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Made in us
Fresh-Faced New User




Hey all. I'm having a really difficult time choosing and sticking with an army, or at least sticking with one.

How did you guys choose your armies? Any advice?
   
Made in us
Hellacious Havoc




I chose the pretty one...(s)
   
Made in us
Most Glorious Grey Seer





Everett, WA

Choose the one you like the best for it's looks and the enjoyment you'd get putting it together and painting it. If you want an army to win with, buy WizKids toys instead.

 
   
Made in us
Focused Fire Warrior





Pennsylvania

i'm the one who has to be different, so the store where i got interested in playing @ back in 3rd ed. had no one playing tau @ the time so i bought my first pieces for my first army. i did buy the codex first to get a plan of attack of how i wanted to build the army . i also bought the rule book now back in 3rd ed. wich had mini codexes in the back wich in my opinion was great . it gave me an idea of what i wanted,the new rule book only has a paragraph discribing the army & a picture. at least thats whats in the mcragg box rule book.

"Before I have to hit him I hope he has the sense to run" Jerry Garcia
"Blood is Freedom's Stain" Bruce Dickinson/Steve Harris  
   
Made in us
Rogue Daemonhunter fueled by Chaos






Toledo, OH

I think most players will tell you to pick the army whose look/background/feel you like the best, and everything else will come. You generally can't go wrong with space marines (powerful, easy to paint, plastic, and can go a number of interesting directions).

I started with IG because I liked the Praetorian models, and nobody played them around me. I think everybody picks their first army based on the first army that really "hooked" them into 40k.
   
Made in us
Unbalanced Fanatic





Minneapolis, MN

I think its best to come up with a theme for an army and then paint every unit in the force to compliment that theme and make sure that the unit will be useful and tactically flexible.  Plan it out beforehand.  Figure out how much it will cost, what kind of paint job you want to do and how long you expect it to take.  Discipline yourself into only working on that sort of project.

Oh and make sure that your army will look awesome and be fun to play.

The 21st century will have a number of great cities. You’ll choose between cities of great population density and those that are like series of islands in the forest. - Bernard Tschumi 
   
Made in us
Raging-on-the-Inside Blood Angel Sergeant




Back when I first started I just chose what no one else was playing in my gaming group. That went from Eldar (harlequins) to Blood Angels.

Now I think it just comes down to whatever style of army you want to play.
   
Made in us
Dakka Veteran




the spire of angels

originally i play tested some armies and decided i liked mobile shooting armies best. with the old dark angels rules i had intractable to keep my normal guys shooting and i also had the options of building a fast or elite stand alone army based on the 1st and 2nd companies. i fell in love  with the fluff later...although i am not so happy with alot of the new dex rules changes

 

my second army choice was themed-i love skimmers and "flying" armies and i also love vehicles. land speeders while great performers, really lacked in the staying alive department so i built a tau mechanized "tank" force.

 

ive tinkered with lots of other army ideas usually in the form of army lists, but mostly to play with themed army ideas without ever actually building them...like the 21 sentinel IG army at 1850 >


"victory needs no explanation, defeat allows none" 
   
Made in us
Krazed Killa Kan






South NJ/Philly

Picking your army should be based on what aspect of the hobby you like the best. If it's painting or converting, look at the models they'll have your answer. If it's fluff, see who's fluff you like the best. If it's gaming with them, I suggest trying to learn some rules for a force before going at it with them.

I liked the Orks the most, especially after playing Dawn of War (which is what got me into the table top game).

Turns out I like gaming more than anything else.

Played them, for a long time. Eventually I got rather fed up with their underperforming aspect, and went with another army that I both liked the look of and knew could be competitive: Space Marines.

Still, I keep going back to the Boyz to keep trying to make them competitive on some level.
   
Made in us
[MOD]
Madrak Ironhide







I picked up models because I loved the background and imagery of the Eldar,
the War Walkers, the Harlequins, and the Grey Knights.

Actually playing, however, I have no clue. I haven't played 40k in years.

DR:70+S+G-MB-I+Pwmhd05#+D++A+++/aWD100R++T(S)DM+++
Get your own Dakka Code!

"...he could never understand the sense of a contest in which the two adversaries agreed upon the rules." Gabriel Garcia Marquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude 
   
Made in us
Dakka Veteran





There are three things questions to ask when choosing an army:

1) Do I like the models? This might be the most important question, because if you like the models you will enjoy painting the army and you enjoy seeing the army in action, even if you lose.

