If I Was Starting WARGAMING in 2024

[@dirtygranny5504]

OPR have recently made all of their paper mini army bundles free for all. What a great way to get people into this hobby.

[@MrBanditoRazor]

Which is an amazing move from the guy who made the best ruleset

[@nomorecontinues6564]

Yep the paper minis are a great easy way to try minis gaming, as long as you have a way to print them!

[@SomeGuyAsWell]

There are a lot of options for paper minis and terrain too. Free ones are kinda scattered online but paid content is available on places like wargamevault. The things available can be for all sorts of themes or rulesets.

[@printandplaygamer7134]

Printable cardstock miniatures are a great way to inexpensively explore the hobby. If the OPR miniatures aren't to your taste, or you need figures they don't offer, there are several other excellent artists creating printable minis on both DriveThruRPG and Patreon.

[@kevinjhubert]

I'm trying to push as many people to OPR as possible. I'm in love with it, just need to recruit people to play with you!

[@andystocking5316]

My bit of advice to a newbiew looking to get into wargames is to ask around the local game shops to find out what is being played. You can watch vidoes online about a cool game, buy, build, and paint an army only to find nobody nearby plays it. Which you can maybe fix by being a game ambassador, but is an extra barrier to entry that a new player probably isn't up to.

[@larryirish9498]

An *excellent* point.

[@mikebaker6804]

Buy 2 armies and recruit players

[@Yashu1105]

​@@mikebaker6804 or make your own players aka kids

[@3Xero3]

Not to mention, is it also being supported? GW especially is super guilty of putting out a lot of hype around new releases, and many people might buy in. They may soon quit after finding everything is almost always sold out till the items just quietly disappear from the website.

[@direden]

​@3Xero3 GW is great at making aspiring gamers. People who buy a bunch, plan a bunch, maybe even paint a bit... but never play 😔

[@LockedInluke]

My wife and I recently got a 3d resin printer and didn't know about one-page rules. Both the rule sets and models seem like a great start for us! thank you for highlighting this!

[@STSGingie]

Battletech is an incredibly scalable game from 1 on 1 duels to Interstellar campaigns The rules have more or less state the same since the 80s. And the learning curve is not too steep as the rules themselves are scalable. While catalyst game labs does make and sell plastic miniatures metal miniatures are also available. But the best thing about the game is that you don't need miniatures at all if you don't have any.

[@Asytra]

To bounce off of this, there's also Alpha Strike. It uses the same minis as BATTLETECH but is intended for larger scale battles so the rules are more streamlined.

[@Ar0474]

I absolutely love Battletech and have been considering getting into the wargame after buying a couple books from DriveThruRPG on the RPG system!

[@amberyooper]

I just saw new Battletech minis boxed sets at a local convention today, the vendor had 5 different sets with him. They're not painted, but you certainly can play the game with them that way if you decide to get involved. It surprised me because I remember Battletech from the late 1980s and I didn't know they were still going. I actually still have an old rule book from back then.

[@Ont525]

In 2024, I would go straight to Battletech.

[@shifflettartstudios2335]

Battletech is still around? I apologize for my ignorance. I haven't gotten into actual table top wargamming yet. mostly novels and video games and honestly it was seeming like Battletech was about dead. I used to love that property and now Warhammer has replaced it, at least for lore and characters.

[@AskDoctorBear]

Best advice I can give, though it may be obvious to us already in the hobby, is to see what games your friends would recommend! Any game where you already have a playgroup willing to help you get in to it will be a smoother on-ramp than solo

[@AndrewMcColl]

Especially if they can run you through a couple of games before you buy any models. Just because lots of people play it, doesn't mean you'll enjoy it.

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

Best advice I could give: steer clear of 40K/Warhammer. What many players won’t tell you is that it’s a deeply unsatisfying game. So many better systems out there!

[@iankirkland8245]

@@sirrathersplendid4825 This on its face is not especially good advice to someone brand new to war gaming. Largely because everyone has their own tastes. many new people might be fine with the idiosyncrasies and pit falls of games workshop games (they should absolutely be warned about them before they cannon ball into it). and as others discussed, if they don't have other friends to try out games with and and GW games are the only ones being played locally except on rare occasion, then maybe it is the what they should steer to until they get enough experience and contacts to be able to bonce to a different option.

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

@@iankirkland8245 - Well sure, the priority should always be play what your friends are willing to play. No point turning up to a store or club to find that no one wants to play with you! I wonder, though, how many people get put off by the ridiculous stupidity and overcomplexity of Warhammer? They spend three months painting up figures and the first time they’re deploy them on the table they don’t survive long enough even to return fire! How much more satisfying to play a rules system that is simple, actually works and is fun?

