*with apologies to Marcel ProustI've been thinking a lot recently about the way in which my hobby has changed since my return to wargaming and wanted to just empty my brain a little by getting it down.
To set the scene a little, before I originally quit wargaming I was a pure GW gamer - primarily 40k and WHFB, but also Necromunda and a touch of Blood Bowl.
So after college and some of young-adulthood, I ultimately returned to the hobby. I picked up largely where I left off - back on the GW train. To start with it felt comforting but with an added layer of excitement beyond the nostalgia trip that was on my mind when I first returned ("no way, a plastic dreadnought in a starter set?!").
However, it was not to last (looking back the death knell was the push to ever larger games - probably part of why I've gone mostly skirmish now!).
Whilst 40k was quickly dropped, I did return to (the original) Necromunda and also Mordheim and Gorkamorka (that I'd missed out on first time round) and stick with them. But during this time, my eyes were opened to there being something more.
As I think back, I suppose the starting point was coming across Reaper Miniatures and them fitting in pretty easily in the Mordheim Hireling Agency. This was a range of minis that didn't directly belong in any game I owned - but by finding them it cracked open the door that was soon to be blown wide open - I was free from the mindset that many seem to have of GW being the only creator of miniatures, the only home for game systems.
Now, don't get me wrong - I totally understand that GW is the biggest wargaming fish in the pond. And I'm happy for all those that connect with and love their product (honestly). But, simply put, they are not the only company putting out quality product worthy of the wargamer's consideration. Far from it.
From companies with rulesets (with or without their own miniatures lines) to those that make ranges of miniatures to use in whatever system the buyer has the imagination to use them for, there are so many options out there these days. To my mind, it's just a great pity that more people don't seem willing to even give things a go.
The only reason I can think of is if someone is constrained by having to play in an actual Games Workshop store (but seriously, as a young 'un I played games on carpeted living room floors so even that's not insurmountable really). Otherwise at the very least there are companies like Anvil Industry doing interesting things compatible with 40k that are surely worth a dabble to liven up the hobby - like, seriously, if I did Marines I'd be wanting lots of their Ranger Night Vision Goggles and Chain Axes (see, I'm not saying people should abandon 40k!).
Like any good ramble I don't really know where I'm headed with this - I do feel I need to make it clear I'm not saying that I'm somehow 'better' than others for not being GW-only. People playing 40k or AoS or whatever are still engaging in one of the best hobbies on the planet and that's awesome!
I just truly feel that too many people are really missing out on a wealth of gaming and hobby opportunities by not looking beyond yet another release of Space Marines. Go explore; pick up some scenery/basing bits from Fenris Games, or a random mini from Bad Squiddo or Alternative Armies that catches your eye. Who knows what you might see that fires the imagination in the same way as when you first walked past a GW store and saw the cabinets in the window?
I had to get this out of my head and onto (virtual) paper - now I'm off to work on some stuff from 7 different companies for 5 different games. Hobby Life is good!
Love these words mate. I'm in a blood bowl group and so many just seem stuck with "when will GW release treemen" we need to GW to release such and such models. No you don't go and give a 3rd party miniature company a go. I got 3 treemen for £14! Go see the modelling world as it were!
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