Well there were over 20 people that started w40k at the same time as I did, but right now only 4 of those still play, and that is including me. 1 guy I haven't seen in a year, and the other two play with their older brother and his group.
There hasn't been, or at least I haven't seen, any new player in 9th ed. There were some older players coming back though. At least 4 people have sob armies, with one guy having not recasts but an actual metal sob armies, which cost blew my mind. there is some eldar players that started to play start january.
I think the closet to my age person at the store is one of the guys that work there and he is over 10 years older then me.
Plus I don't really like interacting with people, I don't understand half the stuff they say. In that what they say is not what they mean. For example only last year, I found out that just because someone asks a question, it doesn't mean they actually want an anwser to it. Plus there is the whole humour thing, which just goes way over my head. I think the last time I tried to have friends was in early school, and it ended so bad I had to change schools. Although in my defence my parents were divorcing back then, which made me stop understanding the world at all for some time.
That is why I like this place. It is impersonal and people are in general smarter then me, so even if I disagree about something with them, at least I learn new stuff. I learned some mind blowing stuff, to me at least, which I think are going to be important in my adult life, which I wouldn't have learned else where.
As to why people here play the way they do. I think for a lot of people it is just that they have this one army. For those that don't it is just a waste of time to change stuff. In my old store I had this problem at the end of 8th ed. People just no longer wanted to play against me, and when I asked why they said it makes no sense to pay for a game they know they will win anyway. Haven't had such problems in the new store yet. But then again I also play there for less then a year, so I am not even counted as a regular. And I would really not want to get a store ban, because the other next store is too far to go to without a car.
I was suggesting playing solo games. Play against yourself. It's a bit different,but I've found it really rewarding, considering COVID and such.
hm that is an idea, I have not thought of. And I could do it in my head without actually puting any stuff out of the box. Would just need to randomise the rolls somehow. Thank you very much. As I said I would not have thought about it myself.