When was the Golden Age of 40k, according to you ?

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**godardc**

Do you think 40k had a "golden age" ? If yes, when was it and why ?
In my opinion, we live in a good age, but not the "golden age"
It is the first time we have so many models, of good quality, and so many different rules (city of death, flyers, super heavy, The Horus Heresy, etc....).
if you don't think 40K is chess, I think it is a great time.
But somes changes griev me (prices, badly executed idea (as KFK, for me) etc).
And still not a mercenary/ minor xenos codex (well, at last, we got Mechanicus

)

Forme, the Golden Age was when I discovered 40k, but still wasn't really playing: the Eye of Terror.
It covers a large period, stoping about the arrival of the 6th edition. so, 2003-2012, a good ten years.

Why ?
For me, it is during this time we begin to have really wonderful mini (I still remember the old Space Marines veterans).
We got a lot of expansions (cities of Death, Apocalypse...) we became able to play differenttly and with much depth !
We got the first , GW not FW, big kits (but they were Apo only, so it was fine) with the banebladde
Prices weren't so high^^
True line of sight became a thing
GW worldwide campaign were still a there

Maybe I'm biased because I was young and all...
GW teaching in rulebook how to make beautiful scenery, and the emergence of their own badass imperial scenery

Maybe it was better during Rogue Trader, 2nd and 3rd edition^^

What do YOU think ?

**Melissia**

Probably fifth edition.

As for why? It felt like fifth edition had the most balanced codices and the least unbalanced ones, and had plenty of variety without having ridiculous amounts of superheavies. Though it did have the fail-codex that was the Sisters minidex instead of a proper Sisters codex, but since we haven't gotten one of those since third edition that's not fair to judge by.

**Hyglar's Hellraiser**

2nd edition 40k was a high point for me 1995-99, codex chaos 2nd edition was phenomenal!
That being said I am really enjoying my games of 40k lately but then I've been playing other games which has led me to approach my 40k with a different vibe. I have good feelings for the future after buying Betrayal at calth

**Kilkrazy**

Fifth edition was the peak for me.

Apocalypse catered for people who wanted mega model battles, while the rest of us could ignore it.

No unbound, no flyers, no fortresses, no allies, the list of stuff that was spooged in to spoil 40K in 6th edition is pretty long.

I won't mention the price of rules increasing by 50% and codexes increasing by 100% (Damn! I did it!!)

Fortunately I didn't buy any 6th edition stuff except the A5 rulebook because it was all obsolete in 18 months.

**jreilly89**

Either now or 6th. I love the new look of models and I think the rules are easier to get into than when I tried in 4th and 5th.

Sure, power creep and cost are out the window, but feth it, I'm here to have fun, not go to tourneys.

**DarknessEternal**

Today. The game has never been better at providing varied games that are at their mechanical soundest without being overbearing.

I've been playing since the day the game came out.

**SharkoutofWata**

Now. Everyone that's sour has had their reasons to leave and the game isn't full of negative nancies. If someone really hated GW they have moved onto the many other games out there and the people that stayed are pretty friggin passionate about it or just are there for a good time. Both are good people to play against.

**MechaEmperor7000**

the beginning of 4th edition for me, where Black Gobbo was still a thing and 40k was the hub of hobby. While the codexes and rules at this time was hilariously unbalanced (Skimmers being essentially proto-flyers, Fish of Fury abound, and the 3.5 Chaos Codex) it was very hobby-friendly. I loved the conversion articles GW use to post.

**a fat guy**

To be honest, I'd say that for everyone it was before they became competitive. People learning and abusing the metagame took away the child-like enjoyment that could be had from the game and turned it into what you perceive it to be now.

If you are one of the few who enjoy the game solely for competitive reasons and don't care about the army, or are one of those who aren't bothered by how awful a units rules are, I envy you... It's a hard thing for me to ignore.

Well, it was. I don't care nearly as much as I used to.

It's for these reasons that, I believe, Age of Sigmar tried to do away with any semblance of balance. Because it can either be customizable and unbalanced or generic/balanced and boring. Although Age of Sigmar does make up for it's lack of customization with some truly astonishing models.

**the42up**

now is definitely a golden age in my opinion.

