Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

For me I started with orks because they just run up and hit stuff. Oh and all the wacky things they make that shouldn't work but they do. I've also always been attracted to the monstrous in games. Plus orks are the only ones having a great time in the grimdark. They are the happy ones. Let that sink in for a minute. The war mongering expendable greenskins are the happy ones who don't worry about anything but finding a new target to hit. They just seemed awesome to me and the scrapyard look they have is cool.

Now I am starting the tempestus scions. I just needed a bit of a change after a few years and a new playstyle. So these special forces guys seemed awesome.

My eye has also drifted to the dark eldar for the whole predator thing they have going. They are fast, sleek, and deadly. Also they have giant monstrosities built out of some other poor sod which is great.

The Guard, beause ordinary man faces the horrors of the galaxy and enforces peace through superior firepower. Also tanks, APCs, tanks, aircrafts and also tanks.

The Heraclitus Effect.

Better known as: The Iron Warriors destroy a Planet JUST to piss off some SM captain that gave them a Bloody Nose.

Honsou more or Less sold me on Iron Warriors. He'll jump from being a Noble Space Marine to a Depraved Villain and back in the course of a Page!

And even though in the Grand Scheme of things, the Evil he had done pales in comparison to most Chaos Lords, Or even some Inquisitors, The fact that he just goes for 0 to 60 in less than a second when it comes to actually doing bad things, and does it without really breaking character or seeming OTT, just makes the stuff he does shock you and seem WAY worse than he actually is.

And I've always been a sucker for the Calm and Collected and Methodical villains. They always feel more serious and Threatening than the Crazed Barbarian/ Khornate baddies.


It's like Doctor Doom and Carnage. Even though we Expect Carnage to do some crazy and messed up stuff, When Doom goes Villain Mode, it feels like he's punching in at a completely different weight class.

Contrary to most here, as I don't game it was entirely the fluff that drew me towards Salamanders. I think it's because the Salamanders are the closest to being human of all the Space Marines. I consider myself to be a bit of a traditionalist - so the Salamanders appeal to me as they still fight for a reason - the people of the Imperium - where most others fight simply for the sake of fighting or for personal vanity. They have a personal code. Indeed, IMHO, the Salamanders are closer to being true Chivalric Knights than any of the other Chapters who actually claim to be Knights, as the Salamanders actually follow and regularly practice a code of self-sacrifice and humility, with a healthy respect for humanity in general. In addition to that, they have a dash of mystery to them - they aren't as flashy as other chapters in the sense that they don't trumpet their participation in wars, working stoicly in the background instead of glory-seeking. There's also the question of a Lost Primarch and hidden Relics that appeals greatly to me. To sum it up, I chose them because they are wise and fairly humble - which is rare in 40K.

Oh and I really like fire - lots and lots and lots of glorious flame-y death.

I chose Dark Angels because:

The models are gorgeous

The idea of a Ravenwing Bike army seemed really cool

The fact that dark angels have a dark secret that can destroy them but they still choose to fight

The legion and chapter symbols are just cool

The orks are my favorite fluff-wise because they're the only faction (other than DE perhaps) that doesn't take themselves way too seriously. The orks are just in it for fun, bashing in skulls for no good reason other than it's hilarious. Plus, they've got the whole "Mad Max in Space" aesthetic, which I also find the most interesting.

Many have given good reasons why I like orks already, another reason I was a traced to orks was the idea that they are pretty much underdogs. No one expects them to win the day due to lack of tech or tactics, but that just makes their wins all the more satisfying.
Nothin says orks quite like a bikerboss driving off a cliff, though the void shields of a titan, being lit on fire, and then crashing into said titans control room to kill the crew while WaaaghING while on fire

Krieg because they're not human that runs at the sight of the enemy

Scions before they're human that actually get gak done

geargutz wrote:

Nothin says orks quite like a bikerboss driving off a cliff, though the void shields of a titan, being lit on fire, and then crashing into said titans control room to kill the crew while WaaaghING while on fire

Picturing that bike smashing around inside the control room while the ork stands up to scream Waaaaagh! as he begins to shred the crew to bits is one of the most orky images in my mind now.

