Hi everyone, today, I’d like to share a few thoughts and musings on gaming in general together with some old Forgeworld Aeldari kits the Scorpion Grav Tank and Hornet I painted a while back.
Rumours of 11th edition and the 500 Worlds
We’re beginning to hear plenty of rumours about the upcoming 11th edition of 40k and what it might bring. I’m particularly excited about the “500 Worlds.” I feel we often see a lot of content focused on the game, rules, and tournament play. And there’s probably good reason for that. Most of us mini painters enjoy the game, and collecting and painting often leads naturally into gaming, or runs alongside our passion for using our projects in a social setting.
Why rules content dominates the conversation
It’s also much easier to talk about rules and statistics, since these details remain constant for everyone and impact all players equally. For example, it’s far harder to generate interest in a post/article about your uniquely painted homebrew chapter of Space Marines and their epic adventures in a local campaign with friends, than it is to engage in discussion about a universal rule or statistic.
That’s not to say one is better than the other (though clearly narrative is! 😉). It’s simply that it’s easier for gamers to highlight content that resonates with everyone, rather than a bespoke story or rule that only works in a local setting. This is why rules-focused content often feels more accessible and, therefore, more popular.
Playing narrative games whilst getting the rules right
Recently, I’ve been fortunate enough to spend time with Garfy, playing games with our freshly painted minis. Fortunately, we both enjoy narratively driven games. At the same time, we’ve wanted to make sure we get the rules “right.” This is the part I find fascinating: even though we love good stories and cinematic experiences, we’re keen to ensure our games are fair and balanced, so we’ve been quite hesitant to simply “make things up”, even though that might have added another layer of fun.
The balance between homebrew and established systems
Of course, there’s nothing to say we must always play strictly by the rules. In fact, homebrew rules or themes that push a game in a particular direction or story arc have given us some of our best experiences. Still, we’re both drawn to established settings and systems, so it feels natural to approach the game this way.
Do you agree? To rule or not to rule, that is the question! Until next time… keep those brushes moving.
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