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Hey All,

Glad to be apart of this site and hopefully once i get back in to the hobby true-an-proper i can contribute as much as some of the other people roaming these boards.

I've had quite a long stint out of the hobby, 3-5 years now, and really dont know where to start. I've mainly played fantasy for my warhmmer life but with all the great new 40k models i really am tempted to start a 40k army. However i really dont know where to begin...

I really want to start converting and trying new things with paints, before i never experimented much with the possibilities of converting and breaking the mould with painting, I kept things very standard in my earlier hobby days. However that i want to change but i need some good sound advice as where to start it all.

First i need to choose an army, tbh rules i can live with no matter how bad, but it has to be one i find stimulating to use, model, play and paint. Really i had not had any thoughts other than i don't fancy one of the eldars. Nothing against them really but i did use to play eldar, still have the army here somewhere, and i would much rather try something truly new.

So my question really is what army would people advise for someone who wants some basic and challenging converting oppurtunities, good back story and potential to be a "competative" army?

Thanks in advance guys! TTFN

Imperial Guard and especially Ork as majority.

Main reason is , with with plasti cards and tubes you can make convincing armor plate / hydrolics etc etc.
Something thats hard to apply on to races like Eldar for example.

If you are fluent with GS, you can always go for Tyranids too.

I had considered the IG for some time but, and this may seem quite stupid, they are very humanish. To me this has a positive and a negative side to it as well. The pros they are a very diverse army in many respects, converting/painting and playing wise the cons are that they are human in a galaxy of superhumans, crazy monsters and the forces of evil. The idea of an army of foot troops backed by artilary fighting desperatly against all odds does appeal some what, im going to have to have a good hard think about it and look at some of the regiments about to see if there are any set one si like or whether it'd be good to start a new one...hmmmm

Orks i love the idea of collecting, they are fun, orcs, hardy, orcs, have brilliant stroy and detail behind them, orcs and they have superb new models. Im not sure how i would approach an orc army though. They seem to be able to go alot of diffrent ways, horde, fast attack dakkery etc but in my mind i would have to go for some form of mass combat straight rush forward kinda army, do they work?

I have little to no expereience with green stuff, but the appeal of the nids is great i think they are such a dark-cool army. Would conversions be harder on tyriand due to the fact they are more organic and so would require more continuity within the conversions?


Thnks for the reply Luna

Orks are a shooty army. Believe me, once you play a game against them, you will never again think they need to be in assault! The old Waaagh!! armies, like you describe, are not the most effective way to play them now. You will do more damage walking in shooting, then charging, than you would running all the way for a big charge. They would seem like a modeller's dream army. I have seen cybork-ed up units and crazy-looking vehicles... and a Mr Potato Head Stompa! I think I have only seen the shallow end too.

I have seen some great Nid conversions too. Personally, I think a converted Nid army would be best done with a theme (eg they all have scorpion-like tails), but there used to be fluff about `mutant' Nids, which could allow you to have ones with an extra arm or whatever you wanted to do. I would say Orks are a better army for heavy conversion, but Nids do not good when done well.

I am biased, but I think Sisters are the best models to paint, and conversions would be... challenging, at best. Scratch-built Arco-Flagellants and Penitent Engines would be awesome to see though! However, to be honest, I do not think they are what you are looking for.

i know everybody does them but space marines (IMO) is the best starter race (equal with tyranids, maybe orks). you can do some badass conversions (true scale) and space marines are very easy too paint (nice round surfaces). but if you want too start space marines and really stand out, either pick something other then salamanders or ultramarines and select a different chapter (e.g. Howling Griffons) or try a different founding all together like black templars or space wolves, these have great conversion opportunities, competition level space marines can get pretty high, or low you can set this pretty easily.

anyway this might be my biased opinion

good luck with your new hobby don't forget to post some models if you get too it

I do like the prospect of space marines. They are a very base-ic army to start with and i had considered for easing my self into the 40k universe, almost like my own great crusade. If i was to do space marines i would do the 'sycthes' or 'harbringers' chapters, something a little diffrent but not too outside the box. I'll definatly get some pics up when i start i just need to choose an army and then order the men and paints :(

Ork shooty armies dont overly appeal, if naything i would only like shooting as a covering option to allow awesome combaty goodness from the main combat bulk of the army, is this viable?

Thanks for the feedback guys much appreciated

Firstly its Orks, with a K in 40k. Also Orks as a shooty army is just plain dumb IMO. If your just wanting to cheese the hell out of people and win tournys and the like sure go for 10 billion shootas and lootas. Youll kill stuff just by volume of fire. BUT I play a CC Ork horde and I can tell you from experience that a SM army just cant take it. And if SM cant take the beating most armies cant either.
Orks are really fun to convert, and you can make just about every vehicle they have from scratch. Best part is, itll probably look Orky. Good luck on what ever army you choose tho. And make sure you read alot of painting tips, they really do help.