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Hello...Im new here and to 40k. After lots and lots of researching I have narrowed my army choice down to 2 armies, Blood Angels and Tyranids!

I love Close combat and it seems BA and Tyranids are some of the best CC armies. Plus they both look simply amazing! My question is what army should I go? I understand it might be rather I want Quality or Quantity but if I can get more information on these armies id greatly appreciate it!

First off is Blood Angels the most common space army played? Beacause its going to be very hard to talk myself into an army that is played by 50% of the population. I mean Space Marines are already the most played army and if Blood Angels are the most commonly played chapter then I dont know if I could play them. Being called a band wagon, newb army, or something along those lines isnt my thing haha. I know Space Wolves are common, along with Ultramarines, Vanilla marines, and Black templar.

Also Tyranids seem amazing with their Genestealers but im afraid of getting raped all the time vs mech armies which seem to be the new thing in 5th Ed.

So...Is Blood Angels a good choice or Tyranids and why? I need to figure out what army Im going to play b/c i will be going to the store tomorrow and picking up a codex and then making a proxy army to play against my friends CSM or IG.

Thanks in advance!!!

Well I'd say that BA are a most commonly played army like most SM chapters.

But you shouldn't be ashamed if you want to play them.

Take my Advice and with the Army YOU like the most not what other people like.

Well what im wondering is if BA is the most commonly played out of all the other SM chapters.

Also, any takes on what army performs better at CC or any other suggestions?

I suggest Tyranids because Marines are SO overdone. Half of everyone (including me) has a Marine army.

As far as I can tell, Blood angels would be more forgiving as far as making errors in list choices, or mistakes on the table. If you're just starting, maybe they'd be more suitable for a beginner?

Well it looks like Tyranids is winning so far ><. As for what is more commonly played...I have no idea..My friends plays CSM, Tau, and Ultramarines.



Is tyranids a good army? What are their stengths and weaknesses? What scares you the most when you see a Tyranid army?

Tau are the best in CC.

Necrons are a close second.

If you want a shooty army, Orks are the best, hands down!

It may be that posting such a question on a website like this that feature many veterans would inevitably lead to more votes to the non-MEQ faction.

DarknessLurkz wrote:Hello...Im new here and to 40k. After lots and lots of researching I have narrowed my army choice down to 2 armies, Blood Angels and Tyranids!

I love Close combat and it seems BA and Tyranids are some of the best CC armies. Plus they both look simply amazing! My question is what army should I go? I understand it might be rather I want Quality or Quantity but if I can get more information on these armies id greatly appreciate it!

First off is Blood Angels the most common space army played? Beacause its going to be very hard to talk myself into an army that is played by 50% of the population. I mean Space Marines are already the most played army and if Blood Angels are the most commonly played chapter then I dont know if I could play them. Being called a band wagon, newb army, or something along those lines isnt my thing haha. I know Space Wolves are common, along with Ultramarines, Vanilla marines, and Black templar.

Also Tyranids seem amazing with their Genestealers but im afraid of getting raped all the time vs mech armies which seem to be the new thing in 5th Ed.

So...Is Blood Angels a good choice or Tyranids and why? I need to figure out what army Im going to play b/c i will be going to the store tomorrow and picking up a codex and then making a proxy army to play against my friends CSM or IG.

Thanks in advance!!!

It all depends on what you want. It is a totally different thing between being on a bandwagon and choosing an army you like. If you like Blood Angels, then use blood angels, and don't worry if other people say you have a newb army or the like. Just starting a game and picking an army isn't jumping on the bandwagon, going from codex to codex with the same models is.

Personally, I would go Nids, though that may be because I already have a (Chaos) Space Marine army. I don't have the newest Nid book, but if they have kept the options of basically making your own army (which I doubt, but I still bet they are highly customizable) there is room for more experimentation and therefor more playstyles.

Also, the Nid models are some of the coolest in the game.

Interesting that the polling favors the bugs so strongly. The nids are an assaulty army, but they're trickier to use than BA. Maybe the preference is because the BA are currently over-represented and the bugs are under-represented.

The bugs have two major problems being assaulty: transports and cover. Assaulting transports is inefficient because when you open the can, the unit inside gets to shoot you before you can assault them. You're left in a compacted formation around the transport - ripe for templates and blasts. You used to be able to give most units assault grenades, but now the nids have an array of lesser options. Fexes can get assault grenades, but have otherwise been reduced in effectiveness. Lictors still have flesh hooks, but no one takes lictors because they compete with hive guard and zoanthropes. Warriors can get lashwhips that let them assault into cover simultaneously with at least some models in the target unit. Genestealers who were greatly feared at one time because they would attack at I6 with flesh hooks and could get a 4+ save, now wade into melee waiting for the enemy to strike first. The answer on assaulting into cover from the codex writer in his tactica article is simply to soften the target with shooting first.

