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So we've all seen them...
'What army should I buy?'
'Which army should I get rid of?'
etc, so on.

What's up with all the threads where people are asking the anonymous dakka community to make their decisions for them? Even better are the ones where the people do no research prior to launching their thread.

Are threads just fire and forget now? Is this thread an example of the very thing I am complaining about? Where can I get a good mutton, lettuce and tomato?

I think it's just a less eloquent way of asking, "Hey, please give me a rundown of x so I can feel like I'm making an informed decision."

I didn't realize asking for input on a subject meant one could never make any decision ever.

As to specifics, well there are a lot of reasons I suppose, the main being that even for all its faults Warhammer has lots of cool armies and so in the end the decision may come to a coin toss, and really Dakka is as good as any random number generator. It also helps to get thoughts from people with first hand knowledge of the force as well as their insight on to how the army actually plays.

 Alfndrate wrote:
I think it's just a less eloquent way of asking, "Hey, please give me a rundown of x so I can feel like I'm making an informed decision."

Is it less eloquent or lazy? It feels like some threads are very google-esque. Rather than popping over to a search engine and typing in the same thing, people just pop a thread up.

 pretre wrote:

 Alfndrate wrote:
I think it's just a less eloquent way of asking, "Hey, please give me a rundown of x so I can feel like I'm making an informed decision."

Is it less eloquent or lazy? It feels like some threads are very google-esque.

You don't have a relationship with Google, whereas you might like the dakka community and its posters.

 Ahtman wrote:
You don't have a relationship with Google, whereas you might like the dakka community and its posters.

This is very true. Although 'like' might be a strong word for some.

More of a casual conversation than a formal discussion. Dakka has room for both types. Plus, "decide for me" threads are easy to identify and avoid if one is so inclined.

 pretre wrote:

 Alfndrate wrote:
I think it's just a less eloquent way of asking, "Hey, please give me a rundown of x so I can feel like I'm making an informed decision."

Is it less eloquent or lazy? It feels like some threads are very google-esque. Rather than popping over to a search engine and typing in the same thing, people just pop a thread up.

I know that many of these threads could easily be solved with google when I was looking at which army I should get into, I scoured the googles looking for advice on armies, battleforces, codex strength, etc... I still do that. Though now I'm much more likely to ask Dakka if the answer can't be solved with a quick google search.

Help me decide how I should respond to this thread!?!

My annoyance with them is that there is probably hundreds of those threads, with the same regurgitated information, but everyone feels they need to create a new one whenever they want to throw away half a grand.

Why not just dig through a handful of the older ones, and get all the info that's already been dispensed?

 djones520 wrote:
Why not just dig through a handful of the older ones, and get all the info that's already been dispensed?

Exactly this!

/Insert rant about sheeple so we don't have to go through a real one...

Because the old ones might not have fresh or up to date information? Just playing Devil's Advocate here.

 KalashnikovMarine wrote:
Because the old ones might not have fresh or up to date information?

We're talking daily and weekly here. Not really enough time to go out of date.

I've actually been kicking around posting one myself, because it's just a personal preference decision, (which order to buy two boxes of Space Marines in) and I felt paralyzed by INdecision, and wanted to put the choice in other hands. (I could have always flipped a coin, I suppose, but Dakka is at least a little more weighted to a positive outcome for me. )

Generally, I feel like most of these threads fall into that category. Frequently, the 'inform me so I can make my own decision' threads crop up. When it comes to armies, I think it would be great if there was a single resource that listed the armies, their playstyle, their cost, model count, forgiveness factor, and other major pros/cons so that we could direct new players to THAT. I've never seen one, though.

Maybe a "What Army should I get?" test should be available on dakka for any noobs that want some direction.

Now I doubt it would help much but it would be kinda cool.

I've always kind of wondered why there isn't a sticky made with a rundown of every faction in whatever game. Yeah, sure, no one reads stickies, but after a while I think the board would get pretty good at directing people to the sticky, and getting the threads closed.

 Jimsolo wrote:
I've actually been kicking around posting one myself, because it's just a personal preference decision, (which order to buy two boxes of Space Marines in) and I felt paralyzed by INdecision, and wanted to put the choice in other hands. (I could have always flipped a coin, I suppose, but Dakka is at least a little more weighted to a positive outcome for me. )

Generally, I feel like most of these threads fall into that category. Frequently, the 'inform me so I can make my own decision' threads crop up. When it comes to armies, I think it would be great if there was a single resource that listed the armies, their playstyle, their cost, model count, forgiveness factor, and other major pros/cons so that we could direct new players to THAT. I've never seen one, though.

the 1D4chan wiki actually has a pretty detailed page on each army, their fluff, their tactics and a unit by unit break down of what you should get and why.

http://1d4chan.org/wiki/Category:Warhammer_Tactics

You have to be able to speak 4chan, but it's all pretty easy to understand. (They have a MASSIVE hatred for the Godhammer Pattern Land Raider though, so if you're a fan you're gonna come away saddened)

But then you'd have to go to 4chan.

