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.

Hey Guys, Iv been into the hobby for about a year now and iv jumped from one army to another. I started with Elder went to Grey knights then dark angels and tyranids, after that Chaos and lastly Orcz. Im about to list my Orkz now to look at buying another army and i really cant decide if i will or not, i LOVE the hobby, painting just as much as playing but i cant seem to hold an army down for more than 5 minutes, does anyone else find they have this problem ? if so how did you resolve it?

Thanks in advance

You are definitely not alone Fatal. I'd say a vast majority of hobbyists run into this, including myself.

I've been collecting GW since the late '80s
<---- old fart...

For a long time I would just buy the newest shiny thing. Jumping from army to army for no reason other then it had new stuff.

Over time I found the army I like best (Alpha Legion) and have stuck with it for quite some time. Now I only purchase items that work within my convoluted sense of fitting into that theme.

It works for me in that AL doesn't have a dedicated book so the universe is my oyster.

Maybe look into why you changed armies. What was it about GK that drew you from Eldar etc.?

Moved to 40k General Discussion

For myself, Fatal, I limit myself to one army per system. So for 40k, that's tyranids (okay, with a little bit of SM, but not much ).

Personally, I run DA right now, but I'm trying to start a Nidz army. There's nothing wrong with collecting a bit of everything, but I'd try and find a favorite so if you want to play you at least have one army ready.

Imperial guard, Space Wolves, Dark Angels, Black Templar, Chaos Space Marines, Orks, Orge Kingdoms, Vampire counts, Skaven, High Elves, Kador, Menoth.

I don't know what the next (after space wolves) GW codex is yet but if it's sisters of battle I'll start one of them too.

Flames of War and infinity are on my to do list of things to buy into.


Also haven't played a game in months...

I've had the exact same problem as the OP. I own numerous codices, but I own very few models. I think I've finally settled on Eldar. (emphasis on 'think"). I wrote this list http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/608279.page and I'm planning on buying it soon.

I've got some of the same problem.
Over the years:
Blood Angels, Squats, Orks, Plague Marines, Crimson Fists, Word Bearers, Lizardmen, Orcs and Goblins, Beastmen, Warriors of Chaos, Undead, Blindwater Congregation, Cygnar, Trollbloods, Legion of Everblight, Moria, Mordor, Fellowship and various gangs and skirmish warbands.

Not mentioning my growing Historicals and Red Box Games collections. Sigh.

The way to resolve it is to accept that getting the army together and regularly playing games with it is just not your thing. That while you might enjoy getting the miniatures, building them and painting, keeping the collection and playing with it just isn't for you.

I'd recommend checking out a random assortment of other miniatures, painting them up and seeing if that's enjoyable for you. There's a huge online painting community that doesn't care about playing at all (or just occasionally). They tend to source their miniatures very broadly rather than sticking with one company because they recognize it's obviously not the complete package that appeals to them as they don't use large portions of that complete package.

You're also in the UK, which means is really, really easy to get a lot of great European boutique miniatures and the huge variety of UK based gaming companies and very accessible for you. Next year if you can make it to Salute 2015, I'd recommend it-- the variety you'll see is pretty incredible.

My brother used to do that, went from dark eldar to eldar to guard to tau then we both quit for years.

He now plays a great tau army.

I have always been die hard marines, saying that I have always wanted sisters of battle but won't spend that kind of money, if plastic comes out then my bank balance will take a hit

Building a 40k or WHFB army is quite an investment in time and money, and if you keep jumping around you'll likely never collect, much less paint a full army. How much of the stuff you have bought have you painted?

You're going to have to exercise some self control, but there are ways to give yourself some freedom. I recommend limiting yourself to building one or two actual armies, but then allowing yourself other small-scope projects on the side to give your impulses a bit of reign.

These side projects could be building forces for smaller skirmish games like Malifaux or Deadzone, it could be painting up figures that catch your interest from companies like Reaper. If you want to stay within 40k, it could mean painting up the occasional unit from another faction for an Unbound army. It could mean painting up just a few figures from another force for a game of In The Emperor's Name, or Inquisimunda or Kill team.

Whoops... there doesn't seem to be anything here.

I know that feeling all too well, after my like 4th straight victory in a row with my Tau I sold it to a buddy for the cost I got it for, so now I can
1. try and fix my eldar
2. keep adding to orks
3. start an IG army
But I really want to do all of it!

Most armies have a bit of variation in them. Just taking your first army, Eldar, there are:
Aspects,
Jetbikes and skimmers,
Guardians and WHP,
Wraiths,
Psykers and seers.

