There is NOT only War(hammer) !

Early 90s: How it all started

Enter the board games

My first encounter with Games Workshop's products was though the board games Hero Quest, Space Crusade and later the video games HeroQuest & Space Hulk. So we are talking 1990-1992..ish. During that time noce no stores existed in our area, which either specialised or sold GW's products. I do not count the above mentioned games as strickly GW's, as they were published and distributed by Milton Bradley company and could be found in just about any decent toys store.
 
  It wasn't until I moved to London, as an undergraduate student, in 1998, that I first visited a local GW store that I got into the hobby. And GW has been 'leeching' money from my wallet ever since. Don't get me wrong, I loved the games, from 40k to fantasy, Mordheim to Bloodbowl and just about any video game based on Games Workshop's IP. I was so hooked into Warhammer fantasy and 40K by the time, that I even spend money to acquire the books form the past editions of the game, down to 40K 2nd edition and Rogue Trader.

  However, I am not sure at which point in time  I started to become annoyed (not sure if this is the words that best described how I felt) with GW. It wasn't one specific thing that started it, rather lots of small things which accumulated over time. Partly their business model and strategies, partly the time frame in which updates and new release came, partly the constanly increased price, and later practices and outrageous writing in several products.
  But despite my displeasures, I never really though about abandoning ship. To be honest, I never thought there was anything out there that came even close to competing. And so I never even got into the trouble for looking for other games. I knew of course there were some very good historical war games, but that was never really my cup of tea... although I am in the process of reconsidering even that now.

Searching for something new...

  It was only some weeks... or is it months? .... that I timidly begun looking for other games. Tabletop miniature war games, that is.  And surprisingly I stumbled upon some potential gems. First it was the amazing games from Privateer Press. And I am not talking about Warmachine and Hordes, but also their Iron Kingdoms role-playing game, and their exciting new project/game Level 7 (haven't had the chance to check their other products yet).

Now: How it might end .... ?

  After that I stumbled upon a presentation video of Infity, and sci-fi war game by Corvus Belli. Which again looked very promising (you can find said video here).

  Now, I am not going to do a comparison of pros and cons of between these games and companies, maybe that will be the subject of a different port. But if there is anything that I learnt in the past few weeks is that there are out there great games that are serious contenters in this genre. Having spent considerable money, time and effort into GW's game it is, admitedly, hard to break free from their grasp and most of the times the most difficult obstacle to overcome is our onw 'rationalisations' in trying to defend past habits and 'investments'.
  Well, for my part after struggling with the idea of, not giving up, but at least putting GW and its game in the back seat for a while, I am going to jump into Hordes, Warmachine and Infity and see for myself if they are as good as I am hoping they will be!