9 things we know about 40K 9th Edition Part 2: Crusades Explained!

I'm now officially old enough to remember the crusades. They were all right, but nothing compared to the Emperor's one.

Hello chaps and chapettes, we're back in the classroom to discuss the next part of the 9th Edition reveals. Crusades have been given many names over the years, and are really nothing new. Path to Glory is the usual one, but every time they issue a new Edition they herald this as a new mechanic.

But why?

Well what is it first.

It's a system where you start of with a small army or force (say a Start Collecting kit) and then build it up over time into a larger one. Basically Games Workshop hobbying 101. There will usually be a narrative hook, and maybe some other player involvement, but I can tell you from personal experience that unless you blog about it it's usually a solo experience.

I have done this a couple of times, with the idea that you finish off small projects rather than one large one. And this is why it exists.

Warhammer 40K is time intensive and long term.

Most of you are thinking duh, you already knew it, but the little noobie that walks into the shop and is given their first session rolling dice (first one is always free) is still riding the high from rolling three straight 6s and doesn't know the army he just played with took about 4 hours just to construct, let alone paint. And that list was barely 500 points.

Most competitive games of 40K run up to 2000 points these days, and take months to aspire to. It doesn't help that the majority of online lists are all tournament standard, which means that all the advice noobie gets is going to be on starting with a very large force. This costs money and also time, and what will most likely happen is bare grey plastic for decades and eventually eBay. 

And let's not mention the buckets of wasted dried out paint.

The crusade system/Path to Glory/Conquest magazines are ways of forcibly spreading out that process, meaning you get a nice little hit of completion dopamine more often, meaning you are more likely to keep playing for decades, instead of the one big purchase.

So there you go, how to convert new players into long standing ones, by getting them on the progression ladder.

But what about older players?

Well, there's a reason many people have alts in MMOs. An alt is an alternate character, someone you play occasionally when you main character gets a little repetitive, or you just want to spice up the mechanics you play with a bit. But there's another insidious reason people like to do this.

Nostalgia.

When you first played through the early levels of a game you were like a blind kitten, making every single rookie mistake possible. You probably spent hours just on one particular mission because you didn't read the flavour text properly, or because there was one key thing in the map you missed. Now, with your new knowledge you feel like a god, drifting through the playgrounds of your youth, looking like a professional gamer because you know all the tricks and tips. 

You breeze through the early levels, and it feels goo to have that level of mastery at such an "early stage" of the game.

The Crusade system does that for 40K. 

You pick up a new army, starting off small because you only want to dabble in a faction for a bit. Your soul still belongs to the Emperor, and Leman Russ is your guy, but those Drukhari Raiders look so damn cool. No one will judge you for having just 500 points in another faction right?

3000 points later, helpfully guided on the road by the Crusade/Path to Glory system, your beloved Space Wolves sit gathering dust on the shelf whilst your superbly painted Dark Eldar see use in all of your games. 

But what's that... 9th Edition is out? And they have a new Crusade system?

Well... Adeptus Mechanicus just had a new Start Collecting kit drop, and you've always wanted a cavalry army of cybernetic knights. 500 points isn't too much right? I can stop any time I want.

I can stop any time I want.

I... think I can stop anytime I want.

See you at 3000 points...

Make sure to Subscribe to the blog, and comment below if you've ever caught yourself getting trapped in the new army treadmill.

Until next time!

Thanks for reading.

If you liked what you saw, and you want to help out, please leave a comment. Sharing this with your friends, and following me on Twitter, Facebook or Google+ would also be hugely appreciated.

If you have anything you want me to look at, let me know in the comments below. I'll probably be able to write an article about that topic within a day!

If you want to support me directly, use the affiliate links below. I get a small percentage of purchases you make there, and you get cheaper miniatures! If you really love what I do, you can make a one off donation at my PayPal, or become a true hero to table top education and make a regular donation to my Patreon. Every Little helps!


Element games gives you usually 20% off all 40K purchases, and I get 5% of your purchase.
KB Silk is my own business, selling authentic silk scarves. If you're looking for a present then this is your one stop shop.