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I recently came back to GW after a break of roughly twelve years, I'm not sure why had the time and circumstances bound our path's together once more and here I am.

....Which leads to start this thread, for anyone interested in my, or any other person's initial thoughts upon returning to the hobby. The main reason me starting this though, is to find out how many people are like me and how they feel too.

OK...

Well, first thing to be said is that I'm glad I have come back and I really enjoy picking the hobby up again. It's amazing how having a bit more money makes collecting miniatures a little bit more free-reigned. I also love the communities I found including this one here at Dakka, and this is one of the main springs of confidence and inspiration I get for direction and my own designs. Dante made me think this recently, another reason for starting this thread.

I am a little sad to see games like Necro, Bloodbowl and Epic sidelined, and being Fan only orientated for change really, but still heart warming to see mini's for it every-now and then. The recent resurgence in boardgames and the re-release of Space Hulk has brought more even earlier memories and with the hobby as it is I couldn't be mare happy stepping into the breach once more, it seems GW need to find ideas to grow and those ideas need to appeal to fans once more, not the masses. I find that really exciting. Very sad again though to hear rumors Epic maybe lost in warp permanently soon.

I am also somewhat annoyed at the atmosphere and marketing which exists in my local shop now, and don't attend it anywhere near as much as I did, even with the veterans night. I'm not ignorant though, and I understand to survive a business needs to adapt and evolve, but maybe with the new re-releases it will start a trend of GW going back to it's roots for getting a bigger core fan base in the first place. Who knows, I don't for sure, that's for sure...

Still it just seems it's lost a certain amount of 'warmth' from the days of the after-hours Blood-bowl league...

That said I urge you to remember my first words, and I enjoy the hobby more consciously than I ever did, which I think gives me more enjoyment as a whole, I also, like everyone, have more assets and skills and can take on more various interesting projects, such as terrain, as when I was younger it was just great to use C/Board Necro buildings. Could never do that now...

I also think mini makers now, like FW and avatar's of war as well as GW are just fabulous too, and the variety is all so varied and amazing now too, it's easy to find out what's going on around the world as well, and find out who's doing what with what where. It's ace.

So to sum up? I am glad to come back, the communities and the hobby is still strong, I have been able to re-enjoy old games and fig's and indeed new ones too, some of the new fig's take my breath away, and I feel for various reasons, I came to the show on the right night.

Now how does one make up for time lost? Oh yes, carry on making a blood bowl pitch...blissful

I've returned from a 10 year escape.

The game itself i'm happier with, 2nd editionw a sfar toochaotic comapred to this, it is in my opinion nicer rules set.

The models are also much nicer, i still have some of my old stuff, but i'm really prefering the new stuff. The prices though are a kick in the stones. I'm not complaining but when you remember terminators as £1.99 or £2.99 it was and check them now its massive inflated prices in comparison.

More expensive hobby now, but the models are much better, and rules nicer.

Specalist games is another sad side for me, they were great fun.

More of the same, returning since I quit during the horrific 'Red Age' (or Age of Strife) about 10 years ago, been back a year and already back to loathing the cynical wallet raping of GW. It's minis are great but it's prices and the way the company conducts it's self leave me angered (they put up the prices of metals due to the alleged tin price hike, and have now stated in their financial report that the price of the plastics will rise to match the metals). I've verymuch enjoyed playing again with my old crew and meeting some new friends via work who also play. I loathe going into GW shops and avoid if possible, the customer service by some individual staff is not good and I'm too old and grouchy for dealing with the screaming kids, oh and they often don't have what I want. I've been getting good at finding bargins and alternatives online, so let me know if you have questions, I may have already looked into the same thing recently and can link you some things.

Here's one for starters, if you are going to look at getting into WHFB, then this company is certainly worth a look, whilst their (superior) rank and file are more expensive than GW, due to being metal not plastic, their characters and heros are often cheaper and the quality of sculpting here is amazing:

http://www.gamezoneminiatures.de/index.php/language/en/XTCsid/fb2638db7ba680ee4c57fc24ea46771a

Just take a look at their vampire character cavalry, the orc warboss on boar or their Empire line. Beautiful. Take a special look at the goblin bolt thrower, it's built around a vampire's coffin!

