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I've creeped the forums for a while now, and I notice that periodically people gripe about prices, fluff, crunch and all that good stuff. And yet people, for the most part, continue to play and enjoy this game. It may be my general noobiness as far as getting into 40k goes but I think it is a great game. It has an immersive universe, relatively simple rules and is just fun to play. I very much enjoy my orks, space marines and eldar and I think that while this hobby could be improved I don't think such changes are wholly needed.

So my question to you dakkanaughts is this: What drew you into 40k and what keeps you here?

Sunken cost.

What do you mean by that?

It's what keeps me in the hobby, have an Eldar army that I've put work into. Like my guys, fluff is ok, but the actual game is pretty terrible. If I had a do-over I'd probably have a much larger Warmachine collection.

Alright, fair enough, kind of a too far in to really leave at this point kind of thing?

 laginess wrote:
I've creeped the forums for a while now, and I notice that periodically people gripe about prices, fluff, crunch and all that good stuff. And yet people, for the most part, continue to play and enjoy this game. It may be my general noobiness as far as getting into 40k goes but I think it is a great game. It has an immersive universe, relatively simple rules and is just fun to play. I very much enjoy my orks, space marines and eldar and I think that while this hobby could be improved I don't think such changes are wholly needed.

So my question to you dakkanaughts is this: What drew you into 40k and what keeps you here?

The fluff. I find the 40k universe very attractive. Its so vast & expansive that it seems as if you will never know everything about it. The grimdark setting is right up my alley. I like how there is basically no hope & mankind is making its last stand. It really captures my imagination. Its reminds me that there are like minded people out there that are not afraid to think big. Most of the people I meet on a day to day basis have no interest in space or the universe which is soul crushing. So many people do not realize that all this day to day sh*t, TV, reality shows, hollywood, corporations & government don't mean d*ck in the grand scheme of the universe. While limited by the technology of today, 40k in a way allows me to pursue my interest in the stars & beyond in a grimdark horrific setting.

Let me tell ya my story concerning WH.

When I was around 14-15, I was first introduced to WHFB. The FLGS of that time only had WHFB miniatures, so I was drawn to Lizardmen. I discovered I really enjoyed painting, but after some time, I figured out I couldn't afford an army nor did I like the rules that much. (The movement was a complete pain in the ass).

After quitting, and only then, I discovered WH40k. And boy, was I easy to be convinced about it's awesome factor: These are Space Marines. These guys are monks, in power armor, with mini-rocket shooting weapons. When they aren't fighting, killing the enemies of the Imperium of Mankind, they are being monks.



I started reading the fluff about the universe and fell in love. Then in 2004 Dawn of War hits the market and HOLY GAK, WAS IT AWESOME! The moment I saw the intro cinematic was enough to convince me I was going to enjoy the ride.

It was the "Space Marines" idea that got me hooked, now it's every single race. but I'm still a fanboy of the Imperium of Mankind!

I just love this GRIMDARK universe, it makes everything so... fun

I got into 40k by playing the Dawn of War games, I fell in love with Tyranids in DOW2 and the rest, as they say, is history.
Also these are awesome:
I stay in the game because I feel invested in it, I enjoy the modelling aspect, and I find the gameplay more enjoyable and tactical than other games I've played.

Thank you guys so much for your replies so far, it's a nice break from nerd raeg about everything under the sun.

I really enjoyed the DoW series and the DoW 2 series I felt was a great way to improve upon it. In fact it was those games that introduced me to the hobby and after a couple years of saving and deliberation (and a lot of study) I decided that I wanted to be a part of it.

I used to play the MechWarrior and Hero clix games at my old FLGS when I was 12. I saw guys playing 40k and I was amazed at how cool they looked all painted up and how massive the battle was. But I could never afford the game.

11 years later, married, and with a decent job I was finally able to play with and paint the toys I could never afford. Also having a wife that supports me in playing 40k (It's better than me drinking or playing PS3) is also pretty rad lol.

Now learning about the fluff of 40k it helps pull you in deeper into the hobby. There is a reason this game is older than me.

