To Warhammer or not to Warhammer?

[J.Gellert]

So I got my hands on the issue of White Dwarf that's advertising the latest edition of Warhammer... And I think I've bitten. But I have a few questions for the more experienced among you.

The most important question first... I realize it's probably a hobby for people with lots of spare time and money. Is it only for such people?

Are the armies balanced enough so I can pick one simply based on what looks awesome, without knowing the rules in and out first?

If I end up doing it, does my room absolutely have to look like this (http://www.games-workshop.com/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m1090024a_P4Mb1.jpg)?

Bretonnia or Vampire Counts?

Red pill or blue pill?

Many thanks!

[Astrella]

So I got my hands on the issue of White Dwarf that's advertising the latest edition of Warhammer... And I think I've bitten. But I have a few questions for the more experienced among you.

The most important question first... I realize it's probably a hobby for people with lots of spare time and money. Is it only for such people?

Nope, depending on your local gaming group, they probably don't even require you to have your army painted right from the start. Best to check out if there is a local gaming group, and to have a talk with them.

Do realize that a Warhammer army is a decent investment, but you should be able to get a 2,000 point army collected without having to spend too much. (And if retail fails, you can always head out to ebay.)

Painting takes about as much time as you want it yourself, and luckily, there are lots of tricks to make it go faster.

The average game (this of course depends on point sizes and experience with the rules) takes around 3 hours.


Are the armies balanced enough so I can pick one simply based on what looks awesome, without knowing the rules in and out first?

Not that up with the balance with having stopped a while ago with Warhammer, but you should be able to have fun and perform with any army you chose. I'd do some research into it though, since you don't want to end up with an army you don't enjoy playing. Most armies have rather different play styles.


If I end up doing it, does my room absolutely have to look like this (http://www.games-workshop.com/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m1090024a_P4Mb1.jpg)?

Not really, I don't play Warhammer myself anymore (Warmachine and Malifaux), but I only use a small shoebox to store my painting stuff in, and an instrument coffer to put my minis in. (In foam cutouts.)


Bretonnia or Vampire Counts?

Eh, your choice. They are rather different in playstyle and appearance (obviously :smalltongue: ). But someone else can probably elaborate on this.


Red pill or blue pill?

Blue pill. Ignorance is bliss. :smalltongue:

[Jair Barik]

Ignorance is bliss. :smalltongue:

Haven't you heard a pictures worth a thousand words? :smallbiggrin:

First thing I'd do if I were you would be to find out what the people at your local stores/games clubs actually play.

As an example I have found that on the three main days when my local GW has games going, wednesday sees a mix of fantasy and 40K, saturday is almost exclusively 40K and sunday is largely fantasy. Another GW store I've been too lately though there is very few players (most people paint) and those that do play are exclusively 40k it seems.

So I'd definitely check that people actually play fantasy in your area before buying anything.

As for balance on the whole most armies (if played correctly) are 'good' but if the people in your area are competitive/tournament players you may find some top tier armies walk all over everyone and that unless you use well built lists you will lose everytime. If however the local game scene is more casual then it doesn't matter so much what you play.

Your room doesn't have to end up like that, the guy in the pic is a professional painter working for GW, that is his work station.

Vampire counts were top tier last edition but have taken some hits in the new rules (this is to be expected though as they completely dominated the competitve scene before and needed some nerfing bad). Brettonia may or may not suffer in the new rules (hard to say) and their rule book is antiquated and in need of an update. Cost wise Brettonia would be cheaper as they are a more elite army whereas Vampires can be quite hoardy with their undead (10 skeletons cost £15 and you need to bring more models than you intend to use in case you raise more undead with your magic.

[dsmiles]

"WHFB or 40K?"

That's the real question. Personally, I play 40K. For some reason, WHFB just doesn't "do it" for me.

[Winterwind]

"WHFB or 40K?"

That's the real question. Personally, I play 40K. For some reason, WHBF just doesn't "do it" for me.To counterbalance that, I play both, and I find I'm having consistently a lot more fun with Fantasy. :smallwink:


I think Sirroelivan and Jair Barik pretty much covered all there was to say about the OP's questions, so there isn't really anything left for me to add to that.

[J.Gellert]

Don't get me wrong, 40k is awesome and all, but if I'm doing this it just has to be fantasy. Otherwise it'd be simpler, just make a Necron army. They look easy to paint, too. Does Bretonnia even have a 40k equivalent?

Anyway... I just checked, and there are regural games around here, but the more I read about it the more it looks like serious business.

[Eldan]

Well, loosely, but I've always felt that the closest equivalent Bretonia had were the Space Marines.

