Why do you play?

[Admiral-Badruck]

it is a way for me to use my mind and have a creative out let... other than that it is a way for me to take a day off of work do something I like to do... I love the modeling aspect... I like the tactical edge...

[Konrad]

I play 40K because it is in between my original childhood pleasures, Legos and Star Wars action figures and my later childhood pleasure, D&D (and Traveler, and Gamma World, AND Space 1889, AND Vampire, AND....). That and I love painting and making stuff.
I enjoy the skirmish level games like Necromunda and Mordhiem. As you play a campaign, your little toy soldiers get a history, they write little stories for themselves you can laugh about. It's not role-playing but something like it.

[asch]

I play miniature games probably because it seems to be one of the best ways to live up to the resolution I made in my high-school days: "Be a life-long hobbyist."

I loved to play D&D and other TRPGs in my high-school and college days. Then I knew about playing TRPG with miniatures and miniature war-gaming (I learned it from "E.T."). But I (and those around me) cannot afford it because it was hard to buy miniatures from foreign dealers in the days before the Internet and it cost even more expensive in Japan than today. It was also a problem that I lived in a very small room in my college days.
After graduating the college, it got harder and harder for my friends and me to regularly get together to play TRPG campaigns. I was wondering what kind of hobby I can keep enjoying while working and earning good money
When I've been to Sapporo to get my job, I came across with those playing Warhammer. I knew now is the time to begin miniature war-gaming.

Now miniature gaming fits very well into my life, giving me a bit of amusement everyday and exciting day-off playing games one or two weekend in a month. I hope this is the case also later in my life.

[me_in_japan]

Now miniature gaming fits very well into my life, giving me a bit of amusement everyday and exciting day-off playing games one or two weekend in a month. I hope this is the case also later in my life.

I think this is a very nice comment. As gamers, we tend to see the down side of the hobby sometimes (cost, addictive qualities, etc.) but really, I think this comment is a perfect summary of why we do it. Thank you, Asch. Well said

[Grim Ironjaw]

I've got two modes.

One is very competitive:
It's almost completely about the strategic element -- finding ways to beat the game, or determining the optimum strategy for winning. If the game contains a building element, even better.
There are certain things I NEED to know,

Blood Bowl -- How DO you skill lizardmen up? Does a +AG saurus help you or hurt you?
Magic -- The MUST have been a way to build a Stuffy Doll (http://magiccards.info/query?q=stuffy+d ... rd&s=cname) deck in Standard that could have surprised all those net decks at tournaments!
Civilization -- how much earlier can I get gunpowder than my neighbors? Can I roll my tanks over your phalanx, please?
Axis & Allies -- just had to know the best opening strategy. Does the UK need to build an industrial complex in India?

The other is social:
Rude banter over a frothy beverage with a smile. I can almost let go of the competitive side.
...almost

[me_in_japan]

^this

and this is why Grim wins most everything he plays at: within months of starting he's a grand master *sigh*

[Admiral-Badruck]

I onece told someone(in a game of Zombie mall) "vote for me Grim is smarter than me and his end game is your distruction"... the guy voted for Grim and sure enough Grim won the game by out witing they guys that did not vote for me... Just when I though a lower IQ was going to help me...

[Grim Ironjaw]

Me? huh, wha? Surely incidents such as you both describe have never occurred...
I just flip a coin and let Our Lady Luck decide my next play.

[Admiral-Badruck]

I don't believe you