Evening all.

Bit of a discussion point for you guys here.....

So recently it seems most conversation has been about Escalation, Stronghold and the wider 'meta'. Some love it. Some loathe it. Those in favour seem to be embracing the additional variety this has brought. Those less favourable feel it's just made powergaming more powergamery.

It strikes me that whichever side of the fence you fall on, the main concern seems to be that we ultimately have limited hobby time available for actually gaming, and nobody wants to see things mired in petty arguments about whether you've just ruined the other person's night by being that guy. And in this instance, that guy can vary, from he/she who demands you acquiesce to their insistence on fielding Super Heavies, he/she who point blank refuses to play against them. Or in other words, whichever player feels that their hobby takes precedence over other people's hobby. (this is a delineation drummed into me as a one time GW employee. We share a hobby, but my hobby is different from your hobby, and all hobby is to be ultimately respected).

And if you're still with me, it's time to get to the point..... With all this new variety, whether you love it or loathe it, how best to go about arranging your next game? Doesn't matter if it's a casual game, pick up game, or the final of some long winded tournament with rulership of the known Universe as first place. I'm just interested to know your approach.

For me? It depends what I'm up to. If it's a dull Sunday and I just don't want to sit in watching the gogglebox, I'll likely keep it vanilla. That way I can fall back to any old pick up game. If I've managed to think ahead, I can challenge a specific opponent, and will likely (despite their official nature) enquire as to whether they'd mind facing off in an Escalation or Stronghold scenario.

Should I break the habit of a lifetime and start to regularly attend tournaments, I think I'd rather go for one where absolutely anything official goes. Which does mean GW run ones for sure. Why? Gotta out myself, I'm a massive fan of variety in gaming, and the challenges presented. Doesn't mean I'd necessarily follow suit and Escalate or Stronghold my army, but I would have no bones in taking on such a foe!

And now over to you!