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In this episode of the "Grown Men Playing With Toys" podcast, Erik and Steve do something a little different — they look backwards and forwards at the same time, connecting the dots between the past seven months of Erik's Crusade League and the most anticipated edition change in years.

Erik is approaching the finish line of his local game store's Crusade League and has thoughts — a lot of them. Steve, meanwhile, has been deliberately avoiding 11th Edition previews, which means you're getting his completely unfiltered reactions. Together they explore:

• The Crusade League retrospective — the highs, the lows, and the moment Erik just let go of the rope on all that bookkeeping
• Why "narrative" and "competitive" have never actually been opposites — and why 11th Edition might finally admit that
• Detachment mixing and the 3-2-1 point system — game changer or balance whack-a-mole waiting to happen?
• Force Dispositions — and why Erik and Steve will never have to do the awkward mission chicken dance again (we hope)

Whether you've ever shown up to a casual Crusade game only to discover every unit across from you is a hard counter to your army, argued uncomfortably over the pregame board setup, or just wanted your hobby to feel a little more narrative and balanced - this one's for you.

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In this episode of the "Grown Men Playing With Toys" podcast, Erik and Steve do one of the most uncomfortable things in 40K — they turn the camera on themselves and ask the question: what kind of mistakes do I actually make, and why do I keep making them?

Erik spent the downtime between episodes doing what any self-respecting 40K nerd would do — combing through every battle report he's ever posted and building a full scouting report on himself. What he found wasn't pretty. Steve, meanwhile, discovers that he's been living inside his own set of mistakes without ever naming them. Together they explore:

• The macro strategy mistake — why building the "meta list" can be the worst thing you do if it fights your natural play style
• The micro strategy mistake — why the most exciting moment in your turn might also be the one that costs you the game
• The emotional tells that every player has — and why knowing yours is half the battle
• Rules mistakes — why they're inevitable, why they sting differently than every other kind, and why the community sometimes loses its mind over them
• Whether there's ever a good way to resolve a rules dispute when it's just you, your opponent, and a barn full of painted plastic

Whether you've ever rage-rolled into a Repulsor Executioner, burned your entire CP budget on a unit that was already going to win the fight, or found yourself in a tense standoff over whether a rule means what you think it means — this one's for you.

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In this episode of the "Grown Men Playing With Toys" podcast, Erik and Steve tackle one of the most common experiences in the Warhammer 40K hobby — the impulse buy — and discover that they couldn't possibly approach it more differently.

Steve is the guy who walks into a GW store for a battle line unit for his current army and walks out with a flashy monster for a faction that he has never played. Erik is the guy who spends months talking himself into a new faction but then goes "all in" to collect the entire army once he is committed. Somewhere in between, they manage to explore:

• What even is an impulse buy and do you have to be standing in the store for it to count?
• The good, the bad, and the "I paid to paint an entire army I gave away"
• How nostalgia and pop culture fuel some of the hobby's best (and worst) financial decisions
• The impulse that lives inside the game — and why "I choose violence" is a completely valid tactical framework
• What happens when your impulse collides with everyone else's at the table?

Whether you've ever fallen in love with a model you'll never field, talked yourself into yet another army, or just stood in a GW store knowing full well you're about to make a terrible decision — this one's for you.

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In this episode of the "Grown Men Playing With Toys" podcast, Erik and Steve do what grown men do best — argue about made-up words on plastic soldiers and ask the question no Warhammer 40K content creator has been serious enough to tackle: are the game's keywords and abilities actually fun?

The guys work their way through the most common keywords and special abilities in the game and rate them on pure enjoyment, covering things like:

• Does the ability create interesting decisions or memorable moments?
• Is it fun to use, fun to play against, or neither?
• Does it add to the drama of the game or just make your brain hurt?

Whether it's the satisfaction of calling the Waaagh! or the soul-crushing experience of watching your opponent Reactive Move out of Charge range, the guys break it all down with the seriousness the topic absolutely deserves.

The full Tier List can be found HERE.

