Fixing my hobby ADHD

[BitsHammer]

I'm going to try and talk about this while not ranting, but if I come off as a bit ranty I apologize.

 

When I got into 40k I'd had a short stint with Dark Angels in 3rd, followed by missing 4th edition and then coming back in 5th. During 5th I ran Tyranids for a while, followed by Plague Marines, followed by a short stint with Space Marines (Imperial Fists flavored) followed by an even shorter stint with Tau, Orks, Eldar....in the end I hit Sisters and something clicked. Starting with Codex Witch Hunters I ran those little metal nuns through 5th and 6th and eventually grew frustrated and tired of never seeing new stuff added to the army, only stuff being taken away again and again.

 

I missed 7th for the most part, mostly due to my personal life, and while I've come back in 8th I can't bring myself to bring the girls back to the table. Sure, they're cheaper, but not much really has changed in playing them for yet another rules release (save for the way Repentia seem to be worse yet again, and that I can bring more of them on the table at a time), so I've left them on the shelf.

 

So I started flitting around from project to project. I did a small footslogger Imperial Fists army at the start of the edition, then tried to get myself going on Black Templars, then work made me miss some stuff and I came back to the codexes rolling out and tried to get going on Death Guard (mostly because the Blight Hauler may be the most adorable thing I've seen from GW and I assume it's what you get when you stick Nurglings into a tank), had little success getting into Custodes due to not enjoying painting them in the gold (yes there are other colors, but gold is the only one that "fits" for me. Blame too many years built up seeing that classic artwork) and tried to get into Primaris Marines (I'm honestly digging the units I've seen and like the idea of running an aggressive ambush style army with them using the Raven Guard CT to represent Raptors ambushing an enemy faction) but in the end all my projects fizzle out too fast.

 

And it was only last night when I was watching a couple of videos (one ranting about how poorly GW has priced Sisters and that being why the army is "rarely seen" (a line from one of their articles about the 8th edition release), and the other a reaction to the $500 army box) when it clicked why I'm having trouble committing to an army and a project: I spent 2008-2015 playing an army that is basically unsupported by the company that sells them and it's made me apprehensive to commit to anything. There is this niggling concern in the back of my head that makes it hard to commit to an army only to end up potentially getting pushed into a hole of having the army I want to play end up taken away (due to the loss of rules) or unsupported (due to GW not bothering to support it with updates).

 

So all of that background to set up my question put aside: any recommendations to fix this? I want to get back into building and painting an army. I want to get back into playing games. I want to get back into doing more than just reading 40k novels and staring at stuff going "that looks neat" and never committing to an army.

 

Recommendations/advice most welcome and appreciated.

[Grotsmasha]

It seems to me, that the motivation to commit is missing. Do you have friends that collect? Do you have a local GW or Hobby store with a painting/gaming area?

 

When I was gaming, I used a reward system to motivate myself, every third unit was a reward. The "reward" unit would sit on my hobby desk in plain view, in the shrink wrapping, until I'd painted two "boring" units (Tacts, for example). I'd build my list, or set a collection goal, and just work towards my rewards. They're long gone now, but I had a full DA Battle Company painted this way.

Another thing to keep me painting, is BL audio dramas, I'll put one on while I'm painting and it really helps to keep me in  the mood.

 

As for GW invalidating an Army through lack of support, to get back into the swing of it, choose a "safe" army. All PA is safe, Orks are safe, Tyranids are safe, Eldar are safe. they're all RT armies, and aren't going anywhere. 

 

Alternatively, feed you Hobby ADD, write 2 - 4 500pt lists for a couple of factions that you really like and build them. Play some small skirmishes with each force, if none stand out, expand them to 1000pts and play some more games. Re-coop some costs by selling your small forces on eBay if they don't work for you (although the 2nd market can be a bit hard (well painted armies sell better than unpainted) a stand alone detachment that can be thrown into an army as-is stands a better chance than a random grab of  models).

 

Cheers,

Jono

[Mileposter]

I had this when I decided I needed to be done with Space Marines. Humor to me is that my first stop leaving Space Marines was to try for Sisters, and that's what you're leaving.

 

I flitted from Primaris to Tyranids to Genestealer Cults to Orks and around before settling on what gave me the gobbies I was looking for... And it took a lot of 'soul' searching to come to that conclusion, too.

 

In the end? What did it for me was stopping to think about what I wanted to BE on the tabletop and then found the appropriate army that gave that opportunity/feeling. It was not a quick process - but once I had built out that it was what I was actually doing it did become a bit of fin in and of itself.

 

I valued this approach because it helped build an identity. I am this playstyle. Even if GW dropped an army and never picked it up again (lookin' at you, Squats), they can't take that identity. You can still represent that regardless of what GW does.

 

Dunno if that helps you, but it worked for me. Best of luck to you - any help I'm able to swing in with I will.

