of spite you might find yourself getting sick of it for good.

You missed part of the sentence off there. I agree though, if you are falling out of love with the hobby, by all means, take a break. But in my situation I never did. I stopped because I let people get in the way of doing something that I really enjoy doing. I was a lot younger then and thought peoples opinions matter over my own, i'm much wiser now

Thought: Although, maybe taking the break when I did was a good thing as it did reignite my passion for the hobby and the background when I did decide to start back into it. I think then what I would tell myself when I first started would be not to let other people determine if you do the hobby or not. If you enjoy it still, keep doing it regardless of other peoples opinions on it. But, if you do get burnt out, take a break and then see how you feel. I've taken a few breaks since I started 2nd round but not because of other people but because i've needed a break.

Magnetize
Clean your mold lines!

 Nevelon wrote:
Magnetize
Clean your mold lines!

I second the mold lines part.
And check again after priming, you'll see if you "kinda okay" job is enough.

 Nevelon wrote:
Magnetize
Clean your mold lines!

So far we have "don't magnetize!" and "magnetize!"

I'd say magnetise big things like weapons on tanks, but magnetising infantry feels wrong to me. I feel better with it being one solid block. I don't know what it is.

1. Don't buy a gigantic starter kit as your first purchase.
2. Start with a small, single unit box, a basic palette of colours: red; blue; green; yellow; black; white and a couple of decent brushes.
3. Don't worry about technique yet. Just slop that paint on & get that unit done. Once it's finished it will be both terribly painted & immensely satisfying, and only then will you begin to appreciate all of the hints & tips people have for painting.
4. ALWAYS clean your brushes.
5. Don't give away all of your toys when you start to get into video games. Teddy Ruxpin alone is worth like 3 grand now!

That last one may have been a bit off topic...

 Purifier wrote:

 Nevelon wrote:
Magnetize
Clean your mold lines!

So far we have "don't magnetize!" and "magnetize!"

I'd say magnetise big things like weapons on tanks, but magnetising infantry feels wrong to me. I feel better with it being one solid block. I don't know what it is.

One thing magnetizing does if future proof your army. Back when I built my assault marines in 3rd edition, you could give a 5 man squad 2 plasma pistols at 5 points each. In 4th, you needed to have a full 10 man squad for the second and the price got higher. Wasn’t until recently that we got back to the 2 specials in a 5 man squad, and plasma is comically overpriced. But flamers have been a reasonable option for a while now. One of the few units I took a knife to.

I’ve also got a swap shelf full of guys with crummy gear options.

Tanks and big expensive kits are important, but some infantry is worth doing. Although I’ll agree that they feel better as a solid chunk.

The mold lines is top on my mind right now as I’m in the process of stripping and cleaning up some old RTB01s. Did I even try back then? I thought I did.

I would have said "Don't start any GW products". Not because the prices are crazy and the only reason you keep continuing is because of "sunk cost" or I will be spending lots of money and not putting together lots of minis bought because of no motivation because of bad systems or poorly written rules and GW doesn't seem to care about us as customers.

The real reason to not start GW is because of all the arguing I would do on the internet and in real life with people on how GW should be or how rules should work.

What is worse is how I became a miserable person online arguing with people on the internet because of the HHH.

As a side note why do we call it the Triple H again?

"Don't worry. I know you're going through a lot of stuff right now, but trust me, it really does work out great for us. This hobby will help you get through it, and you won't believe how good things work out."

There will be a time when you do no longer like WFB due a rule change. Do not switch to 40k it is a waste of money that you really should have used on vacations with your girlfriend, you will never like your necron army due to an eldar sniper unit killing your nightbringer in a single volley from the other side of the table and your space ork army will become become completely unplayable even before you finished painting them all. All of this will result in huge piles of useless piles of plastic.

Now remember those Mortheim, Necromunda and metal daemonnette models you really liked, but didn't buy since they would be "a waste of money". They will go oop fast and become extreme expensive collectors items. So for the love of god do not buy the same dull plasitc models over and over again, but buy large quantities of cool looking metal models instead they will be worth a lot when you really needed the money and you will love to use them in your future inquisitor army.

Get into Infinity.
Don't take either Warhammer seriously, you'll only upset yourself. Keep it fun and casual.