I've started every army save one because of the models.

Orks - unending conversion possibilities.
Tau - The models, the Hammerhead is my most favorite model in the entire GW catalog.
DE - When the models were re-released in 5th, they were some of the best things I've seen GW produce. I had to have an army of them.
Chaos - More conversions, but mostly the new Daemonette models that were released around the 3.5 codex. I also wanted to play an army that had 3+ save but not a loyalist marine army.

The only army I've started because of fluff was Space Wolves. At one time they were described to me as Vikings in Space. And regardless of what GW has done to them in the current fluff, that is how I still see them and love them for it. But like the other four armies, I actually started it because of the models. I love the details on the kits that came out when the 5th edition codex was released. It also led to some fun conversion possibilities. It also didn't hurt that it was around the time the AOBR kit was released so I could get a dread, terminators, and 10 grey hunters for really cheap.

The fact that in the dark grim future, live is cheap, there are no good guys and it looks bleak for humanity.

Tzeentch appeals to me because the knowledge, change and hope thing are in line with my personal values. Also the random and chaotic nature appeals to why I started warhammer in the first place.
Also the idea of the chaos gods being amoral forces rather than evil is interesting.

I play daemons because I started warhammer (after historical) to get to something different and new (i.e. bizarre) on the table and to have some fun (read, not be very competitive).

Death Guard - I love Nurgle in 40k, so there is that. But the reason I chose to have the Death Guard as one of my Legion lists is 3 fold: I like stubborn, hard to kill armies that don't give a damn about fear, pinning, and other wussy things, I LOVE that Mortarion's fall is more tragic then 'hurr durr I am evilz now' IIRC there was some fluff about him planning to fire on the traitor fleet at terra before Typhon killed off the navigators. Morty wasn't a chaos worshipper, but he chose to sell his soul to save his sons, and finally, I chose DG because Thousand Sons had NOTHING when I got into 30k.


Thousand Sons - I HATE tzeentch, that ass. Magnus's arc was amazing, his legion looked cool and fought cool, he had the best intentions but was dicked about by Tzeentch AND Horus. His legion decimated the Wolves, Sisters of silence, and killed off custodes WITHOUT the support of their planetary defenses or fleet. Magnus managed to kick the gak out of Russ WHILE MIND FIGHTING WITH TZEENTCH ( fething and counter-fething), and even when he lost (due to blindness) he told Russ what for, and Russ felt like a big looser after the fact. Magnus' entire story is just really good, and I love the fact that the entire legion is basically Nerds in power armor who tried the 'peaceful' approach before nuking planets into submission.

Solar Auxilia - Regular men in a time where fighting marines was something that was never really done before. They held the line like bosses, and look amazing

Mechanicum - It's hard for me to explain why I like these guys. I love the visuals, I love a lot of the fluff, but really I'm probably drawn to the fact that they are The Uber-Nerds of the far future.

Marines as a whole drew me in, mostly because, while there is definitely no "good guys" in 40k. The Emperor and his Space Marines are the closest thing to Honor that I was able to relate to (guard and Certain Eldar timing for 2nd.)

But overall it was the Staunch unwavering defense of Humanity angle that hooked me and never let me go, they are far from infallible of course but if they were I would likely find them boring.

As for which Marines fluff wise, Blood Ravens will always be at the top of my list, the Loyalists of a traitor Legion, trying to find their origin angle is really appealing to me, and I've had a lot of fun trying to do them justice on the tabletop.

Next The Imperial Fists have clawed their way up to #2 as of late, the diehard steadfast nature of their defense and hard hitting seiges and devotion to basics like bolter training is a great draw, the idea of the fists waiting for the enemy in a heavily defensed fortress is a great vision in my mind.