[@terrencemiltner1005]

One advantage to having a cold is I'm awake when the new video dropped. Maybe a follow up video about where to find people to play these indie games.

[@Half_a_bosco]

I just dont have a healthy sleep schedule

[@leesweeney8879]

To get others to play, you need 2 or 3 forces and champion the game.@@Half_a_bosco

[@tabletopminions]

You build two forces (skirmish games are easier for this, or course) and then convince friends, family, or whomever to try it out with you. Thanks for watching!

[@funwithmadness]

@@tabletopminions Ha! "Convince" them to play. I see what you did there. ;)

[@printandplaygamer7134]

@@tabletopminions And the easiest and cheapest way to try them out is to make two forces using the printable 2D miniatures from OnePageRules, which are apparently now free, and made specifically to be used to represent the factions in the OPR games--although you could use them to play other games as well, of course.

[@CirWot]

Great video as always. As the resident middle aged gamer, I'm obliged to mention that Bolt Action from Warlord Games has excellent rules and a good value starter set. Also for historical skirmish games, companies such as Grey for Now games have great value starter sets with some of the best rulesets around. Both are also easy to play, and if you want 'lore' there's always history books, YT history videos and museums too!

[@oldachm]

Bolt Action is awesome, 40k looked expensive, and I like the historical aspect. They will be releasing the 3rd edition of rule book soon - the 2nd came out in 2015 maybe, so the meta doesn't change every month and they won't nerf your expensive army so you have to buy more 😅

[@robcooper2240]

I could not have thought of a better more inclusive video. Great job! I might suggest part 2: Where to start with terrain/battle mats.

[@YeAuldGrump]

One thing to add on the $5 rulebooks from OPR - the $5 tier of their Patreon gets you all of the main games for the same price, including the updates when they change the rules. Plus they have an early release for their paper minis as well as scenarios for their main games. (Their most recent scenarios included one where the two opposing forces are protecting each other - I am working that one into a narrative campaign.) That said, if you DO have a 3D printer, their $10 tier is insanely good.

[@encryptedprinter3289]

I'm 40 and just getting into wargaming. While I've been on the periphery for a while (all the 40k videogames and books) I was never in a position to actually buy in as the models were crazy expensive and all the supplies to paint them / etc even more so. Plus I lacked a friend group that was interested in that sort of thing. 3d Printing has changed that for me. The hobby is finally within my price range and I love it. I found a local game shop that is friendly to OPR / 3d printed stuff and suddenly I have a reason to buy paints and brushes. It feels fantastic to finally be able to get into wargaming proper.

[@RoastLambShanks]

When I was a kid, a citadel miniature would cost £1.50 (maybe 99p, cant remember, so long ago) or something like that. I would walk down to the local toy shop each week and buy one miniature with my pocket money. I think the prices today are a disgrace, they're not even metal anymore.

[@StormcastMarine]

@@RoastLambShanks £1.50 in 1980 is worth £8.06 today. A box of 10 infiltrators today is £37.50, £3.75 each. And thank F they are not metal anymore.

[@harrylane4]

@@StormcastMarine you’re forgetting the more important issue than inflation: wages in the US and UK have stagnated (moreso in the US). The dollar and pound are worth 8X less, but people are not making more to counterbalance that. People literally don’t have the money they used to have. It’s despicable what GW is doing.

[@boostandflow4603]

Are you printing the models yourself?

[@peterdickinson4599]

I would have to include Mantic's Deadzone Starter Boxes as the perfect, value for money, place to start if a SciFi setting/game is what you're looking for. Great gameplay and no measuring tape required.

[@basstedson]

Seconded, deadzone is really easy to learn and the grid positioning system makes for well paced exciting games. In fact, every mantic game I have played so far has been excellently paced and exciting.

[@peterdickinson4599]

@@basstedson Yes. I'm backing their Epic-Scale Warpath Kickstarter that's running at the moment, purely because I trust Mantic games to be good fun.

[@ronnielaw9318]

I have three tips. First, be goal oriented and start with small goals. It's a big hobby and not all aspects of it appeal to people the same. Find what you like and do that. Second, if your goal is to learn to paint, get a kit that is a basic squad of dudes. It's gonna be your garbage squad. Seriously, you're never gonna use them to game, they're for testing and learning how to play with the paint. Eat the cost, now you're painting with house money. I want to stress that word though so I'll say it again. Learn how to PLAY with the paint. You're doing it for fun, so have fun. It will be SOOOOO much easier to paint when you've figured out what the capabilities of the paint are. It's not JUST about your own talent, it's about what the paints can physically do as well. You want to find that out sooner rather than later. This leads directly into... Tip three, learn how to strip a model. You're going to mess up. You're going to be unhappy with a paint job. You're going to want to start over. Way better to get that out of the way up front than halfway through a project and decide to learn then. Or worse, to never learn and saddle yourself with being unable to fix a mistake or start over.