2) Does the army fit my personality? Armies behave in certain ways, and there's no sense in buying an army that you don't understand. If you can't stand to sacrifice your troops in large numbers, then you won't like the Imperial Guard or Orks. If you prefer to manuver then Tyranids won't be your cup of tea. Try to figure out what style of play you like by trying a couple of practice games.

3) How much money do I have to spend? If you don't have a lot of cash lying around then you shouldn't start a mechanized Imperial Guard army. Generally speaking, the more models you need to buy the more money you'll spend. Figure out what the army will cost before you start it.

Madness is however an affliction which in war carries with it the advantage of surprise - Winston Churchill 
   
Made in us
Commanding Orc Boss




SW, Ontario, Canada

It was back in '96, but I remember it like it was yesterday....

I was in Olsen's comics, just hanging out. My friends were all getting into warhammer, necromunda, and 40K. I wanted to start an army, but didn't know what I wanted.

The store had a 'surprise blister' box. You paid $5, reached in, and pulled out a random GW mini. Maybe you got a goblin fanatic, maybe you got a squat heavy weapons team, maybe you even got a blister full of dice.

I'm a gambling man, so I paid my $5 (CDN) reached in, and pulled out a Valhallan Lieutenant. A lieutenant who would forever be known as Lieutenant Dan with magic legs.

I looked at it, and asked the store owner - who had introduced GW games to the city - 'What is this?' 'uh huh' 'and what army is he for?' 'uh huh' 'Okay I'll take a box of Valhallans, and the Imperial Guard codex too'.

The rest is history.

The OTZone - A More Wretched Hive of Scum and Villainy
doveryay, no proveryay - Russian Proverb - Trust, But Verify. 
   
Made in ca
Been Around the Block





Posted By Gaaargh on 03/16/2007 8:56 AM
It was back in '96, but I remember it like it was yesterday....

I was in Olsen's comics, just hanging out. My friends were all getting into warhammer, necromunda, and 40K. I wanted to start an army, but didn't know what I wanted.

The store had a 'surprise blister' box. You paid $5, reached in, and pulled out a random GW mini. Maybe you got a goblin fanatic, maybe you got a squat heavy weapons team, maybe you even got a blister full of dice.

I'm a gambling man, so I paid my $5 (CDN) reached in, and pulled out a Valhallan Lieutenant. A lieutenant who would forever be known as Lieutenant Dan with magic legs.

I looked at it, and asked the store owner - who had introduced GW games to the city - 'What is this?' 'uh huh' 'and what army is he for?' 'uh huh' 'Okay I'll take a box of Valhallans, and the Imperial Guard codex too'.

The rest is history.
My Favourite army-story ever
   
Made in gb
Stern Iron Priest with Thrall Bodyguard




The drinking halls of Fenris or South London as its sometimes called

I went to a comic book convention in Central London to get the elusive Batman comic where Bane breaks batmans back. Anyway got the comic and saw some minis that were used (they were the original harliequins) so I bought them. I also saw a Space crusade box and bought that. I took the grey marines (SW) my brother took the red one (BA) and so began my years of love for the hairy men with beards and a love for beer. This was atleast 14 years ago.

R.I.P Amy Winehouse


 
   
Made in us
Regular Dakkanaut




I'm a bit of a skitso when it comes to armies. I love all my armies, but find it a bit boring using the same one over and over. This is partly due to the fact that with 1 or 2 exceptions everyone I play has MEQs. My very first army was Legion of the Damned in the 2nd ed. Very ghoulish.

Since then I've dropped them and taken up BA, BT, IW, IG, Orks, Kroot, EC and DE. I also started Tau in 3rd ed and WH a year ago, but found neither were for me. I love all the variance in tactics, painting and modeling 2 or more forces allows me. Conversions are my first love of the game closely followed by gaming.

Usually it starts with one unit of models that look cool and slowly multiplies until I have 1500-2000 points. My IW started off as one squad I bought when the box came out. I wasn't a chaos player and modeled them as pre-heresy loyalists. Then the new chaos dex caught me and I had a miniature heresy in which those 10 IW betrayed their oathes and laid waste to the loyalists in my model case.

