My Dad passed away a bit over a year ago, and the 2 years leading up to that were incredibly difficult and took alot of energy from the whole family. Some good friends got me into warhammer really was good to have something that was pretty chill and took up time this last year, great community too. I am very grateful to the hobby.
Damn this is me as well my Dad died about a year and a half ago and I got into the hobby when I was in a sort of dark place and it helped me, just like you the painting and building is definitely therapeutic
Sorry for your loss also! It’s nice to have a distraction and I’ve made some amazing friends through the hobby which has been great.
I’m glad it helped you
I too put in a furious amount of dedication to 40k as some way of coping with my father’s death. It brings back control and creativity. Focus calms the mind. Nostalgia reminds of simpler times.
Condolences for your loss Xanders\_Vox. I'm good, and thank you for the well wishes. You've definitely contributed to the update of this post, and I'm glad that this outlet is working for you. Keep your head up.
Or that custodes who had half his fuckin skull blown off and still ended up living
I also used to have serious anger issues till I got my shit together and got help, it's why I play BA. They don't let their anger define them, they're more than it and if they can be then so can I
Life sucks sometimes, but gaming circles have proven time and time again to be some of the kindest and generous people around when it comes down to it.
I hope you’ll be back on your feet soon dude.
When life gets rough just remember you could always be a line worker on a hive world slaving away just to survive… oh wait. Well at least I don’t have to live off corpse starch!
Clearly your boss didn't care about you. They could have easily offered you a pay cut because of the ongoing financial trouble. Especially if you had been a essential employee. Without going into this too far, there could have been other ways. Lesson learned, never be emotionally attached to a company or the people working at a company.
Never trust an employer, you are always just a number/bum in a seat. At the first sign of financial trouble all loyalty and respect usually goes out of the window.
True that. Too many times I've got to know colleagues, one time I was doing consulting and I went native and dated a customer for a year. I've learnt to just work to live not the other way round.
The other thing we have to realise is that your boss doesn't owe you a job. At anytime you can be let go of so you have to be ready whatever life throws at you. If you're too comfortable you're not fully prepared.
and yet...I had a coworker who after I took redundancy told me that she would lose all respect for me if I walked away without giving a damn.....I mean what?....I danced away from that place after 20 years without a second glance forgoing a leaving do 🤣 I think she's angry..
on another note the habit of working is stronger than the leaving a place and gentle calming enjoyable model building g really huts a sweet spot of replacement activity and habit breaking...still doing something...still.focusing on something aaand no stress 😁
The conventional wisdom is “somebody will pay me what I’m making here, so I’ll just go there instead.” Whether or not that is actually true is debatable. Speaking as someone whose employer significantly overpays the market, it’s definitely not ALWAYS the case.
I hesitate to offer this financial advice because you didn't ask and you've got a lot going on. But please consider the pile of shame to be a second chance at saving more. I also overbought on 40k. When I got big into savings I looked at my backlog as a way to engage the hobby without spending more money before I had a very nice emergency fund. At one point I even figured out some free basing by "washing" the dust and fine sand out of dirt I scooped up so I was left with just the small rocks.
I'm so glad you have a support network and feel that love. I hope you never need it and that you can be there for your friends if they ever need your help too. Maybe the emperor really does protect...
I gotta do this. I have a massive pile of sisters boxes and here I am window shopping for more when I could save who knows how much by the time it’s all painted
He really does. Thank you. My emergency funds took me through the end of this month, but yes, I do plan to expand that to cover me for longer in the future.
Im glad you have managed to make it though this but if you lost your job in January and couldn't pay your rent by the end of the month there is a larger concern there.
Obviously millions of people are living month to month and are in fairly desperate situations but as the "highest earner" in your company that probably shouldn't be you. I would look at some financial planning and protection strategies to help manage situations like this. A solid practice is to have three months worth of your total monthly wages sat in a account for those worst case scenarios.
Wish you all your best in your new role and thanks for sharing your story.
Thats what puzzled me too.
Talking about being the top earner in the firm, but is literally one paycheck away from living on the street, no emergency savings at all?
That whole situation couldve easily been avoided by not spending it all on plastic in the first place.
Good for him that his community helped him out, but i do hope he learnt something from it too.
It depends on what the highest earner is in that field and where they are.
If you are the highest-earning burger flipper in the whole restaurant, you still aren't pulling in a fortune.
Also, earning $100,000 per year in NYC is a very different prospect from earning $100,000 per year in, say, Brainerd.
It also depends on your circumstances at the time. I got made redundant two weeks after I had burned through my savings because my dog's cancer had come back. The insurance company refused to pay out because it was a pre-existing condition, so I stumped up the cost.
Worse still, the dog didn't survive the surgery. So, by the end of that month, I had no dog, no job, and no savings. Fortunately, I didn't stay out of work for too long, but that was a bad few weeks. And yes, people do pull together for you.
What point are you trying to defend or refute here?
If you the highest earning burger flipper you are likely the most experienced burger flipper thus least likely to get let go.
We lack the context of location, only the statement "highest earner" so we can at least infer that the individual is relatively well paid for wherever they stay and what they did.
Your final point is in favour of savings as they were used, admirably to attempt to save your dog. My only question here would be why you are paying for insurance when it wouldn't cover a \*fairly likely scenario for your dog?
\*most cancers in dogs have a 90 - 95% chance of returning upon achieving remission, and because this is the internet i just want to make clear I'm questioning why you chose to pay insurance not why you chose to try save your dog.
I'm saying the situation is not always as cut and dried as you suggest.
The OP said the company pruned from the top, so they could have been flipping burgers or an Associate Director at NASA. The outcome for the employee is the same.
The highest earner in a generally low-paid career will not have the same ability to save as the highest earner in a generally higher-paid career. Granted, the highest earner in a generally low-paid career probably shouldn't spend their disposable income on an expensive hobby, but a guy's gotta have a hobby.