Anyway: it's an expensive hobby. But your room doesn't have to look like that, I have a cardboard box with my painting supplies in it and some newspaper to paint on, that's all.

[dsmiles]

...But your room doesn't have to look like that...

It doesn't? Crap...I went through all that trouble for nothing...

Seriously, though, I really only have three official GW Army cases (2 regular and 1 tank), and the big GW/Citadel paint kit. But my minis are all on display (Warhammer and DnD) in glass display cases (the non-40K display is a little over crowded, since I've been painting minis for about 20 years and only recently got into 40K).

[nooblade]

Eh, I spent less than 40 bucks on my mini painting project so far. You could probably spend even less if you want to just try out painting, see what the result is like or what effort is required. I was satisfied to find that my hand can be pretty steady when I want it to, and the results are great IMHO.

The particularly cheap method (dipping) for painting uses acrylic craft paint (2 for 1$ sale on it the other day at some chain store) and dark wood varnish as a final coat (guides didn't suggest actually dipping the mini into the varnish can, but I like the dirty look on these armies). GW representatives might ban you for life for using it on Warhammer stuff, though. :smalltongue:

[Eldan]

... but, but...

You are supposed to pay 4 bucks for a 12ml can of paint!

[dsmiles]

... but, but...

You are supposed to pay 4 bucks for a 12ml can of paint!

Really? Like I'm supposed to pay $8.25 for a couple ounces of sand, when I can get 50 lbs of sand at the Home Depot for $4.99?

Or I can get a can of "wet look"/glossy spray clear coat for less than $6?

Or I can get tubes of acrylic paint at an art store for a couple of bucks and mix my own colors?

Just my take on it. (The GW/Citadel paint kit was a gift.)

[Eldan]

Heh. Sarcasm, of course. I bought my GW paints ages ago, if they ever run out, I'll buy cheaper ones as well.

[dsmiles]

I just honestly can't believe that they sell sand for 8 bucks, you know? Even crafting stores sell it like 3 pounds for 4 bucks. (Personally, I have a 50 lb bag of playground sand in my basement.)

[Eldan]

No idea, I've never used sand before. If I needed any, I'd go dig it up myself, since I need a lot of digging in sandy ground anyway as part of my job.

[ObadiahtheSlim]

If you live near the water like me, you can get it for free :smallbiggrin:

[dsmiles]

No idea, I've never used sand before. If I needed any, I'd go dig it up myself, since I need a lot of digging in sandy ground anyway as part of my job.

What do you do your bases with? (I use sand, then paint it to the color scheme I'm using.)

[Eldan]

Static grass, mostly. Also pretty expensive, but sand doesn't really fit.

[Erloas]

Well in defense of the hobby sand (used in everything from scale architecture displays to model trains to GW) they screen the sand to a very fine and uniform size. It takes a lot of work to get uniform size sand from the beach or home depot, though it can be done and it is cheaper.

And for the paint, the hobby paints are actually made somewhat differently from normal acrylics to give them better durability and a different finish luster. Someone starting out might not notice much difference between a large bottle of really cheap Apple Barrel paints from Walmart vs actual model paints, but with some experience people get to where they swear by certain types of paints, even certain colors in one brand and other colors in another brand. There are at least 2-3 commonly used paint brands that aren't GW that are all good and are cheaper then GW. (Reaper, Vallejo) Vallejo actually has 2 different lines of acrylic paints with different properties.

My take on it is that a bottle of paint, even a small one, can be used on a huge number of models. Personally if I'm going to spend $500 on models and maybe hundreds (at least a few dozen) hours on painting, its not worth it to go really cheap on paints and save maybe $20 with so much time and models at stake.

[Eldan]

Well, if necessary, I can just get a mortar from the lab and grind it down to a finer size.

[dsmiles]

As far as "uniform size" sand, I prefer natural sand that hasn't been screened. It gives it a little more realistic look, as clods of dirt, rocks, and sand aren't really all the same size. (Although I actually have some hobby sand on hand at the moment, it's still not GW at $8.25 for a couple of measly ounces. I got it a a hobby store, that doesn't carry miniatures, for $3.99 for 4 pounds, and bought it before I bought the 50 lb bag at Home Depot.)

In reference to paint, I buy at a local "Art Store." They sell a high-quality acrylic paint (in tubes, but I can't remember the brand and am not at home) that I like much better than GW/Citadel paints, and still turns out cheaper. Though I've never tried Reaper or Vallejo paints. I'm not knocking the GW brand, they've got some nice colors, but I just prefer this brand. I also know some people that swear by oil-based enamels.

