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Between Black Templar, Blood Angels and Space Wolves. I promise you this isin't a random post, trying to flame up a debate about who is best. But let me start by telling you where I'm coming from.

I'm 23 years old, and have been playing Warhammer since the age of 13. I've loved this game off and on for many years now, and seem to be at the peak of loving it right now. After much time of basement gaming, my friend and I are truly interested in participating in tournaments. My biggest problem however, is I'm a perpetual re roller. I've played SM, IG, Orks, Tyranids and Eldar. The only one's I've played extensively however are Tyranids, Orks and IG.

All 3 hordes.

After much time however, I grow tired of playing hordes. I'm also not the greatest with them. The only army I consistently won with was the Mech IG, but only because my oppnents were only semi mech. I felt dirty with every win, knowing I only won because my models were superior and not because I outplayed them. So I traded them all for tyranids. Now as I play my Tyranids, I feel like its not the right army for me.

I then traded away a portion of my Tyranids for a Black Templar army. Like I said, I played SM, but not very much. When I had them, I was of the Horde mentality. But now, I feel completely different. I want an army where I can pour my heart and soul into every models paint job. A small, elite army that if I take the time to learn everything about them, I will make my opponents tremble when I place them on the table. Not only because of the army I yield, but because of the competent general before them.

This may sound lame, but I hope it will give you a bit more insight into what I'm looking for. I love anything to do with Spartans and gladiators. Glory above death. Never retreat, never surrender. Men, above all other men, standing against waves and waves of enemies, cutting each of them down. I love it. In any RP game I play, I am a warrior like this. I want my army to reflect this as well.

I feel as though space marines may be that army for me. But I do not know which chapter to pursue. So I seek aid from all of you Dakkites. Which army would suit me best?

I personally would not go with Templar, as they have an aging codex. A buddy of mine would constantly get stomped by whatever i felt like bringing to the table against his templar.

I also personally detest blood angels, as some of the rules they have are garbage, and should belong in the vanilla codex.

Which leaves Space Wolves. I personally love the Space Wolf codex, even though i severely limit my options, as I am running my Iron Snakes chapter of marines within the SW book. However, the flexibility offered by the wolves dex is great. You could easily use Grey Hunters, especially with a spartan theme, as they have their counter charge rule, giving them an extra attack when someone charges you. It is nice have the availability of "extra" HQ slots, and some serious wargear options available almost across the board.

Space wolves has more modelling potential and character

winnertakesall wrote:Space wolves has more modelling potential and character

Agreed. BA are basically vanilla marines with a sparkly vampire twist, and for the most part are modeled the same.

Hmmm, pretty heavily favoured towards Space Wolves. I appreciate everyone's reply, but is there any way you could explain why you chose your choice? Its strengths and weaknesses? Whats special about the army?

Thank you

For awesomeness I would totally go for Black Templars. For doucheness I would go Space Wolves. For boringness I would go with Blood Angels.



Nah but really, I dislike Space Wolves and Blood Angels because everyone seems to be playing them. And they're so strong.

BT and Wolves both have great modelling opportunities, although Wolves are a tad cheaper since you dont have to pay for a separate upgrade kit. If you want to save on cash, get a Chaos Battle Force and kitbash your army into a 13th company one, allowing you to intermingle pieces (so long as they dont have Chaos or legion-specific symbols on them).

Totally aggreeing with Muppas. Blood Angels are so boring yet they get all the good stuff (Stormraven etc.)

Lol, it seems everyone hates BA

Jamora wrote:Lol, it seems everyone hates BA

And for a pretty good reason.

Why is that? That's kinda what I'm trying to understand

I'd like to know the difference between the armies, and everyone is just saying "I hate BA, go with SW"

Its because they get rules like "descent of Angels" allowing 1 d6 less scatter for any unit with the rule (which is damn near all of them) when, from a fluff standpoint, there are chapters who would normally be in the vanilla codex who do drop podding and Deep striking better than BA, but dont have the rule. They can deepstrike just about anything in their book, including land raiders.

