40K Funk

++Squeek++
The guilt in the pit of my stomach can only come from not having written anything on this blog for a long, long time. Every time I have thought about it I just couldn't muster the energy. I have to admit it...

I haven't painted anything.
I haven't played anything.
I haven't purchased or read any rules.

I'm in a 40K Funk.

Credit: Despair by Lloyd Morgan on Flick (CC2.0)

I think this started for a particular reason, and continues for one more. Perhaps writing this will be therapy?

Reason 1

The funk was initially caused because there was just too much stuff coming out. I'm all for options, but as a casual 40K player I also want simplicity. With access to only very occasional games, it simply became overwhelming to keep up with the different releases. Not only "Keep up" in terms of purchases - I simply don't have that kind of wealth, but "keep up" with the sheer volume of content coming out and what it means for the game and the rules. 

I play as Tau and Space Marines (Black Templars to be precise) and I just felt that all the different rule books coming out if different formats, and the changes to the force organization in terms of units and formations is over the top. I started to feel this after buying the new Tau books - there were what, 4 of them in two packs?? Then this started to be the base with the different rules for chapters etc.

• Expansions?
• Codexes?
• Supplements?

I'm probably going to pick up a lot of hate for this but it takes up too much headspace for the casual gamer.

Perhaps the recent release of Warhammer 40K: Eternal Crusade will help?

Reason 2

Compounding the funk has surely been the disappointment that is (by most current accounts), the poorly implemented release of WH40K Eternal Crusade. If you were a 40K fan (check!) and a PC gamer (check!) and a shooter/ coop combat fan (check!) then this WAS looking like it would be a dream come true. 

From https://mmos.com/review/warhammer-40000-eternal-crusade 

Sadly, almost all the promised gameplay has failed to materialise so far, and players are left with a sub-par lobby shooter which appears to not only be not much fun, but also looks poor (and performs even worse. Granted, any reviews you read are going to be subjective, and there is a lot of blame out there right now (especially for the publisher, who has pushed this out in a poor state), but if these first few days are anything to go by the player base will be very small and this will probably be shuttered pretty quick, even as a full price game.

In my mind, perhaps unrealistically, I had been hoping for a 40K theme Planetside 2 (which remains one of my favorite games of all time) so the negative reviews have been a real blow (as is the current inability to customize your space marine armour to that of a chapter of your choice other than several presets - so no Black Templars (by SIGISMUND!)

Looks good eh? Apparently not the case...

There is a glimmer of hope though - the devs seem to be working hard to fix the most egregious issues, and they obviously have some love for the source material - but even "glimmer" may be too positive a word. Also, there are plenty of videos of people having a good time as Space Marines, Orcs and Eldar (but even these make me concerned about the long term viability of the game.)

Hopefully I'll get over this soon!