Now where is that time machine to send me this message. And do you accept limited edition Necromunda models as a payment ; )

"Don't buy dark angels just because you can get them super cheap. You (i) won't like the way they play and you (i) will end up selling them after you almost paint the whole army. Just get blood angels, you know you love death company and dreadnoughts. In a year or so, nipple armor becomes a thing, and you'll love it.

Second the don't buy starter sets.

-Especially when you don't have the rule book.

Use ebay to buy sections from starter sets (like Bertrayel of Calth 30 Marines or 5 man cataphractii instead of FW). Saves so much cash.

Strip models and repaint.

Don't build models TO LOOK COOL build to rule sets and available rules. wasted a lot of tyranids early on.

magnetize tank sponsons weapons.


slow down with painting. Don't buy so many units that painting becomes a chore.

Have fun.

Don't forget to lock the car trunk with your Army case with 2 land raiders, 3 Defilers, 2 OOp Daemon princes and other gak in it.

And 4 years later, Check if the car trunk is shut, twice, so that your Toolbox with Land raider, heldrake, MAulers, obby materials and Limited Edition KDK cards, skulls and Objective token+HH Kharn don't get stolen because some arse holes though it was a genuine toolbow with tools in it...

DO NOT get rid of all the models you collected as a kid. You might want them one day when you start back in the hobby again.

1: Pick up as many Preatorian guard and Chaos Dwarf models as possible
2: Don't let untrustworthy 'friends' borrow rule books and magazines
3: Don't let ill-tempered, obnoxious relative's near any paints, glues or spare part boxes
4: Tell hypocritical priests where they can........Guess that ones a bit too personal

Do not stick to that camouflage scheme. It looks great but you'll need as much time to paint one of your marines as you need for 12 of your lotr Orks.

I know the internet is telling you "everyone plays Space Marines and they're pretty strong", but you won't like the playstyle. Stick to your first instinct and build more Necrons.

Wait.

CSM are cooler than Orks, you just don't know it yet. Wait a dozen years or so and CSM will get some cool new stuff.

Or just go HH directly and skip 40k.

- Don't buy into WHFB, they're going to blow it up in three months. Didn't you learn your lesson with that game back in 3E?

- Don't buy the Lord of the Rings starter sets - you'll never play the game.

- Don't buy into Robotech RTT. If you want models that bad, just look up gashapon.

- Get battlefleet Gothic off the shelf and start playing it now - you'll love it!

- Skip 4E D&D - you will miss nothing.

Don't keep buying stuff until you've painted the stuff you already have.

1. Set up games at your house and play them repeatedly till you know the rules in and out
2. You will never know all the rules perfectly, but you can practice
3. Double whatever budget you thought you were gonna spend

 Slayer le boucher wrote:
Don't forget to lock the car trunk with your Army case with 2 land raiders, 3 Defilers, 2 OOp Daemon princes and other gak in it.

And 4 years later, Check if the car trunk is shut, twice, so that your Toolbox with Land raider, heldrake, MAulers, obby materials and Limited Edition KDK cards, skulls and Objective token+HH Kharn don't get stolen because some arse holes though it was a genuine toolbow with tools in it...

You got stolen twice ?

Painting is fun, and you don't need to worry about your friends and family making fun of your hobby. They're happy you found something you enjoy doing.

Don't change a thing, tyranids may suck but they look cool and having fun and building what you thing is cool is more important than the unbalanced nature of a 40k. wait I retract one thing, think about putting wings on your tyrant. it looks cool, unless you don't think so in that case whatever... wait who am I talking to at this point....

Buy a case to carry your minis

1. Always apply a base coat.

2. Apply thin coats on top of that

I had to paint strip my first few dozen models because they were simultaneously covered with blobs of paint and the paint was wearing off since I didn't base coat.

- Forget the bases GW supply, get steel discs or coins of a suitable size and use them, makes transport a lot easier.
- Get an airbrush and spray primer, will pay for itself over rattle cans quickly
- Take notes when painting a model in new colours so you can repeat it should you like it
- Buying storage for models is as important as buying models
- Don't be afraid to look beyond GW for models, paints and other supplies
- Just because someone says a faction is rubbish doesn't mean they won't be enjoyable
- Take your time before deciding on an army, and have a plan, even a rough one, for how to build it - with a realistic estimate of the time and effort you can put into building/painting
- Take the time to find a good local club

Lootas aren't NEARLY as good as everyone says they are.