I had previously left the hobby for 8 years. I played in my early and mid teen's- 40k, mordheim, and used to be that kid oogling at terminators thinking god they are so core. College, my first job, and trying to make enough to pay rent and not live off soup all the time meant a walk away from the hobby.

I returned randomly, and still remember walking through the mall thinking about buying a new dress shirt when I walked past a GW store, opened within the last 2 years. I blew the dust off my old "traitor" metal blood angels that were all robed, converted. Read up the rules.. (i had always been buying the rulebooks, just in case) and went to play a game. It was kind of comical. I had a picked up game against a shop "veteran" who was a great buy to boot, had a fun game, he laughed and joked that 10 years removed I was still good. The store manager game over, and then threw me out of the shop. He was a douche. Apparantly he was a GW fanatic, hated my army I later found out because they were all robed and I was using Cypher. He said I wasn't allowed to play until I made a new army in his shop. So I leave, and start playing mageknight.

I only return to the game 1 year later from that. I got a phone call from a buddy, that was working for them. He told me today was "new manager" day. The staff were super excited. So I pop in that night after work. The new manager's name is Dave, he's the GW Voorhees Manager, and a guy who started as a bottom level guy for GW. He's the guy who saved the hobby for me. His excitement, the "play want you have in my shop" and his pro gamer-hobby style is awesome. He's family oriented, and a true asset to their company.

Dave did what the former manager should have done. Allowed me to play my robed 40k marines with Cypher, knowing my hobby interest could grow. Comically I got hooked on the Iron Warriors after he handed me the preview that GW used to do on their book. I went on over 4 years to build and play Iron Warriors, and only sold them last year, 6 years later, with my intention to re-build them. I laugh because Dave is someone I consider a great friend, who has helped me re-intro into something I loved as a teenager, and still love as an adult. One of the shop workers re-intro'd me into mordheim, that grew into playing fantasy, and now I almost exclusive play fantasy.

My point: i think with the price hikes, and their new pro-marketing routines its up to veteran core gamers, guys who played in the days of 2nd edition, even early, those guys who stayed after hours and played mordheim until 3am, then grab breakfast and argue the Horus vs the Emperor fight, to bring it back. Its a hobby and a game, meant to bring friends. I love playing, winnings fun, but some times the game introduces you to people who change the way you look at things. In 40k i've gone from a Eldar sniper force, to Static Marines, and now looking back to my first love: Iron Warriors. Fantasy brought me High Elves, then Dwarves, to Beastman, to Skaven, and full circle BACK to High Elves

I was out of it for about 11 years between getting married and deciding to get back in about five years ago. (Shortly after 4th edition was released.

I don't play only GW though and never did.

The main change in the past 15 years is that the Internet provides a fantastic resource for wargaming. It has transformed searching for all kinds of hobby information.

My interest in Warhammer 40k began back in 94' or so, and I had been playing GW-based games since 92'

but it wasnt untill 96' that I actually got the starter set, I had been saving up cash throughout x-mas, birthday, allowance, etc, and I got a 2nd edition starter box, Bjorn the Fell Handed, a box of scouts, a few eldar and a few other things (paint, glue, brushes)

I got to work building and painting models right away, I taught my close friends how to play and collected 3 armies so we could all play games together, Marines, Eldar, and Orks.

then 3rd edition came out...
it was like someone kicked our puppy and poured acid into our eyes, I never bought into it. For years after that I would still play the game, but 2nd edition with my close friends in my room, which was dominated by a gaming table and a walk-in closet literally full of terrain (6 foot tall stacks of terrain, there was a LOT)

years later I met this guy who said his older brother had some of these models from back in the day, and offered to sell them to me for $10..... It was about 1500 points of Classic WHFB undead models.

years later still, I find a local game store with a bunch of good guys who played fantasy, so I got the rulebook, army book, and pumped up my Vampire Counts army. About 2 years after that, I move out of town, and get a new job, a couple guys here at work at my new job were talking about 40k, and they dragged me back into it.


