Do these sound familiar? Games Workshop has been following our hobby trends for years, repackaging them, and selling them back to us!
Older hobbyists may remember these tabletop trends from back in the day. You might have heard of “pre-heresy” models or even “true-scale Marines”. Those are just two examples of how GW and Forge World have capitalized on our own hobby trends.
Pre-Heresy Models Turns into Forge World
Pre Heresy Librarian Conversion
Pre-Heresy Salamander Marine Conversion
You may remember the early 2000’s 40k collectible card game that showcased a bunch of older models in its artwork. Hobbyists took a liking to the art and decided to go after old Rhinos, Land Raiders, Space Marine Beaky heads, etc. back from the 1980s. They took these models and converted them to be “pre-heresy.”
After a few years of hobbyists going strong, Forge World stepped in and introduced the Horus Heresy game along with a whole host of bits that mirrored what hobbyists were converting Marines into.
Forge World’s Horus Heresy Salamanders
Obviously, we know that 30k has taken off nicely since its start back in 2011. It’s still growing today! We’re not mad at Forge World for stepping in and bringing us models and rules sets. But we noticed that the whole Horus Heresy may have come about from hobbyists just digging the older look!
True Scale Marines Become Primaris Marines
Standard 40k Marine
Another thing you might remember from back in the day was the “true-scale Marines”. These were Marines that were modded with plastic card to make them seem more “true-to-scale”.
True Scale Marine
There was a whole variety of different ways to modify these. Some people used Terminator legs. Others put plastic card on the shins of the Marine’s legs. And sometimes you’d find plastic card in between the shoulders to make them look more swole. Either way, the end result was a bigger, more accurate looking Marine.
A few years go by and GW rolls out the new Primaris Marines. These are Marines that actually look true-to-scale and honestly have stats that you’d expect from a Marine on the table.
These are just two of the many hobby trends out there started by players that GW and FW decided to pick up and run with.
Can you think of any others? Let us know in the comments of our Facebook Hobby Group.
About the Author: Rob Baer
Rob Baer
Job Title: Managing Editor
Founded Spikey Bits in 2009
Socials: Rob Baer on Facebook and @catdaddymbg on X
About Rob Baer: Founder, Publisher, & Managing Editor of Spikey Bits, the leading tabletop gaming news website focused on the hobby side of wargaming and miniatures.
Rob also co-founded and currently hosts the Long War Podcast, which has over 350 episodes and focuses on tabletop miniatures gaming, specializing in Warhammer 40k. and spent six years writing for Bell of Lost Souls.
Every year, along with his co-hosts, he helps host the Long War 40k Doubles Tournament at Adepticon and the Long War 40k Doubles at Las Vegas Open, which attracts over 350 players from around the world.
Rob has won many Warhammer 40k Tournaments over the years, including multiple first-place finishes in Warhammer 40k Grand Tournaments over the years and even winning 1st place at the Adepticon 40k Team Tournament.
With over 30 years of experience in retail and distribution, Rob knows all the products and exactly which ones are the best. As a member of GAMA (Game Manufacturers Association), he advocates for gaming stores and manufacturers in these difficult times, always looking for the next big thing to feature for the miniatures hobby, helping everyone to provide the value consumers want.
While he’s played every edition of Warhammer 40k and Warhammer Fantasy (since 5th Edition) and has been hobbying on miniatures since the 1980s, Titans of all sizes will always be his favorite! It’s even rumored that his hobby vault rivals the Solemnance Galleries, containing rulebooks filled with lore from editions long past, ancient packs of black-bordered Magic Cards, and models made of both pewter and resin.
