Why do you SG?

[FistusMaximus]

well, i started with 40k in 5th edition, a friend pulled me into it, after i saw some of his 40k models. at first, i was not really aware of SG's existence, because that was already when they were not sold in the stores anymore, just online.

then, one day, browsing the webstore, i thought "wait, what does this tab mean? 'Specialist Games'?"
took a look at it.
BOOM! spaceships! i knew i needed them 

i was lucky, because i pulled a LOAD of BFG models onto my modeling table before it was all shut down (you can see in my WIP log how much it is).
i actually really wanted to start epic too, but as student did NOT have the money  and now that its increasingly hard or expensive to get models, there is absolutely no chance of getting someone to play, so i had to scrap the idea

[jchaos79]

There are alternative 6mm sci fi figures out there, in example: http://www.troublemakergames.co.uk/

hope it helps Fistus Maximus

[Geep]

I agree with JChaos- there's heaps of alternatives out there now. Some better than GW. I'll try and pull together a list for you soon (currently passed midnight here though...).

Edit: Dave's beaten me to it 

[Dave]

This is pretty comprehensive if you want to wade through it:

http://taccmd.tacticalwargames.net/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=13635

[ruiza97]

Bought a White Dwarf for an article on HeroQuest and it had a a Space Marine 2ed battle report.  Never looked back since. 

[Stormwind]

I am just starting Epic again.  Just dug up some objective markers and space marine stuff - the undercoat is drying on them now. =D

If you're patient on eBay you can find some stuff at decent prices - but some things like Eldar superheavies and Revenants never go for good prices. =-<

[Zorcon]

D&D (basic and 1e) to WHFRPG (1e) to WHFB (1e) to WH40K (1e) to SG*

*(Talisman) to Blood Bowl to Space Hulk to Heroquest to Necromunda to BFG to Mordheim.

D&D is listed first because it was my first "hobby" game. Miniatures and tactics were integral to my D&D games way back in the early 80's. We moved to WHFRPG and that was my conduit to FB/40K. I stopped buying rule books at 4e/5e respectively, but occasionally buy new models that interest me.

I don't play many wargames anymore (occasionally with my son), mostly because of lack opportunity and interest within my group. Our primary interest nowadays is RPGs with board games in between. It has come full circle as we are playing 40kRPG and D&D.

[cjbennett22]

Just read through this, found it a nice read.  I think the one thing that is missing is some of us, me included, have an uncontrollable urge to just be different.  Where 40k and FB were the "popular" games so we just couldn't play them.  I was like that.

For me, D&D advanced started me off in 4th or 5th grade and through junior high with a bunch of friends, then magic the gathering but that became WAY too popular.

40K was what was playing everywhere at the day we stopped into the hobby shop and me and my brother split the cost of a large starter box for the game that came with a ruleset (I couldn't tell you the edition) a bunch of templates and some terrain. 2 small tact squads of marines and enough for 2 small elder infantry units.  We were really blown away by the models and their look and we just spent every little dollar we could through highschool on that game.  by the time my brother had a full space marine "army" and I NEARLY had a full orc waaagh! we had lost interest.  in the way way way distant future, they should have something better than a gun to fight combat with American civil war tactics!  and motorcycles?? LOL  we lost interest but thought, we need to finish our armies so we can actually play!!! we were slow to pick up models because of money.

perfect timing for warmaster to come into the scene.  so for the same price as another Nob and a flame boy blister I picked up a chaos starter army and my brother got an empire starter army.  We liked the models enough but most importantly, floored by the rules and the tactics inside the game.  Finally we had formations and flanks and infantry support and Oh, the site of an entire army on the table with flags and banners and the terrain!!!!  not to mention that scale is really quick to paint.

15 years later, its still the terrain and how much MORE you get on the table at the scale, the sight of it all should impress anyone if done up well.  And yes, warmaster has great rules and was never very popular.

I still watch battle reports on youtube of all the FB and 40k games and it certainly has evolved and certainly looks amazing but I have no interest because I never see any tactics, just meet and greet battles to see who loses their biggest hitter first.  Oh and another gripe, ha!  the fact that you can completely gun down an entire mob of slugga boyz but the orc player got to choose the killed stand always irked me.  Oh look, the one guy that stands taller than the rest and has the power claw that could kill us all in one turn and should be in everyones cross hairs is still standing!  every time!!!

done griping, I took a leap of faith in picking up man o'war as well and have fell into a love almost hate relationship with that, despite it's unbalance (dwarf vs. chaos) it has lived up to my dreams with the ships! 

[Darkson]

I played 40K (2nd/3rd ed) and a little WFB (not sure which version) but found I didn't enjoy them as opposed to the games I really looked forward to (Blood Bowl, Necromunda and Mordheim).
I enjoyed (and still enjoy) the evolution of the team/gang/warband, as opposed to the "pick points and fight with that" of the bigger games.  In fact, the most enjoyable games of 40K I ever played were the ones where we had a finite number of troops and heroes, and if they died during a game they might not be available in the future.  Thuis probably the reason we've rarely played any games (of any system) with the special characters, we prefer to build our own "legends", not immortal characters that can be blown up/stomped/melta'd and come back unscathed next week.

Although I've moved away from GW games in the last few years I still come back to BB, Necro and Mordheim, and I still play skirmish games over big battle games (for example, Dreadball, Deadzone and Frostgrave are in, Kings of War is out).