Why do you play warhammer 40K?

[Hades Alpha]

Why do you play warhammer 40K?

Are you:
A strategist looking for a way to test your tactics and superior intellect?
A artist who want to express is inner feeling?
A pure geek looking for every bit of fluff of the universe?
A social beast playing to meet people and have fun with your friends?

To me it's all about strategy first, then painting/modeling. I see this game as a elaborate chess board with cooler model on the table.

[Levitas]

The creative aspect. Then being able to take those creations to war.

In all honesty, the game system isn't world changing, just fun. But the background is rich and provides ample opportunities to explore and develop.

The social aspect is also cool. Tournaments and events are always fun and most gamers are friendly...mostly.

The cost and time are cons though. But it is upto you how much of those you put into it. AOBR is a good deal, and they dont have to be beautiful.

[Aldramelech]

Keeps me off the streets.......

Also I don't have to pay attention to the wife's all night soap marathons if I'm painting! (Does Coronation street have to be on two times a night?!?!?!)

(Note to Colonials: Coronation Street, the longest running soap in the universe!)

[RocketRollRebel]

I picked fluff since that seems to be the main reason I pick an army but I also love the gaming and competative side to the hobby as well.

[TSINI]

its the modelling/painting/fluff side for me all the way

i do enjoy the gaming aspect, but not in an overly competitive setting. when i'm at a tournement, i'm there to enjoy the tactics used by my opponent, and try to stay alive for as long as possible, i'm never there to win.

for me, collecting an army, and making it click together with a cool theme is where my interest lies.

i can write reams of background fluff for each of my sergeants, let alone the army itself, at least thats what i did with my first Valhallen IG army. my current IG army doesnt go too mad with the fluff, and by that, it only concerns itself with why the army is like it is, and who the big named leaders are.

[Maria]

The social side and FYI Corrie = Win :)

[Carly]

I play for the social side. When I arrived at Uni I had a chaos BFG fleet and came away with so much more! But started to collect Nids so that I actually had someone to play. I mean, watching the other play for the first few weeks was good, but to really be in the group, I needed something to play on a more perminant basis. I dont think anyone else had a BFG fleet at the time and 40k was the most popular. So I went with that.

And soaps are pretty much the lowest form of TV (expect maybe BB, but thank god that is over!). I dont actually watch any TV, its all pants.

[Maria]

And soaps are pretty much the lowest form of TV

Duly noted, what about the people who watch them?

[Carly]

I have lots of friends who watch soaps.

I have nothing against the people who do watch them. Heck, I use to watch them. But I stopped watching TV a long time ago and have done fine without it, so I do sometimes wonder why people still watch it, when there are other things to do, such as reading, spending time with friends or obtaining a hobby such as warhammer.

I mean, there are some great things on TV, but you usually have to wade through the crap to get to it. But the things people watch dont usually represent the type of person they are. Most people are pretty nice I think. Or atleast, I would like to think.

[Maria]

I try not to wonder why people have different habits to me, i just reason with, If they didn't we would all be a boring lot.

But back on topic .. the only place i have socialised is GW with about 10 kids learning to play but failing because they insist on throwing things around .. gonna try and get lessons at a quieter time then i might actually learn.

[jeffersonian000]

While each of the points apply in one way or another, I'm a social gamer at heart, and would rather be playing a game that is face to face with someone else than to go to a bar or anonymously play on-line.

SJ

[rsheridan5]

I picked the fluff because that is what got me into the hobby... I am really liking the modeling and painint part at the moment. Really I am brand new to the game and I am still working on my first armies... I don't have much experience playing, because I can't seem to find a game in the area I live, and I don't want to show up at a shop game with grey men...
But I do love the depth of the fluff.

[tinfoil]

I picked the modeling and painting (really, more of the former than the latter). But this was a hard choice.
After all, it was the narrative dimension of the hobby that first drew me in. I do think that it is the unique, ineffable vibe of that "grim distance of the far future" that distinguishes 40k from other games/hobbies.
I came in not expecting hoping that a playable game would be a bonus, and having no expectations about the painting and modeling side of things (since I'd never done anything similar before). But to my surprise, it's been the modeling, recently, that's given me the most pleasure.

[DarkLink]

I have to say the main reason is the tactics and strategy of the game. I enjoy challenging games of 40k more than most of the casual games I've played. Second is probably hanging out with friends.

[Dia]

I picked the modeling and painting (really, more of the former than the latter). But this was a hard choice.
After all, it was the narrative dimension of the hobby that first drew me in. I do think that it is the unique, ineffable vibe of that "grim distance of the far future" that distinguishes 40k from other games/hobbies.
I came in not expecting hoping that a playable game would be a bonus, and having no expectations about the painting and modeling side of things (since I'd never done anything similar before). But to my surprise, it's been the modeling, recently, that's given me the most pleasure.

I have to agree with you there.