@Eldan: Static grass is about as expensive as the hobby sand I bought. You can get a pretty big bag for about $4 to $5 at a hobby store that carries diorama materials.

[Zorg]

If I end up doing it, does my room absolutely have to look like this (http://www.games-workshop.com/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m1090024a_P4Mb1.jpg)?


But your room doesn't have to look like that


Agreed - no hobby room is that neat :smallwink:


It'll be more like this after a while:

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r314/Gotthammer/40k/Room1.jpg

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r314/Gotthammer/40k/Room2.jpg

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r314/Gotthammer/40k/Room3.jpg

All the cupboards and draws are full of kits, sprues, tools and books too.

[ZeltArruin]

If I end up doing it, does my room absolutely have to look like this (http://www.games-workshop.com/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m1090024a_P4Mb1.jpg)?

I wish mine did! All that good lighting and that cool thingy on the wall to keep the dust off of my carefully painted models would be fantastic! And I guess those glass cases are alright, but they don't strike my like everything else in the pic.

[Eldan]

Another vote for the "your room doesn't have to look like that faction:

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/286/cimg0901o.jpg

There's a window on the right side, it's just dark outside. Normally, it's a lot brigther, as you can see in most of my mini photos.

[dsmiles]

@Zorg: Is that your hobby room?

Anyone that reads Stan Nicholls is awesome in my book!

EDIT: Also, my hobby room doesn't look like that, either. It's sorta empty right now, as all of my minis (unpainted ones included) are in my display cases.

[Zorg]

It's my 'office' - you can see GitP on the lappy. I just have to swivel around to access the bookshelf and slide along to do some painting :smallbiggrin:

Not all of that gear is mine though. Most of it is, so moving is going to suck, but some of it's my brothers.

[Klose_the_Sith]

Oooh, look at all you fancy kids nowadays with your workstations and your desks n such.

Back in my day we painted metal miniatures on the floor at the rate of 40 an hour, or we were flogged and hurled into the Eye of Terror. But heaven forbid you were late for dinner, Greater Daemon or no Greater Daemon!

http://i35.tinypic.com/v4cbkh.jpg

Note - those aren't Ultramarines. Nor do they look much like that blue in real life :smalleek:

[dsmiles]

That looks like my workroom, only I don't have a Nerf (TM) brand bolter. This makes me sad.

EDIT: Is that an Army Times I see?

[Klose_the_Sith]

That looks like my workroom, only I don't have a Nerf (TM) brand bolter. This makes me sad.

EDIT: Is that an Army Times I see?

Nah, Geelong Advertiser. I also have a road-map of Britain in that picture.

I live in a completely different place to where those two come from, however.

[dsmiles]

I want to know where you got the Nerf Bolter. That's pure awesomeness drizzled with awesomesauce.

[Klose_the_Sith]

I want to know where you got the Nerf Bolter. That's pure awesomeness drizzled with awesomesauce.

It's just a Nerf Maverick (http://www.slipperybrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/nerf-maverick-pistol.jpg) :smallredface:

I was thinking of painting it to be a bolt pistol, though.

[Jair Barik]

Not to be a party pooper but it seems as though the we are deviating off of the initial topic and most of what is being said now would likely fit better in either the warhammer models thread or one of the WHFB/WH40K threads.

Just saying is all.

[J.Gellert]

So, I was looking at the price of, say, 20 zombies:
UK: 18£ (~22 €)
Germany: 30 €
Here: 66 €

:smalltongue:
That's insane! Maybe I should ask my brother in Deutschland to buy me some next time I see him!

[dsmiles]

You talking about Vampire Counts Zombie Horde?
US: $35

[J.Gellert]

That's the one. And google informs me that 35 $ is ~27 € which is a normal price! I'm looking at online stores that ship here, now :smallredface:

[Klose_the_Sith]

That's the one. And google informs me that 35 $ is ~27 € which is a normal price! I'm looking at online stores that ship here, now :smallredface:

Try this, citizen (http://www.maelstromgames.co.uk/index.php?act=pro&pre=gwk_wfb_vct_cor_201_000&cur=eur)

Yeah :smallcool:

[J.Gellert]

shipping:
worldwide
This item can be sent anywhere in the world.

Airmail First Class FREE


Huh, am I reading that right. Free shipping? That's looking awesome. If that's so, I'll have to start writing down what units I'll be needing...

[Klose_the_Sith]

Huh, am I reading that right. Free shipping? That's looking awesome. If that's so, I'll have to start writing down what units I'll be needing...

Yep. Maelstrom games is particularly wonderful for people like us, where you can start getting items for less than half of their local RRP :smallbiggrin:

[Meta]

Craigslist might be a huge help