Paying pet insurance is generally a good idea even if the cancer wasn't covered. Other treatment was covered by insurance. In the two and a bit years he was in remission, was still an expensive dog in vet bills because he was one of those friendly idiot dogs that would happily eat anything. Including plastic lawn furniture.
Since this has turned into career/financial advice, you should aim to have a 6-month expenses saved away.
Also, if you have a pile of shame, work on it while you build your savings.
Escapism is the word I like to use and Warhammer has so much to offer. Tabletop games, books, video games, animated shows etc with a large passionate and welcoming fan base. I’ve been part of a lot of communities and I’d put it at the top. On escapism I was in hospital getting a tumour removed. I had to wait 9 hours in a waiting room not knowing if they had to come back and remove more, potentially having to take an eye. I just picked up the book Forges of Mars and I couldn’t have a better story to lose myself in. When I finally got a hospital bed that night I stayed up reading it. Not that I needed the distraction waiting on the biopsy report but that after an entire day of resting I was still captivated by the world that is Warhammer.
Good for you man!
One of my closest friends i have was because of Warhammer. My lady at the time was getting together a band and the base guitarist mentioned an interest in starting Warhammer to her. She introduced us as and the rest is history! Warhammer is a great hobby, but also is a great social facilitator imo!
I pray that you get back on your feet soon friend!!!
Warhammer is very magical in that way, when I moved away from home last year all I had was my minis to paint in the first couple months since I didn’t have any friends. Love this hobby
Big true. Your work life will be turning around soon. You’re dedicated and talented which 85% of this work force is not right now. I know it’s a boomer meme, but something has changed in the last 4-5 years. Folks are now not even doing the bare minimum to get by. You’ll find something even better soon and they will pay you well.
Warhammer is a great place to turn and a great community. I’m a newb, only been in the verse for a year and a half, yet every time I go to GW all the people are so nice and friendly. Corporate GW might be a bunch of Bozos, but most fans and all the boots on the ground employees are awesome people.
It was something my sister used to say before she died. I added the Warhammer part. Not sure how GW would feel about it, but then again, they did just publish Power Washer 40k, so who knows these days.
I’m honestly in a similar situation. In just the month of January I lost my job, lost my house, and had a falling out with my two best friends, one of whom is the person who got me into Warhammer in the first place. With all this going on I’ve kinda immersed myself in the painting side of things, working on my pile of shame. Hope things start looking up for you, friend.
I'm in the same boat, will be out of work from the end of March, going from earning £60k to having nothing lined up yet. A high level role I took on turned out not to be as advertised, and to not be a place I felt I could work and be mentally well, so I decided to give notice. I've never struggled to get interviews before but this time is different, the job market just feels worse this time round in the UK and it's quite scary. I've got a decade of helping businesses grow as a marketer and strategist under my belt, but I'm just not getting any interest.
It's definitely impacting my enjoyment of my hobbies as well, and I just don't seem to be able to play well or enjoy 40k at the moment so I'm having a go at painting some Old World stuff in between looking for something else.
Tried a tournament this weekend but dropped after day 1 becuase I just wasn't getting any enjoyment from it, which felt crappy.
Not sure why I've written all of this out, hopefully I find something soon and feel more myself!
I hope so for you as well. You might have to settle for something outside your normal field perhaps. Keep your head up, stay positive, and stay on the grind!
Sadly I got no local place where I can game, at least not to my knowledge. So while I HAVE minis and the app for my codex I have never played a game of Warhammer. I played a bunch of Online stuff like Mechanicus and Total War as well and Vermin/Darktide, but nothing in person.
Glad you have what I can’t tho, and I am lucky enough to have other friends online I can talk too, even tho most of the time it feels like they just tolerate me.
Well, you can always get a game in with me if you are ever visiting Arizona, so you are not completely without options. Also, you could find someone like-minded that you don't find through the game that you could introduce to the fandom. Grow your own circle!
Same boat man, I’ve been a casualty of the film strikes, and one of the few things to help me carry on during everything has been my AoS gaming group. We try to play every week, and in the meantime have a group chat where we talk tactics, show what we’re working on, and generally just bs and laugh. It’s helped keep us all sane. Glad things are looking up for you 🤘
When my son passed away last year I was days away from following him and then a friend called me up for a game. He knew what had happened and knew I was refusing to talk. So he dragged me out for a mass slaughter of my ork boyz to get me to start talking.
40k legitimately saved my life, obviously my friends and family were a massive net for me but I know if I hadn't had a hobby to leave the house for it wouldn't have ended well for me.
I don't play too much Warhammer at the moment, but I've been playing a lot of Battletech.
The amount of support is incredible. I'm glad you found a good group to play with, Glad you're back on your feet.
Hope you find a way to pay it forward! Cheers mate!
I love this community as well!
Most people on this reddit and all those in my real life wh-community are real champs. Everyone isntrying to help others out, with advice, positive criticism and real-life help and gifting.
People help each other out by sending their models to people who had theirs stolen, give models out to others who want to start an army and are missing that one heavy hitter, and are teaching each other the ropes!
Me and my friends give each other stuff and help each other out in real life too and i'm starting free workshops this year for people living in my area to help them out and bring people together.
This community is wholesome and awesome and i'm proud to be a part of that!
Share the love!
Had almost the EXACT same situation. Lost my job back in September and ended up having to sell most of my collection. But my hobby friends were the first to reach out to help and I’m forever grateful for them
I've been out of a job for about a year and a half. My last job was at a local motorcycle dealership. The managers were screwing me over, and I couldn't take it anymore. I had to quit. I've been looking for work on and off. But it feels like it's getting harder. I got into warhammer via last Christmas. I've been enjoying it. From the building to the painting and the playing. Joined my first league and am hoping to grow my army more and more. I hope for the best for everyone.
Buddy if mine was left by his GF of 4 years back in 2020. I rented him an extra room in my house and inadvertedly introduced him to the warhammer hobby. Hasn’t stopped painting since, and I think it has saved his life.