Pr3Mu5 wrote:DO NOT get rid of all the models you collected as a kid. You might want them one day when you start back in the hobby again.

So true. I got rid of all my Battletech/Star Trek basically FASA games and minis because I quit. Now I wish I didn't. At least I learned from that experience not to get rid of my GW stuff when I quit the first time. Or second or Third. Or Fourth.

I guess what I am saying also is you will quit lots of times and that is OK. Nothing wrong in taking breaks away from the hobby or from GW or any particular gaming system and going onto something else or even something entirely different hobby. You will always have the itch to come back.

Buy apple stock, lots of it.

But seriously, I had such a slow introduction into the hobby that its hard to pick a hard starting point. Lets say the time when I was about to be playing Space Marines weekly.

-sell those space marines and buy dark eldar.
-wear short sleeves.
-be a bit less obnoxious and frantic when playing the game
-slow down. (still need to work on that one)
-'Don't take a giant break for the school year of 2015/2016 (put a huge dent in my motivation and happiness for that year, and my university grades still suffered, regardless of the hobby or not)
-Stop ruining brushes idiot.

I received some great advice from existing/former players and was a veteran gamer with years of experience sinking tons of money into CCG's (now retired from that) so the list is short:

- Learn to magnetize as it will extend the relevance of your models.
- Learn to mod because you do not really want to buy your Twin Linked Devourers from Forgeworld.
- If you get into an army midlife crises after completing 4k Necrons, do not start buying Tyranids, build more Necrons. Keep doing this until you can at least field two Decurions with Canoptek Harvest and full transport amenities (x2 douche canoes and x1 croisant each) to play chess like mirror matches.
- Humans are the bad guys, or at least the worse guys since they are as evil as all the other races but fly the banner of moral superiority.
- If people complain your use of Canoptect Wraiths are a crutch tell them assistive devices are allowable under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
- When your neighbor's wife lets him take over the garage and he builds a full tournament level table from scratch, realize this is a special time and take advantage of the amenity as much as possible.

-Don't sell that Death Guard army. Seriously. Don't.
-Don't sell your LATD.
-Get the Khador box when you pick up WMH, PoM is not for you.
-Legion is not for you either. Don't buy that lot off eBay.
-Don't sell your Void 1.1 stuff.
-Still invest in Frostgrave, but know that the gamers round here are a bunch of flaky fethers and present day you has still yet to have a game of despite buying all the supplies.
-Buy that AT43 Tiamat NOW!
-Find a fallback game of some description. I don't care what it is, but you will feel some burnout from WMH and it will fray some relationships with friends. Play something else to stop this.

Buy an airbrush and learn to use it ASAP. I don't care what it costs, just do it.

One day you will grow up into a semi-responsible adult and not have to depend on your parents generosity in order to acquire metal/plastic minitures.

Skip 20 something years.

Why are you working in a traditional profession being paid a wodge each month and spunking it up the wall on Black Library, new minis being released, you will never even open the boxes, rule books for armies you don't collect, etc?

Buy Spray on black primer or flat black spray paint. Not using primer is why your paint doesn't stay on the models.
Only buy two armies. And paint all your models. Don't sell your armies. Just box them up if you get over whelmed. Paint maybe one at a time or only 5 models at a time. Don't rush. Have fun.
It's just a game. You won't win them all.
You don't need tactical Squads in your list. Buy Devastators and Assault Marines. Plasma Missiles are amazing. Don't just pick a Vortex Grenade every time.

Hmm, hobby history flashbacks commence!

-
- Get cheap sealable containers and put all your GW twist-top paint into those... I swear they were designed to dry paint, you will save a mint.
- Go look at Liquitex artist paints, "matt medium", "distilled water" and "flow aid", do not look back.
- Do not invest heavily in Tau when it first launched (got big initial box set), assemble, magnetize and prime a full army with all the options only to sell it (good price though!) KEEP IT YOU FOOL!
- Do not take pity on a cousin and GIVE him your entire fully painted Biel-Tan Eldar Army (was just prior to the modern wave serpent release), he pretty much sat on it since.
- You should not have EVER have started with CSM as your first army, It brought nothing but tears.
- Added note to CSM: That conversion of a SM skimmer to a CSM one looked cool and all but will not be used once.
- Get an airbrush asap. You will do WAY too much work without it.
- Go to a website called "Dakka dakka" and join quick, you will learn many things that too would save a great deal of work.
- One day, it will be very hot a humid and you will be just itching to prime a huge army... don't... do... it.
- Get the #7 series brushes, yes it is worth it, no, do not say "it is just brand name overpricing", shut up and use them.
- Play as much as you can during 5th edition, play till you are sick of it.
- You will hear for the first time about the "Armageddon" release (the first one), buy the bundles. They are the best deal you will ever see.
- 3D printing. Shapeways. Get to know the "artists". Make requests. Thank them a lot. Brush up on my 3D CAD knowledge. Spend less time learning how to mold.