I stick to SM, Eldar and IG, but I've only been back with 40k for 3 1/2 years.
But, having a 2nd (or 3rd) army to switch to does make each last longer.

I have bounced around a little as well (definitely more in Fantasy then 40k) but have settled on x2 Armies for 40k and possibly x2 for Fantasy primarily for one big reason. MONEY! With x2 40k armies it gives me two forces that I can bring if I ever so choose to mix and match, hence why I am debating the idea with Fantasy as well. I also try to shoot for reasonable point ranges (2500pts. each...at least for now ) as it gives me enough to bring a 2k list and some extra things to mix and match, also not a bad force to bring to a Apocalypse sized game.

I find that I like any army I can build shooty. I'm filling my force org on my Tau Army First before collecting another, and then I'm going to build either a shooty Wolves army or a Guardsman Mechanized Unit. Nothing wrong with owning multiple small armies. Best yet, you can use all of them in large games playing unbound provided you follow the alliance chart rules and maintain a dispersed formation.

I have found myself wanting many armies, but really limited what I buy and build to a firm story. What I mean by that is that before I buy anything for an army, I come up with an army concept and some fluff for them, and then a few army lists. Even it means just going with the fluff from the book, I will pick out one or two of the characters, give them my own twist and what units they travel with.

Even my small Blood Angels detachment is "fluff-wise" a branch of the Black Templars known as the Black Angels. (Its just Dante and the Sanguinary Guard). They specialize in killing Imperial forces that have strayed too far from the Emperor's Will. Especially Psykers.

So I think before you get your next army, come up with a strong concept that you really like, and that you can envision fighting a variety of armies. Give your units or HQs names and stories.

It's hard not to be appealed to multiple armies.

Build a list, not an army. This way you can collect and paint multiple races and still have them convert to the tabletop, plus look more of a regiment than a collection of random models. Even if it's just a 500 pt list used to justify the purchase of the latest shiny thing. Put it in a list.

To be honest I think I have the same problem but I deal with it in the opposite way. I go crazy and buy miniatures. Lots and lots of miniatures. Just to put it in perspective, I have 250 Lothern Seaguards. So in order to keep my sanity, I have to exercise great restraint. So here's what I do. When I first started the hobby I read through all the races. I picked one where the lore was my favorite, which was Eldar. Then I stuck with it.

3 years later, the 5th edition Blood Angels came out with its sexy angel wings and I had to get it. Well, great, now I have a second line of miniatures to go crazy over.

A year later, my friend who loves Fantasy, was trying to get me to play it over and over again. He ends up giving me an Island of Blood for the High Elves.

So fast forward a bit and my collection grew to 12K Eldar, 7K Blood Angels 10K High Elves.

I got myself 4 Imperial Knights to help support the store a bit. (Our GW store sold the most Imperial Knights in all of Northern America, possibly the entire world, Yay!).

I also had a sizable Tau collection that I purchased to ally with my Eldar, but after a while, I lost interest in them. So I traded them away to expand my Blood Angels.

And finally just two days ago, I bought about 100 old Praetorian Guard models off a friend. He gave it to me for a good price because he knew that it would be something I would cherish even if I don't know the first thing about IG.

Anyway, point being in the story is that, for those of us invested in this hobby, by the sound of it you as well, we're going to spend crazy amounts of money on it. However, I would suggest to focus on one army for a while. Don't be tempted to purchase the next shiniest toy. Let the army grow on you. Fall in love with it. If, after a long while the army is truly not for you, then find another army to go for. Or if you feel satisfied that you have a large enough collection and want to expand into a second army, then go ahead. By changing armies constantly I feel that you're probably wasting more money than expanding your existing collection.

Now here is my disclaimer. If you somehow come across an offer that is stupidly good, that would probably be a time to try out a second/third/fourth... army. I mean, who doesn't like a good bargain right?

I got a friend who bought a battlforce of tyrannids, a carnifex, and an extra box of gaunts who lost interest in them. I asked to buy it off him to model some exodite Eldar. He ended up giving it to me. And another friend wanted to get rid of his tyrannic battle box and he sold it to me for $40. So I also have a tiny tyrannic force.

And the Praetorian Guard that I purchased was for $450. A bit pricey, but it was a collector's army and it was painted nice. Plus you can't get them anymore. And the 15 hippogryphs replacing the horses of the rough riders was $300 alone. So add in these factors and a new army pops out.