So I never really quit completely, but I skipped all of 3rd and 4th edition 40k. So from about 99' until 2006 I didnt

"That said I urge you to remember my first words, and I enjoy the hobby more consciously than I ever did, which I think gives me more enjoyment as a whole, I also, like everyone, have more assets and skills and can take on more various interesting projects, such as terrain, as when I was younger it was just great to use C/Board Necro buildings. Could never do that now... "

I know EXACTLY how you feel there, I feel the same way

Makes me smile reading all this...

I share all you joy's and concerns...

...and NJPC your right I seem to have the same problem the staff seem a little young now and when I mention blood bowl or anything off 'the boil' so to speak,
they make it abundantly clear it won't be happening here. I can't help thinking that's a mistake which is putting old timer's off slightly and their not seeing the merit of new products. Not to say some of the staff are not welcoming and thoroughly admirable human beings, but you need strategy, not carpet bombs.

It certainly took dakka, and some of the ace modeler's here to make me understand how good 'the siege of vraks' lists can be, along with modelling for modelling sake, not just to spend money, and yes siege, that's FW, but their an official wing of GW right? where's the open arms and education for people like me? Not there.

...Hey killcrazy I play a little magic but not much, love the GW structure of games, did buy the warmachine book though, remix version, the fig's are just awesome. Remind me of titans. Not got round to a battle box though.

cheers for the link meangreenstompa love to source second hand collections too...get all-sorts...you do that much anyone?

...do you think demogerg it just comes from a bigger expectation personally now? My whole life has gone forward (computer games, music, clothes etc) so I think i just expect my projects to be grander and more interesting and I suppose complex. It's just a lot easier, for me anyway, now at my age to look at something and break it down to what it is and how it is done (maybe from my logic music making mind?) so can tackle things bigger now...

I got started straight away too, nothing like making up for missed time, I went halfs with my mate, £20 each, about $45 each I guess, and got a shed load of whfb orks, 40k orcs, boxed imperial units from mid-90's boxed man o war stuff, chaos figs, tanks, boxed mint heroquest and some books paints and dwarfs. Got me off to a beauty. Since got another load (from someones mum! ) for 35, got a case, 1500 necron army, loads of space marines and more whfb orcs and undead too. Lucky guy!

OT: Bloody raining and I want to go toys 'r' us pick up a new dr Who toy! Grrrr

mattstone wrote:
...do you think demogerg it just comes from a bigger expectation personally now? My whole life has gone forward (computer games, music, clothes etc) so I think i just expect my projects to be grander and more interesting and I suppose complex. It's just a lot easier, for me anyway, now at my age to look at something and break it down to what it is and how it is done (maybe from my logic music making mind?) so can tackle things bigger now...

Im not too sure. I think it might just be that as we were younger back then the game seemed more "mystical" and amazing, but now its, as you say, easier to break it down into its components.

For example, I used to look at the golden demon paint jobs, and the 'Eavy Metal team paint jobs and think about how incredible they were, and how I wish I could paint like that, but I had no idea how to do it.

now I see the same level of skill on a painted mini and I appreciate it, but I know the processes involved, I know how to glaze, layer, wash, drybrush, wetblend, etc. I look at a well painted mini and appreciate the skill involved, not just "that looks cool!"

I do have to admit, I love the hobby, and appreciate being able to play with my club mates. Its not about what's the newest cheese list, what's the nastiest combo. Its about the game and hobby. I think that got lost somewhere. In GW stores it seems more about sell what's the newest shinest box out there. When I used to got into the shops it was, "is there anything to add to your army" or "hey what's the newest conversion your working on can we see it?" Now its "hey empire has plastic greatswords, you should start them." Or "look space hulk is back!"

I guess maybe its age. But to me SPACE HULK NEVER LEFT! I still have the old video game. I paint and game, because I like it. I like to play against people with fully painted armies. I cringe when I hear people say "well I built my army, but why bother painting it." Or when I deploy my skaven "but the internet says they suck." I think there's a huge gap better guys who played in 2nd edition, and today. The internet is a great resource, but the seasoned gamers are the best resource: they have seen it, be there, done it, and can break down how to play the game in minutes. Good GW staff can do all that and much more.

Ha! so Demo the magic has gone from your life now? Me too...I know exactly what you mean.

