I had the hobby killed for me in 6th, didn't like my six months with 7th, but really jazzed with 8th and 9th.

Whilst I will always have mad respect for 5e, I like the new shortboard format, I like the simplicity of the core rules. I like the new mission format. There's a lot to like across two editions. 

Whilst the bloat eventually becomes less bloaty, when you start playing there's a lot of moving parts. If you're playing SM, you've got to keep track of:

1. Army
2. Chapter Tactic
3. Stratagems
4. Secondaries
5. Warlord Traits
6. Relics
7. Additional rules (Psychic Awakening)

For a new person to the game, it's a lot. Also the fact that your rules are often in separate books. Take space marines before they got their obligatory 9th ed codex. You had a codex supplement, chapter approved, the codex and psychic awakening. That's not including imperial armour if you had forgeworld products.

^ Don't forget combat doctrines that change each turn during a game! I mean it's cool and thematic but yet another thing to keep track of...

 

And to think they did away with universal special rules (or are they back?) because they were "too complex"...

Edited May 21, 20215 yr by Plasman

I forgot about Combat Doctrines. Also remembering that your specific flavour of marines gets a bonus in one of the three phases

It's a lot. I don't notice it as much now because I've played a lot of 9th, but you have to introduce this stuff slowly to beginners or their brain will shut down. It's actually quite interesting when thinking about how Gee-Dub sells space marines, as a beginner friendly army. Because these days, they aren't that unless you ignore half of their rules.

It's again why I am preferring the skirmish level of the game. Huge games are tonnes of fun, but I find only having a few things to keep a track of better for my sleep addled mind. 

I must admit, for me I mostly collect / paint these days.  The rules feel great to me from a fluff perspective, but there's just so much to remember.  After I dropped off the competitive scene, I stopped keeping up with the constant updates.

I've sat down a couple of times to try to purposefully read through and understand the core rules or SM rules and always end up with my brain derailing! 

On 5/27/2021 at 1:47 PM, Krefey said:

I must admit, for me I mostly collect / paint these days.  The rules feel great to me from a fluff perspective, but there's just so much to remember.  After I dropped off the competitive scene, I stopped keeping up with the constant updates.

I think I will eventually find my way back to organised play, but less because I want to win games and more because I want to play more games. That was my rationale when I was first starting out and I think that mentality will keep me safe.

But I really do enjoy the new short board format. Not as many minis on a smaller table is a barrel of fun - I ran a small event over the weekend (1000 points, three rounds) and everyone had a blast.