Hello world: "Over coming the metagame"

Rionnay here, time for my first post. Before that let me give a little heads up on who I am and my contribution to the 40k community. I'm an avid reader of the back40k, I have a large 7-8k Tyranid force and a small 2k spacewolves army. So buckle up everyone here we go first post on the Chapter Banner.

The topic of the day, drum role please. . .

Over coming the metagame while still having fun. Interest topic? Let me outline the key points and we can go from there.

-Xenos armies vs. marines

-Why play a different army?

-JFFL- Just for fun lists

As I mentioned I love my bugs, I play Tyranids 2-4 games a week at least and love fielding a converted army that I feel has a very reactionary response rather than static play. My marines are very static and honestly require me to move 4 models a turn if that. So what's this matter when it comes to the metagame? I bought my space wolves because they are the army Tyranids hate and I wanted to better understand them. However I have so many tyranids I can often change my list depending on what city I am in or what game store I'm playing at.

The big advantage to playing a Xenos army is many units are terrible against certain lists but when you find a new metagame to play against those units are more useful. Unlike marines were just about anything can be worked into a list a Xenos army has to play to the metagame. Example if i'm playing space wolves I wont take carnifexs. If I'm playing foot eldar I'll take tons of hormo's. I see Xenos players enjoying their armies slightly more than Marine armies because a Xenos player has to constantly adjust to the metagame and the constant change keeps the game exciting.

Why Play a different army? Obviously to understand the metagame. Many friends offer up their armies for other people to play so why not take advantage of it? by taking advantage of this it helps many people understand how these armies work. If you are a marine player borrow and eldar army or an ork army for the day watch how different you have to run them. Xenos players play a marine army and see how it feels to win ;-) or simply learn the stat lines. Playing the metagame is a lot more fun when you understand what the enemy units do and there aren't any surprises that you didn't already see coming.

JFFL can be a great way to better yourself. Too often I see the same list coming from the same person week after week. How is this fun? Do you enjoy clubbing seals with a list that you've been playing for 6 months? You know it works so file it in the "it wins" category and try something new. It can be as simple as changing a power fist to a wolf claw, a power weapon to a plasma pistol or something of the sort. The biggest thing that I see too often is the same group of 3-4 guys showing u to a gaming store playing the same list and discouraging new players from playing against them. I will admit I have a tendency to seek out the new kid, not because I want to smash them but because those are the people that take the game the most light hearted.

Take 2 lists when you go to a Local Gaming Store, a competitive and a seal list. The seal list can have 60 foot slogging marines or 120 gants perhaps a massive tide of orks if that's your style. Point being too many players would rather win than have fun. When you go to a tournament win, by all means pay your money and pummel people from there on out. However when you are playing a friend or a seal put in as many different units as possible try something new and have fun with the metagame.

The reason I harp on having fun with the metagame is because 2/3 gaming stores I play at are full of veteran players that bring close to the same list every week and win every week. If you are really that good at a game you can win with a good list or a middle of the road one. Enjoy the metagame play to have fun and don't let the vale of winning distract you.