Arschbombe wrote:Interesting that the polling favors the bugs so strongly. The nids are an assaulty army, but they're trickier to use than BA. Maybe the preference is because the BA are currently over-represented and the bugs are under-represented.

The bugs have two major problems being assaulty: transports and cover. Assaulting transports is inefficient because when you open the can, the unit inside gets to shoot you before you can assault them. You're left in a compacted formation around the transport - ripe for templates and blasts. You used to be able to give most units assault grenades, but now the nids have an array of lesser options. Fexes can get assault grenades, but have otherwise been reduced in effectiveness. Lictors still have flesh hooks, but no one takes lictors because they compete with hive guard and zoanthropes. Warriors can get lashwhips that let them assault into cover simultaneously with at least some models in the target unit. Genestealers who were greatly feared at one time because they would attack at I6 with flesh hooks and could get a 4+ save, now wade into melee waiting for the enemy to strike first. The answer on assaulting into cover from the codex writer in his tactica article is simply to soften the target with shooting first.

To be fair, I HAVE seen a swarm of Hormagaunts (with Adrenal) surround a Rhino, glance it to death (When you've got something like 120 S4 attacks on the charge, you're bound to get a few glances) and because it was surrounded completely, the passengers could not perform an emergency disembarkation, thus were destroyed. It can be done, it's just not your standard method of killing canned meat.

It seems as if people are voting Tyranids but posting and telling me to go BA. it is VERY confusing lol

Tyranids man. If people don't buy xenos from GW, they won't give them attention. With Nids you can field either a horde of bugs, a smaller army of tougher shock troop bugs, or even an army loaded up with big bad bugs like Trygons and Tervigons. Of course there's all sorts of combinations you can have.

It really comes down to which army you'll like painting more though. Does the prospect of painting red fill you with fury? Would painting two dozen bugs at a time make you want to slit your wrists? Does it all sound fun to you regardless? What people fail to realize is that if they don't like painting a certain type of model or scheme they'll probably never paint their army, and it will always be grey plastic.

I hve no expirence with painting to be honest so thats a whole nother gray area for me...im sure either would be a pain in the ass but I would get through it...

My question is...my main opponents are CSM, Tau, and Ultramarines...

and my friend that plays CSM...almost everyone he knows plays SMs so 1) he'll know how to raped SMs with ease but also gives that challenge aspect.

and 2) I really dont wannt be called a newb with a cheese army...lol

in the other hand he told me hes only ever played against Tyranids 2 times in his 40k carreer which is about 5+ years...so the element of not know how my army works would help.

This is all my opinion, so any of the legion of drooling fanboys that are going to get angry about what I say can just bugger off.

You should be ashamed if you play space marines. They are way overdone. Unfortunately they are horribly overpopulated for a reason. If you choose Tyranids you are going to get a lower class army with much, much, MUCH less support from GW and any support you do get will be as much (or more!) of a kick in the nuts as it is any sort of help. Blood Angels being what they are you can reasonably expect another codex within a few years including all the fixes and tweaks they find along the way. Any sort of Xeno army? Good luck and hope your codex ages well. Ask the Dark Eldar how long that took.

That being said I'm a sucker for punishment and I have a Tyranid army myself. They're great fun and, unlike the marines, actually feel like a different army with their own 'flavor' on the battlefield. Just go into it with eyes open knowing the trouble GW is going to give you down the road.

Well I went down to the Comic Shop where they do the tournaments and was asking about what kinds of armies got played the most. He said Space Marines and Chaos Space Marines were the most played yet he said there were NO Blood Angel Armies and 1-2 Tyranid players. He said usally 20-25 people show up at the tournaments.

Now...I was leaning towards Tyranids but if theres 2 people already playing the,...should I switch to BA because no one plays them>? He said a lot of space marines and CSM...so im assuming Space Wolves, Ultramarines, and vanilla.

Basically...I wanna have fun, be different and still be competitive...

any suggestions?

I would like there not to be more Space Mariens armies. There are so many around already.

Blood Angels are overrated raging humans in extremely bulky suits. Tyranids are alien monsters with claws and blades alike.

Pros for playing Blood Angels:

You have one of the best codices in the game. Not only that, but Marines in general are easy to play and pretty forgiving.
Your army will be cheaper overall due to low model count.
Your army will get regular releases either from GW or FW, always something new to look forward to.
Rest easy knowing your army will always be supported, and never swept under the rug and forgotten about for a decade (or more).



