Master the 40k mental game! Learn to crush tilt, beat decision fatigue, and stay sharp at your next tournament.
Another Long War Two-Fer is here: Keep those hobby muscles strong with this week’s webcast and the latest exciting podcast of table-top wargaming awesomeness, mostly centered around Warhammer 40k.
The Long War: Episode 501
Show Summary:
This week, the crew covers the big rumors swirling about the next edition and the head games in competitive games! Here are the key takeaways, section by section:
- (00:00 to 03:58) Crew opens with hobby chatter and rules news, then veers into edition talk:
- Rumors of the 11th edition sounding like a “middle tier” update, closer to a sweeping PDF refresh than a full index reset, with the hope of winning back veterans who bounced off parts of 10th.
- (07:20 to 12:48) They dig into why some communities and players fell off:
- “Legends” and model invalidation nuking long-built collections, plus the reality that many scenes now require scheduled games instead of walk-in pickups.
- (14:21 to 16:45) Quick comedic break:
- “Would you rather” hobby nightmare choices (spray paint changes your skin color for three days, or craft every brush from your own body hair).
- (17:09 to 31:55) Rapid-fire news roundup:
- Hasbro “Transformers apology tour,” Ghost in the Shell tease from Mantic, Joy Toy Starcraft figures, “Green Stuff” supply going away with alternatives suggested, MyMiniFactory acquiring Thingiverse, GW release notes (Ossiarch Bonereapers), a new AdMech character tease, Total War Warhammer Cathay “Tiger Warriors,” and Warhammer Championships moving the tournament portion to Spain with the narrative staying in Atlanta.
- (32:19 to 33:06) Main topic tees up:
- Tilt, decision fatigue, staying sharp. They define tilt as playing emotionally and “chasing payback instead of points.”
- (33:06 to 37:04) Big point:
- Your tournament goal changes everything. If you traveled and paid real money, losing is one thing, but getting effectively removed from the game early (non-game experiences) is what really triggers tilt.
- (37:23 to 42:57) Tilt triggers they call out:
- Sore winners who complain while crushing you, condescending “pandering” sportsmanship, and breaking table trust (line-of-sight and “gentleman’s agreement” gotchas). They also praise the use of familiar terrain layouts and clear measurement practices to reduce conflict.
- (43:34 to 55:09) Anti-tilt and anti-fatigue toolkit:
- Morning routine (food, hydration, vitamins, bathroom break), plus between-round resets (stretch, fresh air, quiet time, headphones). They recommend creatine as a mental clarity aid and emphasize “know your own rules” and pre-count dice to save clock and brainpower.
- (55:31 to 57:08) Wrap:
- Adepticon is coming up. We hype the huge doubles event and championship belts, then close with a final reminder to take your vitamins.
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- J15 Games Has Your Game Aids, Tokens & Templates!
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