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That's tough, because a mean little part of me wants to tell me to never get started - I would have saved a lot of money.

But, I love the game, so, here's what I'd say to me, circa 1998:

Hey, young Oggthrok - get a haircut! You look like a greaseball! And, enough with the fast food already, learn to cook! And get some exercise!

Wait, I have to keep this to Warhammer... Okay...

You see that big, dusty pile of Warhammer Quest boxes sitting there in the game store? Buy all of those.

No, not for us, just one of them is for us.

No, not so you can saw them up and make 40k conversions out of them... Dangit, young me, you're not very bright...

Okay, look, it takes a long time, but maybe ten years from now, you finally stop hating all things Fantasy, and you're going to want this thing. But, by then, it's like $500 a box on ebay, and completely unobtainable.

Well... you're going to have a basement full of them, so you're going to control that market. Plus, you'll be able to open one of yours, and it won't be sawed into bits making stupid Chaos champions and Squat warlords.

Which brings me to my second point - buy lots of the following: Necromunda Esher Gangs. Epic Warlord Titans, Epic 40k starter sets, and Man O' War fleets. When Juan Diaz makes Daemonette's, buy up like so many of them. Sell them in the future when all of this is worth at least triple what you paid.

Oh, make sure you have a few thousand of that money banked, and watch for something called "Kingdom Death" on something called "Kickstarter." Never you mind what it is, the point is it will resell on ebay for ludicrously more than you pay, and you will have like... so... much... money...

Okay, all of this money, I want you to make a big pile of it, by 2015. Then, on new years day, I want you to go to the emergency room and ask to be checked for internal bleeding. You should now have enough money to pay for what is about to happen. You will live, but taking these actions will make living easier.

Until then, play this game with your friends all that you can. Do not take the rules too seriously, and do not lament that you can't have every little toy for it that you want. If you have friends to play with, and a few space marines, this is enough.

Runic wrote:Don't switch armies often so you can have one fully painted one day.

Or gaming systems. Now I have 4 or 5 gaming systems and still don't have nothing complete.



Automatically Appended Next Post:

Oggthrok wrote:

Oh, make sure you have a few thousand of that money banked, and watch for something called "Kingdom Death" on something called "Kickstarter." Never you mind what it is, the point is it will resell on ebay for ludicrously more than you pay, and you will have like... so... much... money...

Wouldn't you make much more money on stocks instead of minis? Stocks is so... much... money compared to minis.

Don't get too attached to Space Wolves, They become less like the 'Space Vikings' that drew you to the Army and more like a cult of Wolf Worshipers

Magnetize your Stormraven wings ! Do not glue them !

Ravingbantha wrote:
Don't get too attached to Space Wolves, They become less like the 'Space Vikings' that drew you to the Army and more like a cult of Wolf Worshipers

Team Jacob for the win.

 godardc wrote:
Magnetize your Stormraven wings ! Do not glue them !

As a corollary to that: Think of how your minis are going to pack for travel to the FLGS.

Stop swapping armies or selling them off Shadow.

Clean that airbrush one more time, and be gentle with the nozzle.

Had I known from the beginning how much of a stigma it is I would've told myself to let the hair on my neck grow before each game and breath with my mouth. Today I do it for good luck.

I dunno... to be honest I have really enjoyed my hobby progression and don't really have any regrets.

Maybe go easy on people once in a while if they are on a loss streak to avoid causing burn outs / rage quits. After all, it is our little plastic men who are trying to win a battle. Me and my opponent are just a couple of buds hanging out for a good time.

Don't buy that Lord of skulls. Even if it looks really cool.

Oh, another one is just how to use a paint brush. Like the real basics; how to get paint out the pot and prep it for use. How to load the brush with paint, how to transfer the paint from the brush to the mini. How to clean and store them.

This is like super basic stuff that was just part of the assumed level of knowledge, but clearly I hadn't listened well enough in my primary school art classes to know any of.

Honestly I don't have anything I would change in regards to my hobby experience other than I wish I could give my painting experience to my past self so my early models would be better quality.

If anything maybe tell my past self that Grey Knights aren't so much an army of psykers so much as an army that have some self buffs for melee/invuln save and a Primaris Power that I have yet to use a single time over the course of two years.

Thin your paints.

As someone who is literally just starting (still waiting for my first ever order of space marines to arrive) this is the advice I'm giving myself every day (sometimes multiple times!) I'm currently working through silver tower which I picked up two weeks ago but im already jumping headlong in to 40k

1. Don't build up too much of a back log. You have enough now, don't buy anything else until you've actually played at least 1 game! Ideally several!!!