[BitsHammer]

Using a reward unit (in my case it was Reivers) didn't work, nor did picking a safe army. We have a good community, which is why I'm trying to get back into it, but motivation to commit to something isn't something I'm finding so easy I guess.

 

I guess I'm struggling on how I want to play. I've basically been playing a fairly standard style mech army using Sisters and Rhinos (I experimented with horde Sisters a bit too) but I don't think it was really the playstyle that drew me into the army as much as the character of the army.

 

I might need to look at how I'm used to playing and working out what fits into that the most.

[Mileposter]

For what it's worth, it might be that my wording wasn't the greatest - because when you said "The character of the army" my brain immediately went "But that's what I meant!"... 'Playstyle' just seemed safe.

 

Even if the two terms are seen as vastly different, I'd wager that the method for finding center would have worked out the same in my case. Would some debate/banter regarding what you're seeking be of use?

[BitsHammer]

It probably is something I need since I'm just chasing my tail like a confused puppy currently.

 

For Sisters what drew me in was more the ridiculousness that ran through the army. Space Catholics who have a Holy Trinity of weapons and keep an army via technical wording while also deploy ancient relic tanks with missile firing organs just has something that makes me want to play them.

 

I think the problem I've been having is matching that to another army. Sure, all armies have something silly built into them when you look at them through the context of reality, but nothing has stood out as much to me as they have.

[Mileposter]

Nothing screams silly like Goff Rockers. Go mad max, man. Witness me.

 

... Being serious a moment - it does seem like the humor is something you base your entertainment in. And, like you say, there is plenty around if that's where you need to anchor. Dancing clowns. Hugging genestealers. Eternally grinning Necrons.

 

What about having the Sisters did you like on the field? Was it mostly a well-humored laugh about the organ-rockets blasting your enemies to bits? The flamers FWOOSH-ing heretics to the chant of battle nuns? You strike me as a "personal-image is more important than dice rolls" type player from what I've seen so far. What about your list kept you running in the peak days?

[BitsHammer]

On the table the Exorcist was a must have, largely due to the image of having such a limited relic (since they can't make more, and are lucky if they can even fix them) coming out to waste the heretic-of-the-week was a mainstay in my army.

 

Largely I played them a lot like aggressive, short range shooty Marines. Acts of Faith were bonuses that helped my army more than the thing I built my army to maximize on and my biggest strength was the number of bolter shots I'd throw a turn. Well that and making Marine players panic at how surprisingly deadly Repentia were.

 

I freely admit I am definitely a "center piece" sort of player. I find something I like and then work to build an army around and tailor my tactics to try and make that thing effective, or at least give it a fair shake on the table even if it's not the strongest option ever (Repentia for instance weren't particularly strong, but I still ran a unit of ten of them up until 7th).

[Grotsmasha]

This, this seems to be the real crux of your issue,

 

It probably is something I need since I'm just chasing my tail like a confused puppy currently.

 

For Sisters what drew me in was more the ridiculousness that ran through the army. Space Catholics who have a Holy Trinity of weapons and keep an army via technical wording while also deploy ancient relic tanks with missile firing organs just has something that makes me want to play them.

 

I think the problem I've been having is matching that to another army. Sure, all armies have something silly built into them when you look at them through the context of reality, but nothing has stood out as much to me as they have.

 

So now I have a little more radical idea, bare with me now....

 

A counts-as army.

 

Take a Codex you like, with units and play-style you like, then model Sister units to represent those units. In this way you can play the models you like, with the fluff you like, while future proofing your army.

 

Cheers,

Jono

[BitsHammer]

One of the reasons I chose to not unshelf my current Sisters army was largely due to how much of a hassle dealing with an all metal army is. My love of models isn't strong enough to deal with hauling that several ton mess around all the time anymore.

[Eddie Orlock]

There was a time, up until about a year ago, where I might've said the safe thing to collect was Codex Marines 'cause they've held the most stable identity. This is no longer true. If you asked me today to speculate on what the most stable and future proof thing to collect is I think I'd pick something like Orks. It'd take a pretty radical fluff warp to undo the concepts that pin the faction to it's current shapes. Slugga Boyz will be Slugga Boyz.

[BitsHammer]

I can definitely agree that Marines are kind of all over the place right now.

 

I've been staring at fluff a lot (mostly at Mechanicus fluff because they're the only other nutters I could think of right off the bat who have Sisters levels of fanaticism) but I should probably go back and look at Orks as well. Who knows, maybe an army of goofy footballers will do the trick?

[Mileposter]

Fanaticism is something that certainly isn't in short supply in 40k. every faction seems to have it to some degree... To have some aspect of their army defined be fanaticism, really. Either for the Emperor, the Greater Good, their Fallen Empire, a Spiritual Liege, or fighting itself.

 

That said, from a hobbying perspective, I've always admired the Orks. Because anything can be made Orky.

[BitsHammer]

Fanaticism is something that certainly isn't in short supply in 40k. every faction seems to have it to some degree... To have some aspect of their army defined be fanaticism, really. Either for the Emperor, the Greater Good, their Fallen Empire, a Spiritual Liege, or fighting itself.

