Thoughts on selling your Space Wolves army?

[The Slayer]

So I have a rather large Space Wolves army consisting of around 500 marines. I have been collecting over the past nine years. My concern is that they will become unplayable at some point, and replaced with the Primaris marines. I've thought about downsizing the army. I'm really torn on what to do and am curious about the community thoughts and opinions.

[PeteySödes]

You do you man, personally I’m going to keep playing them until I can’t. I’ve put too much love into mine to sell them even if I quit tomorrow. Are you more stressed about resell value or not being able to play?

 

If it’s the later why stress, just play.

[N1SB]

Have you considered 30k/Horus Heresy/Age of Darkness?

 

I think, at one point, I felt the same way as you do now even though my situation was different.  In my case, it wasn't about certain models/units; I was just tired of 7th edition (the system was ok, but the meta was becoming ridiculous at that point) and nearly dropped Warhammer altogether.  At that time, there was a dedicated FW fanbase in my area, but I thought that was too much for me; a lot of them were dedicated tourney players and those gents spent way too much on FW.  But I had read a few HH short stories and just gave it a try, was helping out a friend testing his 30k stuff.  I was NOT "hooked", but I felt my Marines still had relevancy there, and it offered a lot more than I expected.

 

Perhaps you only see 1 path for your existing Marines, and I'm guessing your posting here suggests that just leads to regret in the future, but you see no other way forward.  Maybe 30k is an alternate path you could consider.

[Kasper_Hawser]

So I have a rather large Space Wolves army consisting of around 500 marines. I have been collecting over the past nine years. My concern is that they will become unplayable at some point, and replaced with the Primaris marines. I've thought about downsizing the army. I'm really torn on what to do and am curious about the community thoughts and opinions.

 

Hi Slayer.

 

I won't lie. The thought has crossed my mind as well the past few months, not just when Shadowspear showed up with all the sexy new primaris who are actually powerful ruleswise and gearwise now although we don't know the cost yet. For me, it's more like I've been stubbornly sticking to my Razorback lists and the combo has been steadily decreasing in effectiveness. As you lose a lot using a mono list against all the Soup lists out there or even against a pure Primaris list, it can get pretty discouraging.

 

However, I did go through this period at the end of 7th edition where I almost gave up on the game. What brought me back was a long break focusing on painting and assembly. I didn't play any side games like Kill Team or Blood Bowl, I instead concentrated on making my models without care or thought off the game. Thankfully the community here was very helpful in inspiring me and helping me not quit the game.

 

Perhaps you can draw on my experience a couple of years ago in the thread below. I hope you do not lose hope, although it is perfectly understandable and I blame you not for thinking or even making the decision. After all, this is just a game. But I still encourage you to stick with your first love against the odds.

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/332442-tired-young-wolf/?hl=+tired%20+young%20+wolf

 

Hope this makes you feel better.

[Wassa]

I'm the opposite, I'm tempted to start collecting a Space Marine army, but I'm worried about buying models that may be out of date soon.

[Jarl Kjaran Coldheart]

Frankly, unless they are painted to a golden daemon standard, its just not worth selling.

 

There are too many sites that sell warhammer on the cheaper side to get even half of what I put into my wolves back.

 

It's not worth the headache

[Guest]

So I did sell my wolves, I turned from the baby blue old school Marines. I then went with Primaris and HH grey scheme. I can say I am happy. However it fits with the theme of my army to have a strong Primaris presence.

 

However my army was only 2 years old, not 500 strong, and they were not the highest quality. If you are worried about Primaris, then I feel as though that is the wrong reason. However it is up to your decision.

[greysquigg]

I'm on my second space wolf army and wish I never sold the first. 

 

Don't worry about the primaris stuff. What's wrong with owning both? It won't ever replace old marines as they're back bone of the entire franchise.

 

Primaris is just the latest thing. Remember when we had two boxes and a couple of characters to make a space wolf army out of? I remember feeling similarly when the newer space wolf pack boxes came out with their fancy bits and wolfy iconography.

[Bulwyf]

I don't think GW will ever get rid of tactical space marines. You won't get back anywhere near what you put into the army if you sell it. I sold a Night Lords army a few years ago and wish I had never done it.