[@eKaiju]

Start small is definitely the best piece of advice one can get. It’s going to be overwhelming otherwise.

[@Salic1231]

Buying a board game like zombicide is a great way to get a large quantity of higher quality minis to practice painting. The price per mini is excellent and the box is easy to obtain with no assembly

[@Brandedwolf]

Thanks for this! Really been loving all the info I've found online since coming back to the hobby. I appreciate that your channel isn't just about painting/making minis, but also being inspired to work on things and ways to get into the hobby at a good pace. Been trying to take your advice of not buying tons of minis and resisting the urge to Necron all over the place lol. But I have spent a decent amount on paints (curse you army painter speed paints and certain technical paints from Citadel and AK terrain paints for being so fun) and some tools (but feel at least those are good long-term investments) as well as some DnD minis to practice and get better with (found a sweet box on Amazon with 36 various DnD type minis for $30). Definitely going to hit up the stuff you talked about here! Thanks again Atom :)

[@SomeDudeOnYouTube]

Have you talked about standees? There's games where you can use standees before committing to big plastic spending. Like the Multi-Award-Winning game Moonstone. Some games even go as far as flat tokens! (Side note it's a like colourful sparkle if I hit like)

[@KelstenGamingUK]

I liked your Innsmouth U shirt so much I tracked it down and bought one for myself. And then I also treated myself to a lovely Pa-Chow! shirt because how could I not?

[@HuntTheMachine]

where did you find the shirt?

[@bishop2k7]

Osprey's series of wargaming rules is also a great place to start as well. They tend to be more historical focused, but there are sci-fi and fantasy rules as well. Xeno Rampant is a great, easy to play rule set for sci-fi and lets you port whatever figures you have into the system.

[@stevenray8737]

Agreed. Frostgrave and Horizon Wars got me back into the hobby in 2017 and still playing them.

[@dariuswilson4930]

Absolutely, Lion Rampant is great fun. I'm looking forward to trying Xenos Rapant soon.

[@jefferyzimmerman6892]

If I was getting into wargaming today, I'd tell myself to stick with Historicals. You don't have a figure limitation by manufacturer.

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

Historical rule sets have been in development for over 60 years, so they tend to produce a far more satisfying game than, say, 40K, which as a rule set is not driven by the player base but by a corporation that uses it to suck money from its punters.

[@georgemasonsghost4062]

For sure. Went back to historicals after 15 years playing 40K and later, AOS with my kid. Figures are typically a fraction of the cost of GW. A lot of the Victrix line is literally an army in a box for a lot of rulesets. Average ~$40 US.

[@jameshill8493]

What would you recommend?

[@jefferyzimmerman6892]

@@jameshill8493 what history period do you like best?

[@jameshill8493]

@@jefferyzimmerman6892 bro are there cool Rome ones!?

[@jajen2003]

Adam, sir. You forgot to mention Middle-Earth Strategy Battle Game. GW's actual best rule set ;) Maybe not, but still, it is a great option for people who love the LOTR and Hobbit franchise, both books and movies and want to bring that experience to the table top. GW has made a great gaming system that is easy to learn, hard to master and plays well in both small scale skirmish style encounters as well as massive battles. One rule book to rule them all. Additionally, MESBG offers really great game play with the best terrain rules in wargaming IMO. Full disclosure, a lot of the GW sculpts are hard to find or often out of stock. But as you mentioned, 3D printing is alive and well. "And the Printing Goes Ever On" has a great collection of Middle-Earth inspired models that fit nicely into the existing model lineup. I know you like skirmish games. If you haven't explored MESBG, and for you, I'd say Battle Companies would be a great place to start. Maybe even do a video on what you think of the game? Thank you again for all your great content. :D

[@chrisbatchelor3759]

I picked up all the books for Killteam 2018 for £10 off ebay, some I might not use as much as others but it's now a full self-enclosed game which isn't going to be messed about with balance pat patches etc and I can use random assortments of cool 40k or 40k proxy miniatures that I may have picked up because they're cool or maybe 3d print.

[@stevenray8737]

I miss that edition and wish they applied it's approach to Combat Patrol, where only sensible units could be taken for smaller games. Its also annoying that despite launching in 2021, we've only recently got Banshees for the current edition...

[@chrisbatchelor3759]

I just don't fancy modern killteam at all, it seems far too set in stone that you essentially just take a squad. I like warband creation so the older killteam format suits me far far more! If I want a devastator providing covering fire whilst a Terminator leads some assault marines into combat I should be able to do it.