I think that covers most forms of "regret".

Everything can be killed.

Quit wh40k b4 you even start. You waste like 3-5hours to play a game sometimes with jerk offs. Dont think people will buy your models beyond retail price because you painted them. If anything they will tell you it doesnt match their army no matter how well it is painted.

 godardc wrote:

 Slayer le boucher wrote:
Don't forget to lock the car trunk with your Army case with 2 land raiders, 3 Defilers, 2 OOp Daemon princes and other gak in it.

And 4 years later, Check if the car trunk is shut, twice, so that your Toolbox with Land raider, heldrake, MAulers, obby materials and Limited Edition KDK cards, skulls and Objective token+HH Kharn don't get stolen because some arse holes though it was a genuine toolbow with tools in it...

You got stolen twice ?

When luck is just pissing on your head...

"Are you REALLY sure you want to start paying money on minis from a codex that isn't that good AND doesn't accurately represent your most loved piece of the lore?" (CSM)
"Do you REALLY want to buy models from this a bit less worse army after you stopped with the previous one, but have yet to sell any of its models?" (DA)
"Dude, don't buy that Stormtalon. They'll start HH series soon and you won't want to play Marines in both 30k and 40k..." (SM)
"Finally, an army that you'l enjoy through and through. Let's keep model buying at it." (Tau)

Ugh. So much money spent unwisely...

- Dont spend about 300 hrs painting your army red like they are on the box turns out you will hate Khorne and love nurgle, seeing that many hours of painting being stripped off is painful.
- Dont let Stu touch your just barely finished be'lakor, he will break off both arms in less than a minute. "unintentionally"
- Buy more than 30 magnets at a time they wont last for a whole squad.
- Spend time individualizing each model, it makes each guy much more fun to paint even if it takes longer.
- ONLY BUY MORE MODELS WHEN WHAT YOU HAVE IS PAINTED

If ever you consider a third faction in anything, consider picking up a different game instead.

I kind of want to say don't get into 40k quite so soon. You'll be getting into the game and life will hit you like a train wreck and you'll need that money. If you wait awhile you won't need to worry about it, but seriously, just don't start when you do.

Don't play in that first league you played. They're all buttholes that will make you nearly drop the game and it wasn't even that fun anyways. And don't play that one guy, you made the mistake of playing even though you didn't want to.

Honestly maybe just don't play 40k for even longer after you got your finances back under control so you can get that new computer (which you use more) sooner.

Spend less time playing 40k and more time hiking, something will happen that you won't be able to do long backpacking trips anymore so in general just don't start 40k when you did.

- Magnetise. I don't care if it looks a bit worse or how obvious that loadout looks, you'll change your mind before you even put them on the table.

- Smurfs aren't cool.

- Don't buy 3 Tau Riptides, they're pretty cool but they'll suck all fun out of life. And then you'll drop Tau entirely.

- Find a good group, that GW isn't good.

- Don't play anything with 'tournament' in the name. I don't care if it has friendly in the name, most other people won't see that word.

- *I might change this depending on what my future self says* - Yes I know those (these?) Box sets are really cool and easy to bring round friends homes, all you need is one. Maybe 2. Not 5.

These aren't all for when I started the hobby, but all when I undertook new stages of the hobby.

1. Be better with your money in your 20's, then you won't have to sell off all those Inquisitor models, including those released for all of five seconds

2. Get used to painting earlier

3. Get some chill on forums. Just because people are imbeciles doesn't mean it's polite or profitable to point it out to them

Don't switch armies often so you can have one fully painted one day.

