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There's a very legitimate defense to people questioning how much WH40k costs and wonder why you spend all that time and money on tiny toy soldiers.

You're not actually spending that money on toy soldiers.

You're spending that money on fun, and those toy soldiers are merely a means to have fun.

Because you continue to spend that money on toy soldiers, you can afford it, because you're spending your disposable income on it. Any one of us who also play tabletop games will tell any wargamer who is spending so much on WH40k that they can't afford to have a decent life, to get their priorities in order and spend way, way less.

Tabletop gaming just happens to be a more expensive hobby than most. But those of us who can afford to play it, can afford to spend the money we're spending on it.

But remember, when your spouse is concerned about how much money you spend on the game, it's at least worth considering that maybe she thinks there are better ways to spend that money, and have a discussion about what your WH40k money might be better spent on. It might turn out that he or she just doesn't think the game is worth playing at all, even though the money you're spending on it isn't causing problems. Maybe the problem is that you're spending so much time on the game, they don't feel you're paying enough attention to them. I don't know, I can't say, I don't know your particular situation well enough to know what's going on there. But having an honest conversation with your spouse about a problem one of you is having with the other's spending habits isn't going to cause a serious problem itself, is it?

My reply is usually "My money, my business".

I know a lot of people whom I view as having worthless hobbies that are a waste of time and money, I just keep my nose out because it's their life, their money and their fun.

Loopstah wrote:
My reply is usually "My money, my business".

I know a lot of people whom I view as having worthless hobbies that are a waste of time and money, I just keep my nose out because it's their life, their money and their fun.

That works too.

My partner spends a crapload of money on Lego sets and other small collectibles that I would view as pointless. I eventually came to the conclusion that that's what he likes spending his money on, and it's not causing his life any problems to do so, so whatever, it's his money, he can spend it on what he likes.

My money. Bills are paid. Car is fueled and running. Mobile is paid for. Not starving.

I only spend what I can afford.

I just admit it is a lot but there's far worse things to spend money on. I likely have $5000+ worth of CD's.

Lol I've spent far far more on hunting, fishing and camping. WH40K will never reach close. There are even far more expensive hobbies out there.

I thought the go to defense was "What kind of Heretic puts a price on service to the emperor!" Followed by their immediate execution.

I don't smoke or drink. Those are two 'hobbies' that cost most people far more per year than I spend on 40k. That's usually good enough for when someone questions my plastic spaceman buying habit.

Usually if someone asks me how much money I spend on the one thing I spend 75%+ of my free time doing, it's one of my friends who doesn't know I'm in this hobby yet (because it's still relatively new for me). They have almost universally phrased it like "Isn't that expensive?" And I usually say "Isn't everything that's fun?" And there are chuckles and much rejoicing.

I really haven't gotten grief from anyone in my family either.

My girlfriend was a little concerned about how much I was spending in the beginning, but since it's mostly an up-front cost kind of hobby, once it tapered off she stopped minding. She's got hobbies too, they just cost a bit less, so she likes that I have a hobby, she just wasn't sure where I was going to draw the line on throwing money at it. It also helps that I've sworn a sacred oath (to myself, but I think it makes her more comfortable regardless) to complete my backlog (or trade/sell it off) before using money to get new kits.

 jhe90 wrote:
My money. Bills are paid. Car is fueled and running. Mobile is paid for. Not starving.

I only spend what I can afford.

Yes. Very often my posts could be summed up succinctly like that.

I tend to over-elaborate, I guess.

 jhe90 wrote:
My money. Bills are paid. Car is fueled and running. Mobile is paid for. Not starving.

I only spend what I can afford.

Precisamente. Mine is a two-income, two-person household. We're comfortable and live within our means. How we choose to spend our money and free time is our concern. I don't judge people for spending ridiculous sums on things which don't interest me, nor do I care about their opinions on how I live in my finite time on Earth.

Or just ignore them? Is this actually a problem? I see these threads pop up and I never get it. I either A) only talk about it with other wargamers, so it ain't a big issue or b) anyone I tell about the hobby, when it gets to the money issue, I tell them it's one of my few hobbies and that's usually that.

 jreilly89 wrote:
Or just ignore them? Is this actually a problem? I see these threads pop up and I never get it. I either A) only talk about it with other wargamers, so it ain't a big issue or b) anyone I tell about the hobby, when it gets to the money issue, I tell them it's one of my few hobbies and that's usually that.

Kinda this, its just like, "Yeah well, tis the hobby " Move on.

 jreilly89 wrote:
Or just ignore them? Is this actually a problem? I see these threads pop up and I never get it. I either A) only talk about it with other wargamers, so it ain't a big issue or b) anyone I tell about the hobby, when it gets to the money issue, I tell them it's one of my few hobbies and that's usually that.

No. It's not actually a problem.

But people do talk about it sometimes, and it's not like I put a huge amount of effort into this thread. I just made a relatively short post on a forum.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Is there a rule on Dakka that says we can only make threads about huge, serious issues that have massive debates over what the correct outcome is?

 jreilly89 wrote:
Is this actually a problem?

Exactly this.

My first post was just a joke because I didn't realise this was an actual problem for wargamers. Are people hounded, shunned from society because of their expensive hobby? People are suprised and shocked by the cost but I personally revel in peoples struggle to understand how toy soldiers can cost so much.

 mrhappyface wrote:

 jreilly89 wrote:
Is this actually a problem?

Exactly this.

My first post was just a joke because I didn't realise this was an actual problem for wargamers. Are people hounded, shunned from society because of their expensive hobby? People are suprised and shocked by the cost but I personally revel in peoples struggle to understand how toy soldiers can cost so much.

I'm sorry.

I didn't know Dakka was a place where we can only post threads about things that are serious problems.