I started playing 40k because I shattered my left shoulder and needed something to do during the weekends of sitting about. I couldn't tell you why I picked 40k in particular tho. I think it's because I quite like science fiction genre.

I still play because I love the alien races. I have an Eldar, Tyranid and an Ork army. (I have a space marine army from all the start sets i've bought but I rarely use it). I love how each of these alien races have their own personality and agenda. I love throwing mobs of 30 boyz or hormagaunts at a group of dug in imperial guard regardless of how many die but I geniunely feel upset when a single aspect warrior dies because I've messed up.

Potentially, I may add Dark Eldar, Necrons and Tau to my collection at some point. Who knows with such a large universe there may be an unknown force that will cause my wallet to scream at me.

Lol @Silver- I completely understand, if I had my way I'd have a small force of almost every army available. They each have their appealing aspects and stuff to get into. There are parts I dislike in the fluff but it's not nearly enough to make me hate it.

I'm here for the fluff and since I've always loved collecting things - 40k just works.

Particularly it's great that 40k is based in OUR future. Often you read a piece of science fiction and it is based in a different universe so it can be hard to relate. 40k gets you thinking because technically..... it could be plausible. Right now in the galaxy next to ours there could be some ancient race fighting in their last stand against the Tyranids.

Another reason 40k calls to me is that most gaming systems have several races that appeal to me, but none of them make me say "That is the army for me". So you end up buying a bit of everything and eventually lose interest. With 40k I saw Tau and I envisioned myself running in slow motion, across a field of flowers to embrace the crisis battlesuit waiting at the other side True love

I got into 40K a long time ago (1996) and have always been drawn to the universe. The history of the Imperium is pretty fascinating especially the "lost" parts like the Dark Age of Technology and Age of Strife.

Ultimately though, it comes down to the quality of models for me. GW prices are high obviously but your collection is an investment that you can customize any way you want and the sculpting quality truly is second to none across the range.

The hobby combines highly detailed models and a developed but still evolving sci fi setting. That's all you need to get my attention and keep it (hence me coming back to the hobby multiple times in the last 17 years)

I love the grim 40K setting.

I really like the models.

I have friends that play 40K making it a great social game.

I find most of the models reasonably priced and a lot cheaper than some of my other hobbies.

I like 40k because of the lore first, and the fact that it is a Science Fantasy Tactical game. And since my mates that I game with have just started to get into it finally I am coming back into it after a 10 year hiatus.

DOW2 has done wonders in pushing me back into the Hobby. As well as now that my children are old enough to handle the game. So I can always find an opponent from my own house for the very least.

Dice and tactics really.

For me it was the Horus Heresy Novels. I loved the models and stuff as a child, but could never afford enough to get an army together, plus I had a dad that didnt really approve of the cost.

About a year ago though, I was in a Chapters looking for books and saw the first three Horus Heresy novels. By this time I was in college and had more time, income and independence.

I bought the three novels and went through them in about two days, then went back and got Ravenor and Eisenhorn Omnibusses. Go home for the summer to work and a coworker mentions that he has Warhammer for sale. and I became the proud owner of a 2500 point black primer marine army!

So ive been painting alot, started an Ork army, and am pretty well hooked.

And yes, that it is in our universe makes me much more interested, as the whole our possible future thing always occurs to me.

Wow, wrote more then I meant to.

TLDR- Lore, awesomeness of models, and ability to play a game with friends that isnt a video game.

I was also drawn into 40k from the Dawn of War games. Once I found out about the tabletop games and fluff I just kinda got lost in it. The fluff(while over the top) is just awesome! Some of the models the GW puts out could be a lot better, same goes for the rules really. What keeps me in the game is painting really. I don't get to play much because of work, but I look forward to building and painting models every night after work. It's become my relaxation method honestly, plus the pride of a good finished model is always great.

it started because my friends were playing then the games then books then commanding an army seemed so good

I love the setting and story. The fluff. I love the absurd insanity of the world. It's so over the top its awesome. The Imperium of Man can take on any other sci-fi setting without blinking. Giant marines in power armor carrying ludicrously large guns, those same marines but worship demons, and Da Orks! Though with all the craziness, I like it when the setting takes itself seriously and still maintains a hold on reality.

