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While I love my 'nid army and won't ever totally give them up, be aware that they have issues. You'll have a second-rate 5th edition codex full of bizarre, pointless, broken or highly overcosted units and rules. You will wish with all your heart to get half the support that a single space marine codex does, something on the order of a dozen of your models do not exist and GW loves to kick you in the junk with FAQs and erratas that are very literally, 'no you can't do that because you're not space marines. or that. or that. P.S. We gave you a special rule but it was scaring marine players. It is now nerfed'

Sanon wrote:I'm new to WH40K, got all the bits and pieces for building a kickass looking armor (well, all but paint) and have been reading the rule books and what not trying to decide on a damned race, I've got it down to Space Marines and Tyranids.

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General Concerns: Tactical flexibility. How much can either do? Are there things that they are forced to do at all times (nids I've read you generally always have a feth-ton of gaunts for example)

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Space Marine main issue: I know alot of people use SM, I'm not bothered by that. My main issue is with the uniform look of the marines. Nothing really I can do about, just thought I'd mention it.

Space Marine main like: I like the idea of a smaller army, was going to do a Iron Hands second founding named Emperor's Hammer (focus on tanks and range fighting)

Favorite SM unit: Bikes (like the tanks in general as well as techpriests)

Least Favorite: Dreadnaught.

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Tyranid main issue: Price, I've heard that in a game meant for being expensive, Tyranid are especcially so.

Tyranid main like: How everything is unique

Favorite Tyranid unit: Tyrgon

Least favorite Tyranid unit: Venomthoap

Ok Sanon, honest opinon's and answers to your questions from a player who loves his SM's..

Uniformity of Space Marines can easily be changed. I understand why you don't like them all looking the same, I don't either.The easiest way is by using different bits and by having them painted differently with slight variations. One of the ways I do this is by having the squad painted slightly different. Example, my entire army is based in black and painted with orange. The squads are then all given a third color. One is Black/Orange/Red the other Black/Orange/Purple. The Troops have silver emblems, the veterans fold and H.Q. has white. Another way is by using different models for things that they technically aren't. Example, I use the Sternguard with Power Fists one Sgt. for one Tactical Squad, a modified Vanguard w/ Power Sword for another Tactical Squad. The Tactical Squads are then assembled in an order that makes every individual troop look just like that, maybe a beak head, a face w/ visor, an angry face ect. as well as different poses like holding a scanner, throwing a grenade or even cleaning his rifle (That one's hard). The new Tactical Squad boxes allow you to make your guys individually different, with lots of bits. The only thing that will keep you from makiing your guys look different is a lack of imagination.

Another nice thing about SM's is that you can make your own Chapter, so if you want the Emporer's Hands than make them. Mine are the Boom Brigade, and they like BOOM. It's fun and nobody can say that they have seen your chapter before.

Now on to the bikes... I LOVE my bikes. Granted they aren't cheap on the points or the pocket and they are hard to use, but man are they fun. If you want bikes you can do it for cheaper than normal. Here's the math. 3 Space Marine Bikers cost $45. Thats a small and expensive squad, so spend $90 on the Ravenwing Attack Force that way you get 6 Bikers, but wait... thats right theres more! You also get a land speeder, an attack bike, 4 assault cannons, 2 typhoon missile launchers, 4 heavy bolters, many power weapons and you could choose to make them ride regular bikes, deathwing bikes or add/subtract some of those pieces for a mix of the two.

Onto the tanks, invest in magnets if you want to get real spiffy. If you want predators you glue a magnet to the inside of it where the sponsons go, than glue one on said sponsons and switch them out to make different variants, or remove them completely and turn it into a razorback/rhino. I like to not glue the top's on so if the tanks are wrecked than I remove the top's and front in an almost humorous fallen apart manner to show wreckage and make the game a little more interesting.

Last thing I want to touch on, and I think from seeing your responses you won't. PLEASE don't be that douchebag Space Wolves player, especially the one that likes to whine and say that their cheaper, better and more assorted units are underpowered. Congratulations Space Wolves players, you know how to cheat without actually cheating, so everyone hates you... and Phil Kelly. Just saying.

SumYungGui wrote:While I love my 'nid army and won't ever totally give them up, be aware that they have issues. You'll have a second-rate 5th edition codex full of bizarre, pointless, broken or highly overcosted units and rules. You will wish with all your heart to get half the support that a single space marine codex does, something on the order of a dozen of your models do not exist and GW loves to kick you in the junk with FAQs and erratas that are very literally, 'no you can't do that because you're not space marines. or that. or that. P.S. We gave you a special rule but it was scaring marine players. It is now nerfed'

From what I understand, I'll get that picking any army other than SM, so I think I can live with it. Not to mention I'll mainly be playing against others who aren't marines (like I said, my friends are going Ork and Eldar).