1d4chan is not 4chan! It's /tg 's wiki site, so it's marginally better. Not much better but it's something.

It's also, like reddit and that other one I can't remember off the top of my head, totally incomprehensible. The reason dakka is one of the most popular 40k sites is that it's also organized in an accessible, organized format, rather than chaotic complexity solely for the sake of giving the users the smug satisfaction that comes from being able to navigate the site.

A sticky (or better yet, that army test CustomLime mentioned) would be a great idea.

 pretre wrote:

'What army should I buy?'

Ok i'll try and help you out here....
It really depends on a lot of factors. You have not given me much to go on so here's a few questions and things to consider.

From looking at your profile it seems that you're pretty new to the hobby, wargaming as we know it now started back in the 50's so you've got a lot more to learn have fun and do some research on that! The internet has a Google on it or something and there's a site called Dakka Dakka (link please someone) that I remember being pretty good.

Now what genre do you like best, Sci Fi, aliens, spaceships, lazerguns? Medievil/High Fantasy, Historical, Steampunk. There's a game for and based around almost everything.
Do you have a penchant for anything in particular, Warrior Badgers, Gene Stealing aliens, Jabberslythes?
Are you looking to play, paint or just collect? Or just buy the models, find yourself lacking in time and feel guilty about it?
Perhaps you're looking for something a little durable if you have pets/offspring?
What is your skill level? Can't move for Golden Demon trophies? Euro Millitaire winner? Chimp wrestling with jelly in a paddling pool of baby oil?
What is your gaming skill level? Ard Boyz top table? Best at winning in your local GW 300pt pick up games?
How much do you plan on spending initially? (Does your wife know?)
Is storage a problem? How much is that secret garage costing a month? (Does your wife know?)
What armies do you already have? (It'd be silly to collect the same one twice)

Yeah, bored now.

I prefer 'what army should I buy' threads to emotional problem threads that read 'Help me dakkdakka, you're my only hope!'
and probably shouldn't be put on public view...
And anything is better than the GW is evil threads. I think its also been at least 5 minutes since we discussed prices and/or business practices and how GW is going to go bankrupt.
We've also forgotten how Mat Ward is the anti-fluff as now people are complaining about Phil Kelly. It must just be his turn - we've apparently finished moaning about Jeremy Vetock and Robin Cruddace.

Oh and we haven't had a finecast thread in at least a week (that I've seen)

The same threads come round faster then star trek plots (I swear they only had four )

 Jimsolo wrote:
It's also, like reddit and that other one I can't remember off the top of my head, totally incomprehensible. The reason dakka is one of the most popular 40k sites is that it's also organized in an accessible, organized format, rather than chaotic complexity solely for the sake of giving the users the smug satisfaction that comes from being able to navigate the site.

A sticky (or better yet, that army test CustomLime mentioned) would be a great idea.

How so? Each army is listed by edition and they have the variant armies listed next to the primaries which is the only place things might get too confusing, each tactics listing is broken down by force chart position, listed by name and a brief analysis of it's tactical ability. That's not exactly chaotic. We're not talking about actually going on /tg/ here. Just the wiki portions of /tg/ maintain.

 PredaKhaine wrote:
I prefer 'what army should I buy' threads to emotional problem threads that read 'Help me dakkdakka, you're my only hope!'

Idk about that, the, "my uni roommate smokes pot" thread last night was hilarious!

Pretre youve been here long enough for this not to be a shock. These questions get asked every single month since forever. Youre acting like the same people in Michigan that forget that snow = bad driving conditions and end up in ditches and trees every single new snow fall. Its nothing new.

Right.

Also, people are looking to start up discussions on an Internet Discussion Forum?

What the hell?!?

i understand that its annoying i don't like people asking that as if they just get a army because someone tells them too and they don't like the models they probably will not be happy with the army .

 Alfndrate wrote:

 PredaKhaine wrote:
I prefer 'what army should I buy' threads to emotional problem threads that read 'Help me dakkdakka, you're my only hope!'

Idk about that, the, "my uni roommate smokes pot" thread last night was hilarious!

Just been and found that...

My response?

Everytime one of those help me threads pops up, they could just think "whats the reasonable response?" and 9 times out of 10 its 'talk to the person I'm talking about and explain your problem.

Although then we'd all miss out on nuggets like

Kronk wrote:
Then sleep with his mother or sister for good measure.

Ouze wrote:
Also, take her to a nice seafood dinner and then never call her again.

Alfindrate wrote:
Captain Ahab Alf

So what do I do about these problem threads?

Help me DakkaDakka, you're my only hope!

 PredaKhaine wrote:
So what do I do about these problem threads?

Help me DakkaDakka, you're my only hope!

You spend more time on the site so you catch these gems