With plenty of negativity out there (especially towards GW), here are some ways to be less mad at the Warhammer hobby overall.
Just because you may be upset or even mad with certain parts of the Warhammer hobby (or companies) doesn’t mean you should just quit it altogether. If you’ve been wondering what you should do instead, we’ve got some ideas that will keep you involved and be happier with what’s going on with the hobby in general!
Remember, voting with hobby dollars doesn’t mean a boycott or quitting Warhammer, well unless you see another game you like more. To us it’s more about where you spend your money and energy.
8 Ways to be Less Mad At Games Workshop & Warhammer
The first way will always be, voting with your hobby dollars. This means if you’ve been upset with ways GW has been going about something, or any company really, maybe don’t spend your money on the latest and shiniest new thing from them.
There are hundreds of amazing alternative miniature companies, Patreons, and STLs out there. If you need some help with what companies to look at, click here for our favorite alternative companies to Games Workshop.
These are just some of our favorite, as we said, there are hundreds of them out there! Just be sure to use acceptable alternatives, you don’t really want one-to-one copies if you play on playing in (the few) GW-sponsored events.
So our list above is full of companies who make true alternatives, not one-to-one copies.
Wait for the FOMO to Pass
Waiting is sometimes the best option. Instead of rushing to buy for every new release from Games Workshop, if you hang back a little, you can save money, understand the meta, and not have to worry about everything being out of stock (as much in 2021). While it can be very hard to see those shiny new minis and not jump on the bandwagon right away if you try you may be happier.
Let’s be honest though, if you see a new unit that you really need for your army, you should probably just pick that up. That’s also voting with your hobby dollars- no boycotts here!
How can you save money? Well, most times a lot of people jump on a new faction right when the release drops, then a few months later, the minis are on a pretty big discount on eBay, FB, and basically everywhere. Once the people play the army, they may realize they don’t like it that much.
So while you won’t be the first with the army, your wallet will get the last laugh. Then, you can let the meta settle a little bit, FAQs come out and do more research. While winning isn’t everything it is good to know if a unit is total garbage or not. Plus, if you are a competitive player, you don’t want to spend a ton on certain units only to have them destroyed by an FAQ.
Secondary Market
This one is quite simple, but you can save cash and not directly support companies you don’t agree with. Places like eBay, FB, Barterbucket, etc. There is great value there.
This is just a great way to get the minis you want, just be careful right when an army comes out because that’s when the scalpers come out in droves. Sometimes you do need to treat yourself, however, so maybe just grab one thing from a new release. Something like the new Emperor’s Champion or maybe just Grimaldus. You can’t go totally without new minis all the time!
Learn a New Hobby Skill
While you’re waiting for new minis to come out, why not learn a new skill? Try to pick up airbrushing, there is an insane number of tutorials out there and it really can really up your painting game! Grab a cheaper 3D printer and start making your own minis. Even something as simple as learning a new brush technique is super fun.
Click Here To Get The New First Knight Miniature Bundle!
Basically, instead of investing in new minis, invest in your hobby skills and really learn to love it. There is so much more to the hobby than just playing or grabbing new minis, try to expand your knowledge on all fronts when you’re not buying new minis.
Motivate Yourself by Signing up for a Tournament
A great way to get motivated and your heart back in it is to sign up for a tournament. While you don’t have to sign up for something giant, even signing up for a local tournament can get you really motivated. Not only to play more test games but to paint what units you need as well.
Having a deadline to paint your minis is sometimes the only way to get them done. Tournaments can be really fun (as long as you have a mindset of this is fun, and not, I have to win). If you’ve been feeling in a slump, sometimes adding a little competition to your hobby is the trick.
Plus, if you’re playing an army with an older codex, you’ll be seen as the person who played them before they were popular. Just a little badge of honor for you!
Move to Another Army You Already Have
Let’s be honest, the majority of us have armies sitting around, unloved and unpainted. Instead of hopping on the bandwagon for a new army, go back and paint your backlog. You can fall in love with that old army again and hey, maybe you find you wish you had been playing them all along!
Redo Your Social Feeds for More Positivity
This might be the most important to happy hobbying. If you only interact with the negative posts about things on FB, Insta, etc… that is what you’ll be shown. From what the latest Facebook whistleblower has revealed this is how those platforms keep you engaged longer to sell you more ads.
Meaning you will only fall further into the negativity. So, maybe try to interact more with new mini-posts, painting posts, cute-cat or dog posts, and things like that. After a short time, your feed will be full of positive hobby vibes and make your days that much better.
We’ve had people mention they only see our negative posts (and not the other 10-15 we put out each day), that’s because socials love to show that stuff. But, we post plenty about tutorials, alternative companies, and other great things about the hobby too. So if you interact with more content like that, you’ll soon have a much better experience.
All the Newest GW Model & Rules Previews For 2022
Which of these methods have you tried to be less mad with the Warhammer hobby? Will you be trying any new ones out?
Let us know in the comments of our Facebook Hobby Group, or our new Discord server, and make sure you enter the latest monthly giveaway for FREE today!
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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.