Model quality has never been better
plastic heresy
big center-piece style kits
mechanicum as a playable army

**Tinkrr**

Probably shortly before the Eye of Terror campaign came out, or during it. It was only after that that GW really tried to push out LGSes by opening their own stores, and the LGS I went to at the time went from having half the store (well actually the majority of the store) walls dedicated to GW product, to a fraction of that being GW with as much space, or more, devoted to FoW, WM, Confrontation, and many other games.

It felt like in the blink of an eye the store went from being devoted to GW, with massive boards and campaigns built to support the Eye of Terror Campaign (giant cathedral for one, and Gates of Cadia for another with a mega tank composed of six plus Land Raiders with Abaddon riding it {Think Ogre by Steve Jackson, but bigger}, oh and there was even a series of tables made to look like insides of different BFG ships where you would be introduced to BFG and then board those tables to play 40k) to the store going "Oh, hey, um, yea let's think about other games, you know? Since like GW is now trying to put us out of business :/. "

Edit: Oh, and Black Goblin was kind of cool too. I got my question about Chaos Terrain in there at the time. My LGS also built a giant awesome Khorne board, which made me sound silly since I said they didn't have Daemon realm terrain.

**CosmicCavalier**

I came into 40K in 2nd. I liked 3rd and 4th and haven't played much since. I have the rules up to 6th, but I would say I enjoyed 2nd and 3rd the most. I like alot of the new models that have come out. I really like the tyranids they have been cranking out. I enjoy epic more now than 40k though. I liked the size dividing line that used to exist between epic and 40k. Titans and fliers in 40k just seams over the top unless you can play on 4 tables put together. I have always had issues with models getting ousted from the game. I have models from rogue trader to current and I like to use them when the mood strikes me to dig them out, but when there aren't rules for them in the current codex it irritates me. I still like the Tarantula, the Griffon, the Salamander Scout tank, and a ton of Ork models that fell by the wayside. Orks had some of the funniest fluff models for the game. I know how bad they sucked but at least they put a smile on your face.

**NuggzTheNinja**

Miniatures? Now.

Gameplay? 5th by a mile and for every reason you could imagine.

**jonolikespie**

I never played before 5th edition so in my experience that was the best. Ever since it has become horribly bloated, introducing more skirmish aspects at the same time as forcing superheavies into the game ans makeing itself 28mm epic.

Balance sewms to have gone out the window halfway throufh 5th, models haven't improved imo, just gotten more cluttered and bigger. So much more randomness... blegh. Aye, 5th was my first, and last edition.

**wuestenfux**

Well, I entered 40k at the beginning of the 3rd ed.
40k was playable until the sixth came out.
Since then it's largely unplayable, only in a closed group.
Anything else, don't bother anymore.

**Melissia**

SharkoutofWata wrote:
the game isn't full of negative nancies.

... you're joking, right?

**Silent Puffin?**

2nd, its the last edition that I actually liked and it was far more narrative driven that later editions.

Modern abominations like unbound armies mark the nadir of 40k for me, I am willing to bet that the next edition of 40k will do away with points values altogether.

**Thud**

5th.

I could list a bunch of stuff I preferred about it, but the most important part of it was that so many more people were playing and I could get games so much more often.

**AegisGrimm**

Late 90's and early 2000's. It's nothing about the mechanics of the editions for me, but the atmosphere of the GW hobby in general was awesome and full of creativity. Good White Dwarf articles (Chapter Approved ftw), campaigns, books like Cities of Death, the apex of Specialist Games (90% of which I played and collected for) all great times that I am a bit depressed are over.

I still have a 2500pt army of 13th company from the Eye of Terror campaign. I love them- and my army of Kroot Mercenaries.

I mean holy hell-those were the days where GW would actually release things like the demo rules for Battlefleet Gothic printed in White Dwarf, complete with cardstock punchouts for everything!

Now it wouldn't even be a free download, because then they wouldn't make money on it, and there'd be too much advance notice that a game might be coming out.

**Makumba**

5th

**Grimtuff**

Melissia wrote:
SharkoutofWata wrote:
the game isn't full of negative nancies.
... you're joking, right?

Ah, the old "ur just a hater" chestnut. Wondered how long that would take to appear.

We complain because we love or once loved the setting and the game. If you're a parent and your kid does something stupid do you abandon them on the kerb and walk away? Nope you point out dumbfethery when you see it because you care about them.

Same goes for 40k. A lot of us once loved this game only to see it ripped apart by GW. To just call any negative opinions on the state of 40k as "hating" is just disingenuous and insulting.