It's gonna be the whole package. (in no particular order)
Fluff, Collecting, Painting, Playing, Modeling.

Not many games allow you to fine tune an army that is truly your personality (looks and playstyle) quite like warhammer.

I also really like the depth of the hobby too, all the time, effort, resources people can put in to enjoy it.

The Dawn of war games sure helped. But I think the only reason I stay with 40k right now is Because of Forgeworld.
With out them, I wouldn't have my Kriegsmen .

They seemed to be the only thing being played around my house. Now I have found a place about 30 minutes away where I can play flames of war and warmachine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo9AH4vG2wA

(Music stops for a second) I am still going to get an occasional thing to paint. For example, lizard men look awesome.
The fluff is also alright. Not the recent stuff though.

I like 40k for the hobby. I'm an ork player so I have large bitz boxes. I started with civil war game and then moved to ww2, both of which I was extremely bored with (mostly because we were just reenacting battles. When Rouge Trader came out I was instantly sucked into 40k and Gorkamorka ainly because these games were fast and furious (from set up to finish took only an hour).
Also it was a hobby, we weren't allowed to put an unpainted model on the board. I survived through the plastic/resin models were everything model looked the same and now have a formitable amount of figures. As things changed so did my models.
I love the gaming aspect because it gives me a chance to show off creations and test out new ideas. the Fluff or the history seems to only be there to confuse because the game and the fluff have always been very separate and now with 6th they don't even seem to fit in with one another.
I've seen people take 40k beyond being a hobby and almost all of them no longer play or build/paint models. I'm not excluded from this, which is why stopped entering tournament since right before 4th came out. For me it's now just a hobby and when you build slowly the cost doesn't hurt as much. I know no one plays to lose, but just playing to have fun has become the only way I play.

My brother in law and friends started playing. I enjoy it as i no longer want to spend my life staring at a video game screen like i did when i was younger. Yes the hobby is expensive, but its a social one, and there are different strategys and units to try out. It's fun to play too, just slow moving at times for us newer guys.

The background plain and simple. I at one point was about to get rid of everything 40k and then I started reading the horus heresy and it fueled my hobby. Its not all about the game because the game is very fun IMHO but can be made unfun by playing power gaming dicks. I keep my lists fluffy and it keeps the game fun for me anyway.

What got me in? My buddy taking me to the store when he was picking up models. He tried convincing me to play, so I looked around and my eyes locked onto this little gem.

I was hooked at first sight.

What keeps me playing? I love the Imperial Guard fluff and I need something that provides a fix for my strategy, art, and social addictions.

Halfpast_Yellow wrote:
Sunken cost.

I fully agree. I use to play Battletech back in the day. Nobody played it, so I tried Rouge Trader. Nobody played it either. So I quit.
I got rid of everthing. (wish I didn't) Years later I wanted to try some minis again, and since I was familiar with RT, I saw a 3rd edition
of 40K and picked it up. Never played so quit again. (didn't get rid of it this time, put in closet) Saw 4th edition of 40K got it, and
started collecting Tyranids.

So only reason why I stick around is all the money I spent in the past. I played a bit in 5th, but now I only mostly collect.

I believe if I haven't spent the money before 40K, I wouldn't still be here. I guess I am still here is I lernt my lesson and not get
rid of everything when I don't play. I quit 40K on and off, but just have everything put away so when I do come back because I want
to do some minis, I have 40K to fall back on now.

I see why it's called plastic crack for a reason. You just can't stop sometimes, or you come back for cravings every once in a while.

My introduction to the universe of 40K was not through the tabletop but through other media. The video games and books introduced me to the lore and it just always appealed to me. I knew of the tabletop side of things but I didn't have anyone to play with so I never really got into that part at first but I loved the setting and the lore. I had created so many stories and characters in my head that when I finally met people that played the tabletop game I just jumped in and never looked back. I saw it as an opportunity to take all those ideas and characters I had and build an army that finally gave them a concrete form. It's been a hell of a ride and I've loved every minute of it.