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As a air cav guard player so far I've had much more luck with going second than going first.

 SwampRats45MK wrote:
As a air cav guard player so far I've had much more luck with going second than going first.

Very good point, another to the "it depends" pile!

In missions like The Relic and Emperor's Will, getting First Blood is oh so important that even with my aircav list I'll go first.

As many people have already said, it's depends on what the board is like and what you and the enemy are playing.

Also the mission is important too before you decide.

I play Ig with dual manticores, I like to go first and get 1st blood by popping a transport or something like that.

Achieving 1st. blood is very nice to put your enemy under pressure. Also I cannot count how many games which 1st blood as been the deciding vp for the win.

There's a few tricks I do with searchlights on chimeras and manticores when night fight is in effect.

 Blackmoor wrote:
As a general rule, you almost always want to go second.

 Peregrine wrote:
First. Getting to do the first damage and (hopefully) inflict a crippling blow before they even get a turn is far more important than the option for a last-turn objective claim.

And right here you see a clear difference between a nationally-known top tournament player, and someone on the internet with a strong opinion.

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Although in fairness, as most folks in the thread have pointed out, the decision is a bit more nuanced and complicated than just always picking one. That being said, if there are objectives involved, unless the terrain is exceedingly poor, second turn is almost always more advantageous.

I'm a bit back and forth on this one. My necron vehicles like having them jinks, especially as I can guarantee night fighting, but counter deploying and having a small chance to seize is really nice. Plus I'm almost always against Coteaz, meaning the enemy seizing is a tad more likely. Seizing in general makes me like to deploy second. Not so much because I like getting it but that it really hurts when the enemy does. I'd rather be in the position where the lucky break helps rather then hurts.

Plus going second allows you to use your flyers against the enemy's flyers if they have come on.

I like to deploy second, countering whatever mistakes my opponent made in his deployment, but then I like to have first turn so I can blow up his troops faster, broadsides work really good that way.

 UltraTacSgt wrote:

MarkyMark wrote:


Hmmm, so I see you put a vindicator or two down, I then measure 30 inches away from your vindicators and smile as you cant shoot me first turn.....

Yeah, that's the idea. If you base your deployment on my deployment, then that is an edge in my favor against most enemies; and honestly, I am not going to sweat not shooting the first turn if i push the opponent outside of 30" something inches of my deployment line. I will shoot by turn 2, so you'd better hope you can down 2 Vindicators before then. Some can, some can't.

I will have imposed my will as far as taking midfield objectives or creating a "no go" zone.

It isn't perfect, but this is 40k, nothing is.

I usually run melta sternguard in pods so your two vindicators are easy kills for me, espically if you put them close together (did have one dude put his land raider and vindicator together, 10 sternguard with combi meltas (yes everyone of them) podded down combat squadded and popped both.

Faced two black templar vindicators on friday, had belial deepstrike down behind them popped one with bolter and a assault cannon and blew the weapon off the second one with a spilt firing assault cannon, I very rarley fear vindicators to be honest, espically if you think I do

With my BA, I go first if someone has something that can reliably take down my land raider first turn, like Drop Pod vets.

Though going second is viable if it's night fighting. Sanguinius Shield coming out my Raider can end up giving my squads 3+ saves at night, and it gives me the last turn so I can start jumping back onto objectives.