[@proft7211]

Yes please keep up the every friday videos! I LOVE these!

[@charlesc1583]

I am getting away from WM40k/WHF I have not played in a long time BUT the OPR sounds like a way I can use my old armies. Keep up the good work you do Sir.

[@travelminipainter]

Spot on! Particularly the non GW parts. Good stuff as always.

[@joesturn7740]

I think a cool follow up video would be "what kind of gamer will you be?" Now that you've got some models and you've played a game how will you interact with the hobby? Will you be a tournament player? A pick-up game player? A narrative player? What scale will you play in regards to warband size or in regards to physical figure scale? What do these terms mean? What games fit well into these categories?

[@srchubz]

appreciated this video. wasn't aware of Only-Games, that's huge.

[@earnestwanderer2471]

My advice for people thinking about getting into this hobby? DON’T! For god’s sake, save your money, invest wisely, retire early! I’m 66 and working a part time job to support my addiction to tiny plastic soldiers. It’s too late for me, but you can still save yourself! When you see that Warhammer sign... turn and run. That way leads to financial ruin!

[@danacoleman4007]

YES!!!! This is correct.

[@W1DO]

​@danacoleman4007 I had a holiday from wargaming where I played once a year and painted for a few weeks before it. Then a holiday when WHFB was Squatted (when GW kill something then bring it back cos they realise your wallet closed). Now I have got my kids into Necromunda and I'm planning on playing some Linehammer vs Dragonhammer. I know you were probably mostly kidding, but wargaming is fun as long as you have the ability to stop playing and do other stuff. My key advice is "Don't let wargaming be your ONLY hobby".

[@danacoleman4007]

@@W1DO I wasn't kidding. I completely agree with the original poster. It's nice that you've had a good experience, though.

[@Cafaldoscannabis]

Or or..... maybe you could develop self control at a reasonable age and get financially stable for your situations and then you'd have no issues with the passions you have.... but I could be wrong too.. 🙃

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

You don’t have to buy Warhammer to be a wargamer. There are dozens of cheaper options out there. I’ve been a wargamer my entire long life and never bought a single GW model! Buy second hand; go to thrift stores; play historical and skirmish games!

[@benjaminsawyer8602]

I’m getting back into warmachines with my buddy after a 4 year break. I’m right back to watching your videos, thank you for the content

[@thathairyguy]

I think painting puts me off quite a lot with having a family now and other various adult responsibility things that sap my time. I love tabletop so find myself drawn to ready made painted games. Got very into x-wing and attack wing for that reason. Simply set up and play. Love your videos man, thank you for the insights - some very useful stuff here, as always.

[@wylde_hunter]

Thanks for all the great tips!

[@edwardblacklock2446]

Space Wierdos is the best. A fantastic rules light skirmish game with enough tactical depth to keep things interesting. It is model agnostic too so you can use whatever models you like. It has a great warband builder online and best of all it cost $5 on wargame vault. 5 stars

[@DannyEastes]

I really can't wait to give it a try sometime, there's even a handy warband builder tool online

[@Arcterran]

Second space weirdos, it's fantastic!

[@darklingeraeld-ridge7946]

Go straight for two most fun, accessible versions of historical wargaming out there - What A Cowboy & What A Tanker, by Two Fat Lardies, using 28mm mins from a variety of sources

[@AaronWilbers]

The Lardies are great. Flames of War 15mm tanks are great for Tanker. And if you want a great WW2 platoon level rule set check out Chain of Command. A much better club/casual ruleset than Bolt Action.

[@PatGilliland]

#spreadthelard

[@danitenotes]

I play all of their rulesets in 15mm and they are some of the best rulesets!

[@darklingeraeld-ridge7946]

@@danitenotes Yes, they’re great - none other so subtle and inventive without being too mechanical, too tricksy. I just like 28s myself, the painting of them, and the way they count as individuals somehow, especially for skirmish games. I only mentioned those two sets ‘cos they are such fun, I think they would encourage beginners, and C of C is really quite a deep dive. Am thankful that I began in the era of Don Featherstone and Charles Grant, ideal to begin with, but now we have all these wonders of rules, and mins …..

[@danitenotes]

@@darklingeraeld-ridge7946 love it. I'm just getting into What a Tanker and I'm excited.

[@DenWarrenMusic]

This was great. I can see where a gameshop could own some 3d printers and print out units to a couple of miniatures systems, whatever is popular, and run events for it.

[@perkinsdearborn4693]

You covered this topic well. Start small, play often, grow your collection with the energy and excitement that you get from being with friends at the table. Thx!

