to think that 8 is too young to start playing 'Warhammer'?

[MimiSam]

My DS wants to start, but I thought it was something more appropriate for older chidlrem , even teenagers...

It's fair enough if you find it violent. I think it's more silly than violent - the scenarios are completely unrealistic, more like fight scenes from The Lord of the Rings rather than Grand Theft Auto.

Esta - I think that is marketing and make believe. Really when I am hanging around in the shop for bloody hours on a sunday afternoon I've never seen any insatiable thirst for carnage, just a bunch of quite friendly, earnest, somewhat nerdy boys talking about their models, comparing paint jobs and mucking around with codexes, rulers and loads of dice.

Esta, would you ban your children from reading Tolkien because it discusses battles ? Or ban them from learning military history.

Warhammer is hardly glorifying violence a la Grand Theft Auto

ChilinDana - bizarrely similar posts !

I wouldn't allow my ds a nerf gun but was happy for him to play warhammer. I thought it was just like Lord of the Rings.

Like lots of others here, ds did more painting and posing of figures than actual playing. He did like to go the the Games Workshop on a sunday too.

I think he may have graduated to World of Warcraft now which is probably a bit more violent (but along the same lines maybe?). that I don't know enough about it.

Get out of me brain Nigel! Unless you have cake, then you can stay.

I always have cake ! Good cake - I'm a pastry chef !

World of Warcraft is a bit more violent in the sense that you kill things onscreen but from what I can tell (from seeing others play) it's not just mindless hitting things - there's more plot and strategy involved. I have heard it's very addictive though - so perhaps limit his time on it.

It's just a board game. I don't think 8 is too young. Good hobby I think - many people go to the painting side of "the hobby" like my husband They have painting competitions and all sorts. All good IMO.

DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES OFFER TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT WITH HIM

Just saying, like.

Really OP - do you want to risk your precious boy ending up like this?

OhdearNigel - oh my you are a fan aren't you?! Tolkein is overrated poop. That is the primary reason I would encourage him to read something else. The study of war - actual REAL war - in context of its cost to humanity etc is one thing. Stupid war games that glorify violence have no place in our family.

Depends on how good he is with a paintbrush. It's hardly Doom. Another Warhammer widow here.

No Esta, I just took exception to your description of a fairly harmless hobby as hysterical overreaction to something you clearly know little about

I must agree with SardineQueen. I would discourage even feigning polite interest to be honest. The ability of a gamer to drone on about incomprehensible gaming gobbledegook is astounding. I did however learn how to play the Star Wars card game years ago as a special treat for my DH. He was over the moon until I started whupping his ass in every game. Now he claims not to like that game any more

My son (8) has started playing it. Bloody brilliant for encouraging reading, maths and social interaction.

My husband has been playing it for 22 years and used to teach children the game as part of his job.

8 was about the average age.

Yes, it's about violence - but little boys love that!!

Depends on the 8 year old. Some do very well and some become very frustrated not to be perfect right away.

Personally (as a former supplier and Warhammer widow), I would say it is unreasonable to start a Warhammer army now unless he already has family and/or friends playing it and doubly unreasonable to buy them from Games Workshop as they've rocketted their prices and have replaced most of their models from metal/plastic to "fine-cast" resin which is harder to put together and easier to break on top of a lot of other problems (changed their returns policy to being practically worthless, codexes requiring online add-ons to make them workable, business practices that have seen us indy suppliers running for the hills and industry insiders thinking they'll fail sooner rather than later). The only thing that the 'veterans' buy off of Games Workshop anymore is 'green stuff' to fix the broken models with and paints (which are quickly being replaced with other paints). Models and armies are mainly a second hand market now and most are moving on to their competitors like Warmachine and Hordes.

DS1 started at 9 with a friend, DS2 was onto it by 8. For armies, eBay is your friend!

we got a lot of armies through freecycle and friends who were giving up their collections. We have nerdy friends!

I wonder how many Warhammer gamers were involved in the summer riots-I bet not many (any). Totally harmless pastime.

I used to play Dungeons and Dragons which was supposed said to lead to devil-worship by people who didn't know anything about it.

We were a bit geeky and stayed a bit geeky.

OP here - thanks, this is really helpful. I was kind of hoping that most people would say he was far too young, the expense was crippling, etc, but most seem to think it's reasonable to allow him to go ahead...we'll see.

Just don't buy the bulk of your stuff direct from GW is all, or the expense is crippling. The big box starter sets for each army make good Xmas prezzies btw.

I need a emoticon some days - not for you OP just for the handwringing, 'its really violent' stuff. No, it really isnt. It's basically Risk with figures.

Isn't it mainly the name? If it were called Doll Arranging or Sylvanian Families That You Paint it would be the same thing. Like Bey Blades - let's face it lads, they're spinning tops.

Basically if you don't like the idea, don't have it in the house. But 8 is not necessarily intrinsically too young. My brother played war games from about that age for years, decades even (maybe still does?) He is the gentlest man you could wish to meet.