ASTRA CHAOS WOLF: 40K Hobby: 40K, Bolt Action and a Cat!

Hobby Progress, The September Edition.

Hmm, been a slow month here on the ACW blog but in the real world lots of things have been getting done though, just not much I wanted to talk about. Personally, I have been pondering the current state of 40K and it's near future. The more I ponder the more I have doubts about it because to my perception 40K as a game has reached a critical mass. The game has changed considerable in just a couple of years and is now bloated with new rules, added complexity, more source books, more models, more formations and the big, shiny gotcha units/formations being introduced all the time. You have to be a danged rules expert just to be competent in a tournament these days with so much information that must be retained. I'm fearful that the entire system is going to collapse upon itself before too long from player fatigue. With such a high learning curve and ever increasingly pricey models, how on earth are new people going to get interested in sticking with this game?

Anyway, I might write an article about my feelings on this mater later, for now check out this insightful article as it pretty much falls into line with how I have been feeling of late about the state of the 40K as a game.

Don't get me wrong here, I still want to play casual 40K games and I still have plans of bi-weekly video battle reports once the game room is done. I'm just worried about the current trends and I have a bad feeling about the future of this venerable game. I do hope that the feeling is unfounded.

The Road to Glory Narrative Campaign

My Summer 40K League was meant to be a casual gamer's event and it was a success, some people still couldn't help being competitive but we know whom those people are in our club and we expect it so we do not hold it against them because we still like them. Heh.

Next up I am planning a casual narrative campaign to kick off in October. Interest in it is good so I am not complaining. It has me thinking that 40K players are wanting casual events, maybe this is the new trend with players because of all the bloated rules/models nonsense going on that I was talking about?

Check out the beginnings of the campaign here.

40K Hobby Progress

On a happier note, Khorne dawgs! I finished up 10 more dawgs for my Redstone Rumble list. From opening the box to finishing all 10 models it took me about a month - that is super fast for me!

Here is the link to the excellent video tutorial for painting these dawgs.

So this is what I saw when taking photos of the flesh hounds.
Emilou: "Meow."
Translation: "Daddy, why are you giving those models more attention than me?"

Pay attention to me!

Bolt Action Hobby Progress

Yes, progress is happening with my American army in Bolt Action. I have the core of my platoon pretty much put together except for the Lieutenant and his attendants.

Let me tell you this, as 40K players we have been spoiled when putting together our infantry models which have only a few parts. These bolt action models have many parts: body, arm options, weapon options, belt accessory parts, backpack options, head options and other accessories. I suppose all these parts is because of historical accuracy, which is a great thing. But sometimes getting those danged arms to fit and glue just right with a weapon can be a real frustrating deal, I had to just walk way a couple of times. Luckily, you get better with it the more models you build.

Personally, I think next year will be a big year for Bolt Action as a game and for my interest in it. Delving into a new hobby is an exciting thing.

Anyone interested in Bolt Action and it's mechanics (it is a lot like 40K but with far, far less clunky rules) check out these Norwegian guys video battle reports at Tabletop Battle and +Tabletopbattle , they will teach you a lot about the game just by watching them play. I enjoy their battle reports so much I decided to support them by becoming a monthly patron.

Please forgive the not so good pics below, I was in a hurry.