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I've always loved GW. despite a few silly marketing decisions here and there, I think they make great games and the models to me are well worth the price, and always have been. I love the fact that they're doing so much in plastic, and their sculpting has always been top notch. As long as they keep making awesome models, I'll keep on buying em.

Despite my mixed feelings about GW, the 40k universe has such an amazingly rich background that it's an addiction that is impossible to shake. Infinity and the like just doesn't compare.

40k may not be perfect, but it hits on every level I personally need a hobby to hit on.

1. Aesthetic. The Aesthetic of the grimdark has captured me since day 1. From the demented visions of John Blanche to the elegant brutality of Jes Goodwin, to the WWI chic of the Imperium... Gav Thorpe said it best "40k is all about the decay of splendour". Hell yeah.

2. Story. The thing I like best about the story is that it kind of isn't one, its really more of a setting, for thousands of stories to take place in. Its a huge sandbox. Games like LotR, Warmachine, and Historicals miss this mark for me, because either my imaginary forces could never be as important or influential as the canonical ones, or all the key pivot points of history are already well defined. Even though I really like Warmachine's story... I don't want to recreate Vlad's victories... I want to carve out my own history and tales of fortune and conquest.

3. Scope. I have never been attracted to skirmishes, I like battles. Other games have even larger scope (FoW for example), but fall short for me on other levels. Keep in mind here, I play more Apocalypse than regular 40k, and a 6k game is pretty standard in my group.

4. Social Accessibility. Its the largest community out there... more players, more enthusiasts, larger tournaments... Its got proven longevity and a huge player base. That makes it a safe investment.

5. Quality. GW always seems a few steps ahead... the plastic kits they've done lately just blow my mind. I too was disgruntled over a bunch of finecast problems... I do really wish they'd have hammered out the process better before releasing it... but now things seem much better, and I really like working with resin. I am not in any way nostalgic for metal models. I'll never own one again, if I can help it.

Those are the big 5 factors for me. These things are more important to me than GWs business policies. I certainly don't agree with them all, but "I like the business practices of the manufacturer" is pretty low on my list of priorities I guess.

Ill for sure dabble in other games, given the time and money is available. Infinity and FoW are pretty high on my wish-list, but there's always something new I need to do for 40k! One of the reasons I take commissions is to get a chance to paint those wonderful figures for other companies who I just don't have the time to get into for myself!

I will always play 40k.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I am to understand that the people who write and make the game actually play the game. When it seems like all the garage press operations have been bought out by some larger company, it's nice to have a game where the makers still sample their product.

Jimsolo wrote:Correct me if I'm wrong, but I am to understand that the people who write and make the game actually play the game. When it seems like all the garage press operations have been bought out by some larger company, it's nice to have a game where the makers still sample their product.

Wait, wait. Are you claiming that other companies don't play the games that they make?

And when was the last time that Kirby ever showed up at a Games Day?

infinite_array wrote:

Jimsolo wrote:Correct me if I'm wrong, but I am to understand that the people who write and make the game actually play the game. When it seems like all the garage press operations have been bought out by some larger company, it's nice to have a game where the makers still sample their product.

Wait, wait. Are you claiming that other companies don't play the games that they make?

And when was the last time that Kirby ever showed up at a Games Day?

Who cares if kirby shows up? Ive met Jes Goodwin, Phil Kelly, Gav Thorpe, Jervis, Mark Bedford... Kirby is irrelevant.

Though I don't know of ANY game companies whose make the game don't play the game... I think that's true for pretty much all of them?

Kirby is far from irrelevant I'm afraid.

Right! Right, positive... pooooosssssiiitiiivvve...

Got it! Fantasy Flight Games. Wouldn't have a great line of RPGs if it wasn't for them. And if it weren't for those RPGs, I wouldn't have fond memories of the Deathwatch Comedy & General Shenanigans Night.

As stated in the title, and in the opening post, this thread is only to discuss the positives of GW. If you don't see any positives, your course of action would be to not type anything here.

no need to address a point that wasn't supposed to be made in this particular thread -

Gentlemen,

It's been said that if you don't have anything nice to say about GW, then there are other threads for you. And this thread came from the Admin/half-owner of the website.


I'm also very happy about FW. A couple of DCMs put in a group order, and I ordered some pieces I've been eyeing for a while, and FW makes some pretty models

I saw my first fire warrior in 2005. I fell in love immediately, for some reason they are the one thing that I really remember about my experience at the local GW store.

Games Workshop has allowed me to keep some friends that I probably would have lost touch with, for that alone my investment into this hobby is well worth it.

The act of learning to paint a whole army (and do each model justice) is an exercise in patience that I find hard to find in other parts of my life. However, when I need to tap that understanding it comes in rather handy.