5th was when 40k peaked. Now GW have backed themselves into a corner. Many players have dropped off due to the "Apocalypse or GTFO!" Way the game has gone. Now they're left with the players that have stayed for one reason or another and/or have bought into this paradigm shift in the game. If GW change the game back to how it was pre-6th what happens to all of the above? Certainly the with the latter group.

**vipoid**

Kilkrazy wrote:
Fifth edition was the peak for me.

Apocalypse catered for people who wanted mega model battles, while the rest of us could ignore it.

No unbound, no flyers, no fortresses, no allies, the list of stuff that was spooged in to spoil 40K in 6th edition is pretty long.

I won't mention the price of rules increasing by 50% and codexes increasing by 100% (Damn! I did it!!)

Fortunately I didn't buy any 6th edition stuff except the A5 rulebook because it was all obsolete in 18 months.

This.

**Xca|iber**

Chalk up another vote for 5th here.

That said, there are a few models (and sets) that are available today which are visually very appealing to me. It's too bad the cost is too high to justify a purchase :/ (There are also a number of recent releases which are just plain awful... so maybe it's a wash)

Also, I do like the somewhat more rapid pace of codex releases (even if the reasons for it and ultimate quality aren't very positive). It was sad in early 5th to still have 3rd ed. codexes floating around (DE, BT, INQ, etc).

But in general, 5th was a pretty good time gameplay-wise. Today I wouldn't even dare to play a stranger in a FLGS if I didn't know how they interpret the rules and/or what their idea of "fair and balanced" play is.

**the_Armyman**

1998 to about roughly 2008. Necromunda, BFG, Mordheim, and Epic were all still being played and supported. Games Days and Golden Demons were being run in various parts of the world. White Dwarf was worth the paper it was printed on. There was hobby content provided by GW in the form of Citadel Journal, GW's website, worldwide campaigns, and additional supplements to play the game. Cityfight, Apocalypse, Warhammer Skirmish, Fantasy Compendiums, Town Cryer, etc.

Now, there are two options: a bloated, rules-onerous version of 40K and a stripped-down, skirmish-esque version of Fantasy with increasing prices and model size.

**BoomWolf**

In my eyes, right now.

The verity, the options, the scale. It's intoxicating.

Sure, balance is lacking, but it always did. The community just noticed less because it was imbalanced in favor of the popular majority factions, the 50 shades of marines. And it's harder to notice unfairness when it's in your favor.

**Tinkrr**

BoomWolf wrote:
In my eyes, right now.

The verity, the options, the scale. It's intoxicating.

Sure, balance is lacking, but it always did. The community just noticed less because it was imbalanced in favor of the popular majority factions, the 50 shades of marines. And it's harder to notice unfairness when it's in your favor.

Eh, I don't really agree with that, especially as someone who saw the change happen when GW cracked down and tried to punish others for supporting their product. It's not a change that simply happened once either, even now when I got back into the game after a decade long break, I was looking at old video archives and heard something rather interesting from the MWG owner in a video that dated back a couple years back, he was basically stating they were finally closing their online store as a result of GW implementing their policy to not allow people to use shopping cart systems for their product online... Yea, these things weren't an issue when I started, but they quickly became one, and still persist today, and that's not just being oblivious because something is or isn't in my favour.

**Freman Bloodglaive**

2nd.

If 2nd had had the model range GW have now it would have been even better, but I haven't really enjoyed the game as much since then.

5th would be my second choice.

**Xca|iber**

BoomWolf wrote:

Sure, balance is lacking, but it always did. The community just noticed less because it was imbalanced in favor of the popular majority factions, the 50 shades of marines. And it's harder to notice unfairness when it's in your favor.

You've clearly never knelt before the Almighty God-Falcon.

**Grimtuff**

Xca|iber wrote:
BoomWolf wrote:

Sure, balance is lacking, but it always did. The community just noticed less because it was imbalanced in favor of the popular majority factions, the 50 shades of marines. And it's harder to notice unfairness when it's in your favor.

You've clearly never knelt before the Almighty God-Falcon.

The Imperium could declare Exterminatus on a planet and there would still be a holo-Falcon floating in space, having only suffered a crew shaken result.

**Gamgee**

Now. I feel there is a change coming in GW and me and my fellow new players are at the vanguard of it so I'll get to ride out the GW renaissance and then dump the train when it hits the gaks again.