where’s the warhammer?

Those of you who used to follow this blog under its’ former name, may be wondering, “Where did the Warhammer go?”  The real answer is that I don’t rightly know.  I started playing Warhammer Fantasy Battles about six years ago.  It was my first miniatures game.  I was brought into the miniature wargame fold by @beahealthygeek.  Three or four years ago I picked up Warmachine because of big smashy robots. 

The two games peacefully coexisted for a year or so.  Then Warmachine started to take up more of my painting and gaming time.  Slowly at first, but gaining momentum quickly.  For about the past year and a half, I have not played WHFB or had any desire to.  After pondering this development, I have come op with a few reasons for WHFB’s disappearance from my gaming pantheon:

1. Painting  Even more than playing the games, I love collecting and painting the miniatures.  I will be the first to admit that Games Workshop produces the most beautiful, well engineered and produced minis on the planet.  In comparison, Privateer Press products look to have been produced in someone’s garage.  However, when I paint some Warmachine minis, I only have to paint a few of any given type before I can move on to the next best thing.  The largest unit I have had to paint since starting Warmachine has been 12 members.  A small unit for my elves was 20-30 minis.  I found painting the large units soul crushing.  I avoided painting for long stretches, just because I couldn’t bear to look at the mound of plastic awaiting me.  And no, I couldn’t just speed paint or wash my models.  That’s not my style.
2. Model Count  This sort of overlaps with what I stated above, but it matters when it’s time to play and transport your models.  I hated having to transport mountains of models and then set them all up in their nice little movement trays. 
3. Game Time  A large game of Warmachine can be played in an hour or two if you gab a lot (which I do).  A standard game of WHFB would easily take three hours to play, not including set up and clean up.  Maybe I just have a short attention span, but that was too long.
4. Brain Power  After a game (or two) of Warmachine I feel great.  I’ve had a fantastic time, win or lose.  After one game of WHFB I felt spent.  My brain hurt from following millions of little rules that were often contradictory.  Remembering to hit tables and saving roll numbers.  The enjoyment just wasn’t there.

I want to make it clear that I am not a GW hater.  Yes their stuff is expensive and they continually jigger with the rules so that you have to buy more of it, but that’s just part of the package.  I have simply moved on.  Warhammer and I simply grew apart.  It was an amicable divorce.  Unfortunately, I’m left with boxes of it’s stuff in my basement.  Anyone want to buy a partially painted High Elf Army?