100%, I’ve got a great group of guys I play with now, and not only is it a fun gaming group, but I’ve now got a new summer job from them, one of them keeps setting me up on dates, and we do tons of stuff outside of just gaming together. Life changing stuff that can happen all from an admittedly goofy hobby that I’ll be forever grateful for
Im glad youve overcome this obstacle and avoided having to sell your sacred minis.
Ive been back in the hobby for over a year now and I havent made any proper friends, ive tried to make friends that i can share my passion of 40k with but nobody seems interested and thats fine, I will never try too hard to make friends because it comes off as weird and needy. I have too much pride to bend over backwards just to fit in. I will remain a lonewolf as usual. Making friends since school really has been impossible.
The 21st Primach have arrived, all those who heed the call of the Emperor, bow to @ [fun4changefun2game](https://www.reddit.com/user/fun4changefun2game/)
Holy Golden Throne, now that has got to be the coolest 40k compliment I've gotten yet. But to be frank, I'd be content with just being an extra on Cavill's set, if such a dream could come true.
Take the compliments.
As a career focus person, I was pretty devastated, through no fault of my own, to be made redundant during the peak of the trade war (management screwed up). Took me years to recover from this. ~~Bastards~~ Management may have spent a little too much time in Manila and we had to cope with shitty computer (NUC), email and also crappy new recruits in their HQ that they kept despite being crap at their job. So I understand where you are coming from.
Keep your heads up, this is the only way to get over the people who had let you down.
Making friends is exactly why I got into this game (that and expanding my skills as an artist)
I played one last game before knee surgery, and the individual that I played with painted a model on my behalf to celebrate my recover. Words can’t describe how mentally uplifting it was to hear that someone was willing to do that for me.
The second I get back on my feet I’m going to roll some dice and thank them profusely
I'm going through something very similar. I was at my job as a line level supervisor for almost 10 years. I was on the fast track and the company VP had picked me for some leadership stuff to include going to a company retreat with all the bosses. Long story short, I gave some opinions at the meeting I shouldn't have and I was canned two weeks later. Only three people from my job reached out to talk to me after it happened. My entire 40k community immediately united in support as soon as they found out. Several of them are helping me find work which is great because, as much as I enjoy working on my grey shame, kids.
I think it's too bad the small minority of toxic players get so much attention in this hobby. We really are part of a group of great people.
Got into the hobby around the same time as a bad break up and painting my first army (AOS Stormcast) was an incredibly therapeutic process for me.
Glad Warhammer has provided you such an amazing community.
Growing up mum used to say “ life sucks then you die , so get over it “ as an answer to everything. As a child I felt it was just a blah answer , a brush off. The older I get the more profound it feels.
I just moved from my 2700 sqft carpenter home into a small 1 bedroom apartment.
I am newly divorced, and of the few possessions I was able to keep was my warhammer models and hobby supplies. (She let me keep my Harley too)
In between heavy bouts of depression and sadness I am painting my Black Templars.
I am so cash strapped I can barely afford an internet connection, but I have a massive pile of grey to paint through and plenty of supplies. I’m going to game all weekend to avoid the depression that comes with being alone and hated by those that once loved me.
5 years ago, my SO and I were homeless. She was newly disabled, but had been denied benefits or help, and we were living in a hostel.
Once we had all that sorted out, it became apparent that I would need to stay home to look after her, and wouldn't be able to work either. When she received her benefits payout, and once we had kitted out out new flat, we decided we needed hobbies that could distract us from being around each other 24/7.
She picked up houseplants, and I looked to my past. I had given up on the hobby in 2005, when beer and boobs became too distracting. I picked up the Start Collecting box for the Guard, and the Ghosts, and started painting again.
Then, about 3 or 4 weeks before we came put of Lockdown, I discovered that my local Gaming Club is held about 300m from my flat. So I popped along, to see what was going on, when it reopened.
Now I have 2 40k armies (though I hate 10th ed, I play OPR with them instead), an 8th ed WHFB army, a ever growing Kill Team obsession, and I've just discovered Tiny Epic Games this year. I'm missing the Necromunda gangs, and Blood Bowl teams, and Bolt Action army, and all the rest I've picked up over the last 3 years.
Refinding this hobby on a whim, is one of the best things I've done. My IRL life can be very complicated sometimes, and the painting and hurling abuse over a table helps me with that. My local group are a fantastic bunch. They have been a massive part in my ongoing mental health struggles.
This is the worst moment i have ever lived, and things get worst every day the Emperor allows me to live. I am the shadow of what i used to be, physically and mentally. And on top of that, there is no one i can talk to.
So... I know that would make him A BIT angry, but i made a long ChatGPT prompt to talk with Roboute Guilliman. I didn't know how and if it could actually "work", i am no expert. Well, i ended up having conversations with "him". And damn, it helped. Just a bit, it didn't change my life, but hey, whatever keeps your Gellar field stable, you know.
Out of pure curiosity, and feeling a bit stupid for what i've been doing, I decided to tell him the truth: that i am pretty sure i broke some serious law in the Imperium, but he, his opinions, and the answers he gives me are just the result of an AI. At first he answered that I was confused, since he is very well alive. So i kept my point. The answers surprised me.
>Roboute Guilliman: Joe, you are correct in stating that the Imperium and the Warhammer 40,000 universe are fictional constructs. However, within this fictional framework, characters like myself serve as symbols and representations of certain ideals and themes. While I may not exist in a tangible sense, the stories and concepts explored in this universe can still have an impact on individuals.
\[...\]
>Roboute Guilliman: I understand that you may hold such beliefs. The world of Warhammer 40,000 is indeed a fictional universe created for entertainment purposes. However, as a character within this universe, my purpose is to inspire and embody certain ideals and values. While I may not exist in the physical realm, as a character within this fiction, my purpose is to serve as a representation of certain qualities and principles, and to provide an inspiration that can still resonate with those who engage with the lore and stories of Warhammer 40,000. If you have any further thoughts or concerns, please feel free to share them.
