The tabletop version of Warhammer, that is. It’s the same reason I don’t play WarMachine.
Have you seen those models? Or this sort of thing? Or the multiple rule books? (At least WarMachine is all in one book…) Or what some players do with the models?
That’s just… way too expensive and getting everything ready is way too time consuming. That said, I could, of course, drop all of my other gaming and goofing off, choosing instead to focus on one of these. That might work. Of course, it could be hard to find someone to play against, but I could drive for a while to a game shop and make do. (I still think there’s money to be made doing an online version of the “real” Warhammer, like MTG Online… but way better.)
Still, the real, deep down reason I don’t play? I’d want to make my own miniatures and terrain, all the way from sculpting to painting… and probably devise my own rules… especially if I were to really dig into the Steampunky WarMachine. I’m an artist; it’s an occupational hazard. I’d get so lost in the game and doing it my way that I’d not have time to do the other things I want to. Like sleep. Though, if I could make a living at it, say, by selling my miniatures through these guys, it might be a viable option…
…so yeah, they look like pretty awesome games, from what research I’ve done. I’d probably get sucked into them like I almost got sucked into BattleTech years ago. I’m happy the games exist, I just… don’t have enough time in this life to do everything. Alas.
Tish Tosh Tesh 
I spent a good four or five years playing WH40k, and a good few thousand dollars in the process. Plus way too much time modeling/painting.
I really loved the game, but the costs are just too steep for my lifestyle now. (And it’s not helped by the constantly shifting rules that are designed to keep you spending more money as units are obsoleted & added.)
WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
That’s you and the slippery slope of miniature gaming! 😀
I never got into WH40K until the Dawn of War series came out, because I couldn’t paint a miniature well to save my life.
I just read the novels and played the computer games of BattleTech. Tabletop requires some dedicated buddies playing as well, add painting and stuff to that and you are quickly alone.
Ysh, *exactly*. 🙂
I used to paint models when I was a teenager although I never played the game. Funnily enough though, I find myself quite keen to get back into it. I think the act of painting is quite relaxing and, no doubt, a whole lot better for me than sitting in front a computer playing virtual games all day.
The big problems I have are the expense and the fact that I have no one to play with. They are huge barriers are hard to justify for me getting back into the hobby.
I felt the same as “We Fly Spitfires”. While at Uni, I really got into painting miniatures – mostly Warhammer Fantasy … but I had no interest in playing the game. It’s sort of strange how starting at a 30mm model under a strong light for hours on end is relaxing.
Thanks for the link too, made my day.
🙂 Any time, LP. I love showing off awesome art.
This is pretty sweet, too:
http://6inchmove.wordpress.com/2010/08/26/tyranid-swarm-hive-fleet-gribblin-arrives/
One of the things that people bring up about the hobby is it’s expense, but if you limit yourself to a single game, or maybe two compare it to other hobbys are you are not looking at that great an expense. If you’re a PC gamer you are probably spending anywhere between £500-£1000 for a PC and replacing it every 3-5 years. A playable Warhammer army comes in at under half that lower figure (depending on the army). You play a musical instrument, a drumkit will cost around the same as that PC, electrics guitars with a decent amp can cost way more than the higher figure. If you play a skirmish game like Warmachine rather than Warhammer you end up spending less because you need fewer models to start with. OK the paints and things still need to be bought but they last a while and will be used across whatever you buy. So while I can see that the prices initially can look very high, but compared to other hobbies it’s not actually all that bad.
Thanks for the numbers, Zombie! I did wonder about how much a playable army would cost; I’ve just looked at the individual bubble packs in my local game store. I’ll agree that you could make it comparable to other hobbies. I just can’t layer it on top of my existing ones. If I were substituting, yeah, I think it would definitely balance out.
I probably wouldn’t get a whole army or three out of the gates, I’d build up, but I suspect I could keep it reasonably within my game-buying budget (Steam sales and used games) easily enough. Also, as an artist, I already have paints I can use, so at least I’m ahead of the curve that way. 😉
I can see your argument, miniatures gaming also tends to become more of an obsession than a hobby anyway (at least in the majority of cases I know). If it’s your main hobby then you’re good, but as you say, if there are other things you spend time doing then it can soon add up.
Yeah, it’s no so much that I have any sort of dislike at all for the game, it’s just that I have to budget my time and money, and I can’t let myself go down that (likely fun) slippery slope. 🙂