Then you have a farily decent number of over powered ICs in the book.

In short, there is no true "downside" to taking some of the toys in the Blood Angels codex.

Well, what are the Space Wolves like then? It seems like BA are a no lose choice.

Wolves have rules prohibiting you from spamming HQ builds (each HQ option MUST have different wargear)

You have no chapter tactics (so no combat squads) Blood Claws, while being a power armored choice, are not as good as Grey Hunters (as fits the fluff) Many units have rules that fit the fluff behind them.

one of the few downsides that i can see, is that the Psykers of the army, the Rune Priests have no real assault powers, they are all shooting powers.

I was leaning more wolves, but that makes them sound kind of boring Besides the fluff part.

They are definitely not boring.. i just find the words to make them sound more how they really are, hard to come by. I mean, most every wolves unit has Counter Attack, which means that when someone else charges you, you have the ability to gain an extra attack as though YOU had charged... it makes for some fun assault phases.

If you want the polar opposite to a horde, Grey Knights is coming out in April

But out of those 3, I'd say Black Templars, just because it's Black freakin' Templars.

Yea, I love the grey knights models, but I don't think I want THAT small of army. I hear they're supposed to be very small and elite.

Yep, that's their modus operandi. Hell, with the leaked codex, it's possible to make a 2000 point army with 16 models, all bar 1 with 2+ inv saves.

Yea, I like having a few more models then that to run around .

I'd like more of a Assaulty Marine army

In that case, either Blood Angels or Black Templars will be right up your alley.

heh, i think GW likes BAs a lot more than anyone else.

Well, after reading the codex's quickly, and reading a few other posts, it seems like BA would be the right army for me. I just don't see anything awesome and fun standing out with Wolves.

The only thing people are saying is "Go wolves"

If the BA codex is "calling" to you, then by all means, go for it. I think what alot of people, myself included, are saying is that if you do go with BA, be prepared for the "sore-losers" and "internet forum junkies" to cry cheese at you using the BA dex. (internet forum junkies are the folks who have never read a codex, nor played against a particular codex, who say that its OPd, or crap based on what they read on a forum)


Just keep in mind, that if you want truly assaulty armies, then BA and SW are going to be your best bets, because they are both 5th ed. codices. In my own experience playing against BT, is that unless they are in land raiders, they will get shot to shreds before they get hardly anywhere.

Personally, I like BA far more than SW...but that's just my personal feelings on it. SW come across as having just as much of the "WTF really?" factor in their rules, and BA can be played very effectively in two completely different playstyles. I won't buy either just because of my own personal boycotting of marines in general, but after quite a few proxied games, I'd go with BA if I ever changed my principles.

There is still time! You don't have to play tin soldiers!

DE! Wyches are the ultimate gladiators, buncha new plastics are out, and that Codex is freaking stacked.. if you're dead-set on half-human abominations, then the Black Templar are a notch above BA and SW IMO, perhaps not Codex-wise but they did recently get a little bump, and they have some cool fluff, and I mean, any SM army can be made competitive.

Nah, has to be a marine army. My buddy has DE

I just wish BA didn't come off as so cheesy. I love the models. I love the jump troops. Hate the stigma.

The Wolves on the other hand, I'm partial to their models, love their lore, and like how shooty they are.

Lol, I don't know what I want.

Having both the BA and SW books, and by what you have said what you want out of your army. I'd recomend BA. They have the assult ability you want along with the 300 style of fluff. And if people want to cry Op at you, do a smart about face, drop trout and tell them they are free to apply a liplock to your backside when ever they are ready.

With me, I would just go with what you dig. You like Space Vikings? Space Knights? Space Angels/Vampires? If you're gonna stick with the army, every army is going to be lousy or cheesy at some point as the game is updated. But a competent player can win either way.

Thanks guys

Really appreciate the help.

I think I'll go with my gut on this one and roll with BA's. At the start of the process, I was leaning heavily towards SW's too. But their models, fast vehicles and feel no pain won me over!