I started playing 40k over 20 years. I really wanted to start playing Fantasy but all my friends dived into 40k instead. We each chose races and I managed to come out on top with the Eldar. Over the years I branched out into Dark Eldar, Space Marines, Necrons, Imperial Guard, and Orks. I enjoyed the game when I played with friends or when I played in competitive tournaments. Lately though I find my enjoyment of the game waning and, for many other reasons I hope to explore below, I am shelving the game that took me on my first step toward my tabletop addiction.
Cost of Enjoyment
For years I watched people complain about GW prices and I blindly thought, "I can still afford it, so why should I complain". I've seen the price of 10 plastic marines rise from the initial $20 dollars to the current price that is double that. When GW started releasing their army books and codexes in hardback for 49.50 I sucked it up because the books were high quality and we saw a new book every 3-4 months so it was easily digestible.
Lately though, costs have skyrocketed. Let's look at Nagash. Nagash himself is $105 He's roughly the same size as a Screaming Bell with a lot more air and open space. Now, you probably want the rules so you can use him. Well that is another $85. So almost $200 for a single model and how to use it. Even the Imperial Knight didn't go that far. What's next? The whole release saw 4 boxes and a book. Grand Total? Roughly $350. For a glorified splash release. Next month GW will have something else interesting which leads us directly into the next subject.
Careful What You Wish For
I remember ages ago complaining that GW couldn't release things fast enough. I really wanted to see monthly releases, if not weekly releases back in the early 2000's. When Privateer Press came along and started making meaningful monthly releases I used that as proof in discussions that GW could easily replicate their model.
Then GW went digital and started transforming the way they do business. First they started coming out with monthly releases. Not always a book or models, but something. Then they started coming out with monthly army updates. We saw the start of this back in 2012 and it continued at a fast pace into 2013 and 2014. GW Digital started releasing tiny fluff articles, missions, units, etc. separately. By the time I knew it I needed to blow $200 a month just on books to stay afloat with the with current rules. That didn't even include models.
The Time Paradox
For those younger than me I really hope this doesn't come off as some old guy pontificating about how, as you age, your life changes in ways you never imagined. When GW first started releasing product in quick secession I had no children. I also played roughly 8 other games that held demands on my time and had other hobbies than tabletop gaming (RPGs, Video Games, Biking, hiking, reading, history, etc). The child caused me to take a hard look at everything. Games I only rarely played were shelved. Other hobbies were shelved until later in life entirely. I wanted to keep some hobbies so that I had something to unwind with at the end of a long day, but, I needed to free up time for my family.
Personal Preferences
I know I'll catch a little flak for this topic. However, I simply find both the 7th edition rules and the codexes which I considered playing aren't what I want to play. I find myself having difficulties building lists or getting excited about the lists, the books, or the new models. The sole exception being the Imperial Knight.
7th Edition just isn't for me. I don't like the assault rules and some of my favorite units in the game were assault units. I'm not super fond of the wound allocation rules but I can say they are slightly better than 6th at least. I think there are a number of smaller items that bother me but really, assault is the major kick in my teeth.
Eldar were my first hope. However the book left me in an odd place. Play with what works and not what I like or play with what I like and either have insanely old miniatures or they just don't work well on the tabletop. Don't get me wrong. *IF* Eldar had a completely new line (or at least they updated jetbikes and all of the metal aspects) I would jump back into 40k in a heartbeat.
Space Marines were my next bet. Overall I like the book and it both streamlined things and gave more options without seeing a horde of special characters on the table. I struggled to find a list I liked largely due to my complaints about 7th and the relegation of assault to a minor aspect of the game compared to shooting. Even Templars didn't move me into building the Space Marine army I wanted.
Lastly we have Orks. I knew this would be an uphill battle with 7th edition preferring shooting to assault but, I wanted to give Orks a chance since I do so love my horde armies. Now, I have to say I didn't play a single game with Orks but I didn't care for several rule changes on paper. I don't like that my kommandos got nerfed. That Stormboyz were now even more unreliable with their jetpacks. I didn't care for the new Ork morale rules but at least those I was willing to try. 7th is still a horrible place for dreadnoughts so my dreadnought/kanz horde was largely dead in the water. Overall it simply seemed that the only viable list that I would enjoy playing would be a Green Tide.
Fantastically Lame
Lastly, and definitely least, Games Workshop seems to be heading into the absurd. I honestly sat and considered the above points. Whether I could juggle my time commitments, the money, and whether I could make an existing book work. I pondered this for months. Then... Space Wolves launched and I saw Santa Grimnir released. This was the straw that broke the camels back. I laughed for awhile. Then I ebayed most of my Eldar, Dark Eldar, Orks, IG, etc.
So Long And Thanks for All The Fish!
Thanks for all the fun 40k. I've enjoyed your grim-dark for ages but for now, I have other hobbies I want to explore, other games that I find more compelling, and a beautiful daughter that demands my time. I hope to see you again in the future but I make no promises.
Now realistically this really doesn't mean much for the blog. In the past I focused heavily on Fantasy and the recent past I wrote heavily on Infinity. So don't expect many changes here.