2. It doesn't matter how much your friends have/buy see point number 1. Do not buy anything else until you have 1000 pts worth table ready and know how to use them! Use that knowledge to shape future purchases.

3. It is not a goddamn arms race read point number 2 again.

4. Be patient with your painting. Frustration and rushing will only leave you hating the finished product.

5. CHeck and check again before priming. That spike, is it really a spike or is it, once again, a bit of sprue that you missed.

6. If you MUST buy something then at least look at terrain and play area. But remember painted mdf will more than do your needs for the next six months plus!

7. Stop spamming your friends with pictures of your work in progress models. If you must send photos do it when they're finished, not just because you added a base layer to one tiny skull.....

 Blackhair Duckshape wrote:
What would you say?

-Don't try to magnetise your models, it won't work.
-I know those Tyranids look cool, but listen to the others in the store and stay far away from them.
-Use inks sparingly and don't try to use them to tint bright silver a deep red.
-You're going to discover a bunch of amazing hobby stores filled with people just like you. Don't get attached to any of them.
-When playing the game, wear short sleeves.
-Don't paint on the couch, seriously.

"Don't sell off you models! You don't need the money that badly and your interest will return. Those will be worth money one day and you'll spend 20 times the amount you bought those models for on this thing called eBay which will be invented in a few years."

Buy more boxes of sisters

this and also this

metal daemonnette models you really liked

...........

I got out of the painting hobby over 10 years ago and tried to pick it up again once or twice but my life got in the way as it tends to do...but things have changed and I really want to get back into at least painting models if not maybe attempting to play again someday...I admit, I splurged and picked up 2 sets each of the re-release of the daemonettes and the daemonettes on steeds when GW had them up a month or two ago so now I have daemonettes coming out of my ears ^-^

As for what else I would tell myself...don't give up.

Don't buy whfb models for 10 years they will litterally blow up the world and your 10 years will be worthless. Also probably don't buy gw models who knows how 40k will end, I am actually holding of on buying anything else for a year or 2 until 40k ends. Just incase they throw all models out again.

Funny hearing all the "avoid this group" or "avoid the game for it is full of dbags". I agree, though I think I'd like to keep that experience lol.

And speaking of, I'm not a HUGE fan grandfather paradox scenarios w/ learning lessons...but I guess there's always the multiverse or tangential timelines or something. I basically want to keep my lessons learned and not have them disappear!

Ok, anyway, I'd tell myself:
- buy the codices and army books of all factions that interest you before deciding on an army and also do some research online for any rumored future new faction updates
- cut your army selection in half (I picked 4 40k armies and 4 WHFB armies), not just to save $, but to save some mental fortitude. But pick carefully b/c...
- never sell your armies. You never know when you'll wanna get back into the 40k abyss.

Even today, roughly 4 years after selling out of the 40k hobby and selling half of my WHFB armies, I still like to daydream about a "what if" scenario where I did pick just 2 factions per game and stuck w/ them my whole gaming career. Tough fake decisions!

 Slayer le boucher wrote:
When luck is just pissing on your head...

sorry to hear that, dude.

Davor wrote:
What is worse is how I became a miserable person online arguing with people on the internet because of the HHH.

As a side note why do we call it the Triple H again?

Hunter Hearst Helmsley?

 amazingturtles wrote:
Painting is fun, and you don't need to worry about your friends and family making fun of your hobby. They're happy you found something you enjoy doing.

glad to hear!

 Pr3Mu5 wrote:
DO NOT get rid of all the models you collected as a kid. You might want them one day when you start back in the hobby again.

 LunarSol wrote:
If ever you consider a third faction in anything, consider picking up a different game instead.

Yep...

"Play Eldar".

So much headache would have been saved

(I mean, I did eventually pick them up...but seriously, so easy to just stick with one army and have it always be viable)

I had a weird start to all things GW. I was also a very scrawny kid. Lesse...

Oh hey, [2003] Dr. Temujin. Listen I don't have much time, because running this time machine is expensive, but you should pay attention to me, k? First off... yes, time machines are cool, but PAY ATTENTION!