[Exilyth]

• Do you enjoy the models you've collected (e.g. do they bring you joy)?
• Could the space they're taking up be put to better use for something else?
• Do you maybe have space to store them away or a prominent place in the hobby room to display them?

The above questions have three things in common:

1. They are independent of the game rules.
2. They are not trivial to answer.
3. They are inspired by Kondo.

Whatever you do with your non-primaris marines - take your time, think it through, examine your feelings before acting.

"I sold/discarded/burned/ate my old army and now I regret it" seems to be a common topic in the wargaming world.

 

 

Alternatively: Maybe you could truescale your wolves and proxy them as primaris units if being usable in the future is a concern for you. I'd wait with such a drastic step until old marines are actually phased out though - if they get phased out at all.

 

 

EDIT:

I know of a lot of people who are using their old warhammer fantasy battles with the old fantasy rules, or use the models in other games.

The ability to use the models with older rules or in other game systems is something to consider too.

[NatBrannigan]

They "old" style marines will still be getting rules for years to come. Maybe no new models but that's ok. Some good advice here already, the situation is similar to Warhammer Fantasy in the early days of Age of Sigmar.

 

I know lots of people who sold their collections in a bit of a tantrum (I'll be honest, I was close) but now most of those models and armies are very playable in the new game. Lizardmen for me.

 

I'd say keep your models, you'll be able to use them for Years to come and if the time does come when they no longer get updated and the datasheets are removed from codices leaving only Primaris, you could probably just use most of your models with the Primaris rules. Intercessors are just a taller tactical squad with no heavy weapons after all. Sisters players have been happily playing with no new models and very rarely updated rules for over 10 years.

[DanPesci]

 

• Do you enjoy the models you've collected (e.g. do they bring you joy)?
• Could the space they're taking up be put to better use for something else?
• Do you maybe have space to store them away or a prominent place in the hobby room to display them?

 

 

 

This is a really good way to think about things outside of just 'rules' etc.

 

I have been slowly selling off my space wolves but this was not to do with rules or competitiveness or primaris etc...couple of things ill trhow in

 

 

1. Are you bored of wolves? Or the hobby in general, or is it just fear on unusable models. Ie. I also picked up admech a couple years ago as i was bored to death of painting power armour.

 

Having the 2nd army with a distinctively different playstyle/paintstyle to switch between also reinvigorated me quite a lot too.

 

If your not enjoying the game, perhaps try a different army for a while to freshen things up. Losing games does not bother me....but I know some people wil take that side of things a lot more serious than I do.

 

 

2. How much do you use 500 marines??? I don't play that much...maybe 1 game a month on average at the moment (also play in a band which takes up a lot of time). Investment in something i'm not using at my age (mid 30s) seems a waste

 

Saying that for me its not just plastic crack, but I've been downsizing everything in the last couple of years, my book collection, my CD's (over a thousand down to a handful), my dvds (again hundreds down to a handful), my guitars etc ...i now have a very strict rule where if something is sat in a cupboard untouched for 6 months or so...chances are its going on ebay.

 

500 marines is A LOT of marines. How often do you get to field them? Are they on display as a proud feature in your home or something you keep locked away in a cupboard for months at a time??

 

I cant say I regret selling off any of my wolves. Most were older models with a painting standard way below what I can achieve now when i actually have spare time for the hobby, Happy to say I don't miss my old models at all (however i very much seem to be in the minority here!).

 

 

Basically over the last few years I've changed very much from someone who was buying models to keep up with the latest rules/meta...and instead changed buying what i want to model, paint, and write fluff about (lost company full of dreadnoughts for the win!!).

 

I'm not only better off financially for it...but I need to keep up with all the latest changes/rules less....and get much less annoyed when rules changes affect my models...as 90% of the time I'm not now basing my purchases around rules anyway.

 

If i end up with something that happens to be great on the tabletop...bonus!

[Karack Blackstone]

Don't.

[CaptainStabby]

Never gonna happen unless I just quit the hobby altogether, then it all goes. I've played Wolves since before they had an actual codex, no reason to stop now.

[NightHowler]

Don’t.

[Jorin Helm-splitter]

I wouldn't you'd regret it. I don't think that GW is in any hurry to phase them out and by the time they get there you can just use the primaris rules.

[The Slayer]

Brothers thank you for the words of encouragement and options presented. I'm going to go with the majority's advice and not sell my wolves.