1. Buy brush primer.
2. Buy Tomb Kings, especially that Warsphinx you saw but never bought. (Still salty about that after a year.)
3. Don't build all your models at once, and follow the instructions.

1. Don't Get Orks. In about 2 years they'll redo necrons, my primary army. With the money spent on orks one could invest in new necron stuff.

2. Don't buy anything more for Lizardmen. Seriously, like 2 months after I got the bastiladon (good model, btw) they blew it up. I didn't even get a chance to use it

That's tough, because a mean little part of me wants to tell me to never get started - I would have saved a lot of money.

But, I love the game, so, here's what I'd say to me, circa 1998:

Hey, young Oggthrok - get a haircut! You look like a greaseball! And, enough with the fast food already, learn to cook! And get some exercise!

Wait, I have to keep this to Warhammer... Okay...

You see that big, dusty pile of Warhammer Quest boxes sitting there in the game store? Buy all of those.

No, not for us, just one of them is for us.

No, not so you can saw them up and make 40k conversions out of them... Dangit, young me, you're not very bright...

Okay, look, it takes a long time, but maybe ten years from now, you finally stop hating all things Fantasy, and you're going to want this thing. But, by then, it's like $500 a box on ebay, and completely unobtainable.

Well... you're going to have a basement full of them, so you're going to control that market. Plus, you'll be able to open one of yours, and it won't be sawed into bits making stupid Chaos champions and Squat warlords.

Which brings me to my second point - buy lots of the following: Necromunda Esher Gangs. Epic Warlord Titans, Epic 40k starter sets, and Man O' War fleets. When Juan Diaz makes Daemonette's, buy up like so many of them. Sell them in the future when all of this is worth at least triple what you paid.

Oh, make sure you have a few thousand of that money banked, and watch for something called "Kingdom Death" on something called "Kickstarter." Never you mind what it is, the point is it will resell on ebay for ludicrously more than you pay, and you will have like... so... much... money...

Okay, all of this money, I want you to make a big pile of it, by 2015. Then, on new years day, I want you to go to the emergency room and ask to be checked for internal bleeding. You should now have enough money to pay for what is about to happen. You will live, but taking these actions will make living easier.

Until then, play this game with your friends all that you can. Do not take the rules too seriously, and do not lament that you can't have every little toy for it that you want. If you have friends to play with, and a few space marines, this is enough.

Runic wrote:Don't switch armies often so you can have one fully painted one day.

Or gaming systems. Now I have 4 or 5 gaming systems and still don't have nothing complete.



Automatically Appended Next Post:

Oggthrok wrote:

Oh, make sure you have a few thousand of that money banked, and watch for something called "Kingdom Death" on something called "Kickstarter." Never you mind what it is, the point is it will resell on ebay for ludicrously more than you pay, and you will have like... so... much... money...

Wouldn't you make much more money on stocks instead of minis? Stocks is so... much... money compared to minis.

Don't get too attached to Space Wolves, They become less like the 'Space Vikings' that drew you to the Army and more like a cult of Wolf Worshipers

Magnetize your Stormraven wings ! Do not glue them !

Ravingbantha wrote:
Don't get too attached to Space Wolves, They become less like the 'Space Vikings' that drew you to the Army and more like a cult of Wolf Worshipers

Team Jacob for the win.

 godardc wrote:
Magnetize your Stormraven wings ! Do not glue them !

As a corollary to that: Think of how your minis are going to pack for travel to the FLGS.

Stop swapping armies or selling them off Shadow.

Clean that airbrush one more time, and be gentle with the nozzle.

Had I known from the beginning how much of a stigma it is I would've told myself to let the hair on my neck grow before each game and breath with my mouth. Today I do it for good luck.

I dunno... to be honest I have really enjoyed my hobby progression and don't really have any regrets.

Maybe go easy on people once in a while if they are on a loss streak to avoid causing burn outs / rage quits. After all, it is our little plastic men who are trying to win a battle. Me and my opponent are just a couple of buds hanging out for a good time.

Don't buy that Lord of skulls. Even if it looks really cool.

Oh, another one is just how to use a paint brush. Like the real basics; how to get paint out the pot and prep it for use. How to load the brush with paint, how to transfer the paint from the brush to the mini. How to clean and store them.

This is like super basic stuff that was just part of the assumed level of knowledge, but clearly I hadn't listened well enough in my primary school art classes to know any of.