[@jamesaskins9547]

Great video, really appreciate the good work your doing to bring people to the table (literally). Personally, despite being a 40k fan boy since '87, I tend to direct people away from GW to start, simply because its the most expensive way to get into wargames and that puts them off once the initial hook buzz wears off. Mantic, Warlord Games, One Page Rules, all great options. If you START with the idea in your head that "everything comes from one company and this is expensive" it's very off putting, but if you start with "I can buy what I want from where I want and budget how I choose to" you are more likely to stick arround BUT it CAN be overwhelming at the same time!

[@basstedson]

Lending my voice to the growing crew of Mantic recommeders. Great company, great games, and now great models also.

[@fredgilbert2032]

Epic Warpath on KS right now looks great!

[@CharlieFultonSC]

I’m just starting my journey learning about this wonderful looking hobby and this video was perfect thank you.

[@toadsage5501]

your voice is so soothing and calming. i love it thank's for being here.

[@aaron3089]

I’m not new but this was a great video! It helped to take a step back and look at the whole environment with a new person’s eyes. Thank you!

[@modhail6908]

I think a good bit of beginner advice is: wargaming is at its heart, a social hobby (unless you go the solo-gaming only route). So find local players/playing locations, or friends interested in gaming and see what common interests you have. You're more likely to get something off the ground of you're not the only one carrying the torch.

[@TheMrFishnDucks]

Nice video. Very helpful video. That OPR rules and sheet is super helpful. Keep up the good work.

[@toddcarlson5324]

Excellent video detailing starting options for new/returning players. There are a lot of great options for miniatures and rule sets out there these days and having a good starting point for research will help those not familiar with the current gaming landscape.

[@j.s.ramirez4670]

One Page Rules is 100% a fantastic way to start. I also really like Relicblade by Metal King Studios. Super characterful sculpts, a really simple and fun ruleset, low model count (4-5 models per side) and a 2 foot by 2 foot play area. And anybody coming from RPGs finds a lot of familiar things to like combined with new things to explore. Thanks for the vidya Uncle Atom

[@HiroProtagonistak]

OPR is really great. I started for the kids, I wasn't a wargamer, but now I've got printers, miniatures, and paints everywhere. Very relaxing hobby and Speed Paints are great for the less skilled.

[@hawkgamedev]

I love how you are always down to earth with advice to new people, keep up the good content.

[@JoshuaWeirdo]

I love your advice about 3d printing. Definitely the best route to go price-wise. However, the whole reason I got into Warhammer 40k in the first place was because I discovered Kit-bashing videos on KZbin and went down a rabbit hole. Kit-bashing touches that tinkerer/creative itch for me in a way that 3d printing doesn't. And, depending on where you get your bits and pieces, can also be an affordable way to create miniatures. But if scrounging through garage sales, thrift stores, and the Dollar Tree for toys and other items that you can use to cobble together a figure or craft or weapon, then definitely give 3d printing a try. Or try both. Why not?

[@seraph1320]

100% agree with the Warcry recommendation. Its also nice in that if want to do various types of models you can purchase very few of them and do lots of different types that you can field for a game.

[@corvusgamesterrain]

Appreciate the mention of Corvus Games Terrain Adam!

[@johndemorris7388]

From my experience, the most important step is finding a club or group of friends who you like gaming with. Your hobby time is precious. Spend it with gamers who's company you enjoy. The game system is secondary.

[@bibleboardgames]

Interesting, from the title I thought this was going to be about counter(chit) based wargames but this is more on the minis side of wargames; good to hear about that too. If you can find a game that has everything in the box, that would be the easiest to start. The 1-page rules + buying a small set of minis also sounds like a good place to start. Getting a 3D printer sounds like the next level. Painting can be time-consuming. For War of the Ring (200 pieces) it took me a month. More manageable if you start with a small set. When picking a game, I also consider my gaming group as to what can actually make it to the table.

[@dominikevans9591]

I like heroscape. The old version comes with painted minis and interlocking hextiles to build different kinds of maps. The rules are also extremely light and comprehensible but still have enough depht to keep you engaged

[@Jeremus717]

Your prognostication about age of sigmar going to spearhead was right on the money. I still don't know if I want to support that company, but my local game shop has a good scene for it and I think spearhead is a pretty fun version of that game comparatively.

[@riseoftherobots017]

Me and my buddies played x-wing for about 5-6 years and most of us got out of it right before the pandemic. We still reminisce about those days and wish there was something like that today. The biggest upside was we didn't have to build or paint them. Now that the game is officially dead, what other types of miniature games would you suggest might fill that hole where there's little to none building and painting?

[@tabletopminions]

HeroClix is the only thing I can think of. Thanks for watching!

