Time

Time is a healer they say.

I haven't been feeling "the hobby" since GW ended the 8th edition fantasy world but don't worry this isn't about to go negative -far from it. I guess "not feeling the hobby" is a bad phrase. I don't feel the same about the hobby; which is good considering the hobby I knew isn't here any more.

It taken a long time to realise it too.

I wanted to empty my hobby thoughts out and see if anyone else related to them.

Shrinks reckon there are 5 stages of grief and I actually reckon I've felt them all in my hobby evolution.

Denial and Isolation

I'll start at the end. The end of 8th edition as it were. I've only ever been a tournament gamer for 8th edition and loved the scene. My first tournament was a two day tournament called "Call to War" run by Will Goodwin at the old Maelstrom. I felt immediately accepted onto "the scene" and was even interview in a video by the Bad Dice Podcast. It felt great.

Fast forward several years to the Sheffield Slaughter 2015. Khaine had just been released and the tournament scene was swarmed with Nagash, Malekith and Karl Franz. Despite never really writing the filth lists to ever stand a real chance of winning a tournament I’d started trying to win a best in race award by using to weak armies: Dwarfs, Beastmen, Daemons using pure Khorne etc…In my latest quest to achieve the award, I'd built a horrible dwarf list which it turns out was both incredibly unfun for both me and my opponent. The scene and I were sick. It was terminal.

I was really starting to hate fantasy, hate the tournaments (which in hindsight were down to my wanting to be competitive with Hamstrung lists and the End Times) and I told myself it was GW’s fault.

I eagerly waited for the rumoured savior: “9^th edition”

Anger

I’ve taken them down now but if you saw the first Age of Sigmar game I battle reported, you will laugh, but you’ll also probably understand why AoS was apparently the worst thing ever. My very first game and it was against a truck load of horrible characters with my nice High Elf army. I’ve never recorded a video with more expletives.

I’ve also never had more hits.

There’s a definite correlation!

Bargaining

The need to regain control apparently.

I spent hours researching and trying to support all the comp systems that had sprung up. I desperately needed this game to work, I’d investing thousands into it and I was left with this alien feel. It was so utterly different.

I played games with the Dragon Slayers and they were fun. We were using the MoComp system but ultimately I was forcing myself onto it

Depression

Sounds terribly emo doesn’t it. Depression and wargaming. I mean come on. But looking back I was depressed and it was a collection of things in my life which caused it. But I saw the social scene id enjoyed (nationally) being torn apart and (locally) disintegrated and diluted.

I did what I still think was a good move.

I sold up.

All six armies. Gone. £3k in pocket I bought into other systems to sate my appetite and it was good

Acceptance

So I now find myself in a happy hobby place a year on.

I bought into Warmachine and collect Cygnar. I have this outlet to get my “serious” competitive fix. The scene isn’t the hideous “knife at throat” competitive seriousness it was made out to be on the fantasy scene and I’m really enjoying it.

I suck.

I also bought into Warhammer 40,000 and bought the Eldar Biel-Tan themed army I’d always wanted. I found I could play for fun again at my local club (Steel City Wargaming) and it turns out I really needed to rediscover this side of the hobby.

It accidentally turned out that I’d picked the army that is currently top of the heap and since my other army gathering dust in the basement was Necrons (the other twats of 40k), I quickly invested in an Imperial Guard army. They suck pretty bad – which means I have hugely enjoyable games.

I’ve also visited Warhammer World numerous times and their exhibition centre not only cost me that Imperial Guard army but a second Eldar army – this time Iyanden themed.

I’m playing in 40k tournaments now but not with any serious lust for victory – being a new Dad just means that if I DO actually get permission to play wargames for a day, I’m going to get a tournament in a get 3-4 games in one day whilst I can.

As for Ninth age/AoS, I’m happy and in a good place. The Slayers still have me wanting some round base fantasy and I started a slow grow for ninth but I think that’s a post for another time…

So you will see blog posts from me on Warmachine,40k, Fantasy...