If You Couldn't Play, Would You Still Collect?

[Trokair]

As you will no doubt have gathered by now, for most of us the answer is yes. I have at various points not been able to play for extended stretches of time (hello 4th edition are you new?) but I still did some converting and painting. In those years my hobby tends to shift to what models speak to me, do I really want to build/convert/paint. I probably also spend more time delving into the lore and the books at times when actual games are hard to come by.

 

 

I don’t think anybody has mentioned it, but if you want to stay in the hobby but cannot play the physical game have you looked at the computer games? Dawn of War for example, and if you are playing against the computer you can always pause and come back later if needed.  

[Isengrin]

I haven't got a game in since the very early days of the 8th edition and even before that I was more of a sporadic player. If I had to go without ever playing a game again I wouldn't really mind despite the games in my group always being a lot of fun. I just derive much more joy out of converting and painting than playing and it's also not great to have marines like chosen or raptors getting blasted off the table like it's nothing. 

 

It really depends on the reason why you collect and paint your models. If getting them is a means to the end of gaming then it can be tough to justify the purchases. But if the journey of building/converting/painting is its own reward then that's all the reason you need. For me, doing those things is a welcome respite and it gives me a nice short break from the daily stuff.

[chapter master 454]

No.

 

To me, this game is all three elements put together. Building, Painting and Playing. Granted I suck at the middle road (getting there but mountains are never easily climbed) but to me part of this hobby is the playing of the game. Clearly I see a lot of viewpoints that evidence Frater's approaches to the hobby which helps me understand them more however to me, part of this hobby is that to me, this is a game.

 

I relish is trying to "grind my axe" as I like to say against others. It isn't ever me being vicious or mean, never meant to be but I don't like holding back in games as to me that element feels disrespectful, ofcourse there are cases when it is needed for say new players but in general I don't like to pull punches because part of what I do is I like to see how hard what I bring punches. I often find meta-lists boring, meta-decks stale. No life, no flavour or even flourish. To me I want to do something that each game makes my opponent have to ask how or that it can't be right (current favourite: Raven Guard Centurions...though that is becoming old-hat...kind of chomping at the bit for the new codex...new rules to play with). To bring something they don't expect, don't know or think is outright trash.

 

To me, the hobby is the game and vice versa. Immutably woven together. Why have the models to collect dust? I do display my knights but that is because of two reasons: it doubles as storage and I do like seeing them regularly. This mentality spans into card games however that drags up other idiosyncrasies that I will only call "Magpie Syndrome". The fun of building lists drives my motivation for models and models drive my motivation for the game, without the game then to me the models become nought but past and misery made future. They hold their memories but they hurt to never have new ones added...memories that is. I don't get memories from painting or building...I get memories from the game.

 

I am the drastic opposite here it feels. I am that "guy" who just doesn't shut up, who has too much to say. I try to keep myself level and would like to think myself rational. Part of that, is being honest.

[MegaVolt87]

I enjoy wargaming, so I only really hobby on the system I intend to play. Combination of factors meant I only got in a handful of games in 8th with my CSM. Most of my inital collection was just BL I re-furbished. Only reason GW has gotten any money from me is because of the crossover potential with HH and CSM in 40k. I'm in no rush to do primaris, still got my indomni box sitting there waiting for the new necron and SM 9th ed codexes. Poor custodes just sitting there. :(

[Special Officer Doofy]

My vote is no.

 

If I could never play again, I would not be paying for marked up plastic. There's better hobbies for the time and money, some involving painting too. I quit from 2010-2018, didn't want to play anymore so I certainly was not going to give GW my money. Although my reason for quitting was the current rules at that time and GW, not some other outside factor.

 

Your situation doesn't allow for you to play but I'm sure at some point, somehow, if you wanted to, you could play again if something changed. So if you want to play, but can't, I would keep up with the hobby side. But my situation was I could play, but didn't want to, so I quit the hobby all together.

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

If you enjoy modeling and painting I think it could be a good thing to continue. I find painting very relaxing as it takes my mind off of other things. I’m sure eventually you’ll be able to play again. God bless your mom.

[Klod]

Yeah, but not entire squads. I would probably do small dioramas. My focus would shift more towards how the models are posed.
And not stick to a single faction.

 

That is also how I chose my army, and that is what I tell other people when they ask me what faction should they choose. Collect an army that you would love even if you couldn't play with it. Imagine no one would ever know about your hobby and no one would ever see your models. What army would you like the most in that case? Thats your army.

 

Edit: On the other hand, if I could never read another novel, I would most likely quit the hobby.

Edited August 10, 2020 by Klod

[Ascanius]

Pretty much as the title says.

 

I don't play¹ and I do collect, so I guess so.