- You bought the BFG Armada book? Cool! Now, get the Main rulebook before you buy your armada. Yes, I know it's $50, but you'll actually know how to play instead of relying on your jerk-ass friend explaining it to you. Also, your friend is kind of a jerk, just saying.
- Get the BFG starter set to learn. THEN start building Tyranids, if you really want.
- Also, stay away from that GW. They're more interested in taking your money than teaching you stuff. Buy online, if you can.
- WHAT DID YOU DO TO THESE MODELS. THAT'S NOT HOW YOU... (it's okay, it's okay, he's learning). Invest in black spray primer. Flat. Spray the models first, THEN paint.
- In fact, go visit a website called Dakka Dakka. They'll teach you how to paint and play better.
- Get a carrying case for your models. No, not that one, that's not for miniatures. Get a miniature case.
- No, don't pick up Tyranids for 40k. Trust me, get Necrons, you'll be saving yourself a few bucks.
- Also, don't get hung up on [name withheld for privacy reasons]. She's not going to reciprocate your... whoops, wrong topic!

Oh hey, [2011] Dr. Temujin. Oh, you started 40k? Splendid! Okay, I have some more pointers for you. Yes, I did visit you before. No, do not point it out; the timeline is strained enough as is, so just listen!

- There's a better way to paint those Necrons. Did you go on Dakka like I told you before? Wait, why not? ...you forgot again, didn't you...?
- Keep the metal Wraiths, and buy more while you're at it. I know, metal is a pain to work with, but trust me: this is better than the fiddly plastic ones that come out in the future.
- Don't bother with the metal Immortals, those will be out in plastic soon.
- Most importantly: you're going to lose, yes, but it's all part of any game. Keep playing games for the fun of it, and it'll be great.

Don't feel you have to do everything perfectly at the start, just have fun.

Don't put too much pressure on yourself to be the best painter or gamer in the world after a few tries. Practice makes perfect, or at least better.

A few people have already said it but start off small. I will say if you do like it and continue the hobby invest in good tools. A good set of files, clippers and x-acto knives would have saved me so much time and hassle when I was younger.

 Dr. Temujin wrote:
You bought the BFG Armada book? Cool! Now, get the Main rulebook before you buy your armada. Yes, I know it's $50, but you'll actually know how to play instead of relying on your jerk-ass friend explaining it to you. Also, your friend is kind of a jerk, just saying.

I'll second this as this was literally how I started collecting and buying my first space marine army when I was 10!

1 - "It's really not that important to win games. Seriously, stop being a jerk, teenage you."

2 - "All those Leman Russes on eBay for $20? BUY THEM."

3- "Actually cut/clip your models off the sprue, don't just twist them and then wonder why you have weird holes everywhere."

Paint your bits, then assemble

What I would tell myself 25 years ago:

The next Codex you buy will expire before that milk you bought, and it will make that unit you spent 30 hours converting and painting pointless. Stop buying their stuff unless it's good enough to paint and sit on your shelf

Finish that Dark Elf army for fantasy before 2015, or don't even start.

Don't throw out Blood Bowl and all your teams. It will make a comeback.

You are making the right decision to wait for the Dark Eldar to be redesigned. They will eventually look as good as the concept of Evil Space Pirate Elves sounds.

Stressing about painting, stripping an repainting endlessly... you'll never finish an army. But you'll learn enough about painting to make it all worthwhile. You're right to not be satisfied, it's how you work at improving.

Yes, Infinity is a superior game. Switch now, don't wait.

Stop buying Killa Kanz.

Ravingbantha wrote:
Don't get too attached to Space Wolves, They become less like the 'Space Vikings' that drew you to the Army and more like a cult of Wolf Worshipers

I read that as "Don't get too wolfing wolfed to Space Wolves, they wolf less like the 'Space Vikings' that wolfed you to the wolfing Army and more like a wolf of Wolf-wolfing WolfBloodSkull Wolfshipers."

I do not miss them.

Space Wolves seemed to turn into intergalactic smurfs.

Just like the terrible movies my kids made me watch, replace every verb or pro-noun with Wolf in a sentence.

 Mastiff wrote:

Ravingbantha wrote:
Don't get too attached to Space Wolves, They become less like the 'Space Vikings' that drew you to the Army and more like a cult of Wolf Worshipers

I read that as "Don't get too wolfing wolfed to Space Wolves, they wolf less like the 'Space Vikings' that wolfed you to the wolfing Army and more like a wolf of Wolf-wolfing WolfBloodSkull Wolfshipers."

I do not miss them.

Go Team Jacob.

 OrkaMorka wrote:
Stop buying Killa Kanz.

best answer yet. I have 11