When an Army is Popular..

[BrotherEndcat]

 

 

Call me a hobby hipster snob if you wish but how do you get over that feeling? Do you just pull the trigger anyway? Do you focus on another army? Looking purely for advice to see if I am not alone in this feeling.

 

 

You're not a hobby hipster snob. Hobby hipster snobs would never play an official subfaction.

 

OR they would play Dark Angels purely because of 'emo-marines' memes from the late 90s.

 

 

Thats very true! 

 

I've been playing my orks primarily since DV dropped because of similar reasons, and mine are even DA successors with a wildly different scheme. It comes from being a primarily narrative player and coming across so many mirror matches that I couldn't head cannon around it any more. It's one of the joys of orks, even if I'm up against another deathskull army I don't really even need to come up with a reason for the battle. The other army has stuff.

 

Orks are just wonderful for that because you really can make them so unique compared to so many armies, especially when it comes to converting vehicles and characters. Would love to do a snakebite army or something with Boars replacing warbikes and the like haha! 

 

I know the feeling. Started playing and collecting Imperial Knights. Developed background, names and how they should look like. I collected all FW knights although most of them haven't seen any action.

 

2 months ago a player in our group decided to also start a knights army. He has the loyal 32, a Castellan etc.

The thing what vexes me the most is that he asked me what the rules and points of the Acheron before I knew that he was starting knights. Well, he has an Acheron now too.

This is a guy that played Tau with 3 Riptides, Eldar with those transports that could shoot you from the table, Tau & Eldar, Blood Angels. My hope is that he will change when the Sister Codex drops.

 

I will differenciate myself by not using 32 loyal guardsmen or a Castellan and I'm converting my knights (at least those I haven't build). I'm in it for the story and the beautiful models.

 

Imperial Knights is an interesting one, since the whole loyal 32 and Castellan list has come about I think everyone has jumped on the bangwagon in every FLGS. 

 

Do you have any posts with your converted knights? would love to see some :D

 

I feel quite the opposite, actually. More people playing my same army means more people with which exchange tactics and conversion idea, possibly develop a joint background, and organize campaigns playing as a single faction.The only thing I don't like is when too many players have the same army, it doesn't matter which one it is: the more the general diversity, the better, in my opinion.

 

That is a plus having some people to be your sounding board for ideas and to help each other out, discuss lore etc. Like you say at the end there its just the issue of lack of diversity when lots of people are on the same army train. I think we'll see this especially when sisters actually get released.

[BrotherEndcat]

 

I'm a bit wary of the same thing this year... for a long time I've been the only sisters player in the club (which ever club I've been to!) for the last 10+ years... but with the sisters being released in plastic later this year there will be a number of people who jump on the band wagon!

 

So although I have over 2K of sisters I just know there'll be people going 'oh you should play this way.. you need to add x'.... just like they do with my Craftworlders

Been playing chaos since 1991, 'Retired' when 8th dropped cuz of :cussty rules and bad lore. Recently come out of retirement at the worse time really, now everyones jumped on the chaos bandwagon and Im getting the 'oh you need units x y and z and you need to play your army this way if you want to win' (I cant stand those net list 'I know everything' tourny types).

 

 

Back to OP... Basically no matter what there will be someone with the same army as yours, just make sure yours are painted better, converted better, kill xenos better and everybody else, dont let others poopoo on YOUR hobby. YOU know your a Dark Angel at heart and not some band wagon jumper trynna find the new KOOL. IMHO though go Consecrators, they look badass.

 

 

I brought lots of toilet paper to wipe the poopoo away from my hobby thankyou for the words mate <3 consecrators are pretty badass you are right there!

 

Play what you like, paint it how you like. Life's too short to let others dictate how you hobby.

 

Also play long enough and you might achieve uniqueness by accident. I'm pretty sure I own the only painted army in the colours of The Harvest on the planet.

 

Dragonlover

 

I think you are right, the flavour you naturally develop with your own painting / conversion work does make even a popular army stand out. Cheers bud :)

 

Since you have a large model pool (10k points?!), what about stripping some of it down (strip + re-paint) for a separate 2,000 point army from an unforgiven successor chapter if it is bothering you everyone is mainline Dark Angels. Or what about one of the new unforgiven primaris founding chapters if you want to buy more stuff?  

 

I mention in the first post I had to sell that army in its entirety a few years ago :( We'll have to see what I do from here really, successor might be a way to go

 

With all the people in the hobby it’s hard to have a truly unique army; especially when said army is a top 4 poster boy in the most popular faction in the game!

