People love 8th, and gw has been pushing it with WH forge and storm of magic. It's not hero hammer because you are one bad miscast or step up attack away from being hacked down. deathstars get ruined by big spells. It takes new skills. learn how to assassinate mages, bsb and Generals. don't worry about steadfast, if they are taking steadfast tests they are losing, and you are safe from vortex spells while you grind them down. To say the game is just shoving models, no tactics, and forcing you to paint more "ugly models" is just bias. It's not 7th. And belive it or not it's thriving.