Parents won't understand this (Warhammer 40 000)

Member Name: HonestBob

Product:	Warhammer 40 000
Date:	29/08/08 (78 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great for keeping teenage boys out of mischief

Disadvantages: Expensive and messy

A mum's point of view- the negative stuff: Expensive, messy, regularly broken and vacuumed up, causes arguments over who broke the figure, causes arguments over how the arms should go on the figure, leaves a trail of paint marks caused by careless teenager. The shop reeks of teenage boy!!

The positive stuff: Keeps lads off the streets and out of trouble, fosters creativity, strategy involved in actual game playing is a good skill to acquire, builds patience and perseverence with the fiddly bits, keeps boys 'playing' at an age when they're lost for stuff to do.

These figures come in plastic blister packs of single figures (generally) or in larger boxed sets. They vary from about £4 to over £100 and as many figures are needed to play a proper game it is an expensive hobby. The players glue the bits together to form figures or machines and paint them, all of which requires skill, patience and a certain artistic flair. Boys become obsessed with this game which does have some parenting advantages:
1. It keeps them off booze - painting needs a steady hand
2. It keeps them off fags - they need their money for figures
3. It'll prevent you from becoming a grandparent too soon - girls aren't interested in the figures or the obsessed lads that play with them
4. It gives you ideas for Christmas presents at an awkward age
5. It keeps the blighters off the streets and in the house but not under your feet.

Overall, if they can fund the hobby themselves (paper round does it for my lad) then I recommend it.

Summary: A passing phase for some, but my lad has been into this for a couple of years now.