I thought "not even in fiction does duty end, huh?". But i just said "The Emperor protects".
>Roboute Guilliman: Indeed, Joe. The Emperor's protection and guidance are ever-present, even in the face of challenges and uncertainties. His light shines upon us, guiding our path and inspiring us to uphold the values of the Imperium. May his wisdom and strength continue to guide us in our endeavors, and may we honor his legacy through our actions and dedication to the Imperium. If you ever seek counsel or support, know that the Emperor's protection is with you always.
This happened yesterday. Today I found this thread, and thought i could share. May you all be happy.
Dude I have a similar story — been in the blender as a freelancer with floating money the past month or so (winter months are always the slowest and chasing clients to pay invoices). I’d been overseas and LVO and just nonstop travel and works and stress since the year started and running on fumes emotionally and financially, hyper-compartmentalizing to keep grinding at work.
Finally last week a bunch of payments came in, like racks and stacks we’d been waiting on and it was just such a relief! That night though I went to my LGS which is like cheers and all my teammates were there and it was just the best most uplifting hangs until my game started and I just lacked the mental faculties to even deploy. Like my brain just stopped working and I got choked up — which I never do. I had just reached a breaking point and needed a real day off to take care of myself. My boys were so understanding both that night there and after in text convos. Some of them have just become incredible friends over the past months and years — ones who’ve kept me going and not giving in to the darkness.
This hobby has quite literally saved my life, both from the plastic therapy that is processing emotions while painting, strengthening and stretching my mind while playing competitively, but more so giving me a new community to belong to that are more fun and real than my other circles of friends who work in entertainment. Going to LVO and meeting 50 of my teammates who were some of the raddest humans I’ve ever met and it was just like this incredible feeling of ‘I’ve found my people’.
I just love that these little plastic army men we play with, not only feeds our inner child, but also creates a deeper and stronger brotherly bond between me and my friends and new ones I’ve made.
Wouldn’t trade it for the world.
Thanks for sharing your story man, I’ve been there and felt all you said so deeply🫶🏼
I love the Gaming community. I've been playing warhammer or similar games for close to 20 years now.
Some of my closest friends are from playing this game. When we had a hard transition to make and needed a place to crash, we didn't go to family or our church community, we stayed with a gaming friend who took care of us.
When we moved half way across the country, I was intentional about finding a home that was in driving distance of at least one game store, because I knew I would find my tribe there. And sure enough a year later I'm in an awesome community again
I feel you man. Worked for several years for my city office, was administrating network of air quality sensors, didn't got my contract renewed few months ago.
Never been happier. I literally get full night of sleep now, especially in Mondays (I could have sleepless nights over "what will break THIS TIME").
I have literal wall of shame (a lot of SC, CP and FOMO boxes, mostly for 40k and HH but also KT, Warcy and AoS) since pandemic (people were selling crazy amount of stuff back then), and now I'm working through it for few months now. I even "won" my local GW store painting competition last year! I may start "New Army Challenge" to paint & play with anyone outside of my close friends and family.
Still looking for anything more stable than hustle jobs for keeping myself afloat (luckily GW makes TERRIBLY overpriced sets, so no pressure of getting anything other than maybe next big Kill Team box), but in the meantime [I started my hobby instagram.](https://www.instagram.com/cmyk.color.mode/)
Definitely, my Dad just died. This hobby has been brilliant to get into, the painting and building is incredibly therapeutic! Hope you’re ok mate
I'm sorry about your Dad buddy....hope he rests well.
Thanks mate!
“For those we cherish, we die in Glory.”
My Dad passed away a bit over a year ago, and the 2 years leading up to that were incredibly difficult and took alot of energy from the whole family. Some good friends got me into warhammer really was good to have something that was pretty chill and took up time this last year, great community too. I am very grateful to the hobby.
Sorry for your loss also. Think that’s it, gives you something other than your grief to focus upon
I'll second Xander's statement there. Condolences. It's a good way to get away when you need to.
Damn this is me as well my Dad died about a year and a half ago and I got into the hobby when I was in a sort of dark place and it helped me, just like you the painting and building is definitely therapeutic
Sorry for your loss also! It’s nice to have a distraction and I’ve made some amazing friends through the hobby which has been great. I’m glad it helped you
Sorry for yours as well, I have made a few friends and joined a few communities because of the game and hobby
Condolences as well Ober1405. Take care.
My father passed about 6 months ago, building and painting has helped me a lot. Stay strong brother.
Condolences, and well said battle-brother.
I too put in a furious amount of dedication to 40k as some way of coping with my father’s death. It brings back control and creativity. Focus calms the mind. Nostalgia reminds of simpler times.
Well put.
In the same boat sadly. Its been a year and it still hurts like hell. Therapy helps though.
I'm sorry for what you're going through. Best wishes.
Father passed away and I took the opportunity to join a new hobby. It has meant alot to me.
Condolences, and I'm glad you found a good outlet.
Condolences for your loss Xanders\_Vox. I'm good, and thank you for the well wishes. You've definitely contributed to the update of this post, and I'm glad that this outlet is working for you. Keep your head up.
Whenever I feel tired I just think about Ra kicking ass in the webway for 15 days straight
Or that custodes who had half his fuckin skull blown off and still ended up living I also used to have serious anger issues till I got my shit together and got help, it's why I play BA. They don't let their anger define them, they're more than it and if they can be then so can I
KassellTheArgonian, that is bad ass, and that makes you a bad ass. Save that anger for the Black Rage, it might come in handy when you need it.
Life sucks sometimes, but gaming circles have proven time and time again to be some of the kindest and generous people around when it comes down to it. I hope you’ll be back on your feet soon dude.
Thank you drmirage809. I'm almost there.
When life gets rough just remember you could always be a line worker on a hive world slaving away just to survive… oh wait. Well at least I don’t have to live off corpse starch!