Honestly I don't have anything I would change in regards to my hobby experience other than I wish I could give my painting experience to my past self so my early models would be better quality.

If anything maybe tell my past self that Grey Knights aren't so much an army of psykers so much as an army that have some self buffs for melee/invuln save and a Primaris Power that I have yet to use a single time over the course of two years.

Thin your paints.

As someone who is literally just starting (still waiting for my first ever order of space marines to arrive) this is the advice I'm giving myself every day (sometimes multiple times!) I'm currently working through silver tower which I picked up two weeks ago but im already jumping headlong in to 40k

1. Don't build up too much of a back log. You have enough now, don't buy anything else until you've actually played at least 1 game! Ideally several!!!

2. It doesn't matter how much your friends have/buy see point number 1. Do not buy anything else until you have 1000 pts worth table ready and know how to use them! Use that knowledge to shape future purchases.

3. It is not a goddamn arms race read point number 2 again.

4. Be patient with your painting. Frustration and rushing will only leave you hating the finished product.

5. CHeck and check again before priming. That spike, is it really a spike or is it, once again, a bit of sprue that you missed.

6. If you MUST buy something then at least look at terrain and play area. But remember painted mdf will more than do your needs for the next six months plus!

7. Stop spamming your friends with pictures of your work in progress models. If you must send photos do it when they're finished, not just because you added a base layer to one tiny skull.....

 Blackhair Duckshape wrote:
What would you say?

-Don't try to magnetise your models, it won't work.
-I know those Tyranids look cool, but listen to the others in the store and stay far away from them.
-Use inks sparingly and don't try to use them to tint bright silver a deep red.
-You're going to discover a bunch of amazing hobby stores filled with people just like you. Don't get attached to any of them.
-When playing the game, wear short sleeves.
-Don't paint on the couch, seriously.

"Don't sell off you models! You don't need the money that badly and your interest will return. Those will be worth money one day and you'll spend 20 times the amount you bought those models for on this thing called eBay which will be invented in a few years."

Buy more boxes of sisters

this and also this

metal daemonnette models you really liked

...........

I got out of the painting hobby over 10 years ago and tried to pick it up again once or twice but my life got in the way as it tends to do...but things have changed and I really want to get back into at least painting models if not maybe attempting to play again someday...I admit, I splurged and picked up 2 sets each of the re-release of the daemonettes and the daemonettes on steeds when GW had them up a month or two ago so now I have daemonettes coming out of my ears ^-^

As for what else I would tell myself...don't give up.

Don't buy whfb models for 10 years they will litterally blow up the world and your 10 years will be worthless. Also probably don't buy gw models who knows how 40k will end, I am actually holding of on buying anything else for a year or 2 until 40k ends. Just incase they throw all models out again.

Funny hearing all the "avoid this group" or "avoid the game for it is full of dbags". I agree, though I think I'd like to keep that experience lol.

And speaking of, I'm not a HUGE fan grandfather paradox scenarios w/ learning lessons...but I guess there's always the multiverse or tangential timelines or something. I basically want to keep my lessons learned and not have them disappear!

Ok, anyway, I'd tell myself:
- buy the codices and army books of all factions that interest you before deciding on an army and also do some research online for any rumored future new faction updates
- cut your army selection in half (I picked 4 40k armies and 4 WHFB armies), not just to save $, but to save some mental fortitude. But pick carefully b/c...
- never sell your armies. You never know when you'll wanna get back into the 40k abyss.

Even today, roughly 4 years after selling out of the 40k hobby and selling half of my WHFB armies, I still like to daydream about a "what if" scenario where I did pick just 2 factions per game and stuck w/ them my whole gaming career. Tough fake decisions!

 Slayer le boucher wrote:
When luck is just pissing on your head...

sorry to hear that, dude.

Davor wrote:
What is worse is how I became a miserable person online arguing with people on the internet because of the HHH.

As a side note why do we call it the Triple H again?

Hunter Hearst Helmsley?

 amazingturtles wrote:
Painting is fun, and you don't need to worry about your friends and family making fun of your hobby. They're happy you found something you enjoy doing.

glad to hear!

 Pr3Mu5 wrote:
DO NOT get rid of all the models you collected as a kid. You might want them one day when you start back in the hobby again.

