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Hey all,

I've been a 40K player for a while, and want to get a Fantasy Army going. I need some advice on which one to go for.


The thing is, I want to have FUN. I've never enjoyed going up against power gamers or min/max's, though I will give them a game. What I'm most after is an Army that I'll really enjoy, both in terms of fluff, the miniatures, and the style of play that the Army requires. That said, I like to go in for the occasional tournament and league, and would like something that can be competitive.


I'm thinking about Orcs and Goblins, Lizardmen, Skaven or Wood Elves at the moment, but am open to all suggestions. All help gratefully received.

Orcs and Goblins are fairly straight forward. Its a hoard army. I think thier only ranged attacks are arrer boys. The army completley revolves around having a certain number of ranks.

Lizardmen have lot of options, and the fluff is pretty interesting, although it is really similar to Necron fluff. Best mages in Fantasy, and very very tough troops. (WS 4, 2 attacks each, spears. For 12 pts). However, the only ranged stuff Lizards have is the howdah weapons on the back of the steg, skink blowpipes, and skink javelins. (outside of magic missiles of course) Fresh army book, changed a bunch of stuff, but made the whole army better (except for cold ones i think)

Skaven are like 40k Orks, well the randomness. The Screaming bell, ratling guns, and a bunch of other stuff have you roll for a random result. Not sure if this appeals to you. Its a hoard army. You can also run this as a gunline, which is kinda cheesy, but very effective.
They have pretty good mages too, and i think the assasin is cool. Anyway, they have an army book update sometime next year i believe.

Wood elves can move the terrain around, and teleport through it, ive heard. They have thier own Magic lore. This army has alot of skirmishers, as well as a good amount of flyers.

If you want an army that you enjoy the minatures, just look through the gw website at all the models of each army. If you like a bunch from each army, then go with the army that you dont NOT like a model that is an important aspect of an army. Example: Dont pick skaven if you dont like the way clan rats look.

WD40 nailed it

Orcs and Goblins are the most fun army out there. Well, they're hardest to win as also, but every win feels good.

If you want more competitiveness, I'd shoot for Skaven. They're getting a new book, so I'd try to get the battalion.

Im still a nooby! Thanks. Now i have some sort of sense of acomplishment.

Anyway, why do you think Orcs + Gobbos are fun? (Just wondering, not saying they arent at all, im just curious).

I think lizards can be very competitive too, but skaven are really, rather awsome. If you're worried about buying them and then having stuff change, plastic models are safe. You're always gonna use clan rats.

O&G are "fun" because they are so *random with their rules.

Model wise , they are fun because .... well look at the squigs as well as most of the goblin models!

However , i find Skaven just as fun to play probably because im sadistic , and take advantage of "life is cheap" rule to the max o_o

LunaHound wrote:
However , i find Skaven just as fun to play probably because im sadistic , and take advantage of "life is cheap" rule to the max o_o

Ironic that you are an animal lover, no?

Well perhaps not irony just double standards

corpsesarefun wrote:

LunaHound wrote:
However , i find Skaven just as fun to play probably because im sadistic , and take advantage of "life is cheap" rule to the max o_o

Ironic that you are an animal lover, no?

Well perhaps not irony just double standards

I dont have love or compassion for evil rat men >:0

I would say Skaven. If you go heavy Warp-magic the inherent randomness of it makes for some good laughs. If built right Skaven can be way more competitive than O&G making for better games. Also the Skaven-specific rules match the fluff very well. After reading through the Gotrek & Felix novels I was tempted to start a Skaven army on more than one occasion.

Skaven are also slated to get an update within the next year or two. May as well get to painting rats right now.

Have you considered Beasts of Chaos?

Ambush is loads of fun!

I would say Orcs and Goblins. Its full of loads of funny stuff. I mean, a Goblins swinging a mini-wrecking ball?

There is alot of conversion oppotunitys out there also.

Man, everyone who commented must loathe you, OP.

Start O&G? Really? What's "fun" about randomly losing charges? Its a recipe for frustration. Beasts of Chaos? Seriously? What'd the OP ever do to you? Beasts don't shoot, don't really magic, and can't win fights.

Try Warriors of Chaos. They've got a new book with an extraordinary number of options, a great miniature line, compelling storyline and can give a decent game to even the strongest lists out there.

Well... I'm starting high elves, and I hope they're fun

I was tempted by O&G, because they do look entertaining! But 40kenthusiast has a point- I've seen games where players are getting very frustrated at the lack of competitiveness from O&G. They're entertaining, but if "fun" for you includes winning somewhat regularly, you might want to look elsewhere!

Out of the choices you listed, I think wood elves and skaven would be awesome. Lizardmen are fairly common at the moment since their codex just came out, and although they can be cool, I don't think they'll be as much fun tactically as the other two

Lizards are amazing thats why people play them. The sauruses are hard as bricks to defeat in combat, expecially when you use the skinks as bait on a unit with frenzy or something so you can get a flank charge. The slann + TG combo makes a unit of WS4, T4, Str5 dudes w/ 2 attacks each that are stubborn, immune to psycholgy, with a untouchable lvl 4 wizard in. Slamanders and razordons can chew up Low T armies, and terradons can drop rocks All of the halo abilities in the army (kroak, eotg) are amazing too. They just dont have that much range, and cold ones are a little expensive for what they do.

That being said, just beauce a lizard codex came out, doesnt make them the best army. High elves are amazing too. Everything in the army has always strikes first and a WS of 5+. The reaper bolt throwers are to die for, literally, and the dragons are really good. However it seems that High Elves always need to run a cheese list to be good (Archers as core choices, then a bunch of white lions, swordmasters, + bolt throwers, then some light calvalry)

WD40 wrote:Skaven ... kinda cheesy

I see what you did there.

WD40 wrote:High elves are amazing too. Everything in the army has always strikes first and a WS of 5+.

Well, everything that's not a mage, Core choice, Silver Helm, Fast Cavalry, Chariot, or Warmachine crew, yea.

However it seems that High Elves always need to run a cheese list to be good (Archers as core choices, then a bunch of white lions, swordmasters, + bolt throwers, then some light calvalry)

How is an army amazing but also needing to be cheesy to be good?