I always get excited when a new codex comes out, and I buy it immediately. As soon as I read it, I second guess myself. It's become very dissatisfying that I've been around the game so long but don't own any models. I've made up my mind to suck it up and buy 1000 points of Eldar.

Fatal wrote:
Hey Guys, Iv been into the hobby for about a year now and iv jumped from one army to another. I started with Elder went to Grey knights then dark angels and tyranids, after that Chaos and lastly Orcz. Im about to list my Orkz now to look at buying another army and i really cant decide if i will or not, i LOVE the hobby, painting just as much as playing but i cant seem to hold an army down for more than 5 minutes, does anyone else find they have this problem ? if so how did you resolve it?

Thanks in advance

I consider myself a "stable" gamer in 40k. I've played Orks a long time (Orks were my first 40k army started during the Armageddon Summer Campaign). I shifted to Chaos (specifically World Eaters) because they had a similar style as Orks, and I liked the World Eater's background when I read it in a White Dwarf. My final 40k army is Dark Angels. I started them cause I had a load of space marines laying around from starter boxes, Eye of Terror Summer Campaign was coming and my local store was recruiting guys for the "good" side. Again I read the backgrounds of a few of the Chapters and liked DA the most. Three armies. Thats it..

What keeps me from roaming to different armies is I pick an army who's background appeals to me. It really helps when your painting all those models if you like what your painting. You have to paint them all and look at them EVERY time you play. Sometimes reading Black Library stuff about my army helps. I finish a HH book and am pumped to paint and play. I got into this hobby by walking into a comic book shop, seeing the wall of blisters, wandering over and liking the Chaos Dwarf look. Chaos Dwarfs had Orcs which led me to 40k and Orks. "You can make a whole army of orcs??"" Cool!" " Wait you can make an army of biker riding space orks?" "? EVEN COOLER!!" and the Speed Freeks were born. heh

Im not saying you are, but I have friends who enjoy the playing side of the game more. They play with gray models and show up with the current flavor of the week. They like to play the latest "hot" army or hone in on making an entire army of one troop type to exploit a rule loophole. I respect that, but jumping around like that, chasing the latest "winning" army isn't my style. Also once that rule you built your army around gets balanced, your army's boned.

Don't get me wrong I have models from other armies. I see models in other armies I like. When I do, I'll buy a squad or a few models just to have fun painting them and getting it out of my system. Now with 7th edition, and unbound, I may actually be digging some of those painted models out to run with my orks chaos or DA.

In summary, find more levels of appeal for an army: models, background, books, play style, similar games, movie ties, whatever. The more links you make to an army the less likely you will be to jump around.

OP, do what makes you happy. it's your hobby!

 Random Dude wrote:
I always get excited when a new codex comes out, and I buy it immediately. As soon as I read it, I second guess myself. It's become very dissatisfying that I've been around the game so long but don't own any models. I've made up my mind to suck it up and buy 1000 points of Eldar.

I would advise against that. Since you have investigated every army, but haven't bought any models yet, you're in a position to avoid the pitfalls of collecting models faster than you can use them. Why not start with a 250 point block or a particular unit. Buy it, paint it and repeat.

 Eilif wrote:

 Random Dude wrote:
I always get excited when a new codex comes out, and I buy it immediately. As soon as I read it, I second guess myself. It's become very dissatisfying that I've been around the game so long but don't own any models. I've made up my mind to suck it up and buy 1000 points of Eldar.

I would advise against that. Since you have investigated every army, but haven't bought any models yet, you're in a position to avoid the pitfalls of collecting models faster than you can use them. Why not start with a 250 point block or a particular unit. Buy it, paint it and repeat.

I'm going to get a painting commission, so all I have to do is build. With 1000 points I can play real games.

I get your dilemma.

When I started years ago I sort of had a childhood idea that I wanted Chaos, but I ended up with bits of various armies.

Space Marines, Dark Eldar, CSM, Tyranids, IG Catachans, an Eldar Jetbike, Tau when they came out...

A varied bitz box that only now is being raided and used.

As I got back in just about a year ago I went whole hog at my Space Marines.

With Dark Vengeance came the modern CSM that I wasn't immediately sure about, and cultists, whose mono-pose and same-ness still annoys me. But as my SM became close to Company strength I started eyeing up other armies. Making CSM a worthy force and beyond.


I've tentative plans for Dark Eldar, am currently bashing together some Renegade IG, would love to build Elysians, and I'm saving some Tau and thinking I'll eventually get into them.