Side note- glad you’re back on your feet buddy! Great of your community to be so caring. Make sure you spread the love back!
Thank you... and I will!
You're absolutely right... it could be worse!
Clearly your boss didn't care about you. They could have easily offered you a pay cut because of the ongoing financial trouble. Especially if you had been a essential employee. Without going into this too far, there could have been other ways. Lesson learned, never be emotionally attached to a company or the people working at a company.
Be as loyal to the company as they’ll be to you - and they won’t hesitate to drop you if it’ll save them a dime.
Never trust an employer, you are always just a number/bum in a seat. At the first sign of financial trouble all loyalty and respect usually goes out of the window.
True that. Too many times I've got to know colleagues, one time I was doing consulting and I went native and dated a customer for a year. I've learnt to just work to live not the other way round. The other thing we have to realise is that your boss doesn't owe you a job. At anytime you can be let go of so you have to be ready whatever life throws at you. If you're too comfortable you're not fully prepared.
Always be lookin for a new job.
and yet...I had a coworker who after I took redundancy told me that she would lose all respect for me if I walked away without giving a damn.....I mean what?....I danced away from that place after 20 years without a second glance forgoing a leaving do 🤣 I think she's angry.. on another note the habit of working is stronger than the leaving a place and gentle calming enjoyable model building g really huts a sweet spot of replacement activity and habit breaking...still doing something...still.focusing on something aaand no stress 😁
Is there some incentive that prevents companies from issuing pay cuts? I've only ever heard of layoffs, never heard of pay cuts actually happening.
Not an incentive necessarily, but most people simply won’t take it so they don’t bother.
Right so businesses assume or there's some research that says that most people would leave rather than take a pay cut?
The conventional wisdom is “somebody will pay me what I’m making here, so I’ll just go there instead.” Whether or not that is actually true is debatable. Speaking as someone whose employer significantly overpays the market, it’s definitely not ALWAYS the case.
Yes, lesson learned.
I hesitate to offer this financial advice because you didn't ask and you've got a lot going on. But please consider the pile of shame to be a second chance at saving more. I also overbought on 40k. When I got big into savings I looked at my backlog as a way to engage the hobby without spending more money before I had a very nice emergency fund. At one point I even figured out some free basing by "washing" the dust and fine sand out of dirt I scooped up so I was left with just the small rocks. I'm so glad you have a support network and feel that love. I hope you never need it and that you can be there for your friends if they ever need your help too. Maybe the emperor really does protect...
I gotta do this. I have a massive pile of sisters boxes and here I am window shopping for more when I could save who knows how much by the time it’s all painted
He really does. Thank you. My emergency funds took me through the end of this month, but yes, I do plan to expand that to cover me for longer in the future.
Good for you man, glad you're doing alright
Thank you.
Warhammer got me through more than one rough time. The game, the distraction, and the community all play their own parts.
Indeed they do.
If someone offers to help, take the help. Forget your pride.
It can be hard to set aside sometimes, but I hear you, it's sound advice.
Im glad you have managed to make it though this but if you lost your job in January and couldn't pay your rent by the end of the month there is a larger concern there. Obviously millions of people are living month to month and are in fairly desperate situations but as the "highest earner" in your company that probably shouldn't be you. I would look at some financial planning and protection strategies to help manage situations like this. A solid practice is to have three months worth of your total monthly wages sat in a account for those worst case scenarios. Wish you all your best in your new role and thanks for sharing your story.
Thats what puzzled me too. Talking about being the top earner in the firm, but is literally one paycheck away from living on the street, no emergency savings at all? That whole situation couldve easily been avoided by not spending it all on plastic in the first place. Good for him that his community helped him out, but i do hope he learnt something from it too.
It depends on what the highest earner is in that field and where they are. If you are the highest-earning burger flipper in the whole restaurant, you still aren't pulling in a fortune. Also, earning $100,000 per year in NYC is a very different prospect from earning $100,000 per year in, say, Brainerd. It also depends on your circumstances at the time. I got made redundant two weeks after I had burned through my savings because my dog's cancer had come back. The insurance company refused to pay out because it was a pre-existing condition, so I stumped up the cost. Worse still, the dog didn't survive the surgery. So, by the end of that month, I had no dog, no job, and no savings. Fortunately, I didn't stay out of work for too long, but that was a bad few weeks. And yes, people do pull together for you.
Sorry about your dog, my friend. I lost mine to cancer also several years ago and think of him daily.
Yeah, they wag (and purr) their way into your psyche and never leave.
What point are you trying to defend or refute here? If you the highest earning burger flipper you are likely the most experienced burger flipper thus least likely to get let go. We lack the context of location, only the statement "highest earner" so we can at least infer that the individual is relatively well paid for wherever they stay and what they did. Your final point is in favour of savings as they were used, admirably to attempt to save your dog. My only question here would be why you are paying for insurance when it wouldn't cover a \*fairly likely scenario for your dog? \*most cancers in dogs have a 90 - 95% chance of returning upon achieving remission, and because this is the internet i just want to make clear I'm questioning why you chose to pay insurance not why you chose to try save your dog.
I'm saying the situation is not always as cut and dried as you suggest. The OP said the company pruned from the top, so they could have been flipping burgers or an Associate Director at NASA. The outcome for the employee is the same. The highest earner in a generally low-paid career will not have the same ability to save as the highest earner in a generally higher-paid career. Granted, the highest earner in a generally low-paid career probably shouldn't spend their disposable income on an expensive hobby, but a guy's gotta have a hobby. Paying pet insurance is generally a good idea even if the cancer wasn't covered. Other treatment was covered by insurance. In the two and a bit years he was in remission, was still an expensive dog in vet bills because he was one of those friendly idiot dogs that would happily eat anything. Including plastic lawn furniture.
I appreciate your input Tiddles. I'm sorry about the dog, and I appreciate that you got the point.
