Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Really dakka is an interesting group. Some of the sections are like piranha tanks (YMDC, News and Rumors) but others are more tight nit groups, especially the P&M blogs. You may notice people tend to group together though, which is a bit odd and I cant explain. I'm guessing it has to do with being on the same approximate level of modeling and painting, though not necessarily in the same groups. For instance, Git and are some of the biggest contributors to each others blogs. He is a much better painter then I, and, at least according to him, I make very unique models.

That's what's cool about it... WM is a great builder, I'm a decent mid-level painter, Blackhand puts us all to shame with his modeling, etc. We all feed off of each other's strengths and learn from them. WM & Porkuslime kind of spearheaded the marine swap idea which has thrown a bunch of us together and given us a real reason to push ourselves beyond our normal limits for both painting and modeling. So we all get better and perhaps more importantly from a community aspect... help each other improve.

So while none of us are superstars... we're all getting better far faster than we would on our own. And let's face it, there's nothing wrong with a little constructive criticism OR a little positive feedback now-and-then.

Of course you can tell my comments and mentality about dakka revolve around the P&M aspects. While I have gotten great advice in the tactics sections & enjoy reading & occasionally producing battle reports, it's much harder for me to develop a cadre of friends in those venues.

I agree 100% about the personalities. I think the diversity is great, so far 3 skaven armies in 40k (atleast) and each from a different codex IG Orks and nids for example.

I am the same, i hope that at the end of the day, although i enjoy seeing loads of stuff, i can build a core group of friends, where ideas and stuff can be shared and have the same passion for the hobby, and do things in the spirit of the game. Not to be uber-competitive, its meant to be fun, or atleast thats how i feel

dantay_xv wrote:I am impressed with how much like a community it is is in dakka, where everyone actually talks, listens and shares ideas... not mud-slinging and stuff.

whalemusic360 wrote:Some of the sections are like piranha tanks (YMDC, News and Rumors)

I was contemplating whether to warn him or let him keep those rosy thoughts a little longer - YMDC eats piranhas for breakfast! Actually I've noticed Gitsplitta getting out and about more - though that may be observer bias... Still - the P&M Blogs are mostly safe - and I'm glad to have been inspired by some great people here from around the globe.

I have a feeling that people tend to gravitate into cadres due to time, once you have a critical mass of subscribed threads it takes upwards of an hour to properly read and post on them every day!
If I was to skim through dakka for new threads each day I would never get time to paint or model so I end up reading the same threads and talking to the same people (not a problem though!) though I do try and check out the busy P&M threads on the main page to keep up or pick a friend at random and go through their threads and subscribed threads to see if I am missing anything .
Not sure if time is an issue for everyone but it certainly is for me

BLACKHAND wrote:once you have a critical mass of subscribed threads it takes upwards of an hour to properly read and post on them every day!

True...

BLACKHAND wrote:If I was to skim through dakka for new threads each day I would never get time to paint or model

True, especially considering my "slow & purposeful" P&M skills

BLACKHAND wrote:so I end up reading the same threads and talking to the same people (not a problem though!) though I do try and check out the busy P&M threads on the main page to keep up or pick a friend at random and go through their threads and subscribed threads to see if I am missing anything .

Again, true...

BLACKHAND wrote:Not sure if time is an issue for everyone but it certainly is for me

True, true and ... True! [strangled voice] Or could it be possible that you are ME instead?!? [ends strangled voice]

Silly Yggs.... *grin*

Yeah, when I started on Dakka it was all 'right got to get some stuff done to put up' and now it's more 'okay I've spent far too long looking at dakka, get off my butt and do something..'

Which I guess is a cue to do just that

I agree with the general sentiment... as the foolish caretaker of 4 active blogs... it can take a lot of time. Though they each wax and wane as I'm able to put my time into one project or another. Nice thing about this one is it's kind of assumed a life of it's own, which is nice as my substantive contributions have been few and far between.

i think it depends on the person writhing the blog. i read and post on all of gits blogs just because there fun and easy too read. and i can read he does this for the love of the game and not finding the most cheesiest almost breaking the rule army that always wins despite the fact your batteling a 3 year old kind of army. more the kind of person that says he my army sucks but its fun anyway. corect me if i am wrong.

Nope, you're right on fatty. While I like to play well, I'm not hung up on winning. Much more interested in a fluffy, interesting and characterful army that is played to the best of it's ability. OH, and fully painted to the best of the owner's ability.

The other thing that causes groups, at least for me, if the topic of the Blog. I tend to hang in the SM threads because its the armies I play, and can therefore understand a little better. Until I know a person anyways, then I will check their other blogs out.

The GMS (and all those orks) have helped me diversify though, and has also largely taken on a life of its own. I feel more like the MOD of just that blog then the "Author" of it.

WM - right right>

I lurk, cause 1. its; nice to share my hobby - though I spend little time doing it. 2. I learn and am inspired by others and hope that I someday I do the same. 3. I need something other than the corp. grind to fill my head thus avoiding thoughts of Chaos.

I don't know How GIts and WM manage to juggle so much. I'm thankful for the distraction.