And NJ great point, well made. I'd rather play two games a year with my my and another one's finely painted army and a fantastic board, than a load of fly-by-night set-ups that just never really catch your imagination as you'd like it. Being adult, as I presume we all are, the social and coming together aspects mean so much now, and by adding some 'intoxicants' and some old stories, you've got a great time right there.

I bought the original Warhammer, all those years ago.
3 Books in a box: Fighting, Magic and Roleplay! Probably still got them somewhere.
I kept up, until 2nd Ed. and then just played the Epic army I had, and no more.
Now 5th Ed. came out, me and some mates have got back in to it.
We are looking at campaigns, mixing in Dark Heresy and Planetary Empires etc. as part of a bigger story of individuals, rather than just one-off battles.
I'm also using it to write some (very poor) short stories.

LOL, so I guess this post is a "darn those wipper snappers!" post

mattstone wrote:I share all you joy's and concerns......and NJPC your right I seem to have the same problem the staff seem a little young now and when I mention blood bowl or anything off 'the boil' so to speak,
they make it abundantly clear it won't be happening here.

Seriously? Whether at my LGS or at a GW store, some one tries to "kick me out" for using models that don't fit their sense of fluff or tries to prevent me from playing Blood Bowl or Necromunda, they are going to get punched in the face and possibly suffer a wedgie the likes of which they have not experienced since they got their ass kicked in High School.

Perhaps it's because I am American, or maybe because I am just too damned old to take crap off of kids, but I really don't think any business should give you grief if you spend money in their store - especially in our niche hobby.

I stopped playing after leaving the company. 4 years later, I find myself back in the fold of Wargaming with GW.

Just this summer I found out that there was actually a GW that opened up this past year about 5 minutes from my house. I had always been really into the hobby but it had been extremely difficult to get games because the closest games shop of any kind was 30 minutes away at least. Being without a car of my own that is a prohibitively long distance. I was stuck with reading the novels, and wandering into a hobby shop and staring longingly at the tables for the past 5 years while my models gathered dust. While I don't have the length of time away and from the hobby as others, I can say that it is damn good to finally feel like I'm a part of the hobby for real. Plus I'd like to say that all of the GW's i've been to have had some of the best people running them.

That being said, I can now move on to the 1st major issue I have with GW: Pricing. I understand they have to make a profit, have to adjust prices based on materials cost, and the popularity of the model. The issue I have is the seeming randomness of the prices. There are units that take much less metal or plastic to assemble, but cost almost twice as much as other units i.e. the terminator squad of 5 costs $50, while a tactical squad of marines costs only $35.

The second issue I have is the reason why codexes take so long to produce. Yes I understand that certain races are more popular than others, and there is a greater demand for those to receive rules adjustments. My thing is, if your going to do something like jump from 4th to 5th edition, all codexes should be republished at the same time. The current protocol of "when we get around to it" seems lazy to me.

And yet despite those two rather large gripes, 40k still is one of the most enjoyable tabletop games I have ever played. I'd just like to see more reason and equality implimented. Oh, and a Dark Eldar update, Now

lmao @ NJ...yup...I'm putting some OMD on and having a bath....

Yeah Loki I can't really see that happening here, I can't really assault a 14 year old, and there really is no inclination from the 'main' crowd because they don't have a frickin clue what blood bowl even is. The STAFF have not played it.

All people like here is boring 40k with boyband space marines and some tau and necrons. That's it. Any other variety you really are looking around the wider 'non-shop'community (WHICH in my opinion SHOULD revolve from the GW store, but it really does NOT!).

I'd say GW was more marmite than niche now, there are bare people in that shop all the time, but the hobby itself, people either see the point, and appreciate it, or they just think your playing with toys.

I'm so jealous if Americans still play BB in-store, I tried to negotiate it for a veteran's night, instead of offering me the chance to meet the veteran's and ask them the guy just said 'no, no-one play's that in here'. I don't know if he has to say that or what, but I know BB is still strong in my town, as I said before going into the wider non-secular to the shop (ie people over 18) meet some nice people with nice armies nice attitude and a good appreciation index for a lot of GW stuff.

Say Magus to today's shop regular (or staff in a lot of case's I bet) they look t you as if your talking French.