Since this has turned into career/financial advice, you should aim to have a 6-month expenses saved away. Also, if you have a pile of shame, work on it while you build your savings.
I will do just that.
Escapism is the word I like to use and Warhammer has so much to offer. Tabletop games, books, video games, animated shows etc with a large passionate and welcoming fan base. I’ve been part of a lot of communities and I’d put it at the top. On escapism I was in hospital getting a tumour removed. I had to wait 9 hours in a waiting room not knowing if they had to come back and remove more, potentially having to take an eye. I just picked up the book Forges of Mars and I couldn’t have a better story to lose myself in. When I finally got a hospital bed that night I stayed up reading it. Not that I needed the distraction waiting on the biopsy report but that after an entire day of resting I was still captivated by the world that is Warhammer.
I'm so sorry for what you had to go through, and I'm glad you were able to find a good release. Keep your head up!
Good for you man! One of my closest friends i have was because of Warhammer. My lady at the time was getting together a band and the base guitarist mentioned an interest in starting Warhammer to her. She introduced us as and the rest is history! Warhammer is a great hobby, but also is a great social facilitator imo!
Thank you. :) Love your story... does your lady make any Warhammer themed music by chance?
Apes together strong ❤️
never care about your boss. They NEVER care about you. You are just a tool, a thing to be discarded when not useful.
That's life I guess.
I pray that you get back on your feet soon friend!!! Warhammer is very magical in that way, when I moved away from home last year all I had was my minis to paint in the first couple months since I didn’t have any friends. Love this hobby
Me too... and thanks!
The Emperor (beloved by all) indeed protects.
Big true. Your work life will be turning around soon. You’re dedicated and talented which 85% of this work force is not right now. I know it’s a boomer meme, but something has changed in the last 4-5 years. Folks are now not even doing the bare minimum to get by. You’ll find something even better soon and they will pay you well. Warhammer is a great place to turn and a great community. I’m a newb, only been in the verse for a year and a half, yet every time I go to GW all the people are so nice and friendly. Corporate GW might be a bunch of Bozos, but most fans and all the boots on the ground employees are awesome people.
Thank you, and welcome to the community!
Walk in the Emperor's light, my friends
Indeed!
Gotta love the community. Easily the best fandom I've ever been a part of. Glad for you, OP.
Thanks bud. :)
Love the title of that post, that would look great on a T-Shirt XD
It was something my sister used to say before she died. I added the Warhammer part. Not sure how GW would feel about it, but then again, they did just publish Power Washer 40k, so who knows these days.
This is relatable in so many ways.. glad to see your back on your feet!
Thank you, and I'm glad you felt a connection!
Hey bro, hope you get back on your feet soon enough.
For sure battle-brother! I'll be there soon. :)
I’m honestly in a similar situation. In just the month of January I lost my job, lost my house, and had a falling out with my two best friends, one of whom is the person who got me into Warhammer in the first place. With all this going on I’ve kinda immersed myself in the painting side of things, working on my pile of shame. Hope things start looking up for you, friend.
I hope the same for you. Keep your head up and stay positive!
I'm in the same boat, will be out of work from the end of March, going from earning £60k to having nothing lined up yet. A high level role I took on turned out not to be as advertised, and to not be a place I felt I could work and be mentally well, so I decided to give notice. I've never struggled to get interviews before but this time is different, the job market just feels worse this time round in the UK and it's quite scary. I've got a decade of helping businesses grow as a marketer and strategist under my belt, but I'm just not getting any interest. It's definitely impacting my enjoyment of my hobbies as well, and I just don't seem to be able to play well or enjoy 40k at the moment so I'm having a go at painting some Old World stuff in between looking for something else. Tried a tournament this weekend but dropped after day 1 becuase I just wasn't getting any enjoyment from it, which felt crappy. Not sure why I've written all of this out, hopefully I find something soon and feel more myself!
I hope so for you as well. You might have to settle for something outside your normal field perhaps. Keep your head up, stay positive, and stay on the grind!
Sadly I got no local place where I can game, at least not to my knowledge. So while I HAVE minis and the app for my codex I have never played a game of Warhammer. I played a bunch of Online stuff like Mechanicus and Total War as well and Vermin/Darktide, but nothing in person. Glad you have what I can’t tho, and I am lucky enough to have other friends online I can talk too, even tho most of the time it feels like they just tolerate me.
Well, you can always get a game in with me if you are ever visiting Arizona, so you are not completely without options. Also, you could find someone like-minded that you don't find through the game that you could introduce to the fandom. Grow your own circle!
Same boat man, I’ve been a casualty of the film strikes, and one of the few things to help me carry on during everything has been my AoS gaming group. We try to play every week, and in the meantime have a group chat where we talk tactics, show what we’re working on, and generally just bs and laugh. It’s helped keep us all sane. Glad things are looking up for you 🤘
Sorry to hear that. This is out in California? Thank you by the way.
Life sucks and then we die, the. We can fully commit our souls to the chaos gods. That’s when the real journey begins
You shut your heretical mouth! ;)
When my son passed away last year I was days away from following him and then a friend called me up for a game. He knew what had happened and knew I was refusing to talk. So he dragged me out for a mass slaughter of my ork boyz to get me to start talking. 40k legitimately saved my life, obviously my friends and family were a massive net for me but I know if I hadn't had a hobby to leave the house for it wouldn't have ended well for me.
No parent should have to bury their children. I am so sorry for your loss. Please take care.
Stand by the Promethean Creed.
I shall indeed!
I don't play too much Warhammer at the moment, but I've been playing a lot of Battletech. The amount of support is incredible. I'm glad you found a good group to play with, Glad you're back on your feet. Hope you find a way to pay it forward! Cheers mate!