The long term, if I don't get distracted by other factions, is to use my spare bits and accumulated skills to make Orks. A Waaaggghhh of conversions, kit-bashes, head swaps, and any suitable bits I can throw at them.

Its the bug of the hobby.

We all want to dabble at what we want to buy or scratch together. Some will thrill us, some will frustrate, but it's all part of the same urge to build, paint, play, any or all.

 Random Dude wrote:

 Eilif wrote:

 Random Dude wrote:
I always get excited when a new codex comes out, and I buy it immediately. As soon as I read it, I second guess myself. It's become very dissatisfying that I've been around the game so long but don't own any models. I've made up my mind to suck it up and buy 1000 points of Eldar.

I would advise against that. Since you have investigated every army, but haven't bought any models yet, you're in a position to avoid the pitfalls of collecting models faster than you can use them. Why not start with a 250 point block or a particular unit. Buy it, paint it and repeat.

I'm going to get a painting commission, so all I have to do is build. With 1000 points I can play real games.

That is an even better idea! A painted army from the get-go.

I used to question folks using painting services, but I've recently begun doing about the saem thing. I've been making terrain for my friends ( something I can do quickly) in exchange for them painting up line troops for me. Really enjoying watching my units grow without having to paint them myself.

I originally started crons because in my pnp games I was always a necro and the fact that I could play a army of super ancient zombots that just never give up really appealed to me. As I got into the game more and more I realized that though I liked the aesthetics of them I didn't like that way the army ran on the table. Enter the 3rd ed Iron warriors, tough units, longer over all range and I could take 4 heavy slots, now that's more like it! And they appealed to my sense of aesthetics as well.

Life happened and had to sell them both off. Now I play a heavily converted IG army and have stuck with them for years. I had to find just the right play style and also a way to emotionally invest myself in my army. All the time and customization hit the sweet spot for me, maybe you just need a force that you can really get into, come up with a back story, personalize and have real sense of pride when you put them on the table.

I started out with Space Marines (obviously). Originally, I set out to paint them all as Blood Angels, but matters became confused when I also decided to collect Ragnar Blackmane. It might seem hard to believe now, but Ragnar was one of the coolest GW sculpts back then. Then I acquired a squad of Grey Hunters cheap because they were mispriced in GW. Thus my accidental Space Wolves army was born. I laso had a few other aliens from boxed games like Space Crusade and Space Hulk, and when 2nd edition came out it included a small Ork force with the boxed set, but I didn't see them as anything more than cannon fodder at the time.

The first edition of Codex Ultramarines was a pretty exciting expansion. I rushed out and bought the new Marnius Calgar and Tigarius models, and my Space Marine collection became yet more confusing. Even though BA have always been my favorites, they didn't have any rules or Special Characters at the time. I decided, in order to get some unity back, I would repaint everything that was not obviously a Space Wolf as Ultramarines.

Eventually I tired of Space Marines and decided to try another race. That's how I started collecting Eldar. Over time I became more and more interested in Orks too, seeing them less as the bad guys and more an lovable oafs. A lot of my friends were more than happy to sell on their spare box set Orks cheap (no such thing as ebay then), so I ended up with loads.

I have to say, that all this time I hated Squats. They were the one race I didn't understand the appeal of. In fact, it didn't seem like anyone liked them (including GW). But I ended up with 5 anyway, which my friend forced on me in a bad trade. I figured I'd just use them as an allied rattling sniper squad.

As it turns out, they were fairly easy and fun to paint, and I ended up being really proud of them. Before long I went back and asked my friend if he'd like to sell me his others, which I think he was a bit confused by, but he seemed happy to be rid of them. Then I started fleshing them out more and more with bits from mail-order and the Fantasy Dwarf range.

I don't know why, but Squats ended up being my favorite army of them all. Perhaps it was because they were rare and unusual, it made them more rewarding, or maybe because there was no GW style guides for painting them. They are the only army that I don't remember making a conscious effort to paint. Usually I find painting armies a terrible chore, but those guys just seemed to paint themselves, and it was fun.

I was gutted when GW killed them off, and I ended up quitting 40k for over a decade. But if that hadn't happened I think they are the army I would have settled on for many years.

tldr version:

It is much more rewarding to create an original army that you can style and shape yourself. It doesn't have to be crazy ambitious, just something that isn't 'straight off the shelf'. There's a whole universe of possibilities out there.

I literally used to buy into whatever army released somthing that month and now I have no idea where half of it is.