I'd make a small list of all the armies that appeal to you. Ask people who play them why they play said army. Read some tactica and fluff on said army and see what gets you. Don't forget to scope the models, but chances are you're seen them if you've got several forces in mind. Hope this is some help.
   
Made in us
Regular Dakkanaut



California

I chose my first army (

"I know what hearsay is, I do not know what a federal librarian is as I am not American and to me a librarian is a person who helps you find books and then returns them back to their shelves or stacks at night (so your credentials do not awe me, and do not impress me" -
IG fan 
   
Made in us
Regular Dakkanaut



California

I chose my first army (

"I know what hearsay is, I do not know what a federal librarian is as I am not American and to me a librarian is a person who helps you find books and then returns them back to their shelves or stacks at night (so your credentials do not awe me, and do not impress me" -
IG fan 
   
Made in gb
Highlord with a Blackstone Fortress






Adrift within the vortex of my imagination.

I buy entire armies off the internet, or from ex staff members this gives me a *HUGE* discount and makes the hobby affordable.

Thus while I would only get the armies I like. I generate a shortlist of the armies I want to play and buy them, rather than anything that comes along. However the exact deal may shape my armies to some degree.

Thus I have four large armies for 40K and three for Warhammer Fantasy. I couldnt have afforded all that at retail prices.

n'oublie jamais - It appears I now have to highlight this again.

It is by tea alone I set my mind in motion. By the juice of the brew my thoughts aquire speed, my mind becomes strained, the strain becomes a warning. It is by tea alone I set my mind in motion. 
   
Made in us
Fresh-Faced New User




thanks for the help guys, it really did make a difference.

Say hello to a new Ultramarine player
   
Made in us
[DCM]
The Main Man






Beast Coast

When I was about 14, I got the 3rd edition boxed set.  My first two armies were small, but they were Dark Eldar and Space Marines, which both came in the box.  I expanded both of those forces to make small armies (probably about 1000 points each.)  My brother played Orks, also about 1000 points.

At the time I thought both the Space Marines and Dark Eldar were super-cool.

The point is - pick something you like the look of, and if you know much about the rules, something that has a play-style you think you'll enjoy.


   
Made in us
Fresh-Faced New User




I started playing waaaaayy back in the early 1990's, and I started off with 2 of the boxed sets of beige plastic, beaky Space Marines, and a box of 8 old lead Terminators.  I soon got a Land Raider (back when it had T 10 and W 10 IIRC).  Yup, I was well on my way to being another lemming, er Space Marine player.

And then I got my hands on White Dwarf 127, the original Eldar codex. . .

I liked their style of play, I liked their fluff, I liked their units, I liked their wargear, etc.  I loved the look of their mini's.  Hell, 15+ years later most of my Eldar forces are still the original sculpts.

Then 3rd edition came out, and their background got a little bit darker, and got a few new units, and I still loved them.  And during all this time I kept hearing all of this whining about "Eldar can do something that my (insert army name here, usually Space Marines) can't do!  They're broken!  They're cheesy!" or "I hate Eldar!  My (see previous parenthesis) lost to them in a normal, non-tournament game!  They're broken!  They're cheesy!" or, well, you get the idea.

After a brief affair with the Tau, I'm still playing Eldar.  I play Eldar because I think that the mini's are gorgeous (the previous Scorpions being a fluke), because I love their background and fluff.

And I play Eldar just to piss people off  >

   
Made in us
Clousseau





Wilmington DE

My first army was Eldar, back in 2nd ed. We were all making the migration from Battletech, and while one buddy wanted to go chaos, another started orks and the rest wanted to do variations on Space Marines, Eldar intrigued me. The fluff at the time was interesting, the models were different, and I liked the idea that it was a scalpel army rather than a hammer. It took me more than 5 years to paint it, but got it done I did.

Since then I've just kinda gotten armies I thought looked neat and had interesting backgrounds: Sisters, Valhallan IG, KOS Orks, an all-scout army, Khador, Cygnar and trolls for PP, Orks for Warlord etc.

Guinness: for those who are men of the cloth and football fans, but not necessarily in that order.