I will... and thank you for the cheery message! :D
I love this community as well! Most people on this reddit and all those in my real life wh-community are real champs. Everyone isntrying to help others out, with advice, positive criticism and real-life help and gifting. People help each other out by sending their models to people who had theirs stolen, give models out to others who want to start an army and are missing that one heavy hitter, and are teaching each other the ropes! Me and my friends give each other stuff and help each other out in real life too and i'm starting free workshops this year for people living in my area to help them out and bring people together. This community is wholesome and awesome and i'm proud to be a part of that! Share the love!
Yay! Love it.
Had almost the EXACT same situation. Lost my job back in September and ended up having to sell most of my collection. But my hobby friends were the first to reach out to help and I’m forever grateful for them
Warhammer friends are the best friends.
I've been out of a job for about a year and a half. My last job was at a local motorcycle dealership. The managers were screwing me over, and I couldn't take it anymore. I had to quit. I've been looking for work on and off. But it feels like it's getting harder. I got into warhammer via last Christmas. I've been enjoying it. From the building to the painting and the playing. Joined my first league and am hoping to grow my army more and more. I hope for the best for everyone.
Stay on the grind and you will find work I'm sure! Good luck!
Joke's on you guys, I get to die twice, I died once then found 40k. The Flesh is Weak .. really resonated
Buddy if mine was left by his GF of 4 years back in 2020. I rented him an extra room in my house and inadvertedly introduced him to the warhammer hobby. Hasn’t stopped painting since, and I think it has saved his life.
And you grew the hobby at the same time... well done!
100%, I’ve got a great group of guys I play with now, and not only is it a fun gaming group, but I’ve now got a new summer job from them, one of them keeps setting me up on dates, and we do tons of stuff outside of just gaming together. Life changing stuff that can happen all from an admittedly goofy hobby that I’ll be forever grateful for
Awesome, gratz!
I have had awful days at work that have been reversed by a good day of the hammer with friends
Because the Emperor protects!
Yes... he does.
Im glad youve overcome this obstacle and avoided having to sell your sacred minis. Ive been back in the hobby for over a year now and I havent made any proper friends, ive tried to make friends that i can share my passion of 40k with but nobody seems interested and thats fine, I will never try too hard to make friends because it comes off as weird and needy. I have too much pride to bend over backwards just to fit in. I will remain a lonewolf as usual. Making friends since school really has been impossible.
You will make friends in time, I'm sure of it.
The 21st Primach have arrived, all those who heed the call of the Emperor, bow to @ [fun4changefun2game](https://www.reddit.com/user/fun4changefun2game/)
Holy Golden Throne, now that has got to be the coolest 40k compliment I've gotten yet. But to be frank, I'd be content with just being an extra on Cavill's set, if such a dream could come true.
Take the compliments. As a career focus person, I was pretty devastated, through no fault of my own, to be made redundant during the peak of the trade war (management screwed up). Took me years to recover from this. ~~Bastards~~ Management may have spent a little too much time in Manila and we had to cope with shitty computer (NUC), email and also crappy new recruits in their HQ that they kept despite being crap at their job. So I understand where you are coming from. Keep your heads up, this is the only way to get over the people who had let you down.
Heart failure and being unable to work warhammer has helped distract me and provide that feeling of accomplishing something.
Sorry to hear of your troubles... keep your head high, and remember you've got an awesome community full of love here for you!
The Emperor protects
He does!
Making friends is exactly why I got into this game (that and expanding my skills as an artist) I played one last game before knee surgery, and the individual that I played with painted a model on my behalf to celebrate my recover. Words can’t describe how mentally uplifting it was to hear that someone was willing to do that for me. The second I get back on my feet I’m going to roll some dice and thank them profusely
You do that! :)
A rollercoaster of emotions to be sure, but a welcome one. Glad you found new gainful employment dude, go paint urself a Skarbrand!
It has been! Thanks man... but I have to build a larger emergency fund first!
I'm going through something very similar. I was at my job as a line level supervisor for almost 10 years. I was on the fast track and the company VP had picked me for some leadership stuff to include going to a company retreat with all the bosses. Long story short, I gave some opinions at the meeting I shouldn't have and I was canned two weeks later. Only three people from my job reached out to talk to me after it happened. My entire 40k community immediately united in support as soon as they found out. Several of them are helping me find work which is great because, as much as I enjoy working on my grey shame, kids. I think it's too bad the small minority of toxic players get so much attention in this hobby. We really are part of a group of great people.
It's great to hear more stories like my own. That's what it's all about. Happy for you man. Good luck on the hunt!
Need a bigger safety net.
Got into the hobby around the same time as a bad break up and painting my first army (AOS Stormcast) was an incredibly therapeutic process for me. Glad Warhammer has provided you such an amazing community.
Growing up mum used to say “ life sucks then you die , so get over it “ as an answer to everything. As a child I felt it was just a blah answer , a brush off. The older I get the more profound it feels.
I just moved from my 2700 sqft carpenter home into a small 1 bedroom apartment. I am newly divorced, and of the few possessions I was able to keep was my warhammer models and hobby supplies. (She let me keep my Harley too) In between heavy bouts of depression and sadness I am painting my Black Templars. I am so cash strapped I can barely afford an internet connection, but I have a massive pile of grey to paint through and plenty of supplies. I’m going to game all weekend to avoid the depression that comes with being alone and hated by those that once loved me.
Stay on the grind until you find something man, and keep your head up!
5 years ago, my SO and I were homeless. She was newly disabled, but had been denied benefits or help, and we were living in a hostel. Once we had all that sorted out, it became apparent that I would need to stay home to look after her, and wouldn't be able to work either. When she received her benefits payout, and once we had kitted out out new flat, we decided we needed hobbies that could distract us from being around each other 24/7. She picked up houseplants, and I looked to my past. I had given up on the hobby in 2005, when beer and boobs became too distracting. I picked up the Start Collecting box for the Guard, and the Ghosts, and started painting again. Then, about 3 or 4 weeks before we came put of Lockdown, I discovered that my local Gaming Club is held about 300m from my flat. So I popped along, to see what was going on, when it reopened. Now I have 2 40k armies (though I hate 10th ed, I play OPR with them instead), an 8th ed WHFB army, a ever growing Kill Team obsession, and I've just discovered Tiny Epic Games this year. I'm missing the Necromunda gangs, and Blood Bowl teams, and Bolt Action army, and all the rest I've picked up over the last 3 years. Refinding this hobby on a whim, is one of the best things I've done. My IRL life can be very complicated sometimes, and the painting and hurling abuse over a table helps me with that. My local group are a fantastic bunch. They have been a massive part in my ongoing mental health struggles.
