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Ok I just recently decided that I am going to play 40k. I have seen it played for years and I finally decided to give in. I am now at an impass, I cannot make up my mind between Tau, Eldar, Space Marines, and Chaos Marines. They all look cool and seem like they will be a blast to paint and play. For some one just starting is there a particular one I should pick for ease of use or is there one that is just plain horrible and should avoid? Please be consise about why a particular army is bad or ill suited for a beginning player. Thanks for any help you all can provide.

Ok. If you want to win.
1. Chaos Marines
2. Space Marines
3. Tau
4. Eldar

Switch eldar and tau if you have 5th edition in mind.

Chaos Marines and Space marines are new people friendly. So is tau. Eldar is very hard to master and complicated.

I guess it all depends on how you want to play and what kind of army you like.

The Tau aren't horrible, but the learning curve for them is a lot steeper than anything with power armor. Because basic Marine troops (Loyalist or Chaos) are rather durable, they're more forgiving of mistakes. You can also load out the basic squads with weapons to handle every task, while Eldar and Tau require you to use different units in conjunction much more often.

Space Marines will be getting a new codex in the fall with some really cool new units, and they're the standard "new to 40k" choice. There are a LOT of Space Marine players out there, though, so if that bugs you, they're an army to avoid. Chaos Marines are nearly as good, but it's easier to spend too much on toys with a Chaos army.

Once you decide on an army that you really like, check out the articles section of Dakka and browse the Army List forum to see what other people have to say about the topic. I wouldn't copy anyone's stuff exactly, but it can give you ideas about what works well and suits the sort of play style you think you'd like to have.

Good luck choosing!

With the new 5th edition rules. Tau are not good anymore. No more hiding behind area terrain.

I really want and army thats at least some what balanced. The Tau seem awsume at ranged but they almot completely lack assult and against Chaos marines or even normal Marins and not to mention orks are going to be completely obnoxious since tau lack any kind of ordenance weaponry. So I think the real struggle now is SM or CSM. Lack of no fear in a CSM army seems like it could potentially be annoying. However, the wide variety of troop types for CSM seems like it would offer a bit more flexibility in play syle.

I'd go w/ chaos marines.

Ok so whats a good build to start?
Winged Lash Prince?

Tac Squad x10
+ Rhino

Assult Squad x10
+Rhino

no tac squads are not as good as cult marines. Assault squads are not as good as cult marines. avoid both.

also rhinos in 4th edition are very dangerous.

I wiuld go with tzeench and nurgle for some indestructable units.

also i like guys

I am thinking ahead since 5th ed. comes out in july and by the time i get a full 1000pt army painted and ready 5th will be out. Rhinos in 5th are amazing no more entanglement. not to mention standard 12" moves well provided you roll well.

TheGreatKevin465 wrote:With the new 5th edition rules. Tau are not good anymore. No more hiding behind area terrain.

Crisis suits are hurt by this, yeah. Everything else, not so much. Don't forget, Line-of-Sight is a two-way street. No more hiding from the Tau guns either, and Markerlights to whisk away those pesky cover saves.

For 4th, Tau were also newbie-friendly...

because they required NO SKILL AT ALL TO PLAY

But for 5th, not so much...

Oops, looks like teddy is long gone from the pram.

Oops, looks like teddy is long gone from the pram.

And that means?

I wouldn't put Chaos Marines anywhere near the top of the list. Sad to say, because I've invested nearly $1000 in the army to date.

You have a choice, as Chaos, to play it either as ordinary Marines with different leaders/psychic powers, or as the more flavorful cult Chaos; which can be plague marine based, or thousand sons with or without Noise marines.

Chaos Cult troops are just horribly expensive. At 1850 points you might get to put 48 Cult Marines (you name the cult) and 6 obliterators. Add in 2 DAemon Princes, and that is your army. Ordinary Smurf/VAnilla marines will put down twice as many figures. Your mobility is also very limited. Want Rhinos? Fine, now you're down to about 40 marines, and this is NOT at 1500 points. Ouch.

Chaos Cult weapons like the Sonic Blaster and Thousand Sons Bolter are very good against Marines. But in our area you are more likely to see Tyranids, Eldar and Tau. And you won't like playing Eldar or Tau with such a small force.

Or, you could play them as loyalist Marines with some different leaders. But, look at what you are giving up. 1. Fearlessness 2. Assault Cannons/rending 3. Land Speeders with rending assualt cannons, quarter stealers.... 4. Whirlwinds

Yes, Obliterators are nice, mini-tanks that can actually take 2 wounds each and get a save against everything. But they are very expensive at 150 a pair.....

Want easy to play and paint-take Orks. Maximize your rockitt Launchas, advance at the enemy. Straightforward enough. Use a Kustom Force Field. As other players have noted, its almost impossible to create a bad Ork list.....

Tri-Falcon Eldar will always be tough as well.

Space Marines are due for a new Codex. Might wait and see for them.

Mike Guth

Don't play Space Marines, for the love of Slaanesh, DON'T PLAY SPACE MARINES!

How I loathe them...

If you want something that's easy to play, play Space Marines (don't do it!)

If you want something challenging, play Tau or Eldar.

If you want something so difficult that you'll lose most every game you play if you make one mistake... play Dark Eldar.

Iorek wrote:

TheGreatKevin465 wrote:With the new 5th edition rules. Tau are not good anymore. No more hiding behind area terrain.

Crisis suits are hurt by this, yeah. Everything else, not so much. Don't forget, Line-of-Sight is a two-way street. No more hiding from the Tau guns either, and Markerlights to whisk away those pesky cover saves.

Tau are better than most in 5th, actually.

Have to play to believe, I guess.

I have to agree with stelek on the tau
Crisis suits got hurt some (there are still LOS blocking things out there if you look for em)
Everything else got better by leaps and bounds.

Chaos are pretty good with their elite short range troops in rhinos.

I would say go tau actually. You can get some decent deals with the new Apocalypse sets comgin out. Including three squads all with devilfishes for something like 200 dollars. Or three hammerheads (which in 5th are going to be hilariously deadly) While the troops arn't as durable as marines they are a lot more mobile and don't need as much support to do stuff. Pretty much just make sure they stay out of assault and your fine.

Do you prefer the hurley burley of hand to hand combat, ranged shooting, short ranged shooting, or a mix? How about saving?. Do you like something that is tough as nails or a more horde approach? Do you prefer vehicles or minis? These should be what you look at vs. just how strong a list is, as you play better with a list more suited to what you prefer to do.



OTT but I haven't seen orks mentioned yet, thats a surprise.

mikeguth actually mentioned Orks already, jfrazell.

Anyways - I'd recommend Chaos Space Marines. They're a really flavourful army, and, although a lot of their units are almost exactly the same as the units in the Space Marines Codex, the ones that are different are amazing.

Cult Marines, although expensive, are incredibly hard to kill. A Nurgle army might be something fun to play. With high Toughness all around, and Feel no Pain on your basic Troops, people will be hard-pressed to take objectives away from you. Throw in some Obliterators, and a Daemon Prince or two, and you're set.

Dude.

This thread died off a month ago.

He's probably made his choice already.

@Zhetsuken, Have you decided on an army yet?

I thought this thread died lol. Yes I chose and army and am acually working on another now. I went with Tau and did a fish of fury list and it works great but the whole sit shoot and when they get close run away gets kinda boring. So with AOBR I will be getting into Orks with a little space marines on the side.

Thank you all for the great advise btw, it was appreciated and used

-Zhet

DaBenzsta08 wrote:
also i like guys

How was this missed? Advice on an army then outing yourself in one post, nice.