Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Well its been several months and Fantasy has died again following a huge resurgence with the current edition. At my store, which has a large 15+/- core of steady players, nobody is playing fantasy. MTG and 40K are back as the prime movers and it looks like Privateer is pushing into the core of regular players.

Why?

I think its due to balance. The meta was huge. We had HE, DE, MOC, DOC, EMP, Ogres, VC, LM, BM, even WE. A very good spread of players I havent seen in most places. The problem with the meta was each army was still composed of a one trick pony mage to try and cripple the opponent before turn 3 and units were stuck in. It got boring very fast and there werent enough other in-game mechanics that allowed other stratagies to be viable.

1. We played book senarios.
2. We played 2.5K pts.
3. We are all competative, though not to the hard boys levels.

I cant believe 40K is actually more balanced? But it feels like it, especially post new FAQ. IMO.

MTG, mostly draft centric + a bit of standard allows everyone more creativity and allows you to play based off of skill, some card quality, more so that hoping your mage/combo rolls total power. Its cheaper and faster than collecting, assembling, and painting a new FB army just to play the same game of mage asured desruction.

Privateer games, though many loath the esthetics, are posed to break out as the game feels new for many. IMO this is because the rules feel tighter and the caster synergies and mechanics are not similar to GW systems. Additionally PP games seem to allow cheaper in game morphability by allowing a change of caster and maybe a unit vs. GW requiring far more unit swap to derive the same level of in game effects change.

Dystopia Wars is poised to break out from Fire Storm and Uncharted Seas as people want the SICK esthetics and air/land/sea combined forces.

Whats your store like? Is anyone else noticing this?

Our store's actually still going strong in fantasy. There's a good stretch of 20-25 different players with every army bar Bretonnia currently playing, and though we've found that a mage chucking as many dice as he can at the Number 6 spell can end a game, it's been encouraged that people try out lists not built around that gimmick. We're not exactly competitively-oriented as a gaming group, but we don't go soft either. Still, we manage to have fun every time. I think it's just giving people time to learn what they can and can't do in the new edition.

This isn't to say we've ditched 40k; there are games going on with some level of regularity, ranging across the entire spectrum of armies available. Again, not too competitive, but some of us prefer WHFB over 40k and vice-versa.

The PP games have weasled their way in as well; Warmachine especially, seeing as the rules are a lot different to the other games we play and often breaks up the monotony of the other systems after you play for too long.

We don't see many MTG players come through, oddly enough.

I feel it's the same as it ever has been, except that 8th edition breathed some new life and variety into the game, as new editions should.

At my FLGS WH:F is effectively dead and has been since the edition change and 40k is holding on mostly through Apocalypse and Necromunda, of all things.

The strong "core" of gamers, myself included, have largely migrated to Warmachine/Hordes due to cheaper overall system costs, MUCH better rules quality and balance, dynamic gaming experience (combos, as opposed to linear gameplay), and as OP stated morphability of armies and ease of experimentation.

Dystopian Wars is also taking the group by storm, with most of us already having ordered our starter fleets and others planning on doing so. Aesthetics are absolutely incredible with high quality resin molds at a dirt-cheap entry level price.

All the competitive players have largely jumped ship from GW to something else. New players really have no incentive to start 40k beyond enjoying the background material because for the cost of ONE TANK KIT you can get an entire starter box of WM/H or Dystopian Wars.

I personally have no incentive to play 40k unless I feel like fielding a huge number of skirmish-level figs in attrition fights...and I really haven't lately.

sourclams wrote:At my FLGS WH:F is effectively dead and has been since the edition change and 40k is holding on mostly through Apocalypse and Necromunda, of all things.

The strong "core" of gamers, myself included, have largely migrated to Warmachine/Hordes due to cheaper overall system costs, MUCH better rules quality and balance, dynamic gaming experience (combos, as opposed to linear gameplay), and as OP stated morphability of armies and ease of experimentation.

Dystopian Wars is also taking the group by storm, with most of us already having ordered our starter fleets and others planning on doing so. Aesthetics are absolutely incredible with high quality resin molds at a dirt-cheap entry level price.

All the competitive players have largely jumped ship from GW to something else. New players really have no incentive to start 40k beyond enjoying the background material because for the cost of ONE TANK KIT you can get an entire starter box of WM/H or Dystopian Wars.

I personally have no incentive to play 40k unless I feel like fielding a huge number of skirmish-level figs in attrition fights...and I really haven't lately.

Sounds exactly like where Im coming from. One thing Im especially worried about is a wierd Ard'boys stratification of gamers. There are those who only want to play the nastiest thing they can, WAAC guys will always be around, but even more to the point that if their army doesnt even possess the ability to "place" or do well in tournaments they dont want to buy anything. I guess what Im saying is there are litte to few "casual" gamers left. New armies I run into tend to be the "hot trick" while casual guys just bring the same ol same ol.

I wonder if its the economy? Its as if a new force/game isnt worth it unless it can be competative first. A vacuum of people concerned about power level over esthetics. Without this turning into a COMP debate, what tournaments are people attending that have some sort of esthetic bonuses, discouraging certain builds. I guess Im asking if any tourney organizers are doing anything like Adepticon, which banned the folding fortress? In doing so has this altered +/- your shops player base or encouraged anything new? Trends?

I don't really make it out to stores to play. But my club is primarily WFB and everyone seems to love the new version. But the club has always been a WFB first kinda club and I'm sure it always will be. Almost everyone has at least 1 40k army too though, but getting a game of WB is like pulling teeth. Only 1 other player in the club. Flames of war was a flash in the pan that died quick, though there's a couple players that play it outside the club. We pretty much just do WFB and sometimes 40k at club gatherings.

Fantasy is still going strong in my area and I hear the same from my friends who live in other areas of the state. Personally, I'm enjoying the new edition of fantasy and intend to keep playing it as well as 40K.