Places like dakka, that make me think critically about what a rule actually says, or how my painting actually compares to the larger community, is amazing and makes me a better person.

All of these things are rooted in Games Workshop.

I still love the background and setting immensely, it's one of the, IMHO, best ones out there.

I knew HBMC would be the first to set up the dunk, calmly slotted away by Paratrooper Simon. And almost immediate 'defensive play' by Battleready Studios

Mean Green Stompa wrote:The models are, mostly, also the best around. Jes Goodwin, Juan Diaz, Brian Nelson - these guys are worth their weight in gold.

I agree, I love that despite the hair-care products guy and Baron Harkonnen running the show, there is still a core of artists and sculptors at the heart of the company who genuinely care about their art.

The DE range was absolutely beautiful, I think the best product launch for as long as I can remember.

You know for all the criticisms of the game system, I remember loving White Dwarf when LoTR popularity was at its height and in that respect I think the initial stuff they did for the game was fantastic. The set below is one of my all time favourite GW releases and it's kind of irritating that when they finecasted it, they swapped some of the other poses in.



I think the lack of love for the LoTR game stems from it's simplicty (us wargamers like complicated rules sets to wrap our heads around), but I wonder how many new gamers were bought in via LoTR?

Disclaimer - I've just watched the trilogy over the last few nights and consequently I'm feeling kind of nostalgic for that era

I think GW is one of the best things around. I've been into 40k at some degree or another since I was 18. They have the best models in the world and greatest variety, a fun and generally friendly community, and in my opinion, the best sci-fi background in print. The 40k universe is a great "escape" for me. I have a very stressful job and its great to sit down and read about grimdark or paint models and just veg out. Without the GW company, I would have to rely solely on sports. Not exactly a cake walk, especially in Dallas,

Their models = Amazing.

(in my opinion)

I still come back to GW for the models. I love almost all of the Xenos tanks. The individual figures can come and go, some good, some not so good. But the xenos tanks all show some imagination and a strong commitment to the idea of xenos sci-fi.

Also on the modeling front, I love citadel paints. They are easy to work with, blend almost perfectly, and seem to have a very high pigment quality for what you are buying.

The Foundation paint line is possibly one of my most favorite paint lines ever. They made a yellow and red that you can actually paint over black and it covers!

I have played GW games since 2007. Granted, not as long as most people on here, but GW has been the company that slowly pushed me away from computer gaming.

Any company that makes their own models, supplies to make these models AND provides a store to play with said models is doing somethin right. GW games (And PP, but less of them) have given me something to do artisticly. While I am not the best painter, I have found something I love to do through GW.

Not to mention their story and game is top notch!

This is not about GW as a whole, but about a particular location.


I am a big fan of the Chicago Battle Bunker. The staff there is friendly, knowledgeable, and not pushy. I was planning on getting into Fantasy over the course of several months. I was able to get honest advice from the staff, and while they would suggest products they knew that I would buy stuff when I would, and they did not need to get to buy stuff TODAY! The store has a lot of "Veteran Gamers" so they do not just cater to the new kid, impulse buyer market.

In general there are a lot of players there, and I have not really had any games that were not fun. There are a lot of people who play the specialist games and not just 40k and fantasy. Also, there are a TON of tables.

The GW store in my hometown was not a fun place to game, but the battle bunker really changed my mind about gaming at a GW store. Even if you have had bad times at other GW locations, it might be worth a try to go there. [Especially if you want the play Blood Bowl. You are too late to join the league, but there are a ton of people who will play a one off game with you. It is VERY popular at the moment]

svendrex wrote:This is not about GW as a whole, but about a particular location.


I am a big fan of the Chicago Battle Bunker. The staff there is friendly, knowledgeable, and not pushy. I was planning on getting into Fantasy over the course of several months. I was able to get honest advice from the staff, and while they would suggest products they knew that I would buy stuff when I would, and they did not need to get to buy stuff TODAY! The store has a lot of "Veteran Gamers" so they do not just cater to the new kid, impulse buyer market.

In general there are a lot of players there, and I have not really had any games that were not fun. There are a lot of people who play the specialist games and not just 40k and fantasy. Also, there are a TON of tables.

The GW store in my hometown was not a fun place to game, but the battle bunker really changed my mind about gaming at a GW store. Even if you have had bad times at other GW locations, it might be worth a try to go there. [Especially if you want the play Blood Bowl. You are too late to join the league, but there are a ton of people who will play a one off game with you. It is VERY popular at the moment]

Thios does make a big add on to the game. Having a tight place to play is worth IT's weight in gold.