 

Don’t worry about others and build what you like. You’ll get way more out of it.

 

It is true, with space marines it is hard. Boy I wish I was a bigger ork fan hahah would be so much easier to be unique XD

 

At least there’s a positive with it being Dark Angels instead of say Eldar for example. At least you know no one is going to be thinking “He’s jumped on the easy win bandwagon.” I’d just try tsomething enjoy doing DA as well as you can, try and make yours the best. There’s some fantastic DA terminator conversions out there for inspiration

 

That is true, they arent exactly top tier :P I've been lurking the DA subforum for a while now theres some wicked stuff out there!

[BrotherEndcat]

Space marines are always very popular.

Dark Angels have some very iconic chapter specific units.

They also represent the 'grimdark gothic monk warrior theme' very well.

 

So, everyone (in your local meta) plays Dark Angels.

 

 

BUT they do not play your guys.

 

Your guys have your painscheme and bear your choice of heraldry.

Your guys have your awesome converions.

Your guys bring your choice of units.

Your guys conform to your lore.

 

 

If you're concerned about playing the same army as everyone else, you can always go with a successor chapter or roll your own custom chapter.

Or shelve (don't sell) the DA specific units and run your army as Codex Marines or one of the other chapters (BA/SW/DW) for a while.

 

 

There must be one or more reasons beside "no one else plays this army" that made you start collecting Dark Angels back in the day.

If you can remember what made you choose Dark Angels over all the other factions,

that vision which made you pick this particular faction and none other,

then you will be able to determine what direction to take your army

and make it truly your guys.

 

 

 

Disclaimer: The interests of people tend to change with time. It's perfectly fine to pick up another faction instead. The most important point is to listen to your hearts desire and to not let army popularity influence your opinion.

 

 

* SoB players and others substitute your guys with your gals and replace factions as applicable. Chaos players substitute your guys with your unspeakable horrors oh my god what is that thing take it away and replace factions as applicable.

 

I actually found your comment incredibly inspiring... holy moly. You are 100% they are my army if I collect them. Thank you for the words of wisdom.

 

I collected them because I enjoy the far darker side in lore and aesthetic and Dark Angels fitted the bill perfectly for me. I found many other space marine chapters too gaudy for my tastes where the DA had yes, lots of ornamentation but its all got this very specific theme of THE angel of death and is fitting for the monk image. The mystery and almost anti-hero themes in them drew out more interest too. 

 

In short, they tickle my pickle where other SM armies do not.

 

I think for me it comes down to not necessarily how many are playing my army but why. Im from the midwest where i think we have a higher population of armchair vikings so more space wolves per capita than a lot of areas. I think this in itself is great for reasons other have pointed out. More brothers to bounce ideas off, friendly rivalry to push each other, and teammates are all great things.

 

The part i get salty about it when an update comes out and all of a sudden an army is top tier. Then other players give you that bandwagoner look and grief when you play an army you've had in feast or famine. Thats the bit that bugs me. Granted it only happened when i played a bit of tau pre formations and riptides going into that but it still was frustrating.

 

You are right one thing I've gotten from a lot of posts is looking back to why I collected the DA. Regardless of the eb and flow of meta and codex's they were my passion project. You are right about more brothers to have fun with.

 

It might be the "special snowflake" in me, that speaks now, but I like to play something unique, and to give my playmates an unique gaming experience. And the latter is as important to me, as the former (maybe even more). 

 

Back then when I joined the local gaming group I had an Imperial Guard army. It was my first army, nearly 3000 points, many options and mostly painted (the whole infantry, but the tanks where only primed). I really loved the feeling of the army, and didn't cared if in the end I lost the battle. I tried first with big footslogging blobs of infantry, and when that didn't worked out for me, I changed to a mechanized force with lots of Chimeras and Leman Russes. I really liked the whole regular army feel over the post-humanity of the Astartes. 

But then, as our group grew and some new guys joined the ranks suddenly two new Guard army grew up from nowhere. At first I was honored to give some advices, and welcomed the new blood, but as they started to build something just like my army, I suddenly felt that I have to move on. I thought that there is no room for that many armies of the same flavour in a small environment.

I wanted to change to Grey Knights, but an other guy started to buy stuff for his force, so I went with Space Wolves. You know, there where 5 or 6 SM and CSM armies back then in the group, but nobody had the same list. 

 

Since then many things changed in my (hobby)life, even left the Wolves (sadly...), but I still like to have something, that is unique to me. 