 Pouncey wrote:

Is there a rule on Dakka that says we can only make threads about huge, serious issues that have massive debates over what the correct outcome is?

No but is there a real discussion here at all? If there is no problem then there requires no guide on the solution.

There is a certain expectation that topics posted in the discussion areas are suitable for engendering a level of discussion.

If this thread were to attract modly attention, I'd imagine it'd be closed on the assumption it is a topic better suited to a blog.

 mrhappyface wrote:

 Pouncey wrote:

Is there a rule on Dakka that says we can only make threads about huge, serious issues that have massive debates over what the correct outcome is?

No but is there a real discussion here at all? If there is no problem then there requires no guide on the solution.

There's a thread near the top of this forum which asks players whether they'd prefer to fight Chaos Demons or Tyranids if they were an Imperial Guardsman.

No problem exists which can be solved by such a discussion.

Well, recalculating total $ spent on 40K to $-per-hour-of-hobby-fun, 40K is pretty much one of the LEAST expensive hobbies I ever had.

To put things in perspective - a single set of quality, mostly handmade (by self, so only material cost) victorian/steampunk outfit have costed me more than my entire 4000+pts Eldar army and took comparable amount of effort and time spent on making it. A single set.

My two armies together couldn't buy me a proper pro photo camera, especially in times when photography was still analogue, not even factoring in the ongoing cost of films/chemicals/paper required to make quality prints...

Do I even have to start on cost of traveling or most outdoor sports like mountaineering or biking?

Of course, there are lots of cheaper hobbies, but the cost of 40K is far, far from being "outrageous".

 Azreal13 wrote:
There is a certain expectation that topics posted in the discussion areas are suitable for engendering a level of discussion.

If this thread were to attract modly attention, I'd imagine it'd be closed on the assumption it is a topic better suited to a blog.

Okay.

So then a mod would post, and say, "There's nothing to discuss here. Locking the thread due to lack of a topic worthy of having a discussion about of any kind."

And then I'd just shrug and go on my day and not create another thread like this.

I mean, yeah, it's better suited to a blog, but I don't, like, have a blog? Like, at all? Like, it's not something I actually have that I could ever post anything on?

 Pouncey wrote:

 mrhappyface wrote:

 Pouncey wrote:

Is there a rule on Dakka that says we can only make threads about huge, serious issues that have massive debates over what the correct outcome is?

No but is there a real discussion here at all? If there is no problem then there requires no guide on the solution.

There's a thread near the top of this forum which asks players whether they'd prefer to fight Chaos Demons or Tyranids if they were an Imperial Guardsman.

No problem exists which can be solved by such a discussion.

My point was tailered to the post. You started a discussion about a problem which vexis warhammer players, but this isn't a problem so the point is mute. The discussion you mentioned takes people opinions on a versus scenario rather than a problem. Two different kinds of discussion.

 mrhappyface wrote:

 Pouncey wrote:

 mrhappyface wrote:

 Pouncey wrote:

Is there a rule on Dakka that says we can only make threads about huge, serious issues that have massive debates over what the correct outcome is?

No but is there a real discussion here at all? If there is no problem then there requires no guide on the solution.

There's a thread near the top of this forum which asks players whether they'd prefer to fight Chaos Demons or Tyranids if they were an Imperial Guardsman.

No problem exists which can be solved by such a discussion.

My point was tailered to the post. You started a discussion about a problem which vexis warhammer players, but this isn't a problem so the point is mute. The discussion you mentioned takes people opinions on a versus scenario rather than a problem. Two different kinds of discussion.

Okay then, so making this thread was pointless.

I'll just hop in my time machine, go back in time an hour or two, and tell myself, "Hey, you're gonna make a thread about WH40k which you think will help people, but it won't, and there's no need to make it, so just, like, don't, and do something else instead."

Then this thread will never have existed, just as it shouldn't ever have.

Not having a blog is not an excuse to make Dakka your personal blog. Until a mod locks the thread, discussion is still possible, of course, but discussion is somewhat limited by the nature of the OP.
Y-uln Moderator, c-nafl'k'yarnak.

 Verviedi wrote:
Not having a blog is not an excuse to make Dakka your personal blog. Until a mod locks the thread, discussion is still possible, of course, but discussion is somewhat limited by the nature of the OP.
Y-uln Moderator, c-nafl'k'yarnak.

Great. I know that now.

What do you suggest I do to make this thread stop existing now?

I am sorry for bursting your bubble Pouncy, looking back I did not intend for my posts to be such an attack.

nou wrote:
Well, recalculating total $ spent on 40K to $-per-hour-of-hobby-fun, 40K is pretty much one of the LEAST expensive hobbies I ever had.

This has always been my answer. Even GW's current prices aren't bad on a dollar-to-time return of investment just on assembly and painting, never mind using them in a game.

Damn there are some busy body's on this site aren't there. Definitely some frustrated people around who wish they were mods that's for sure.

If you've nothing to add to a thread don't post in it and let it drop down the forum.

That's the only metric upon which to base a determination of wether something is worthy of discussion or not. I hope the mods don't lock the thread as it would be a massive curtailment of free speech and a huge mistake in my book.

A forum is a place where ideas can be shared.

As for the topic itself, you're spot on Pouncey, I personally see the price of the models I'm buying as an entry fee. I'm buying the opportunity to spend time enjoying the process of modelling and painting. To enjoy the hobby of making a lump of grey plastic look like something good.

I'm not just buying a toy with which to use in a game, I'm buying hobbying time. I could buy cheaper models, or airfix kits instead, but I've an interest in Warhammer 40'000 so this is what I want to paint and use in games. End of.

This thread's topic was a rather slender reed to lean upon to begin with, and it certainly looks like we're all done here now, so...