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Here's to hoping someone out there has an idea to get me going. My problem is that I just don't get excited about 40k like I used to.

Does anyone have any ideas of something I could do army wise that's not run-of-the mill? I thought I had something when I was thinking of doing something pre-Heresy, but that's just a little too far out of my budget, so now I'm back to square one. I want to be able to play an extremely thematic and individual Army. Could be codex or cannon inspired, could be "counts as," I just need something unique and or creative that I can really get excited about.

I really think I need something different.

I've played Guard, several flavors of space marine, dabbled in Eldar and Dark Eldar.

I am at a loss, though, as to what that something might be. I'm hoping someone out there in the Dakka community will have a good idea or two to share with me, please just let me know!

Thanks for your time and interest,

Lizardwolf19

Would it be heresy to suggest you try something different? You don't have to play only one game for the rest of your life.

There are lots of other SF games and a whole world of historicals that you could have a taste of.

Take a year or two off from 40K and your interest will probably return when the next edition comes out.

If you're into studying history, you can always build a themed army around your favorite historical period. Themed armies can be great modelling projects and can build a fluffy story for your troops.

As the above gentleman said, try your hand at another game for a bit. Maybe a break is in order to revitalize some interest. Warhammer Fantasy is a mighty fun game to have a go at.

Read through some of the official fiction to get some ideas about the finer details of the 40k universe. You might find a nugget worth mining.

You could try making extra units (create your own) or write a narrative for your battles or even try to rewrite some of the rules. No guarantee that it would work but it's an idea.

Kilkrazy's idea is good too. Taking a break and coming back can make it feel fresh when (or if) you return to 40k.

Another vote Kilkrazy.

Go dabble in something else for a while; try historicals, or skirmish level gaming, or 15mm, or even 6mm gaming.

Not that I'm biased or anything, but spaceship combat is pretty much the best thing ever. A lot of good rule sets out there, and Spartan Games is releasing Firestorm Armade 2.0 in December with all new re-designed core factions. You can buy into the game for less than 75$ with a solid starter fleet with rules and everything.

What gets you excited? Do you have another favourite franchise, be it game, film or book that you could do a crossover with? I fiddled with one box of terminators to do some Starcraft marines and ended up with a whole Deathwing army based on the SC2 aesthetic as the idea snowballed

Common problem lizard. If you really like 40k, then instead of trying really hard to do another army, try the 40k roleplay instead. Deathwatch and Dark Heresy are good games for most players. Give those a shot to try to rekindle your 40k interest.

Now for 40k, you want a very different and themed army. Let me know what your playstyle is and what you want this army to do, I'll throw out some ideas for ya.

Don't walk away from the game but find new ways to play. Try a hobby road trip. When I go out of town I bring my army like other might bring golf clubs. You never know where you will find a game.

Play at store or against people you don't usually play. With your current group try different mission types. Ever try Beerhammer? Try some kit bashing or customizing some models. I always get excited to show off my new creations.

Hey guys, thanks for all the great feedback!

To address some ideas many of you have already thrown out, I think I should clarify my situation a bit.

I'm not opposed to other game systems, but the only active community in my area is the 40k one, so unless I want to be playing by myself for a while, I'll have to stick with 40k.

As far as moving about or traveling to find games, that's not much of an option. I'm in the Army, and I don't have much of an option to go very far or find other gaming communities right now.

I definitely don't want to walk away from the game, I just need something I can really get creative with and get into the storytelling I think. I hadn't thought of a historically themed army before, that might be an interesting path to take. I do enjoy East Asian history and culture, and I have been looking for a more aggressive/punch-y force.

Again, I really appreciate all of your input guys!

Chaos Daemons man, they're sooooo much fun!

He plays eldar , If eldar doesn't seem to be fun , then nothing will , not even demons. Taking a break is probably the best thing to do.

If you are looking for a more creative themed army try Orks, that army model wise has to be the most customizing in the entire game.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Makumba wrote:
He plays eldar , If eldar doesn't seem to be fun , then nothing will , not even demons. Taking a break is probably the best thing to do.

Fun and Wipe the table-worthy aren't mutually inclusive.

Eldar are powerful now, yes, but if he's not enjoying them the power level is irrelevant.

I played oldschool Necrons during 5th. Loved playing them, loved the background and the model line.

The codex got updated, the playstyle changed and the fluff took a radical change in direction. They got a LOT more powerful, but i lost all interest in playing them.

For me, when my interest in the game flags i either start a new army with a different playstyle, or switch to ;painting/conversions until i feel like playing again.

Trying other systems works too, and many of them can be played proxying your existing models or have a small buy in cost.

Changing things up with custom missions and narrative works also if you have an amenable opponent. Create a story that dictates your forces available for a given mission and has a fluffy objective or goal.

You can do lots and lots of things in 40k, the problem is that you have to break free of your slavery to book missions. So long as you have games where both players bring the same number of points, and deploy in mirror-image deployment zones and fight over the same tiny pool of win conditions, then yeah, the games are all going to look rather similar to each other.

Start playing games with more creative restrictions, or strange objectives. Treat it like a role-playing game with armies, rather than a yahtzee game with miniatures. There's no limits to what you could do with some creativity.