 

Well, I'm now interested in Adeptus Titanicus, and there are only limited resources, and you could easily face a force that is the mirror of yours, and I accept that. But I try to be as unique as possible with the help of the colour schemes and the background of my army. It is a more "historical" gaming environment, and I would want to recreate some of the battles of my favorite timeline.

 

In conclusion, it is great, that you want to be different from the others. We all have the desire to create something, that represents our view and thinking of this game, something that is unique, and recognisable. Either way you go my route, and look for some alternative, or create an alternative from what you have (even "only" with the paintjob). 

 

I think we all have the snowflake genome for something in our lives. 

 

Adeptus Mechanicus is something I never quite got because of the lack of diversity in the models.. but I guess I was looking at it from the wrong angle... its a historical game and those were the forces at play. 

 

Cheers for the words mate.

 

BrotherEndcat I absolutely know how you feel. Thats why I really took my time and picked a successor chapter of the UM that I had never seen represented online but had just enough lore snippets (since Rogue Trader) to make them interesting and mysterious.

 

I have always loved the DA robed veterans. With the DA I have a bigger attraction to the aesthetic than the lore. So I created my own successor of theirs to have a reason to build and paint some robed dudes and use lots of plasma. And I have a little freedom with their lore.

 

If DA are still your true love then consider a cannon successor or even a DIY successor and maybe throw in a small DA detachment to satisfy your itch.

 

PLASMA EVERYWHERE! Yeah I think going successor might be the route just to carve my own narrative and path. Do you have some posts for your models? Would love to see what you've done

 

May I offer an alternative to keep the Dark Angels without changing to another Unforgiven successor? If you want to focus on classic marines, you could set your army in a previous millennium, so that you would have the freedom to create miniatures for your Supreme Grand Master, Deathwing and Ravenwing captains, Chief Librarian etc., giving them their oen names and history, and using them as either counts-as for the current leaders, or try to make their own from a generic captain + relics and warlord traits. It would also allow you to include some variations in the paint scheme or even mix some Heresy-era equipment (although being a First Founding chapter, and specially the I legion, they surely still have plenty of such equipment as of M42). Then again, I think it is the Consecrators that have inherited most of the I legion relics, and still keep the original paint scheme, so they are also a good option to change a bit (plus you might be able to eventually use it for 30K games ).

 

That is something I have not thought off... its a cool angle to take. I have in the past tried to find pieces of lore to make company masters from history and the results are always fun.

 

Will be something I think of, cheers for the words champ   

[BrotherEndcat]

I felt that way about Thousand Sons. I started with the army, and as far as I knew I was the only local player for years. There was a sense of pride to it. But when the new models came out, naturally more players popped up. There was a moment of weakness and I admit to feeling a bit territorial about the army. But it was fleeting and foolish to feel that way. Every army is for everyone to enjoy. 

 

However, I still take pride in the army I built, converted and painted and with the knowledge that there will never be a Thousand Sons army exactly like mine...then that is enough. 

 

There is something very special about Thousand Sons, since there isn't much in the way of themed vehicles and dreadnoughts anymore its so open for conversions and making things your own. Do you have any posts with them in it?

 

I run a Blood Angels successor and a Death Guard warband. Blood Angels are kind of popular in my area, relatively speaking (I play at a small local games store and there's actually someone else who runs Blood Angels) and the same to Death Guard. So I run them special, using custom lore and (opponent willing) the occasional bits of custom rules.

 

Custom lore and extra bits seems to be the way to go really.

 

I don’t particularly care, unless there is competition from other CSM players for splitting a boxed game with a loyalist player (e.g. Shadowspear).

 

I have long been attempting to abandon the notion that anything about my existence is special or unique. With mixed success, but the older I get, the easier it gets. As a youngster, I certainly would avoid popular things because I had this notion that I wouldn’t be as special or interesting for liking them. Harry Potter, for instance. The books came out when I was a teenager (I think, some time around then) and I didn’t end up reading them until my early 20’s at the insistence of my girlfriend (now my wife). I loved them. There’s a reason many people like the series. This can be discussed and debated, but I digress...

 

Just another dude among a sea of dudes, so to speak. Of course there is only one of me in this timeline (that I know of), but I mean to say that I don’t own the things I like, so if other people also like those things... cool! It means I have other people that share my interests and preferences, and clearly we must be better than people who(m?) are interested in and prefer other things! It also increases the likelihood that other people spend money on the products I want to exist, so in a selfish sense it’s in my interest.

 

We just got deep! I think you're special Juggernut don't despair!