HEY YOU!

YES YOU!

DO YOU LIKE KNIGHTS? DO YOU WANT TO RIDE AROUND ON JUDGE DREDD'S BIKE WITH HUSSAR WINGS STRAPPED ON SWINGING A SHORTENED CROW'S BEAK? DO YOU LIKE GOTHIC ARMOR AND GOTHIC SHIPS? DO YOU LIKE OLDHAMMER AND NEWHAMMER? JOIN THE DARK ANGELS! WE'VE GOT ROBES! WE'VE GOT CHARACTER! WE'VE GOT LORE! WE'VE GOT MORE PLASMA THAN A STAR'S CORE! WE'VE GOT IT ALL! (except competent CQC HQ)

Really, there's nothing bad about the First Legion besides the lack of solid melee heroes on the table. But there's nothing negative about them in the fluff, and they actually have fluff to speak of unlike the White Scars, and they don't job to everything Worf-style like the other knightly legion, the Fists. Plus Dark Angels have some of the most GORGEOUS models on the TT. And the best conversion fodder. As an additional plus, they also really bridge the gap between oldhammer gritty marines and newhammer bright marines. Dark Angels still retain some of the heavy brainwashing from oldhammer, with Chaplains having commands they can call upon to wipe an Astartes' memories.

hmm, what drew me into the space wolves was their heroic and honorable way of being, each of them heroes told of in epic sagas, not to mention their loyalty despite how questioned it is and most importantly the hair and beards of course.

I love how utterly uncaring, selfish, and pompous the Adeptus Mechanicus is in the fluff. I loved them for their aesthetics first, then when I started to do more and more reading, I saw that they often compete with the Inquisition for the position of "biggest trolls in the imperium". It just makes for some excellent excuses to do horrid things in game, excellent background material for characters and campaigns, and makes for some rather hilarious conversations about 40k fluff. I just can't get enough of the Mechanicus, and I've only just touched the surface of it. I just recently finished reading "Mechanicum". I can't wait to start the Priests/Lords/Gods of Mars series... if only I could find a damn hard copy of Priests for less than 50 USD.

I was enrolled in the delayed entry program for the USMC at the time I discovered 40k, so I gravitated towards my spacey counterparts.

For decades ive been a Space Wolf fanbo because of beards and wolfs.

Then recently i read the DA Codex and learned that even now 10k years after HH they are still fighting against the fallen ones that betrayed the emperor. that they will drop everything they are doing to deal with just 1 fallen. The entire ravenwing set of troops/vehicles look amazing and are almost the colors id choose if had a choice to pick a color scheme.

The 3rd Edition Codex: Space Wolves had, on the first page:

Why play Space Wolves?

They're vikings in space, do you need more reasons?

And alas, I actually needed no more reasons. Of course, that was well before the wolfwolfwolfruss thing of today.

ssisal wrote:
For decades ive been a Space Wolf fanbo because of beards and wolfs.

Then recently i read the DA Codex and learned that even now 10k years after HH they are still fighting against the fallen ones that betrayed the emperor. that they will drop everything they are doing to deal with just 1 fallen. The entire ravenwing set of troops/vehicles look amazing and are almost the colors id choose if had a choice to pick a color scheme.

'deal with'

You mean 'not kill, but kidnap, and then turn their guns on any allied forces' right?