 LunarSol wrote:
If ever you consider a third faction in anything, consider picking up a different game instead.

Yep...

"Play Eldar".

So much headache would have been saved

(I mean, I did eventually pick them up...but seriously, so easy to just stick with one army and have it always be viable)

I had a weird start to all things GW. I was also a very scrawny kid. Lesse...

Oh hey, [2003] Dr. Temujin. Listen I don't have much time, because running this time machine is expensive, but you should pay attention to me, k? First off... yes, time machines are cool, but PAY ATTENTION!

- You bought the BFG Armada book? Cool! Now, get the Main rulebook before you buy your armada. Yes, I know it's $50, but you'll actually know how to play instead of relying on your jerk-ass friend explaining it to you. Also, your friend is kind of a jerk, just saying.
- Get the BFG starter set to learn. THEN start building Tyranids, if you really want.
- Also, stay away from that GW. They're more interested in taking your money than teaching you stuff. Buy online, if you can.
- WHAT DID YOU DO TO THESE MODELS. THAT'S NOT HOW YOU... (it's okay, it's okay, he's learning). Invest in black spray primer. Flat. Spray the models first, THEN paint.
- In fact, go visit a website called Dakka Dakka. They'll teach you how to paint and play better.
- Get a carrying case for your models. No, not that one, that's not for miniatures. Get a miniature case.
- No, don't pick up Tyranids for 40k. Trust me, get Necrons, you'll be saving yourself a few bucks.
- Also, don't get hung up on [name withheld for privacy reasons]. She's not going to reciprocate your... whoops, wrong topic!

Oh hey, [2011] Dr. Temujin. Oh, you started 40k? Splendid! Okay, I have some more pointers for you. Yes, I did visit you before. No, do not point it out; the timeline is strained enough as is, so just listen!

- There's a better way to paint those Necrons. Did you go on Dakka like I told you before? Wait, why not? ...you forgot again, didn't you...?
- Keep the metal Wraiths, and buy more while you're at it. I know, metal is a pain to work with, but trust me: this is better than the fiddly plastic ones that come out in the future.
- Don't bother with the metal Immortals, those will be out in plastic soon.
- Most importantly: you're going to lose, yes, but it's all part of any game. Keep playing games for the fun of it, and it'll be great.

Don't feel you have to do everything perfectly at the start, just have fun.

Don't put too much pressure on yourself to be the best painter or gamer in the world after a few tries. Practice makes perfect, or at least better.

A few people have already said it but start off small. I will say if you do like it and continue the hobby invest in good tools. A good set of files, clippers and x-acto knives would have saved me so much time and hassle when I was younger.

 Dr. Temujin wrote:
You bought the BFG Armada book? Cool! Now, get the Main rulebook before you buy your armada. Yes, I know it's $50, but you'll actually know how to play instead of relying on your jerk-ass friend explaining it to you. Also, your friend is kind of a jerk, just saying.

I'll second this as this was literally how I started collecting and buying my first space marine army when I was 10!

1 - "It's really not that important to win games. Seriously, stop being a jerk, teenage you."

2 - "All those Leman Russes on eBay for $20? BUY THEM."

3- "Actually cut/clip your models off the sprue, don't just twist them and then wonder why you have weird holes everywhere."

Paint your bits, then assemble

What I would tell myself 25 years ago:

The next Codex you buy will expire before that milk you bought, and it will make that unit you spent 30 hours converting and painting pointless. Stop buying their stuff unless it's good enough to paint and sit on your shelf

Finish that Dark Elf army for fantasy before 2015, or don't even start.

Don't throw out Blood Bowl and all your teams. It will make a comeback.

You are making the right decision to wait for the Dark Eldar to be redesigned. They will eventually look as good as the concept of Evil Space Pirate Elves sounds.

Stressing about painting, stripping an repainting endlessly... you'll never finish an army. But you'll learn enough about painting to make it all worthwhile. You're right to not be satisfied, it's how you work at improving.

Yes, Infinity is a superior game. Switch now, don't wait.

Stop buying Killa Kanz.

Ravingbantha wrote:
Don't get too attached to Space Wolves, They become less like the 'Space Vikings' that drew you to the Army and more like a cult of Wolf Worshipers

I read that as "Don't get too wolfing wolfed to Space Wolves, they wolf less like the 'Space Vikings' that wolfed you to the wolfing Army and more like a wolf of Wolf-wolfing WolfBloodSkull Wolfshipers."