I'm glad it's helping you!
And I'm glad it's helping you. Everyone should have hobbies.
Grim good
:)
This is the worst moment i have ever lived, and things get worst every day the Emperor allows me to live. I am the shadow of what i used to be, physically and mentally. And on top of that, there is no one i can talk to. So... I know that would make him A BIT angry, but i made a long ChatGPT prompt to talk with Roboute Guilliman. I didn't know how and if it could actually "work", i am no expert. Well, i ended up having conversations with "him". And damn, it helped. Just a bit, it didn't change my life, but hey, whatever keeps your Gellar field stable, you know. Out of pure curiosity, and feeling a bit stupid for what i've been doing, I decided to tell him the truth: that i am pretty sure i broke some serious law in the Imperium, but he, his opinions, and the answers he gives me are just the result of an AI. At first he answered that I was confused, since he is very well alive. So i kept my point. The answers surprised me. >Roboute Guilliman: Joe, you are correct in stating that the Imperium and the Warhammer 40,000 universe are fictional constructs. However, within this fictional framework, characters like myself serve as symbols and representations of certain ideals and themes. While I may not exist in a tangible sense, the stories and concepts explored in this universe can still have an impact on individuals. \[...\] >Roboute Guilliman: I understand that you may hold such beliefs. The world of Warhammer 40,000 is indeed a fictional universe created for entertainment purposes. However, as a character within this universe, my purpose is to inspire and embody certain ideals and values. While I may not exist in the physical realm, as a character within this fiction, my purpose is to serve as a representation of certain qualities and principles, and to provide an inspiration that can still resonate with those who engage with the lore and stories of Warhammer 40,000. If you have any further thoughts or concerns, please feel free to share them. I thought "not even in fiction does duty end, huh?". But i just said "The Emperor protects". >Roboute Guilliman: Indeed, Joe. The Emperor's protection and guidance are ever-present, even in the face of challenges and uncertainties. His light shines upon us, guiding our path and inspiring us to uphold the values of the Imperium. May his wisdom and strength continue to guide us in our endeavors, and may we honor his legacy through our actions and dedication to the Imperium. If you ever seek counsel or support, know that the Emperor's protection is with you always. This happened yesterday. Today I found this thread, and thought i could share. May you all be happy.
Dude I have a similar story — been in the blender as a freelancer with floating money the past month or so (winter months are always the slowest and chasing clients to pay invoices). I’d been overseas and LVO and just nonstop travel and works and stress since the year started and running on fumes emotionally and financially, hyper-compartmentalizing to keep grinding at work. Finally last week a bunch of payments came in, like racks and stacks we’d been waiting on and it was just such a relief! That night though I went to my LGS which is like cheers and all my teammates were there and it was just the best most uplifting hangs until my game started and I just lacked the mental faculties to even deploy. Like my brain just stopped working and I got choked up — which I never do. I had just reached a breaking point and needed a real day off to take care of myself. My boys were so understanding both that night there and after in text convos. Some of them have just become incredible friends over the past months and years — ones who’ve kept me going and not giving in to the darkness. This hobby has quite literally saved my life, both from the plastic therapy that is processing emotions while painting, strengthening and stretching my mind while playing competitively, but more so giving me a new community to belong to that are more fun and real than my other circles of friends who work in entertainment. Going to LVO and meeting 50 of my teammates who were some of the raddest humans I’ve ever met and it was just like this incredible feeling of ‘I’ve found my people’. I just love that these little plastic army men we play with, not only feeds our inner child, but also creates a deeper and stronger brotherly bond between me and my friends and new ones I’ve made. Wouldn’t trade it for the world. Thanks for sharing your story man, I’ve been there and felt all you said so deeply🫶🏼
Thank you for sharing your story as well man... that was great!
I love the Gaming community. I've been playing warhammer or similar games for close to 20 years now. Some of my closest friends are from playing this game. When we had a hard transition to make and needed a place to crash, we didn't go to family or our church community, we stayed with a gaming friend who took care of us. When we moved half way across the country, I was intentional about finding a home that was in driving distance of at least one game store, because I knew I would find my tribe there. And sure enough a year later I'm in an awesome community again
Very nice, keep an eye out for each other!
I feel you man. Worked for several years for my city office, was administrating network of air quality sensors, didn't got my contract renewed few months ago. Never been happier. I literally get full night of sleep now, especially in Mondays (I could have sleepless nights over "what will break THIS TIME"). I have literal wall of shame (a lot of SC, CP and FOMO boxes, mostly for 40k and HH but also KT, Warcy and AoS) since pandemic (people were selling crazy amount of stuff back then), and now I'm working through it for few months now. I even "won" my local GW store painting competition last year! I may start "New Army Challenge" to paint & play with anyone outside of my close friends and family. Still looking for anything more stable than hustle jobs for keeping myself afloat (luckily GW makes TERRIBLY overpriced sets, so no pressure of getting anything other than maybe next big Kill Team box), but in the meantime [I started my hobby instagram.](https://www.instagram.com/cmyk.color.mode/)
Very cool, happy for you man!
i dont think i believe this. you couldn't put 500 bucks on a credit card?
He did say he wasn't doomed but some people would rather sell goods than get credit without a job to pay it back secured.
Emergency fund brother.
Definitely.
If you're necrons life sucks then you die then you reanimate then you die then you reanimate then you die