 

Seriously though you are right.

 

 

 

Just imagine how I feel as a Death Guard player of almost 20 years.

That's the best part though, being able to bring out all your original metals and plastics from the early 90s when you first started using them - and to keep playing with them!

I replaced all of the models in my army. I hate inconsistency... I do still have most of my old models packed away somewhere. My favorite are the old Plague Marines with Plaguebearer heads from Rogue Trader, I believe.

 

 

This is why if I pull the trigger definitely I'll have to go primaris...I can't stand mixed armies with classic marines and primaris it just looks off lmao.

[Claws and Effect]

Psst, Kromlech has some Marine bodies you might have an interest in.

 

Primaris sized.....in robes.

[Slave to Darkness]

Another thing I noticed, you can usually tell a bandwagon jumper from a true fan by the amount of love that has gone into the army. Those I have met who chase the meta over the years dont really bother much with conversions or actually doing a good paintjob, they literally built their forces straight out the box and slapped on a passable excuse for paint. 

 

Though that might be in my head, because I cant open a box of minis without hacking them up and rebuilding them, to use them straight out the box doesnt appeal to me because I dont want my Tactical/CSM squad to be the same as my mates but just a different shade of paint.

 

There is no correct way to hobby, if you want Dark Angels do Dark Angels, all that matters is Warhammer brings YOU joy, dont worry about other people.

[DuskRaider]

Unfortunately with the new models, conversions are getting a bit trickier to do with the exception of perhaps head and arm swaps. At least for the average gamer. GW is putting a ton of beautiful detail into their new models but it comes at the expense of modularity.

[Slasher956]

Another thing I noticed, you can usually tell a bandwagon jumper from a true fan by the amount of love that has gone into the army. Those I have met who chase the meta over the years dont really bother much with conversions or actually doing a good paintjob, they literally built their forces straight out the box and slapped on a passable excuse for paint. 

 

 

I've highlighted the operative word there.... Usually.... my Sisters army has, I think, 2 conversions in it with over 100 infantry models...and my painting (when I do it) has a lot to be desired :p

[BrotherEndcat]

Psst, Kromlech has some Marine bodies you might have an interest in.

 

Primaris sized.....in robes.

 

I wish I could do that but I go mainly to a GW store, and the manager doesn't like third party stuff understandably but yeah... sucks haha :( would be okay if there were more wargaming clubs near me but my glorified country town home doesn't have any :P

 

Another thing I noticed, you can usually tell a bandwagon jumper from a true fan by the amount of love that has gone into the army. Those I have met who chase the meta over the years dont really bother much with conversions or actually doing a good paintjob, they literally built their forces straight out the box and slapped on a passable excuse for paint. 

 

Though that might be in my head, because I cant open a box of minis without hacking them up and rebuilding them, to use them straight out the box doesnt appeal to me because I dont want my Tactical/CSM squad to be the same as my mates but just a different shade of paint.

 

There is no correct way to hobby, if you want Dark Angels do Dark Angels, all that matters is Warhammer brings YOU joy, dont worry about other people.

 

Effort is directly correlated to passion so you can always tell who loves the hobby or a particular army... even if they arent perfectly painted you can see effort.

 

Unfortunately with the new models, conversions are getting a bit trickier to do with the exception of perhaps head and arm swaps. At least for the average gamer. GW is putting a ton of beautiful detail into their new models but it comes at the expense of modularity.

 

This is something I hope is addressed as some of these newer ranges are expanded that there is more you can do. This new age of less modular models is definitely meaning that converted models are becoming incredibly unique and really stand out since there are loads of people without the experience to do so.

[Trevak Dal]

There is this guy who has Dark Angels in my group that are great looking (conversion and trend more towards Raptor green than Almost Black Green, which I prefer that Camo green look personally).

 

I'd really like to do Dark Angels (or a successor) but I'd really like to use the Vanilla codex, because I don't have a great desire for Deathwing or Ravenwing specialists, the only terminators I'll have are my Tantaros (because they go better with the mk4 b@c Marines and I like their rules)

 

I'd consider doing Astral Claws, because they are awesome and Huron did nothing wrong but probably just use Ultramarines, Salamanders or White Scars rules.

 

If I thought I could paint them compenently, I'd paint "Not Luna Wolves" which has always impressed me.

 

My Primaris are Not Spartan 2s and are Deathwatch because of the Halo 4 opening trailer.