Funny you should say that evilclown, me and my friend were scrolling through the army list's for fantasy, and it's sad to see list's like skaven so weak,it seem's those list's are not attractive so people won't get them, less variable games, less interest, people leave the hobby. I would love to field my dwarves against orcs, skaven, Lizardmen, beast and elf armies, but I can't see that until they are all solid and have equally attractive elements. Further on the skkaven, anyone remember um...think it was a doomwheel, or deathwheel and a doombell, or a combo of those words anyway... ...what happened to those? I used to love that old doom (?)wheel thing, was so different to see it on a battlefield too...

Ahh...GW what will we do with you eh?

[
Yeah Loki

All people like here is boring 40k with boyband space marines and some tau and necrons. That's it. Any other variety you really are looking around the wider 'non-shop'community (WHICH in my opinion SHOULD revolve from the GW store, but it really does NOT!).

Glad you enjoyed it NJ has been making me laugh through the day too...

Veteran's have anecdotes, regular's have Space Marines...

Thanks for everyone's replies so far.... Been really nice to see other people like me, it's great, I know there are others who have so much talent, such as Dante (I mention him again because he is a personal inspiration, and I get a 'good guy' vibe from him), who if they did not come back would be a crime in itself.

It fuels thy fire Lord.

I got in at the very tail end of 2nd ed 40k / 5th Ed WFB, right before the transition to 40k3 and WFB6, and to me, not being hugely invested into the excesses of 40k2 / WFB5, this was a good change. I remember going through the Codex and Army Books and thinking: "Wow, I need to do *this* and *that* to make an army? That's an army?"

I never came out of 40k, although I've scaled things back, big time, as time has moved on.

I played a bit of WFB6, when I had more playing time, but with less time, it's sidelined.

I dabble in Warmachine, and that's now gone deathly quiet.

But my minis are always there, and I always have projects available. Sometimes it's fun to play something old, for nostalgia's sake.

So this is the old geezer thread...

I had a hiatus of about 12 years for playing (like MeanGreenStompingMachine I left in the Age of Primary Colours...at least they didn't go fluorescent), but continued painting on and off.

When I was younger, I hung out at GW and it was like a wayward home for nerdy teens. Nowadays, the GWs have a different feel to them. I think part of it is age and part of it is their way of marketing. The GWs here are a bit different as they really only sell minis and the books are basically free. Back in Canuckistan (Canada), I'm a 100% FLGS shopper. I found thay getting into a club and hitting some tourneys with no expectations was a great way to get reacquainted and meet some new friends.

Now that the identity crisis of my 20s is over and I've passed the threshold of 30, I will always paint little army men. NeRd 4 LyFe.

I stopped playing soon after the 2nd Ed Sisters of Battle Codex came out. Didn't have enough time to play, and stayed away from the game until the 3.5 Chaos Codex was released in 3rd Ed.

Been here ever since.

Define "coming back."

1. I still buy their minis. In that sense, I never left.

2. However, I remember when I used to hang on their every word
on releases and news. I can't do that anymore.

The sad part is, they probably only care about #1.

Well when I stopped I literally stopped. I packed everything away in a cupboard, and didn't even think about 40K for many years until a bunch of friends got into it as we were starting Uni. I walked into the store, saw the Chaos Army Box, and bought it on the spot.

Yeah Malfred when I mean come back, I mean I forgot it, sold everything, now am back to where it all began. I'm expecting most people in this thread 26 YOA or over...

Come back means to leave something and then return.

Not having it in your life still, but not so much up the pecking order.

Basically you have not left nor come back Malfred, try not reading the mag and seeing the site or the shop for 12 years bud...

When I came back I didn't know LOTR was back, all the mini's are different, chaos has been split (boo!) everythings plastic, everything pre 98 is a bomb on ebay now, and there are only three choices in the fricking shop now. great work GW. I literally mean I have come back to something of a DIFFERENT beast.

I had school and puberty and girls and lots of other crazy stuff in transition to deal with, so it was literally, left.

I'm at end stages of my education, and make music too, so I can't say why, I don't need something in my life, I just enjoy it. Which is why I have no problem with at all.

As Khornholio (tittikaka?) says, I will always paint little army men..lmao..

And yes, we all seem to be old farts with army carts....

