Age of Sigmar: What Inspires You To Play?
It’s a simple question – What inspires you to play Warhammer: Age of Sigmar?
Maybe it’s because of the past few years. Or maybe I’m just excited about Arena of Shades and the opportunity to get some new Nighthaunt models to play. But it’s a simple question and I wanted to talk about it. Why do you put the time in to buy, build, paint, and play Warhammer: Age of Sigmar? While it’s simple question, it can be really different for everyone. So here are some things I came up with.
It’s The Lore
Age of Sigmar has a TON of lore. You can get lost for hours poking around at sister-site Lexicanum. Seriously. If you’ve ever gone down that wiki-hole you know that there basically is no bottom. Players of all ranks, from fresh recruits to jaded vets, to grand champion tournament winners have all invested in the lore of the game.
What is it about the Lore that is so intoxicating? Maybe it’s this idea that the Good Guys aren’t all that “Good”. Perhaps it’s because there is so much lore every type of player can find something they can identify/latch on to and run with. Could it be that every time we play we get to craft our own story? Whatever it is, the Lore is a big part of the reason that I enjoy this game and I know I’m not the only one.
The Visuals
No doubt about it, Warhammer: Age of Sigmar has some down right amazing visuals. When a fully painted army is presented on a fantastic display board or when two massive armies are squaring off against each other…visually, this game has IT, whatever “it” is.
Those visuals take a lot of work — and not just from the hobbyists. The designers, sculptors, and studio artists work at making those kits we love to build. They definitely provide that initial spark of inspiration that captures a players attention from a visual perspective. And since I first got hooked on AoS the visuals have only improved.
The Community
I don’t think we can deny that the community around us can make or break your Aos game time. Some folks will drive for hours to get to “game night” and play with little toy soldiers for a bit. Others will fly thousands of miles and spend hundreds of dollars on trips to destinations like Vegas or Chicago or (name your favorite city) to play in major Tournaments. Why? It’s not because they enjoy packing up their army and hoping the airline doesn’t smash their models.
The Warhammer: Age of Sigmar community is really cool to hang around. At the most basic level, everyone at the smallest gaming club or the largest tournament has at least 1 thing in common – they like to play AoS. Finding like-minded people who enjoy the same things as you will keep you coming back for that sense of community over and over again. And there is nothing quite like walking around a massive tournament and seeing hundreds of painted armies and people excited to share them with you.
There is also something to be said for the folks you game with on a regular basis — your friends. They are also part of this community and you might just enjoy hanging out with them, too. The community at large and at home is definitely inspirational.
The Competition
I’ve heard it said that a good competition is a healthy thing. It can force folks to “up their game” and get better. I think this is true in the sports realm for sure. I also think that there is a subset of people in the world that truly enjoy competition — they feed off it. And I have seen a lot of the community of AoS has some of that in their blood, too.
We’re not all WAAC players — we (myself included) enjoy tough, but fair games. And we (again, myself included) know a good deal about the lore. You can enjoy the competition and the still play for fun.
But that itch to win sometimes gets a bit too strong… because we’re people. And people like to win. Competition can be healthy but winning can be downright addictive. Does that desire to “win” keep you coming back to the table?
It’s Definitely the [Blank]
It’s the dice. I just love rolling dice.
Everyone has their own reasons for playing and I could go on – but what are your sources of inspiration? Why do YOU keep coming back to play Warhammer:Age of Sigmar?