[@Cody-gj8kf]

Loved your video thank you for informing me of so many different things I never knew and also I found out that my best way of being able to do World War II miniature tabletop wargaming is by just getting regular plastic army men from like when you got when you were a child and just painting them it's like a fraction of the price and you get so much more and so much variety and my best websites to get them or Amazon and BMC toys❤

[@davidcashin1894]

Alwys helpful and informative. Keep up the good work.

[@ratpoodle2377]

Thanks, this was super helpful!

[@danielallred9249]

Watching your video as a dinosaur from One Page Rules 3d prints on my P1S. Glad to know I'm doing the right things as a newbie.

[@ssbtd00m]

Space Weirdos and Frostgrave FTW. That's what I have been learning and playing this fall and winter.

[@eclipse7217]

For people looking at AoS, i would recommend the Harbinger set. Comes with 400 points worth of Stormcast Vs Orruks, a Mat, set of the core rules, set of die. All the basics. You can also combine it with the smaller 'Warrior' set for 600 point armies. Definitely the most approachable jumping off point for AoS at the moment. Though 4th edition will likely bring some revisions soon.

[@MrNoobxs]

Have you seen the newly announced Spearhead boxes for AOS? looks like they are preparing for those Combat Patrol equivalents ahead of 4th edition already!

[@3Xero3]

I think we all thought the same about Vanguard, and again with Dawnbringers (but maybe that was more similar to Boarding Patrol and the Arks of Omens?). After seeing the popularity of CP in 40k, seems silly to ignore something similar in AoS.

[@tylerpeck9754]

Great suggestions! Thanks Uncle!!

[@weeyum3162]

Dan Carlin is the reason I’m here. This is the first piece of media I’ve listened/ read on wargaming. I’m sure everyone else has noticed but this dude needs to narrate audiobooks. Silky smooth voice

[@AkDragoon]

Like stompy robots? BattleTech starter box is $60. Comes with 13 unpainted units and everything you need to play right out of the box hour 1. There are two tiers of starter boxes even cheaper and still contains everything you need to go from square one. In depth lore and universe info all free online. 40 years of heavy metal mayhem baby.

[@pickle-shoemarvin7574]

These also come with cardboard cutout mechs

[@paintingpanzers]

Fantastic video! I wish when I first started out that I had access to more starter sets. I think they're amazing for those just starting to get into the hobby and it's something that most companies don't do well. They include a rulebook and two armies. What's not to like?!

[@firstimpression7529]

I love D&D and have started a a little hoard of terrain and miniatures that I create/paint. Wargaming is something that I have wanted to get into but have not really had a lot of luck. I bought 5 factions for an Oop wargame to host games for my friends and it always fell through. That sucked. There are a few stores that are like 45 minutes away but they are very Warhammer heavy.

[@iliasmastoris529]

Splintered light miniaturea does 15mm D&D compatible minis (orcs, hobgoblins, gnolls). For rules, try either AD&D 2E battle system or its cousin Skirmish - both give a workable rules. You will need army lists though so you'll have to draw on your D&D campaign.

[@kingnothing5706]

If I were staying in 2024, I'd stop immediately, or go 100% 3d printing. The cost of almost everything is ridiculous. $0.56 of plastic goes for $170. No thank you.

[@roberthartburg266]

3d printing is the way if you have the space and time for 3d printing.

[@bertmc1365]

A couple of my friends are thinking about getting back into tabletop miniature games so I’m trying to convince them to try out Forbidden Psalm (as opposed to them getting back into 40k 🤢). FP is a pretty simple game with a good bit of grim humour and it’s miniature agnostic. Need very little to actually get into the game as you can proxy the enemies and your warbands are only 5 models. My favourite game of recent years (coming from a 30+ years hobby veteran and I played 40k for over 20 years).

[@johnmcconnell9979]

Great Video! I think a person new to tabletop miniature gaming needs to look for a game that appeals to their interests. That could be a game derived from a book, a movie, a TV show, or something else entirely. If you already have a friend or two who shares that interest, then all the better. And if you have local hobby or game store that has game tables and an existing group that plays games like the ones you like, that's an added bonus - one that will keep you working on getting your miniatures ready for the tabletop. It also helps to have kindred spirits to bounce your ideas off of, and to get their input, as you do the same for them. I doubt that I would have improved my hobby skills working on my own, and learning about all of the different products being made around the world is so much easier if you aren't doing it all alone! Two companies that I would add to the list of plastic kit manufacturers would be Fireforge Games and Renedra Ltd. Great stuff from both of these companies over the past few years, Fireforge for miniatures, and Renedra for terrain.

[@DafyddRoche]

Magic word in all of this: Proxy. Every mini on the table is a token to represent a unit/model in the rules. Helps bells, you could use dollar store army men to represent terminators if your just getting started.