 

¹ I bought the Indomitus box and so my wife and I might try playing against each other, but who knows if that will be an ongoing thing or not? I'm not expecting it to. She likes playing games more than I do . . .

[Ahistorian]

Yes, but at this point I'm basically painting armies to play Kill Team.

The exact reasoning behind the (too high an) amount I spent on Sisters this year :p

[Colonel_ Logan]

I Last played 40k in around 2006. But i still buy and paint 40k models now, largely exploring different inquisitors and their retinues or favourite Marine Chapters I always wanted to paint (Grief Bringers, Scythes of the Emperor, Blood Angels so far, Crimson Fist and Dark Angel on the painting table). 

[Ahistorian]

Not OP, but feeling much better about my semi-connexion to the hobby seeing all these other testimonials!

[Sothalor]

My collection of Black Library books is significantly larger than my collection of miniatures.

 

My first exposure to the 40K was through the first Dawn of War game. I fell in love with the setting and its gloriously over-the-top gothic science fantasy aesthetic. Grabbed the Eisenhorn omnibus because I wanted to learn more.

 

Down the bloody rabbit hole.

 

I have a ton of the rulebooks, codices, Forge World publications - hell, all of the Horus Heresy black books (Malevolence in paperback  ).

 

I am currently working on the Sanguinius model, have built a Cerastus Knight Castigator, and am contemplating whether to do my Indomitus marines as Carcharodons, Minotaurs, or maybe homebrew some knightly aesthetic Chapter to go alongside my growing interest in HEMA from the last several years.

 

 

And the thing is... I've played like, three tabletop games.

 

Ever.

 

During all of my time engaged with 40K.

 

 

I know, I know. Some of my good fraters here probably just suffered from minor Perils of the Warp rolls.

 

I'm weird.

 

But the thing is - how I engage with the hobby works for me and where I'm at in life. And I've realized I go through seasons of hobby engagement - sometimes I'm all-in, closely tracking every scrap of news and rumors and whatnot. Other times I'm busy or engaged with some other interest - cooking, baking, fountain pens. Life happens. 

 

And that's the thing; this hobby isn't life - but it can help enrich it, in whatever form, whatever level of engagement works for you.

[Fire Golem]

I barely play any of the games I collect, for a few reasons; I’m usually with my partner on weekends as we don’t live together yet, I generally can’t be bothered after work and I’m not good at meeting new people/social anxiety. When I do play it’s usually with my brother or my non-gamer friends but that doesn’t happen very often. It’s something I’m hoping will change going forward though.
 

The trouble is I don’t really enjoy painting either so my hobby is pretty much collecting... I think I’ve got a bit better of late, not buying things just because they’re cool, knowing I probably won’t ever use it. A cool model is still cool whether I own it or not!

[havlar]

Just to repeat what the other have said - of course!

The hobby has multiple facets - on that level I would say it's like working with plastic models. What is there not to like?

[Gongsun Zan]

I've started buying and painting minis since Betrayal at Calth, and I have no plans to stop in the near future. I like painting minis. I like staring at minis that I've painted. 

 

Never played a single game aside from Blackstone Fortress  - between work, chores, and a crippling fear of approaching strangers at a hobby store, I just haven't found the right opportunity to start. 

Edited August 12, 2020 by Gongsun Zan

[Soldier of Dorn]

I would, and I do --  collect, that is. The painting front has been woefully lacking the past few years. We'll see what'll happen in the near future: I've got rather strong hopes for getting back to it here soon.

[ShinyRhino]

I don't play as much as I'd like, since life as a dad and husband is just busy.

But if my time were as restricted as yours, I'd still collect but only models I liked painting. I'd never build an army with units and such, but there's so many small, single models to try out or even small warbands and units.

The pressure to build large, cohesive armies can get stifling for painters.

[A.T.]

Based on the last could of years - yes, but not much. Side projects like my Taghmata mechanicum are not built as fieldable armies, wargear picked for the looks, a lot more focus on scenery, etc.

[Aramis K]

Yup - I don't really play. After I got back into painting I was painting squads, then kill teams, and now just individual sculpts or kitbashes that I like with no plan.

Just wish there was something like Underworlds for 40k, those mini teams are fantastic for painting.

[Indefragable]

Buy/paint the stuff you like. If a model or unit catches your attention, have fun with it. I find the hobbying part more fun when it's "hey, cool model" rather than "I need 3x squads of these to do what I want on the table." 

 

Another idea is to branch out and build/convert/paint up units for other armies. Everyone says with more time and energy they would do Orkz. Well, now's your chance to do even a squad of Boyz and a character or vehicle. Now when I say this I do not mean start taken commissions, but it can be fun to dabble around with some different models and then put them on eBay or sell/trade them to an acquaintance. Any money you get back at all is profit since it's the experience and joy of the hobby that you went in for. Put on a 40k audiobook and just soak up the IP. 