 

That said, from a hobbying perspective, I've always admired the Orks. Because anything can be made Orky.

Very true, but I was referring more that almost religious fevor that we get from Sisters and, in their own way, Mechanicus.

 

And Orks are definitely a scratchbuilder/kitbasher's best friend.

[Mileposter]

That's fair. Putting it to that extreme, I'd offer that there's perhaps a third group that also has said crazy fanatic motif... The Harlequins. Every fight is a recreation of a dance of some sort, and every one of their movements/tactics/everyday acts has to represent their story in some way. It's definitely different than the same reverence the Sisters had, but to me seemed far more 'consuming' in their pursuit of it.

[BitsHammer]

I haven't looked too closely at them past them coming out. I was interested in the idea of them on the table for sure, but they never really hooked me in their lore like Sisters had.

[Mileposter]

Also, nightmarishly deadly clowns.

 

I'm not trying to convince you of anything one way or another - merely throwing things out as the conversation brings up ideas. Something will stick eventually or help you shape the directions you're already going in.

[BitsHammer]

Also, nightmarishly deadly clowns.

 

I'm not trying to convince you of anything one way or another - merely throwing things out as the conversation brings up ideas. Something will stick eventually or help you shape the directions you're already going in.

This is fair. I'm not a big fan of clown goblins, but that's just me.

 

I definitely appreciate the help though, it's good to get some other ideas rolling around in my head instead of the same several notes over and over again.

[Eddie Orlock]

... that almost religious fevor that we get from Sisters and, in their own way, Mechanicus. ...

Well, if this is the ticket have I got a future side project for you. Clearly you'll need to build a Cawdor gang when they're released. Should take you about a week.

[Shockmaster]

If you like the fanatical religious theme what about going for the other side and starting a Word Bearers army?

 

You could have plenty of Cultists and go full in with the army theme of summoning Daemons, I was tempted by that before going for Death Guard.

[Kinstryfe]

If you want an army that can be funny, won't be likely to stop being supported, and will give you something unique, how about an army of Orks modeling themselves after a Harlequin troupe? They fought some Eldar one day and the only ones they were impressed by in battle were the harlequins. Figuring that if red makes things go fasta, ALL the colors must make you a better fighter.

[BitsHammer]

 

... that almost religious fevor that we get from Sisters and, in their own way, Mechanicus. ...

Well, if this is the ticket have I got a future side project for you. Clearly you'll need to build a Cawdor gang when they're released. Should take you about a week.

 

I do own a metal Redeemer and Malakev (not mine but to remind people who they are):

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/mediawiki/images/thumb/1/14/Redeemer_and_Malakev.jpg/800px-Redeemer_and_Malakev.jpg

 

I've been running mine (which desperately need paint) as Ministorum Priests.

 

If you like the fanatical religious theme what about going for the other side and starting a Word Bearers army?

 

You could have plenty of Cultists and go full in with the army theme of summoning Daemons, I was tempted by that before going for Death Guard.

I've definitely considered it in the past, but even with my local area being more open play (with PL focused) I just find playing Marines less fun than I feel like I should.

 

I'm definitely leaning more towards "my toaster can beat up your toaster" and "that's a nice STC you have there, mind if I borrow it?" via the Ad Mech.

 

If you want an army that can be funny, won't be likely to stop being supported, and will give you something unique, how about an army of Orks modeling themselves after a Harlequin troupe? They fought some Eldar one day and the only ones they were impressed by in battle were the harlequins. Figuring that if red makes things go fasta, ALL the colors must make you a better fighter.

That definitely would be funny, but until Orks get a codex they feel too flat compared to how fun they should be rules wise.

[Beams]

I wish I could recommend Orks. They were almost fun in 7th, but they lost a lot of their fun in 8th. They still are cool to model and convert, since anything goes.

[Mileposter]

I'm definitely leaning more towards "my toaster can beat up your toaster" and "that's a nice STC you have there, mind if I borrow it?" via the Ad Mech.

I now require a 70's-style toaster themed Dunecrawler conversion, complete with Eggo Waffles.

[BitsHammer]

I wish I could recommend Orks. They were almost fun in 7th, but they lost a lot of their fun in 8th. They still are cool to model and convert, since anything goes.

It's actually one of the reasons I had to rule them out of my list of things I'd want to play: they just lack that certain wacky spirit in their rules at the moment (and should have gotten a Open Play Looted Wagon ruleset in CA at minimum). When the rules don't support the lore it kind of kills some of the fun for me.

 

 

I'm definitely leaning more towards "my toaster can beat up your toaster" and "that's a nice STC you have there, mind if I borrow it?" via the Ad Mech.

I now require a 70's-style toaster themed Dunecrawler conversion, complete with Eggo Waffles.

 

Considering how it seems the Ad Mech seem to cook everything with plasma or high amounts of radiation, I'm not sure they'd use an actual toaster.