[@thelastnerdjosh]

Thanks for all these wonderful recs on minis! I may have to finally try Warcry

[@hageng.6149]

My tip for a beginner: Listen to your heart, do what makes you happy.

[@BlakesPipes]

I did this and got married twice. Also divorced twice. Learn from me and the majority of men today. Don't follow your heart, follow uncle Adam! More hobbies is a good thing!😂 but, yes I do follow my heart now. Live on the beach and ride motorcycles

[@BlakesPipes]

I did this and got married twice. Also divorced twice. Learn from me and the majority of men today. Don't follow your heart, follow uncle Adam! More hobbies is a good thing!😂 but, yes I do follow my heart now. Live on the beach and ride motorcycles

[@realslickshady4871]

I always wanted to play WH40k as a child but couldn’t because we had no money for that. Fast forward to 2023 my friends and I realized we’re adults (in our 30s)and can buy stuff. We decided to get into war gaming. Went to a warhammer store and they explained to us how to play but it seemed SO overwhelming for a beginner. Lost hope. Then was introduced to OPR and have been hooked for a year now. Now im interested in revisiting WH so I reread the rules and it’s not as overwhelming as the first time.

[@harazhangf5782]

Interesting video again. I would check second hand sites/shops, stuff like that too. And it's definitely fireworks you get.

[@peterplayingwithleadbrian5464]

I would suggest the Rampant series from Osprey. One of the appeals of Whammer etc is the rules are similar to each other so you can easily learn. The same goes for the Rampant series but they are miniature agnostic and have a great system for fielding any models you like.

[@KyleMaxwell]

This is definitely the video for me. I haven’t gotten into the craft side yet, mostly playing 5PH on a virtual tabletop.

[@nexusoldbind5015]

The games I would recommend for a new player for fantasy are frostgrave oathmark and warcry for sci-fi based games I would recommend infinity x-wing and the one page rules for 40k. stargrave is also ok but it's not as balanced as it's frostgrave counterpart. Also anyone getting into RPG games I would highly recommend castles and crusades

[@kelvinsantiago7061]

Just finished my first proxy game of Grimdark Future Firefight ( just a bunch of 15mm cardboard circles with names on a 2x2) and i had fun yet i feel like wargaming is not for me mostly because here in Puerto Rico theres not many places to play( i still enjoy watching battle Reports tho...)

[@benpuffer7891]

As someone new to hobby, perfect video.

[@nicky3538]

If you want to get into war gaming, find what your local gaming groups are doing. Visit with them during a play session and get a view of the expieriance. When you decide to take the plunge and invest some of that hard earned green stuff, start small with a rules set for a game your interested in and maybe some literary fluff about the world it takes place in. Miniatures are not even needed in the beginning but when you do take that miniature plunge, expect to invest in more products to support it. Keep everything budget friendly and over time meaning years, you will have lots of miniature games with various rules to play, tons of minis, terrain, maps, ect, and most importantly friends that you enjoy spending time with.

[@d3sbb]

I got in to infinity recently and played their code one version which restricts rules alot. Slowly added in rules until I was playing with the full N4 rule set. Quite budget to get in to and not loads of minis to paint which I appreciate!

[@Octavianus08]

I think Bolt Action and Warlord Games need some love in this one. I think it’s a perfect combination of great models, great rules and a great professional packaging. The rules are easy to understand and your not gonna need to update your minis, codex or rules because history is not gonna change.

[@televiper11]

I’d like to quickly shout out a tabletop game that is inexpensive to get into but doesn’t get mentioned much on this channel: BattleTech You can pick up The Game of Armored Combat Box Set and have everything you need for long time. Lots of nice plastic minis & extra standees, maps, dice, the rule book, etc. Great value.

[@fredgilbert2032]

Agreed! Great all in one starter with enough Mechs to keep you playing at a low price.

[@PatGilliland]

Another great game.

[@k1ngdeth]

Battletech. It's a pretty good gateway for beginners, prices to get started range between $20-$80, the rules are hyper modular so you can start with super simple rules (a fan even made a 12 page rulebook for beginners) or play with every possible rule for mass galactic conquest, minis are preassembled but there are options for you to build as well, and the lore is extensive and varied which lends itself well to players coming from RPG backgrounds, and if you're concerned about all this taking up space then you can rest easy because the hex maps that come with it take up a small footprint and when you're done it all can fit back in the box!

[@piotrjeske4599]

Check if you can afford the hobby before doing ANYTHING. Then check if what game you like is actualy played where you live , assuming you want to play.

[@jshauber]

Warsurge is a REALLY good set of rules that can use any minis and is as simple or complex as you want to make it.