 

This idea will either be really cool or creepy depending on your tastes and your friends, but you could FaceTime with them when they play sometime. Personally, I have a hard time watching a 40min BatRep on YouTube, but hanging out watching two friends play (with a can of choice in hand) is a ton of fun in and of itself. That could make things better or worse, but it could be worth a shot. 

 

This one is a bit silly in some ways, but I had a friend borrow one of my armies to proxy since he wanted to test out a new faction before he committed to it. He used them in like 5 games over 2-3 weeks (clearly plays more than I do). He came over to hand the army back and just sitting there talking about how it went, and what my models did in his setup had a bit of vicarious satisfaction. ..........it's a stretch by any means, but it was an excuse for us to meet up and in its own silly way it scratched a small scrap of that gaming itch. I would not expect anyone to just hand their beloved army over to someone else though, so obviously I trust this guy. 

 

Some on here know my own personal circumstances that arose and I will say that perhaps the best thing you can do is come here to B&C. It might sound weird, but the community here has helped me through my own times and has given me motivation in different ways. Start topics about obscure pieces of lore that grind your goat ("can you believe Rhinos use flathead screws instead of phillips? the OUTRAGE!"), or explore other people's painting logs. 

 

I can certainly empathize with your situation and first and foremost good on you for taking care of your mom and prioritizing her above a hobby. There are too many out there who wouldn't do that. Good for you. 

 

Ian St. Martin had a short story, Better Angels in the Scions of the Emperor anthology. This gives some away, but it might help you as well:

 

A Blood Angel creates sculpture as his way of controlling the Red Thirst and calming himself (something the BA are known to do into the "present" setting). Over the years Sanguinius stops by to check out his work and offer critiques. The "ah ha!" moment comes when Sanguinius says the BA Marine needs to stop creating pieces that he thinks will please Sanguinius, and instead create pieces that will please himself. That the essence of art is not for the pleasure of the observer, but the catharsis of the creator. 

Edited August 12, 2020 by Indefragable

[Brother Lunkhead]

The short of it is, even if you don't have time to play, and collecting, building, and painting still give you a significant level of joy, then it's not a waste of time, or money.

 

It's especially important during times like you're experiencing to find those few moments of happiness when you can. It will keep you healthy and sane. If your 40K minis fit the bill then stay the course. If not, then find something else and don't look back. Good luck and be well

Edited August 12, 2020 by Brother Lunkhead

[Redrandy93]

I no longer play.     No stores near me in Queens plus sons grew up and do not play.    I like to collect and build my UM!    VBG   Some day I will have a partial  UM  First company,  Third Company (5%) done, UM Fourth Company (20%) and Fifth UM Company is 90% done.      I am a very slow painter and my hands are not steady anymore.     I do not  do the high lighting.  I also have a huge collection of UM armor in various stages of built and painted.       Flyers also.   My wife is happy I sold of f almost all my unbuilt IG stuff.    

[Ascanius]

But the thing is - how I engage with the hobby works for me and where I'm at in life. And I've realized I go through seasons of hobby engagement - sometimes I'm all-in, closely tracking every scrap of news and rumors and whatnot. Other times I'm busy or engaged with some other interest - cooking, baking, fountain pens. Life happens.

 

I am not a doctor, and this may be something you're already aware of, but the way you describe this reminds me of myself - and the reason I'm like that is because of ADHD. If it's new to you, might be something worth looking into?

[Ahistorian]

 

But the thing is - how I engage with the hobby works for me and where I'm at in life. And I've realized I go through seasons of hobby engagement - sometimes I'm all-in, closely tracking every scrap of news and rumors and whatnot. Other times I'm busy or engaged with some other interest - cooking, baking, fountain pens. Life happens.

 

I am not a doctor, and this may be something you're already aware of, but the way you describe this reminds me of myself - and the reason I'm like that is because of ADHD. If it's new to you, might be something worth looking into?

 

I'm the same way, but with ASD. It's all a spectrum, so there's a lot of overlap between ostensibly separate diagnoses.

[Brother Sergeant Tiberius]

 

 

 

 

But the thing is - how I engage with the hobby works for me and where I'm at in life. And I've realized I go through seasons of hobby engagement - sometimes I'm all-in, closely tracking every scrap of news and rumors and whatnot. Other times I'm busy or engaged with some other interest - cooking, baking, fountain pens. Life happens.

I am not a doctor, and this may be something you're already aware of, but the way you describe this reminds me of myself - and the reason I'm like that is because of ADHD. If it's new to you, might be something worth looking into?

I'm the same way, but with ASD. It's all a spectrum, so there's a lot of overlap between ostensibly separate diagnoses.

Same here with ASD, most with one have traits/minor parts of the other at least