When I first got into 40k (which wasn't that long ago, really) it never occured to me that eventually I'd end up spending so much of my time on the assembly side of things. It's also been rather exciting seeing others so enthused with that same aspect of the game.

I love seeing other's hard worked models; there's always a bit of inspirationg to take away.

[ggg]

Seriously, I can't help myself - it's like plastic crack.

Since the grim darkness of 1990, there has been only war.

I'm not a classical geek - I'm a married, 27 year old civil litigation advocate but I cannot get enough of the 40k goodness - I read all of the books, have five armies on the trot and surf 40k forums on a daily basis. I even calculate the value of other commodities by reference to GW products, i.e. that coat is the equivalent to five chimeras from Gifts for Geeks. It is not healthly.

My wife hates my hobby 'the pointless, plastic, painted people.' I have to take elaborate steps to secretly sit down to paint or sneek off to a GW store while shopping wih her. I am terrified that my colleagues will learn about my hobby (they tend to prefer skiing etc). My brother and family mock me endlessly but quite frankly- it doesn't make a difference. Perhaps Jervis puts industrial nicotine into the plastic?

[Maria]

I'm not a classical geek either, i am a school cook, hehe

[Aldramelech]

Cash in Transit Guard, you can call me a geek, but you better be able to run fast! lol

[warpcrafter]

Mostly for painting and modeling, since sometimes it's the only thing that keeps me sane, but I also like playing the game, because of the strange stuff that can happen.

[splnes]

if i wanted to meet people i would just stalk them out in my van... but he truth is that the game to me is about the hyp on the models. i love converting and painting and as time goes by i get better and that only adds to the excitment. but dont get me wrong i love playing the game and the story behind the whole thing matters a ton to me. i cant play an army if it does not have a good story behind it, or at least something i can bend.

[Vorlon]

As a new player (well "player" I have yet to play game #1) but I was immediately sucked in by the fluff and painting...which I am addicted to at this point. I fully intend to play but for now the amazing amount of "fluff" (well written, insanely indepth and utterly immersive fluff) keeps be enthralled. Painting has become more of a hobby for me at this point. The people I have come in contact with have been by and large a major positive as well....Lets see how the actual gaming aspect turns out...after i paint anouth 80 cadians and support units.

[Farmer]

I play for tactics and who can make the most bent army.

I'm always one for a beard;).

[Drunkencorgimaster]

Keeps me off the streets.......

Also I don't have to pay attention to the wife's all night soap marathons if I'm painting! (Does Coronation street have to be on two times a night?!?!?!)

(Note to Colonials: Coronation Street, the longest running soap in the universe!)

Last summer across the pond I noticed "East Enders" is still chugging along. I first saw that thing in 1987.:eek:

[Drunkencorgimaster]

Seriously, I can't help myself - it's like plastic crack.


Amen from the choir!

[Chaos]

I love it all

[sorienor]

I play 40k because I love the game. I find it to be a satisfying military simulation that isn't so complex as to be a chore to play.

[Court]

Used to be modeling > playing > fluff > painting.

However especially in 5th i find i love all aspects of the hobby. 5th really energized things around here for all of our local players and makes for a great platform for all the aspects.

[Vash113]

I see Warhammer 40,000 as more of a total hobby and I play it for all of the listed reasons. I love the gaming and the exercise of tactics and strategy and have multiple armies with different strengths and weaknesses that keep things interresting.

Additionally I love to convert, sculpt and mess around with models and while I don't like the painting as such and find it tedious most of the time I still greatly enjoy the finished results and feel very proud when I accomplish something particularly cool or nice looking.

I also have a great interrest for the background and fluff of the universe and have written many background articles, some of rather prodigious length and read pretty much everything I can get my hands on. The Black Library's upcoming print on demand service has me very excited at the prospect of expanding my collection of classic novels and materials as well.

Finally I do often enjoy to hang out at hobby shops and meet people, it's always fun to have a good conversation about the hobby while watching a game or something.

[Aldramelech]

Last summer across the pond I noticed "East Enders" is still chugging along. I first saw that thing in 1987.:eek:

Unfortunately!:rolleyes: lol

[Schnitzel]

Unfortunately!:rolleyes: lol

Bah! My g/f's mum watches that rubbish all the time. :/

I got into WH40K for the fluff and escapism. Started back in my 'lockdown' days in Frankfurt, kept it up during downtime in Vienna, and am now back full swing while I waste away in Oman. Really helps kill time... but it does seem a bit obsessive at times...

[Squee]

I'm one of those "all aspecters"
However, if I had to choose, it'd have to be the "fluff".
My Chapters' fluff seems to grow faster than the chapter itsself.
That said, the socialising aspect of this wonderful hobby does seem to keep me rather enthralled.
I'm one of those people who would never talk to others if it wasnt for some demand to do so.
With 40K, if I dont talk to others, I dont get to play. I have become far more social because of it.