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In this episode of the "Grown Men Playing With Toys" podcast, Erik and Steve discuss the community’s negative reaction to a recent Warhammer 40K Balance Dataslate. The conversation frames players’ reactions as a progression thru the steps of: 

1. “Slate Hammer” - establishing pre-slate expectations that a Dataslate needs to meet to be "good"
2. "List Hammer" - having fun through list building and optimizing your list through mental reps
3. "Math Hammer ” - using various resources to calculate and optimize the power of your list into various opponents based on "statically average dice rolls"
4. Warhammer - actually playing the game where variation comes from various sources: dice variance, Invulnerable Saves, Feel No Pains, Re-rolls, terrain formats, and misunderstood rules 

They encourage assessing your play environment and close by reinforcing the importance of communicating, trying games before doom-spiraling, and experimenting with lists/opponents/terrain.

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In this episode of the "Grown Men Playing With Toys" podcast, Erik and Steve discuss being intentional about monitoring the pace of a game of Warhamer 40K.  They share a framework for breaking pacing into two approaches—“tempo and trade”  versus “stage and push.  They then explore how codex rules and lore can nudge armies toward one style while sometimes creating traps or opportunities for the player to slip into autopilot play. They connect tempo awareness to list building, matchup selection for close practice games, and in-game adjustments when an opponent disrupts expected pacing.   They close by framing micro-strategy as a tempo tool and discussing some of their favorite micro tools related to game tempo.

Content Mentioned in this Episode:

Erik's Grey Knights vs Harlequins Battle Report

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In this episode of the "Grown Men Playing With Toys" podcast, Erik and Steve recap their recent Tabletop Simulator game of Warhammer 40K, where Steve took on Cousin Josh. They talk about how the matchup was setup as a "Steve faces the Boogeyman" where he would play against the current meta menace - Necrons C'Tan spam in Pantheon of Woe.  The guys summarize the game, talk about how Steve stayed composed during the game, and end with an "after action" of the game that names the over-performing and underperforming units from the game.

Check the lists being discussed and weigh in on matchups that you want to see HERE.

Content Mentioned in this Episode:

Tactical Tortoise - TTS Installation and Army Creation

Tactical Tortoise - TTS Tips and Tricks

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In this episode of the "Grown Men Playing With Toys" podcast, Erik and Steve delve into what constitutes a 'good game' in their Warhammer 40K sessions. They emphasize the importance of immersion, challenge, and long-term strategic value. Erik discusses his writers block with choosing "good" practice matchups for his various army lists, including Blood Angels, Emperor's Children, Harlequins, and Necrons.  Steve then helps him work through it as the guys brainstorm potential matchups to provide a balanced yet challenging experience. They also highlight the role that pre-game communication plays in ensuring that both players gain experience and enjoyment from the game.

Check the lists being discussed and weigh in on matchups that you want to see HERE.

Content Mentioned in this Episode:

Recent Chaos Daemons vs Shadowmark Talon game

Discussing Erik's 40K "Jenny"

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Join Erik and Steve from the "Grown Men Playing With Toys" podcast as they dive into an entertaining and detailed discussion about Warhammer models with wings. The episode features a "wing tier list", where Steve passionately evaluates models from various factions based on their aesthetic appeal and painting potential. From angelic figures to terrifying demons, this episode has it all. Whether you're a painting enthusiast or just love Warhammer, this episode offers a fun look into the world of model aesthetics.

The Final Tier List

Content Mentioned in this Episode:

Chaos Primarch Cool or Not Cool

Erik's Winged Daemon Princes

Erik's Fulgrim

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Join Erik and Steve from the "Grown Men Playing With Toys" podcast as they dive into the ongoing debate within the Warhammer 40K community about "competitive" versus "casual" play. They discuss the two stereotypes and why they don't think they adequately describe the beauty and complexity that is Warhammer 40K. They highlight their own experiences blending competitive and narrative elements in games, emphasize the value of different play styles, and encourage transparency as a way of creating a positive, inclusive environment in the hobby. Lastly, the episode explores how to articulate expectations and find common ground to ensure enjoyable gaming experiences for both players.

Content Mentioned in this Episode:

WarpHammer: "Casual 40K" versus "Competitive 40K"

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