Pimpcron: Has a New Edition Made You Quit?

4 Minute Read

Jan 2 2021

Pimpcron got questions, you better got answers.

Well, Happy New Year all you wargamers. I was talking with someone recently and I had noticed he hadn’t played Warhammer in a few months where he used to be a regular player. I asked him why he hadn’t played at the store since the summer and he said that he was taking a break from playing because he didn’t have a new codex. He felt that trying to play any new codices with his 8^th edition codex was not worth it. This is actually the second time I’ve had someone tell me that.

Really?

This type of reasoning really boggles my mind. You will actually stop playing for months on end because you feel that the newer codices have an advantage? Are you so competitive that even the slightest advantage to the other side would make you stop playing all together? Are the new army books so incredibly powerful that they will just shove a broom stick in you and mop the floor?

Pictured: You

Everyone can tell you that the new army books seem powerful, and so far the power level of all books has seemed pretty good. But it really confuses me that a player wouldn’t come to a casual Warhammer meet up with an 8^th edition book knowing that most armies are still using their 8^th edition book. After some thought, the different points of view stem from different needs in the players.

What’s Inside You is What Counts

Like broom sticks. So why would one player willingly play with an out of date codex while another will take months off in waiting or theirs to come? Well, it comes from what each player wants/needs out of the game. A player who enjoying playing and/or comradery is going to keep playing the game because the act of playing or hanging out with friends is what the seek in this hobby. A player who enjoys using their miniatures they spent time on and showing people their paint jobs would still play.

Is it me, or could this replace your broomstick?

It’s only a “play to win” person that would stop playing until their codex drops. Because any other player would enjoy the things already stated and that would incentivize them to keep playing. It seems that I’ve stumbled onto a good litmus test for WAAC players. If they feel that they have any disadvantage at all, they just won’t play. Whereas a normal player who plays for fun instead of winning doesn’t mind playing with and inferior codex.

Some People Quit Altogether

I’ve known other people who quit playing altogether just because of an edition change. This is equally foreign to me. One player in particular completely quit playing when 8^th edition dropped because he hated the new changes. I feel like I could get behind this thinking a little more, but I still feel it is extreme. Let’s be honest, 8^th edition was a BIG change to the rules and it was enough for some people to just throw their hands up and take up the hobby of being a broomstick holster. (I don’t know, trying to fit that in here again. Like a broomstick)

I can definitely sympathize with this thought process a lot more, but I still enjoy the game and community too much not to adapt. That’s what I said about 9^th edition changes. I didn’t feel like adapting, but it all means too much to me to drop the game. Remember when all those Warhammer Fantasy Battles players lit their armies on fire? That was a fun time.

It Comes Down To Value

Even if we aren’t talking about quitting due to edition change, I am always baffled when someone just simply stops playing. Like they can be casual about their participation in this hobby. I know that might sound really zealous, but I guess that’s because I’ve invested so much in this hobby. Let me put it into perspective for a second. This isn’t really a come and go sort of hobby. The sheer amount of effort and time that goes into your models is enough to make this a hobby not suited to transient players. So this is why I say I don’t understand how people can spend so much money, spend so much time, and then just quit willy-nilly.

I just thought that this small instance of someone refraining from play for half a year is a good indicator of their internal workings.

Do You Agree or Not So Much?

Hey! This article is brought to you by my top-tier Patreon supporter Mike Cowley!

Thanks Michael, smooches!

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