PS.. let see what new in the MW world!

I can do it cuz I work on the computer all day and have little else to do. Not sure how gits pulls it off (I suspect clones)

I tend to just stick to the p & m section occasionally swap shop and tactics. Rumours and gossip arent for me.

Its because the p & m is what gets my juices flowing, and sharing ideas and learning for me isthe most fun part i love the creativity which in its way we all feed off of and it does inspire us to try new things or push ourselves a bit further

For me, some of the aspects of tactics is great for a bit of insight on what to do, but most of the time the tictacs are meh!! because for me i just want to have fun trying new stuff as and when i game.

For example last night, i used rhinos for ramming and took out most of my friends trukks (causing a big log jam in the middle of the board which slowed him down no end lol) just for the heck of it, as i wanted to see what would happen.

Sometimes using unorthodox techniques can pay big dividends. And besides, they're usually a lot more fun than just doing the same stuff everyone else is doing!

Gitsplitta wrote:That's what's cool about it... WM is a great builder, I'm a decent mid-level painter, Blackhand puts us all to shame with his modeling, etc. We all feed off of each other's strengths and learn from them. WM & Porkuslime kind of spearheaded the marine swap idea which has thrown a bunch of us together and given us a real reason to push ourselves beyond our normal limits for both painting and modeling. So we all get better and perhaps more importantly from a community aspect... help each other improve.

So while none of us are superstars... we're all getting better far faster than we would on our own. And let's face it, there's nothing wrong with a little constructive criticism OR a little positive feedback now-and-then.

Of course you can tell my comments and mentality about dakka revolve around the P&M aspects. While I have gotten great advice in the tactics sections & enjoy reading & occasionally producing battle reports, it's much harder for me to develop a cadre of friends in those venues.

you give great writing about how wonderful these things are!! i love reading these comments, i always agree!


Automatically Appended Next Post:
i skim a lot as a break from work, i can do homework well if every occassional hour or so i check back here and post a comment or two. its a nice break for me. though i usually lately really focus and come back to the P&M blogs

It's definitely the P&M blogs for me, as I haven't played since Rogue Trader days, although I'll occasionally skim some of the other areas. I agree with wm too on the topics tending to create groups, as my main project is my cyborks I tend to hang with other orky users, with odd forays into other things as they catch my eye or I recognise the author. There does tend to be a cross-pollination of ideas though as someone mentions something they've seen elsewhere in relation to whatever the current topic is, and that's one of the great things about dakka. Here on the P&M forums everyone just seems to be in it for the love, whatever their particular brand of love is, and a lot of the time peoples passion for their hobby shines through. I've been interested and engaged by several bat-reps even though I don't play - although I can see me starting to get interested again as I continue to hang on Dakka

that is true ^. i'll almost never look into eldar or tau stuff. though anything imperial, ork, or chaosy i'll look into.

Well. minus the chaos part and replace that with eldar and i look into it.
And i have been playing since 3rd
anyway Glitsplitta are you going to make anymore lore for the mantis warriors or no?

Yes, as need be. I'm not going to generate lore just for the sake of doing it... I'm not that good a writing and what I do takes a *lot* of effort (i.e. it's not a natural process for me). That being said... whenever it appears that a good bit of writing will help advance the feel of the chapter... I will certainly do my best. Whatever I do will probably be in short snippets of a paragraph or two. Little mini-stories that add color and flavor without actually trying to nail everything in place exactly. I'll leave the story telling to those, like IceAngel, who are good at it.

word haha cant wait to see more!

Gitsplitta wrote:Yes, as need be. I'm not going to generate lore just for the sake of doing it... I'm not that good a writing and what I do takes a *lot* of effort (i.e. it's not a natural process for me). That being said... whenever it appears that a good bit of writing will help advance the feel of the chapter... I will certainly do my best. Whatever I do will probably be in short snippets of a paragraph or two. Little mini-stories that add color and flavor without actually trying to nail everything in place exactly. I'll leave the story telling to those, like IceAngel, who are good at it.

Speaking of lore, have you had any more fluffy snippets in mind? I want to make sure the marine you send me is written and portrayed like he is really from YOUR version of the Mantis Warriors.

Maybe you could whip up a nice paragraph of what he is like, pre-marine swap.

that sounds awesome!

OK Ice, without tipping your hat too much, PM me his general situation (i.e. where he is and what he knows about how he got there) and I'll write something up for you. Might even use that as an excuse to introduce/summarize my version of what happened to the home world.

can you post what you figure out what you write here?

I spend almost all my dakka time in p&m. I've made some great mates globally and learned a heck of a lot too.

@gits/blackheart - if you're amenable, bh could send me a mantis head and I'll model up a full marine with insectoid jump pack.

Sure Graven I can definitely send you a couple of helms to choose from, if Gits agrees of course

You're kidding right? OF COURSE! I'll get his jump pack on the way too.


@Sage: Yep, I'll post what I come up with. Got my instructions from ice so it'll just take a bit of brainpower and a *lot* of editing.

Lol, i am sitting on the floor, legs crossed arms folded, hunched forward..... ready for the next installment