...40k? Was it really just over the Black Templar nerfing/smurfing? I mean seriously Algesan, I know they got the Black Templars now and the Sisters a while back, but the first 40k models you did buy were Necrons and they are doing a pretty good job of kicking arse. They are competitive enough for anyone and still fun to play, so why quit over a little GW raping of fluff and making the Templars compliant?
I've been asked these and similar questions recently. Short answer: No, it isn't the only reason. Instead it is a group of ongoing issues, some with GW, but others with players.
I've been asked these and similar questions recently. Short answer: No, it isn't the only reason. Instead it is a group of ongoing issues, some with GW, but others with players.
If you got this far, you get the longer version:
- Obviously, GW's flat out squatting by smurfing of the Black Templars. Yes, yes, yes (hands wave), one can still be "true" to the BT ethos while dealing with being officially just another compliant Codex: Smurf Marine list. Old saying: If my aunt had balls she would have been my uncle. In fact, if you enjoy playing the colors, I'd recommend against trying to keep to the fluff that is universal outside of the new C:SM book. Play what works.
- A side note to the above, seriously, there are better game systems than either of the WH games and the major thing driving players to stay in comes from the fluff. I find it amusing but sad that GW first makes Black Templars the only loyalist Marines the Sisters are Desperate Allies with (the rest are AoC), despite all the fluff that point more towards the BB side of AoC (although I could agree with not going BB, a marginal case could be made). Then GW pooped out a retcon contrary to all the fluff that BT really like "loyalist" psykers and wish they could have Librarians too which happened to give a good logical reason for the SoB position vs the BT. Finally, upon reading the new C:SM fluff, it actually returns to the previous fluff and makes a stronger case for BT/SoB being BB! WTF, over?
- Yes, the Sister crapdex did play a part in raising my "I quit" level. Sure, to a certain extent there was "improvement" to the Sisters in the crapdex, but just because there are some "improvements" doesn't excuse the wholesale gutting going on elsewhere. Old saying: If it ain't broke, don't fix it. GW has shown a very bad habit, rarely broken, of "fixing" what "ain't broke".
- Now the Necrons, they got a pretty good shake, some quibbles over the fluff, but IMO the fluff got improved by making the previous Necron codex a subset of the entire Necron faction. Only GW had to drop the ball on several issues: Pariahs got squatted for no good or apparent reason; the entire Elite section (forget about the C'tan changes, pretty good idea except it didn't leave the Final Four in place) was a bomb; Destroyers of all sorts got nerfed in the relative manner by being "improved", but less so than other units, plus the turning of models obviously designed as jet bikes and jet bike sized , into "jump infantry"; the Swarm nerf on cover; the Wraith nerf on charging into difficult terrain (they are I 1 even though not affected at all by terrain); etc., etc, etc. The worst part was reading the fluff and seeing the basics for "fear" lists intact...except for not in the rules. Even something as simple as giving Destroyer Lords courts, even with a higher price because of the need to have all the court mounted on a Destroyer skimmer body....errr, jump pack platform.
- Then there are the players who constantly fail basic English reading comprehension (or simply don't actually read the rules) who jump on whatever bandwagon that lifts their skirt on flaky rules (mis)interpretations. In a similar group, those that make snap calls on a potential, but not actual, rules dispute without careful review who then reject all consideration otherwise. Both cases often result in abusable exploits. Unfortunately, I've encountered a number of cases where the appearance of willful misinterpretation to gain or maintain an exploit for favorable abuse by the "interpreter(s)" or their buddies exists. In the interest of disclosure, after I've pointed out the flaws in such (mis)interpretations, I've exploited a few of them myself.
- I'm going to pass over several other areas of player issues that can be lumped together under similar motives to the rules issues above. The only one that deserves special mention was the burble about "slowplay" cheating, which appears to be going away since the counterargument that "fastplay" cheating would be encouraged and certain list builds would be penalized by any sort of actions against "slowplay" which could not clearly differentiate between "slowplay" and a slow playing list made slower by 6th edition.
- The way GW has been using the FAQ system since 6th came out to nerf models, tactics and codices that do not require the purchase of new minis to play successfully. In fact, the entire GW passive aggressive system of nerfing models and units, with the BT special characters being great examples of "buffing", but not enough to cover the point cost or to perform their designed mission.
- The entire GW pricing scheme and blatant ongoing money grab. This is a cut my losses time. Either some of the buzz is correct and GW management is trying to run up the stock price to invite a buyout or it isn't correct and this is the new GW with constant model and codex churn with codex creep happening 5-6 times a year and always accompanied by new models. In the first case, hopefully someone will bite and we can get somebody who will take better care of the IP. In the second case, why stay in a situation where you aren't allowed to hit back? After all, beating the crap out of someone over toy soldiers might make you feel better, but it really isn't the most rational thing to do.
- EDIT: Talk about pricing issues...10 plastic minis for $60 (new WHF DE Witches/SoS kit for $60US or $6/mini), which is more than 10 metal SoB minis ($5.75US/mini). Wasn't plastic supposed to make minis cheaper than metal? ROFLMFAO.
- I do have my Necron bag readily accessible, since I've got a few buddies who still like to play at a house a few times a year and mostly their stuff is dated anyway, but we have fun.
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