I do not miss them.

Space Wolves seemed to turn into intergalactic smurfs.

Just like the terrible movies my kids made me watch, replace every verb or pro-noun with Wolf in a sentence.

 Mastiff wrote:

Ravingbantha wrote:
Don't get too attached to Space Wolves, They become less like the 'Space Vikings' that drew you to the Army and more like a cult of Wolf Worshipers

I read that as "Don't get too wolfing wolfed to Space Wolves, they wolf less like the 'Space Vikings' that wolfed you to the wolfing Army and more like a wolf of Wolf-wolfing WolfBloodSkull Wolfshipers."

I do not miss them.

Go Team Jacob.

 OrkaMorka wrote:
Stop buying Killa Kanz.

best answer yet. I have 11

Don't sell or throw away your old models.

Keep painting, you WILL get better.

Acetone dissolves superglue.

Remove mould lines.

Pick one army ffs.

Start one army.

ONE.

And don't glue those Rhino hulls all the way together immediately, a few magnets and some spare parts orders nets you rather a lot of tanks quite inexpensively.

Well, here's a few I'd definitely tell my past, fresh faced self:

1. Use the proper tools to remove parts from the sprues, DON'T twist them off!

2. Take your time building. Slow and steady teach you, not speed cans shoddy placing!

3.BASECOAT YOUR MODELS. SERIOUSLY, DO IT!

4. Start with a simple paint scheme, learn the different techniques, and be proud of what you did.

5. Thin. Your. Paints.

6. Lastly, just enjoy yourself. Do t let others dictate what you want to do.

You'll nail the army choice in one quick moment, no worries. Keep painting, the smell of varnish will be what keeps you going. If you hit an indecisive painting patch, buy a bottle of good Scotch, and let that be your guide.

You'll get more play and joy out of daemons. Don't worry about the other stuff.

That giant boxed army is a terrible idea. Ask your parents to buy you a few kits and spend your money on more paints and brushes. Buy primer, it's a needed step. Stop buying things when you haven't assembled the last unit you bought because you don't have primer or superglue.

In regards to WH40k, and setting aside the other things I might tell my past self about the next 15 years of his life...

I'd tell him that his favorite army is going to get screwed over, and eventually the situation will improve, but by then it will be too late. Just remember that you think other things are pretty cool too, and keep other armies as an option to consider when things aren't going well for the current one. Don't get stuck in a rut, keep spinning the wheels and expecting something to change. Find a way to get out of the rut. And try not to be a douche.

Look at everything and stick to what you like the look of best.

Don't trade in your dwarves.

Don't buy anything yet - keep borrowing your friend's armies. You're going to get a new codex in 6 months, and it's gonna your army idea into a steaming pile of feth.

Secondly - when that codex comes out, read the ing thing cover to cover; and then do it again. Now pick your models. You'll save a ton of money and headaches this way.

-Don't leave very large open super glue bottles edge of your worktable, you might elbow it to your over you and instantly glue your pants and long johns to your leg, remowing it very painfully, even if you don't lose much skin.
-Buy green stuff
-Don't use you old brush to dip in that open super glue bottle (which top was fused to bottle had to cut open) to get glue out if you have bad habit to put pencils and brushes your mouth when you aren't using them.
-Buy even more green stuff.
-Buy those old boxed sets from local books stores when they are in -50% sale, you will blame your self for not doing it rest of your life.
-Buy lots of those sweet 3rd, 4rd & Gorkamorka ed fantasy miniatures when they are still cheap and avaible.
-Buy those sweet Rogue Trader miniatures in hordes from your first Ropecons or you will blame your self rest of your life.
-Take more gigs as Outrider to get more sweet niniatures for payment.
-Buy more miniatures, there ain't never enough them. You can always make booze your self and spend your booze monies to buy more miniatures!

"Actually look at the armies and what they can do. Don't immediately go for Daemons cause you heard the word Daemons, you're going to want to build another army, and you don't have the money or carrying capacity to do so."

Wait till the third edition will be published! It's only six month. Buy Space Hulk instead of Epic 40K! Your little brother will ruin the miniatures and you won't use it ever again.

Invest in Necromunda and Inquisitor! Okay - that would be necessary years later