[BitsHammer]

I admit to suffering from popularitis when when it comes to the game andnit's taken me a while to figure out why. And I can basically give a few reasons:

 

1. I hate mirror matches. There is nothing quite as dull (to me) as sitting down my army only to find out I'm playing against that exacy same army. Doubly so if it's any form of tourny and they didn't paint theirs.

 

The biggest reason I hate mirror matches is that it tells me there is only one good way to play the army and that's it. Annd I hate having choices boiled away like that.

 

2. Popular army backlash. Everyons has seen this happen at least once. You have an army you enjoy playing, and have likely played for years only for the faction to get some time being popular and the complaints start rolling in. Worse, people start judging you for playing the army, even if half of it is metal and older than they are.

 

3. Everyone starts tailoring their lists to fight yours. When four or five people (or even just two in smaller groups) in a community are running the same list it's bound to catch some attention. And when that happens the tailoring to take apart your list begins. And that sucks pretty hard.

 

Now, I don't mind others playing "my" faction, but when it's the same exact thing as me I get frustrated and the above comes about.

[Slave to Darkness]

One good thing about mirror matches, if both armies are 100% the same it should (dice rolling aside) show who the better general is. 

[Slave to Darkness]

 

2. Popular army backlash. Everyons has seen this happen at least once. You have an army you enjoy playing, and have likely played for years only for the faction to get some time being popular and the complaints start rolling in. Worse, people start judging you for playing the army, even if half of it is metal and older than they are.

 

 

Yep, Im still running first edition Greater Daemons in my army. :wub:

Also I will continue to do so even though they have increased in size, its still an official GW mini and I aint paying nearly £100 for an over sized piece of :cuss that doesnt look right (looking at you Keeper of Secrets).

[BitsHammer]

One good thing about mirror matches, if both armies are 100% the same it should (dice rolling aside) show who the better general is. 

True, and it can be good if intentional, but if you're playing pick up games and half the armies you can pick from are darn near identical to yours it's not as much fun (to me at least).

[Panzer]

One good thing about mirror matches, if both armies are 100% the same it should (dice rolling aside) show who the better general is. 

 

I'd agree if there wasn't this pesky alpha strike problem we have in 40k.

[Slave to Darkness]

I play mirror matches regularly, arranged. Pick up games being carbon copys would be bloody annoying though. 

[Ahzek451]

 

I felt that way about Thousand Sons. I started with the army, and as far as I knew I was the only local player for years. There was a sense of pride to it. But when the new models came out, naturally more players popped up. There was a moment of weakness and I admit to feeling a bit territorial about the army. But it was fleeting and foolish to feel that way. Every army is for everyone to enjoy. 

 

However, I still take pride in the army I built, converted and painted and with the knowledge that there will never be a Thousand Sons army exactly like mine...then that is enough. 

 

There is something very special about Thousand Sons, since there isn't much in the way of themed vehicles and dreadnoughts anymore its so open for conversions and making things your own. Do you have any posts with them in it?

 

 

 

Yeah I wouldn't mind, years ago I used to post on warseer with pics, but I am embarassed to admit that I am having issues and find it difficult to upload photos here. Once I figure that out, I wouldn't mind sharing. I have my old sons army from years ago, lots of conversions but terrible paint jobs. Over the last few years I have working on my sons 2.0. Which is a complete overhaul and army replacement with new models and ideas. Nearly all my stuff features LED's. 

Edited April 15, 2019 by Ahzek451

[battle captain corpus]

 

 

I felt that way about Thousand Sons. I started with the army, and as far as I knew I was the only local player for years. There was a sense of pride to it. But when the new models came out, naturally more players popped up. There was a moment of weakness and I admit to feeling a bit territorial about the army. But it was fleeting and foolish to feel that way. Every army is for everyone to enjoy. 

 

However, I still take pride in the army I built, converted and painted and with the knowledge that there will never be a Thousand Sons army exactly like mine...then that is enough.

 

 

There is something very special about Thousand Sons, since there isn't much in the way of themed vehicles and dreadnoughts anymore its so open for conversions and making things your own. Do you have any posts with them in it?

Yeah I wouldn't mind, years ago I used to post on warseer with pics, but I am embarassed to admit that I am having issues and find it difficult to upload photos here. Once I figure that out, I wouldn't mind sharing. I have my old sons army from years ago, lots of conversions but terrible paint jobs. Over the last few years I have working on my sons 2.0. Which is a complete overhaul and army replacement with new models and ideas. Nearly all my stuff features LED's.

Hey bud, quick read of this will defo help in the posting pics dilemma :)

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/forum/95-bolter-and-chainsword-101/

 

BCC