A lot of things drew me to the Harlequins, but here are a few:

1. Dance fighters of any description in any entertainment medium are usually very entertaining. Harlies did not disappoint.
2. They're probably, as a whole, the most reasonable faction in the entire setting, except for that one Masque who are a massive bag of dicks and depopulate planets for the lulz.
3. They have an actual plan for dealing with Chaos. We don't know what it is, of course, other than that it involves tricking Slaanesh into using up all of his power to save the Eldar race, but it's there. It's not just 'fight a long, continuous losing battle' like the Imperium or 'let's all die and hope that works' like the Craftworld.
4. They don't worf to Special Snowflake Marines in the fluff.
5. Their design aesthetic is amazing.
6. With the big E down, they're effectively the closest thing the setting has to a 'Big Good' - they've been saving entire civilisations from Chaos for millennia, they guard a location that contains more lore and knowledge about Chaos than the majority of Chaos worshippers will ever even dream of knowing, they have a genuine god backing them, and they get other factions (albeit mainly Eldar ones) to work together against larger threats.
7. They can walk through a street in Commoragh and know that absolutely nobody is going to try anything. Even Vect treads on eggshells around them. How hardcore do you need to be for Vect to feel the need to cover up anything that might wind you up?

Those are just off the top of my head. There are more, of course.

I went for the Raven Guard initially because I have a general preference for the sneaky-shooty-stabby-wahey kind of characters.

I think what really convinced me, however, was the detail about the disappearence of Corvus Corax. I can take or leave the 'Nevermore' thing; that's just a nerdy reference, what I really like is the death of Nasturi Ephrenia, the Lord Admiral of the Raven Guard fleet, who is unambiguously portrayed as a love interest for the Primarch. She dies peacefully of old age, but for Corax it's a close brush with mortality and it really rocks him, setting him down a path of obsession and, eventually, despair. I really like the idea that all of the Raven Guard's problems can be traced back to a display of humanity from their Primarch, and it makes me admire them as a faction. If the Sons of Corax are destined to fade, to dwindle until they are a mere footnote on the history of the Imperium, then let it be known that it was the love borne by their father for a slave-girl that set them along that path, and that it's a noble fate which they welcome.

Tau. I've always kind o been a greater good guy even in real life. Highly philosophical and they lined up well with my beliefs sort of. They also adapt unlike most armies. If there is something they can't do they think how to solve it or ask someone for help. Then add in cool robots and a coalition of alien allies (I hope are expanded). It's an amazing army. As a bonus we'e easily the most hated army of all time so I get to feast on peoples nerd rage tears. I liked how they weren't' based on fantasy tropes but sci fi.

Dark Eldar: I wanted an army in opposition to the good guys of the setting that could shoot or do melee. This was before their newest dex annihilated any viability. I like how if your strong enough and smart enough hypothetically anyone can make it to the top of their society and rule it. Awesome stylish models.

Necrons: If I ever do I like the whole endless machine aspect, but their new fluff isn't as good.

+++Access denied+++

+++Resaons classified by order of the Inquisition+++

+++Thought for the day: Serve the Emperor today. Tomorrow you may be dead+++

Being on psychedelics on day, I was reading about the Imperial guard kn the 40k wiki after being out of 40k for a couple years. Lest to say, I was very empathetic about the worthlessness of humans and have ever since started my career as a xeno - racist Imperial Guardsguy

I loved how easy it is for most armies to be more or less a blank slate.

A chapter of Marines can be honorable knights who are fighting for the good of man kind, such as the Salamanders, or they can be barely controlled psychos ie, Carcharadons.

Armies most appealing for fluff for me are Guard, Daemons, CSM and Crons. I eventually went with Crons because who doesn't want to be a deranged Egyptian terminator who politically backstabs people.

I started with Orks because of the reference that their heads can survive for days when removed from the body, who doesn't love a disembodied head?!

I added Khorne because 'Blood for the Blood God' is the baddest warcry in all possibility.

I then started Imperial Fists because yellow armour is the toughest to make look hardcore

Orks were my choice of the day, loved them in DoW, loved the models from square one. Got ahold of peices of fluff, and just fell deeper in love as my fume addled brain began coming up with ideas for glorious looting potential. I still stand for the idea that "orks can given enough time and an inventive oddboy or several loot ANYTHING" and Dakka Dakka still proves this to this day (rodeo carnifex, not really looted per say but still awesome.)