My goal is simply to present a slightly different perspective on the "easier" approaches to playing GW and why more players take on these approaches.
By "easier" approaches, I mean the approaches to playing GW that accomplishes one's goal but requires less skill / practice on the part of the player. Most of the forum readers probably can already understand why I mention IWAY, W/Mo, or 55-monk.
My perspective is that it is useless and pointless to complain about these, because it is ALWAYS the case that it will happen. If it isn't IWAY, it will be something else.
As supporting evidence, I offer you the analogy of longbow vs. arquebus (a medieval matchlock gun). Through-out most of 15 century, the longbow was far superior to the arquebus -- it had greater range, greater penetration power, greater accuracy, and far greater rate of fire.
Yet, a century later, there are few longbowmen but plenty of arquebusier / musketeers. Why? It's the ease of use for the arquebusier. It takes almost a lifetime to train a decent longbowman. He has to be strong (drawing the bow continuously is hard work). In contrast, with a few weeks of drilling, an arquebusier could be trained. The arquebusier doesn't have to be strong.
Now, let apply this analogy to GW. Why are there mobs of IWAY at the tomb, W/Mo and 55-monks in the desert? Because easy for the players to do what they want to do there. People need less time to practice and they can actually spend more time doing what they want to do (play the game, farm fame, farm gold, whatever.)
Now, I do think that spending hundreds of hours playing the same exact thing is both boring and crazy. But then, that's me -- how other people plays is none of my business.
THE EASY APPROACH is just as valid a way to play GW as any other. So please, the next time you feel that urge to complain about the latest GW fad, just remember:
The 16th century men probably also laughed at the arquebusier for his poor weapon and lack of skill. Yet we all know which was actually the more "advanced weapon" and shaped the modern world...
Thanks for reading...
PS: no, i don't play PnP, so I've no IWAY, no I don't have a 55-monk, and yes, I do have a W/Mo, my oldest char...