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I have an Ork army already I just need something for them to play against. I have the AoBR Marines and could expand on them, the only Chapter I like are Salamanders though or a Blood Angels as I am trying to get my brother into the game and I know he likes the look of BA.

I was also thinking of IG, an army I thought heavily about playing and it would mean a 2nd army for me I like. They are a great force with diversity in tactics like the Orks I was looking at this list:

CCS 60
Autocannon

Veteran Squad 95
3 Grenade launchers
Autocannon

Veteran Squad 95
3 Grenade launchers
Autocannon

2 Scout Sentinels 80
Autocannons

Leman Russ Battle Tank 165
Lascannon

With a codex this list would run about $150

I tried to get people hooked on the Fantasy end but it's a little more strategic and more complicated.

IG are a pretty expensive army because of the large amount of units you have to buy.

Most Armies contain Battle Forces.

Most of these Battle Forces are 70$ and are 500 points.

Heres the IG - http://www.games-workshop.com/gws/catalog/productDetail.jsp?prodId=prod2030001

Yeah I've looked into it, that IG list would be 1 Battleforce, a sentinel and the tank. With the codex I'm looking at $150 which is not bad.

If you already have the AoBR marines though, which contains terminators, captain, tac squad or is it 2?? and a dreadnought . Is that all? Anywho it's a good chunk of 500 there

Hargus56 wrote:Yeah I've looked into it, that IG list would be 1 Battleforce, a sentinel and the tank. With the codex I'm looking at $150 which is not bad.

Somehow i doubt GW is going to give you that amount of grenade launchers. Its probably going to be a little more.

Speaking for myself when i first got into the game i started learning wth marines as they are very forgiving to play with. Which for me meant that my friend got me hooked by playing an army that i always had a shot with, I didn't always win but i never walked away feeling like did poorly, cause even when you make mistakes with marines they aren't as game changng as when you make mistakes with other armies. That's just my two cents... but come to think of it that was a very evil thing of my friend to get me so addicted to this plastic crack. lol i guess i'll learn to forgive hi somehow.

Stubby wrote:Somehow i doubt GW is going to give you that amount of grenade launchers.

Right, you only get 2 GLs per 10x dudes.

That said, this isn't a very competitive 500 point guard army. That's fine, assuming that the other 500 point lists they are playing against are equally uncompetitive, but I'd hate to see a new player to 40k decide they don't like it just because GW can't put out a battleforce that gives you a competitive list.

As others have said, why not more AoBR? That even gives you extra copies of the rulebook for them to read over in their spare time.

How would bea good way to expand my AoBR marines to a 500pt force?

I do like Salamanders would there be a way to incorporate He'stan in a 500 or 750pt list?

At 500pts you can take really any halfway decent units and get away with it, at that point level you cant work in much redundancy. At 750 its starting to get to the point where you can build synergies in your list, but you can still get away with stuff that just wouldnt work at higher point levels.

Well, with AoBR marines as a basis, I'd try to pick up another AoBR if possible, then you could build:

Vulkan 190

Dreadnought, multimelta 105

Dreadnought, multimelta 105

10 man tactical squad, multi melta, flamer, combi flamer on sarge 175

10 man tactical squad, multi melta, flamer, combi flamer on sarge 175

= 750

Combat squad the tacticals, hunt tanks with your dreads and multi melta combat squads, go grill stuff with your double flamer combat squads, challenge stuff with vulkan and kill them.

This is using C:SM as a basis though, you could make a MUCH more competitive 750 army out of BA or wolves, but they would both involve lots of rhinos/razorbacks.

You know if you just want to go bone-dry, cut-and-paste, cheapest 500point army that would be Necrons. Two squads and a Lord w/Res Orb. If I recall that's 500 flat and even though it's not that imaginative, you'ld be suprised how well it does because of the fact that they WILL NOT DIE!!!!

Otherwise you should allready have 500points of SM if I'm not mistaken, 125 for a basic Chapter Master, run 2x 5 man Tac squads for 180, 105 for a plain dread. That tallies up to 410 right there, so you could either upgrade your chapter master and dred with goodies, or buy one tac squad, drop the dread, and with the remaining 15 points give your Chapter Master a powerweapon/equivelent.

My first games played were with space marines. The first army i ever owned was necrons, they too are a very forgiving learning army, but not as much fun later on, at least that has been my experience. Really though what i sometimes wish is that my friend had sat me down and explained some of the fluff, cause i think for me i would have rather choosen a first army based on my favorite army fluffwise, cause i honestly believe that is what hooked me. So part of the answer might depend on what you think is going to appeal the most to your friend. Fluff, competitiveness, or just the fun aspect. Because all of those factors could be taken into account.

I agree with Ravening, lay out the basic fluff and playstyle for each army to your friend. It's all but necessary to a game with this much modeling and painting involved to play an army you think looks cool. Almost anything could be a good beginner army with a little tutelage too. Just walk them through a few battles with an army they like and I guarantee they'll be hooked (that was how I got into my beloved IG).

As for costs, ebay. If you're willing to wait a little while to find deals (and not long, I'm talking about a week or two for basic units) you can get almost everything 50-70% off gw prices. This will let you decide on an army by fluff and feel rather than finances to an extent.

Thanks for the input all. I did find this 500pt army on another forum that might be a cool stater for Blood Angels

H.Q.: Librarian w/Jump Pack & The Sanguine Sword
Troop 1: Assault Squad x7 w/Melta Gun & Power Fist
Troop 2: Assault Squad x8 w/Melta Gun, Power Fist & Hand Flamer
Total: 495

With a codex and extra bitz needed this should run me about $100, I was going to use Dante as the Librarian as he just looks so cool and has a jump pack.

Hargus56 wrote:Thanks for the input all. I did find this 500pt army on another forum that might be a cool stater for Blood Angels

H.Q.: Librarian w/Jump Pack & The Sanguine Sword
Troop 1: Assault Squad x7 w/Melta Gun & Power Fist
Troop 2: Assault Squad x8 w/Melta Gun, Power Fist & Hand Flamer
Total: 495

With a codex and extra bitz needed this should run me about $100, I was going to use Dante as the Librarian as he just looks so cool and has a jump pack.

Check the Swap Shop here. I was able to pick up Roughly 20 Assault Marines, two Dreads, a Libby, and a partridge in a pear tree for under $80. The only other thing I would do is try and get a Full Assault squad so you can take advantage of the dual Meltas. In the smaller squad you should rock a flamer instead.

Thanks for the input so like:

H.Q.: Librarian w/Jump Pack & The Sanguine Sword
Troop 1: Assault Squad x10 w/Melta Gunx2 & Power Fist
Troop 2: Assault Squad x5 Power Fist & Hand Flamer

Sorry I haven't invested in a codex yet, not sure of the point value on this.

I would just drop the Hand flamer for a Squad flamer, and that is it sir.

Also your Libby can take two skills.

Mad thanks for all your help. I'm a little unfamiliar with SM and BA. If I ordered 3 Assault Squads would this have all the equipment I need or would I need some more bitz? Or can I get Taxtical Squads and get jump packs to attach to them?

The Assault Squad boxes don't come with flamers or meltaguns, it only comes with the power fist. Your best route is probably to buy the 3 Assault Squads, and then buy the bits for a flamer & 2 meltaguns. Swap Shop & Ebay are definitely your friends if you are looking to save money though.