[@richardv3792]

players.. friends, and good habits. Each time I play a game, it gave me purpose on the next hobby session. Even if 80% of my time spent tabletop gaming is the "'hobby" side. Each game motivate my next painting session.

[@MittenKitten2501]

I just always love your videos!

[@printandplaygamer7134]

If someone is coming into wargaming from TTRPGs, especially D&D, I'd recommend starting out with Frostgrave and/or Rangers of Shadowdeep. Both games are by the same author, and use essentially the same mechanics. Frostgrave pits players against one another in skirmishes between 10-figure warbands, while Rangers is a solo or cooperative game with a strong roleplay/campaign aspect. Both games are model agnostic, and can be played with your existing D&D figure collection. If you've been playing D&D without miniatures, you can use the inexpensive WizKids models made for D&D, as well as the excellent and very reasonably-priced Frostgrave miniatures from North Star Miniatures. And of course you can play either game with 3D printed miniatures as well. The rules for creating warbands in both games are specific about the equipment each figure carries, but vague about what species the figures represent, so you can make your warband all human, all dwarves or elves, or whatever floats your boat. I played Frostgrave a couple of weeks ago against a warband made up of GW Skaven (ratmen). Bottom line, Frostgrave and Rangers of Shadowdeep are both excellent bridge games to help a TTRPG player move into wargaming with minimal stress over rules, play styles, or miniatures.

[@tabletopminions]

You're right - Frostgrave and Rangers of Shadowdeep ARE great gateways from TTRPGs. Thanks for watching!

[@Nolsie]

Opr and 3d printing is the way if you’re starting today for sure

[@calebhebert2733]

Thabks man. I love your shirt

[@markgnepper5636]

Great stuff friend 👏 👍

[@mevl4822]

Thanks for the video. The “Made in Wisconsin “ is awesome.

[@mikebaker6804]

What! No discussion of starting in the historical wargaming Hobby?

[@tabletopminions]

Nope - I mainly focused on the more popular genres when they came up. The video would’ve been even longer, otherwise. Thanks for watching!

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

@@tabletopminions- Well, to my mind there is only one main genre - historical - and then comes all the rest, namely all the made-up stuff: chiefly sci-fi and fantasy. All tabletop gaming sprang out of historical, which was and still is the granddaddy of it all.

[@dosdont]

I think what is really most curious to me is whatever mic you're using, it sounds great.

[@aaronwindham6065]

The last part you said, about there being other valid options to use instead is the only one that made me pause and consider not downloading stl, appealing to me through gamesworkshop not wanting me to fell on deaf ears. The artist thing I don't know games workshop's not paying them basic per model they create, but the fact that I can find model similar but not quite the same and all it takes is a tiny bit of extra work is enough reason to not use them

[@eddiemanuk1983]

I discovered this myself recently. I got into 40k again after a long break. I am shit at painting so was reluctant to keep buying expensive miniatures so I was wondering how to practice. It blew my mind that, if I get a 3d printer, I could just PRINT ANOTHER COPY!!!

[@cgordon13]

Hi Adam, I think you missed some genres that might appeal to people other than sci-fi, and fantasy. - There's sports based (Blood Bowl, Dreadball, and possibly a resurging Guild Ball for skirmish level sports that have small mini counts. - Also "modern" or alternate modern history like Team Yankee or Bolt Action. - Finally there are major licensed IPs like Marvel or Star Wars. Getting people into the hobby can work well if you find a game that already meets their interests.

[@tabletopminions]

I mainly just hit on the two most popular genres. It would’ve been a much longer video otherwise. Thanks for watching!

[@kcaudle52]

Blitzbowl if you can find a copy is also a great gateway game!

[@Lone_Wolf_91]

Damn, I pressed that like, was scared at first no gonna lie and I was surprised by the feeling of showing my appreciation😮 Interesting🤔😁

[@Mosaic117]

As a stingy hobbyist who’s amassed a huge collection for very cheap, i can recommend playing games in smaller scales. There is an absolute wealth of indie games that work in most scales, and the price difference from 15mm minis and 28mm is immense

[@garyanji3314]

So many great rulesets both simple and complex with a plethora of amazing model companies that sell both box sets and individual models I don't understand why there are any but a few conversations about GW.

[@yanholliday8876]

i just want to say, as a hex and counter player that loves watching others playing miniature games, boy do i feel your pain, guys... i mean, some boxes have become quite absurdly expensive *for us* these days (the divine right rerelease for 90bucks already was a shock, but burning banners for 120? get outta here!), i shudder to imagine what i'd need to go through to build a 40k army... and i don't paint, either, i'd need someone to do it for me :P