I think the lesson here is the best way to enjoy GW's games is to not use any of their rules.--Crimson Devil 
   
Made in fi
Regular Dakkanaut




I choose armies based on the following criteria:

1. Can the army win tournaments?
2. Is the army fun to paint and assemble?

If the army passes the first condition it's worth building but usually I also try to find one that passes the second one as well. I started Necrons simply because they looked fun but as those were the days when infantry blocked line of sight I also did well in tournaments with them. After 4th edition nerfed the army I sold it and built a Chaos army that's unbeaten to this day. I've used both Siren daemonbombs and Iron Warriors as my blue DIY CSM could represent any Legion. Luckily Chaos armies also look very cool so Chaos players have been blessed. However if the new C:CSM makes Chaos unplayable the army will only continue to pass the second condition and I might have to start painting my Nids. The zilla bugs can win tournaments but they fail my second condition miserably so I'm not overly motivated.

Naturally in 40K Rogue Trader and 2nd edition I played a variety of armies based on the models alone. The tournament scene was very small back then and competitiveness wasn't as important as it is now.

Well, as Ed Maule once famously said: "Therion's from Finland, where comp does not exist. Where he's from the trash we're forced to field for a tournament would lose to a 12 year old." - bigchris1313 
   
Made in us
Regular Dakkanaut




'zilla fail the second condition? but necrons and csm don't? wow

I got hooked on the hobby with tyranids. I tend to go with what has the coolest models and then try and make a competitive list with it. I also have a small ork force (sold most of them) and I'm starting guard. It's really about what looks best and could do double duty in rpgs.

Went digging through my old posts, and guess what? I've been hating on mat ward since before it was cool

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/244212.page 
   
Made in us
Scarred Ultramarine Tyrannic War Veteran






Maple Valley, Washington, Holy Terra

  I found my old box of space marines in the closet and opened it up.  There was Marneus Calgar (the old one sitting on the throne)!  I couldn't bear to paint him as anything else but an Ultramarine, and I didn't want him to get lonely.  Do Space Marines get lonely?  Anyway, that's why I play Ultramarines. 

"Calgar hates Tyranids."

Your #1 Fan  
   
Made in us
[DCM]
Sentient OverBear






Clearwater, FL

I wanted to play something no one else was playing, and this was right about when the Eye of Terror codex came out.  I'd played Space Marines, Imperial Guard, Dark Eldar and Tyranids before, and wanted something new.  Then I saw the Lost and the Damned list.

Hordes of mutants?  Background-wise, one of the most numerous armies?  Conversion opportunities?  People saying, "What the hell is THAT?"

Oh yeah.

Of course, I've been VERY slow getting it together.  I'm on the final legs now, though.

DQ:70S++G+++M+B++I+Pw40k94+ID+++A++/sWD178R+++T(I)DM+++

Trust me, no matter what damage they have the potential to do, single-shot weapons always flatter to deceive in 40k.                                                                                                       Rule #1
- BBAP

 
   
Made in us
Been Around the Block




Skullcrusher Mountain

I picked Sisters of Battle because at the time, it was the only way I could touch a girl and not get slapped.

"In the beginning there was darkness... or was there light.. no, there was darkness. Anyway, then Man came on the scene and verily did he create a great spacefaring empire and unto him... you know I'm almost positive there was darkness in the beginning."
 
   
Made in us
Dakka Veteran






I treated it like spaghetti.  I took one of each troop model, shook them up like dice and tossed them at the wall.  Naturally, the Dark Eldar stuck to the wall (with all of those spikes) and that is my main army.  ;~)

Accually, I was a "new army whore" and bought what ever was released.  The codex, the basic troops and misc.  Then after a while, I ended up sticking to two armies:  Dark Eldar and Lost and the Damned.

I think I'm going to start a charity for the terminally stupid. You can be our spokes person. -- H.B.M.C.

"I remember my dream now, why I dug the holes."
- Jim, The Walking Dead 
   
Made in us
Longtime Dakkanaut





Florida

I chose Dark Eldar because people said they were a hard army to master and noone else in my gaming store was playing them. Now there are 4 people that have dark eldar Armies and follow closely what my army list is.

I tend to go with fast armies and armies that not too many people have. I also dont like using total shooting armies as they tend to get very boring and its the usual sit and shoot and no real fun so my armies tend to atleast have 60% of its points in hand to hand units while the other 40% backs them up.

Comparing tournament records is another form of e-peen measuring.
 
   
Made in ie
Battlefield Tourist






Nuremberg

Orks have the best personality and background for me.
All this gloom and doom is booooring.

   
 
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