Pros for playing Tyranids:

You get to be different.
Your codex is slightly better than the others that are all two editions old.



I like Tyranids, but if you're just getting into the game then Blood Angels are kind of a no-brainer. Playing any xeno army is pretty much an uphill battle, where any little mistake (even at deployment) can cost you the entire game. Not only that but you can look forward to getting no love when it comes to model releases...half the stuff in your 'nid army would have to be converted (making a pricey horde army even more expensive, as you have to start kit-bashing things together), and there's no sign of models coming out for those missing units anytime soon.

SumYungGui wrote:... drooling fanboys ... can just bugger off.

SumYungGui wrote:You should be ashamed if you play space marines.

I'm all for "fewer Space Marine armies," but come on man.

If you're going to wear the hypocrite hat, declare it first.

Sidstyler wrote:Your army will be cheaper overall due to low model count.

Who said lower model count = less $$$?
Thats a laugh.

Im going to go back down to the comic shop today because they are having a tournament...ill see what kind of armies are playing.

I kinda like Quality over Quantity but im up for anything.

Can you even have a competitive CC army?

after comparing SMs codex and BA Codex...theres almost no difference...maybe a few rules but the prices and stats are about the same...and in some cases cheaper for the CMs...

I guess after looking at the army really hard...the only really reason I like BAs is b/c their assault Terms with thunder hammers and storm shields inside a land raider is just so sexy...and on top of that I watched a video were an assualt term army raped 3x Carnafexs...which was depressing...

DarknessLurkz wrote:Well I went down to the Comic Shop where they do the tournaments and was asking about what kinds of armies got played the most. He said Space Marines and Chaos Space Marines were the most played yet he said there were NO Blood Angel Armies and 1-2 Tyranid players. He said usally 20-25 people show up at the tournaments.

Now...I was leaning towards Tyranids but if theres 2 people already playing the,...should I switch to BA because no one plays them>? He said a lot of space marines and CSM...so im assuming Space Wolves, Ultramarines, and vanilla.

Basically...I wanna have fun, be different and still be competitive...

any suggestions?

I wouldn't go for a codex just because it's underplayed. Play the codex you like best. Pick them both up, flick through them, build a couple of lists that focus on what you want to do and get some feedback on them.

Are Blood Angels popular? Of course they are. They're a new codex, and they favor assault. Assault is sexy. I'd say they're not as ubiquitous as Space Wolves, though, so don't worry about it. If you like what the codex does, then play it. The shininess will wear off when Grey Knights or whatever the next Power Armor codex is gets released, and they'll be back to being, if not obscure, then at least not as omnipresent.

Tyranids: Because playing Blood Angels would make you a nublet.

Smarteye wrote:

Sidstyler wrote:Your army will be cheaper overall due to low model count.

Who said lower model count = less $$$?
Thats a laugh.

Uhhh.

BA's basic troops choice is two $30 boxes.

Nids basic troops choice is three $25 boxes.

BA's basic HQ choice is a $13 metal mini.

Nids basic HQ choice is either a conversion from a $35 Warriors box, or a $50 Hive Tyrant box.

BA's specialists include Death Company and Sanguinary Guard, both of which are $33 for a box of 5.

Nids specialists include Hive Guard, which are $20 each, and Zoanthropes, which are $22.25 each.

Predators are $44.50.

Trygons are $49.50.

Any given Nid army will have twice as many, or more, models as any given BA army.

Not only do you buy fewer miniatures for a BA army, but BA miniatures are, on average, cheaper than Nids. You're actually wrong twice.

SMs are cheaper than BA's and do that same thing so i just dont get how they are so good in CC...

After seeing how close the armies are...SM's to BA...there no way i can bring myself to play BA...is there any other amazing CC armies?

DarknessLurkz wrote:SMs are cheaper than BA's and do that same thing so i just dont get how they are so good in CC...

If this is trolling, it's brilliant.

When you get to the point of having your own codex memorized with Blood Angels, you know the capabilities of the armaments for about 80% of the armies you will play against. Nids are awesome, but for a new player you will get a lot more milage out of a power armoured army, imo.

DarknessLurkz wrote:SMs are cheaper than BA's and do that same thing so i just dont get how they are so good in CC...

After seeing how close the armies are...SM's to BA...there no way i can bring myself to play BA...is there any other amazing CC armies?

Have you considered the lure of Khorne?

Or Saim-Hann?

If you want to be truly a CC army bugs are really the way to go. SM including space wolves and blood angles will never be truly CC armies and will always need fire support to back them as long as the bulk of there combat units have a marine stat line. BA and SW may be able to hold up in CC better than SM but neither can be a CC army like tyranids can.