As to that Fantasy Flight RPG, I really like those books. very good info. Think my favorite was reading that Monster book that gave the scenario for the grot infestation in your ship. THAT one still makes me laugh thinking about that. Don't have the book in front of me, but I think that one also had a way to play an ORK as a PC. Is that right, or was that just for using them as NPC's?

Best books GW ever put out, by the way were the old LATD and Slaves to Darkness. The FFG ones are a close second, but Those two are the epitimy for me for what GW did right once upon a time.

I love the LOTR books, and GW have a relationship with them

(It took me a while to think of this and stick to the spirit of the thread!)

The models are (for the most part) outstanding. While there are some misses, the sheer number of EXCELLENT kits, supporting such a large number of armies/factions, and especially of course their multipart platics, is so far beyond any other company that it's not even comparable. A couple of newer companies have been doing good things, particularly PP the last few years, but those companies are directly inspired by GW and in most cases draw directly on the talent of sculptors who came up through GW. GW has taken miniatures gaming to a completely different level than it ever was previously, and led to the development of other companies and games.

The background and art are great and evocative.

The games include some of the best and most fun designs I've ever encountered, including Blood Bowl, WH 7th edition, 40k 5th edition, and BFG.

Their recent choices in licensing have included some amazing stuff. Chaos in the Old world knocks my socks off.

The player base and tournament support is awesome. I love traveling to events around the country, seeing and socializing (read: drinking) with the players, gawking at and appreciating one another's painting and nasty or thematic army lists. Last month I attended the Conflict GT which was great, and this weekend the new Onslaught GT at Templecon, which was awesome. Last year I got the privilege of attending the first US Throne of Skulls event in Vegas, which was absolutely amazing, and won my ticket to attend again this year.

I've been playing GW games on and off since 1987.

I liked how 40k combined all of the best bits of the books and comics I had read as a kid into one neat game.

I like how they make some neat models.

I like how they also allow me to explore other avenues of "the hobby" ( )

That's all for the good feelings and fluffy bunnies.

I have had a love / hate relationship w/ GW, from the start. I've been kicking them a bit more lately than usual, so posting this will be a welcome change in pace.

I was enthralled w/ WFB / W40K the first time I saw it. Up until them I had been playing AD&D and painting those miniatures. Here was something I could paint a LOT of things for and play with all of them at the same time!

My first love was Orks after reading Waaagh! The Orks and 'Ere We Go!. The goofy random horribleness of misfires and other Orky perils genuinely cracked me up. I played Orks for quite a while before answering the call of Chaos (and my beloved Genestealer Cult which I am hoping makes a return in 6th Ed).

I have almost always enjoyed the quality of miniatures GW has released and frequently was more attracted to the modeling aspect than the game itself (which is still true today) but when Necromunda came out that changed for a few years. I ran a very involved League and it was a highlight at my FLGS for a long time.

I have dabbled in almost every game GW has released and while they all had their own issues (some amusing, so not so much) and really enjoyed Blood Bowl, Gorka Morka, Eric, Mordheim, Space Hulk, Battle for Armageddon (plus Chaos expansion)... a lot of good memories.

The #1 thing I have enjoyed from all of this is the people I've met and the friendships I've had. Nothing transcends the barriers of mankind like gaming has.

So thanks GW, I've had a pretty decent time with this. Mostly.

They have a sense of humor on their site and rulebook.
"We got to leave our desk to see the army(its no-chain Tuesday)"
It may be cheeky and groaning but it shows they are excited for their product in a different way

It's definitely a nice factor, although you get a lot less of it these days than you used to. Specifically in White Dwarf, although I'm not surprised after meeting one of the writers for the magazine. Nice enough bloke, but his eyes rolled back up into the top of his head and he pointed to the sky when he spoke about LoTR.

Of course there is still a core of hobbyists within the company, the same as you and I, but a lot of it is lost in the corporate-speak/BS filters that everything produced by a larger company has to pass through.

I really like their customer service, their staff are polite, friendly and willing to help with anything you need. I've been in there asking questions many times and they've always had time to talk it through with me. I also think that the worlds they have created are utterly amazing and something I can't get enough of. Like any business they are going to have their flaws but I've honestly had nothing but positive experiences with them and I look forward to what they bring out in the future.

If it hasn't already been said (or even if it has): GW's plastic kits are fantastic, and seem to be getting better, both in terms of design and product quality.

I'm not exactly sure what it is, but the boxes of Necron Deathmarks that I bought seem to be made of a different plastic than my Necron Warriors. The plastic used for the Deathmarks seems like it's a more dense, heavy-duty version. But, the part that really blew me away was that both boxes had virtually no mold lines!