Because I guarantee that if you play a game where you get 10% of your opponent's forces and he can't bring heavy support choices and you win if you have any minis left on the table after 40 minutes, that it will look a hell of a lot different than what you've been playing so far.

Just switching armies around to do the same things as what every other army is trying to do won't add any serious variety.

How about air assault Orks? After seeing these a couple of days ago, I keep daydreaming about a couple of these zooming in, dropping in some Kommandoz and causing a rukus. Supported by some Nob bikers and various junk tanks and trukks, of course. However, being FW it may also be out of your budget... but if there's anything you can DIY or jury rig using non-FW models and still make it work, it'll be the Ork models!

Read some non-horus heresy black library novels. Often after reading one of the books I'll start thinking of ways to create a fluff driven army based on whichever faction was featured.

Building a fluffy army opens up many doors for conversion or adding accessories that you never would have thought of without doing the "research".

If you buy a bunch of spacemarines and paint them, then you have a bunch of painted spacemarines. They are the same as little Timmy's except maybe with less mold lines and a better paint job. However, if you read a novel like the fall of damnos then you can begin constructing the ultramarines 2nd company with named characters equipped based on their references in the book. You may find yourself using units you would not have considered (spice things up). This is just an example, but it works for me.

There are a couple things that I've found has helped me when I'm "meh" about the game as well as helped others.

1. Read a book. Be it a black library book or just a simple novel. It decompresses you.

2. Buddy and up try to build a list using their codex that could defeat your army. Alternatively - play a game where each person builds the other person's list and talks about the strategies and reasons behind such and then play the game. (Did this with a couple of people and we proxied a lot but it turned out to be REALLY fun).

3. Stop playing and just talk to people and try to brain storm how to address scenarios. For example - start a conversation with your group where people toss around ideas how they would defeat a wave serpent spam list on an open field with Hammer and Anvil deployment.

4. Try to play a game with 0 upgrades. Everything comes stock and "must take X of the following:" is lowest points possible. (For example, SM tactical squads would not get any weapon upgrades.)

5. Play your opponent's list. You know your lists' strength so after deployment, swap sides and play each others' armies and see how things go.

6. Find rules supplements (i.e. Death from the Skies, Planetstrike, Apoc, Cities of Death, etc.) and bring some of the rules into a 40k game. (e.g. Implement dogfighting rules or do a game of just flyers)

7. Play with Warzone Traits (found in the back of the full-size brb)


The #1 thing that gets me out of my slumps and burn out periods is finding something that sparks my curiosity. "How can crappy-unit-X be used?" "Who would win between a CSM Marine and a Necron Warrior?" "What are all of the units my ICs can join and are there any odd combinations?" These are all things that I've looked at and have helped me. Hopefully it'll help you too.

I do not think yet another army is the right answer since it's so cost prohibitive; however, situations where you're using other armies or other codices can help spark some interesting ideas....especially when you're trying to defeat yourself.

Everytime I get the 40k spark, i get it good.. lol

Taking a break is what did it for me. Everytime I go away for school I put 40k on hold. On my off time I go out, play video games, sports or what not. Every once in a while ill be bored in class and start writing lists in the margins of my notes (ok almost every other class).

When I go back home, and I have my group of friends that play, its easy to jump back into it. Its a change of something to do, and lets you hang out over something very different, yet relaxing and entertaining. while I am away tho, i will think up a project of a unique 40k themed army and when I start up the hobby again I have a project that Im eager to work on.

My last Ork one was a ork pirate list, all battle wagons, trucks, and buggies, modeled as ramshakle hover machines and my orks with the pirate hats and all that fluff.

My latest, and favorite, is my newest conversion to my Blood angels. All my models are getting stripped and converted. Athenas Children. Ive always loved Greek mythology, and i found this was a way to incorporate one another.

My 30 AM are getting spartan shields and the spartan helm mohawk, , the Sangionor is being converted to represent Athena, and his stats go well with a demi-god. and my bikes are being converted to half man half bike/jetbike, to look like centors. Just food for thought but it gets the motivation goin and makes for a unique, themed army.

lizardwolf19, what other things do you like to do in your spare time?

I personally keep all my hobbies fresh by having lots of hobbies, and I don't have time for them all, so I have to manage my time really well to make sure I keep up to all the things I like to do. As a happy by-product, I don't burn out on them.

If your wanting to get more into 40k, listen to 40k podcasts. Play 40k games like "Space Marine" again. Heck, even the old dawn of war stuff is still fun.

 Robbiedbee wrote:
lizardwolf19, what other things do you like to do in your spare time?

I personally keep all my hobbies fresh by having lots of hobbies, and I don't have time for them all, so I have to manage my time really well to make sure I keep up to all the things I like to do. As a happy by-product, I don't burn out on them.

I ride horses, I was actually thinking of trying a late 19th early 20th century cavalry theme (custer?) but I have no idea what models I'd use or codex that could work with it

IG rough rider conversions.

Serious conversion possibilities there, and you even get to get murderised as you go...

Ork warbiker army as cavalry?

DE jetbike Union cavalry..

The possibilities are endless..