Get off my lawn and keep the GOD-DAMNED NOISE DOWN!!

My question for the other geriatrics is, do you feel uncomfortable when you go into a GW? The staff, on the whole, don't seem to be able to handle older players and seem to have been trained in being adversarial/inept/patronising since they are trained in the art of 'wowing' the kids. It seems so weird as when I was a kid of 11-15, I was the exception and all the players at the club I was attending (til I got some of my mates to join up) were in their 20s-50s.

Yeah got me into a lot of music and gave me the sense of humour I have today, the adult staff that worked then WERE different, I agree totally MGreenS....

I was kinda young and my best my mate in the shop was still 18 months older than me. Younger kids then seemed to be like we are now in terms of timidness towards the shop. Guess it was always going to happen, when you love a place in such dynamics, you can find it hard to differentiate a games-club and a place of retail??!! Weused to have many after hour sessions back in the day though, I don't think that happens now.

I think the younger staff now seem patronized or intimidated when you talk to them, there's one dude called Shaun in my local shop, who is younger, but he deserves props, as he does know his hobby and it's past somehwat, and he is really nice to chat too. The other 3 I met, are not. It's like you come off as a know it all, or like you've done it all before (We DO know a lot, and we HAVE done it all before) but in my day, call me a cynic, that was essential! And it gave people a friendly rivalry, and a willingness to improve, if you do study and do your homework, and think, an equal dose of luck (damned fate!) and you will win.

Being anal was important to win! It honed your logic and tactic skills (IMO) BB for example, is a game of chess with orcs and a ball. (IMO again!)

But MgreenS again, I have to agree, like Microsoft, they target the mum's now.

Oh Khornholio I have been looking at a local club and tourney's too, seems a great way to stretch those skills to throw over punny friends you coerce into a game (of BB for me! ) of your choice...Oh and meet people too...lol...

Love this Thread!

10 year Veteran here I stopped playing shortly after 3rd edition came out really. Whats funny is I was moving and somehow lost a 4000 point space marine bike army.


The rules : Excellent rules period ; a lot more tactical decisions etc.. I love them.

The Prices : not so much, expensive and more so now but I am more financial stable now than I was so things are good.

Currently I live in NOLA so its difficult to find games but I have afew people I know down here that I play with.

There isnt realy a GW store anywhere near LA so its all independent retailers.

I'd have to say it took me 13 years to really get into the hobby! I'd just gotten married at the time and on a rare Guy Time day that my wife was out with her friends, my cousin showed me this cool board game called Space Hulk. I could only think of the movie ALIENS so I was in it to win it! Then, I barely won the game with one last terminator versus his last genestealer and I was hooked. The minis were painted terribly but I didn't care because we had so much fun. Then married life took over, kids, work, etc and it took until 2006 for me to be able to get into 40k and get a huge Space Marine Force on sale at the Grapevine Mills GW.

So I'm finally into 40k after being introduced 13 years ago.

I had a 100% hiatus of 14+ years that I only returned from last Christmas. Biggest shame for me is the decline of Epic, which was probably the game I enjoyed most.

Fortunately, my models were in my parents' loft, not sold, but even so I have still spent a fortune.

While I believe that the average quality models has improved, and plastics are clearly better, I think the best models now are no better than the best model 20 years ago. In many cases, I still prefer the older versions of re-released models. For example, I think the original Jes Goodwin Banshees are still the best Banshees. On the other hand, the latest Scorpions are a big improvement.

For me, the hobby now revolves around the internet instead of the store. When I was a kid the stores seemed like magical places. I could only get there with a lift, for one thing, whereas now I can easily reach at least 4 under my own steam. The atmosphere is very different. Oxford Street, in particular, is clearly about selling, not playing. Maybe Maidstone is still how I remember it, but sadly, I doubt it.

I agree on the internet opening up the way for us and hasn't it shown us some amazing things and put us in touch with fellow wargamers and modellers the world over. It is then somewhat lamentable that whilst this happens around them, GW shut down their own forums to silence any naysayers and then allow their inhouse magazine to deteriorate into one of those plant catalogues you get free with the tv guides, only they want to charge us a small fortune for it. I think they could be accused of being out of touch..?