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So,
Here it is: Recently, got back into the hobby -- thus my [unlurking] return to dakka dakka. Originally, I figured out that I want DE. Sounded just like my thing.

However, there are a few factors that have brought me to a cross road. I am a very broke college student, I recently sold off some things for $$$ and set aside some of the money for fun [drinking/ass clownery] and hobby [40k]. There are three armies I really want to collect [yeah, I've got one of those "BUY EVERY ARMY" before I even have one fleshed out one mentality]. But, I've narrowed it down to DE and Orkz[s?]. Initially, I bought the DE codex and some Kabalite warriors to get me refreshed with what I've missed. Leafed through the rules, put some models together and painted a spare Termie I had. I am pretty fickle when it comes to the quality of my paintjobs [which are bad, lol], I always want them to be the best, GD standard, which is horribly beyond my scope. Finally, getting past that I realized that tabletop quality would be quite fine for a newb to painting like myself. And furthermore, something that I can achieve with practice.

After crunching some numbers, [and stop me if this is not viable, I am clueless with Orks and, well, 40K, ha] I figured that I could get a couple of packs of Orks from AOBR and then pick up some wagons and have a lot more points than if I invested the same amount into DE. I don't want my list to be stupid competitive, I want it to be fun and have a decent chance in a tourney, but mainly just fun. Namely, because as aforementioned I am broke as hell and finding a job has proven fruitless and beyond that I am transferring to another Uni. after this semester. So money is a factor.

So, there's the money-aspect of my post. Onward to what I "want".

Proficient melee with some firepower, nothing insane. I initially thought I didn't want a hordish army, but Orks have always intrigued me. Having had a full Gobbo army, and later adding a lot of Orks, has made me nostalgic of the unreliable gits. However, I am not inflexible; DE are very cool, too, albeit a bit spikey/rapey. I mainly just want some feedback [again, sorry guys.] on what you guys think would be the best route and if grabbing a few AOBR Ork packs would be worth it. Oh, one last note, I don't mind that the AOBR Orks will all be mono-posed, I am a hack at doing cool poses anyway and either way I plan on doing basic poses so I can practice my painting abilities and then progress from there to modeling/other fun stuff.

Sorry for the long-winded post. I appreciate the comments to come, especially the helpful ones.

If you don't mind the lack of poses with the Orks, then you're over my hurdle with AoBR green tides. I think you should stick with Orks to get practiced at painting. When your army has 90 boyz in it, nobody's going to notice a bad paintjob or three. You also seem to have more of a "plan" for Orks than Dark Eldar.

In short, Orks now, Dark Eldar later once you've become a better painter.

Greetings. I'd encourage you to read the DE Advice linked in my signature.

I would also note that if you're looking to "win" games, DE are not very beginner friendly - they're a finesse army, hugely powerful, and punishing if you make mistakes with them.

I'm not exactly looking to win. I just don't want to get obliterated before Turn 4 or something equally appalling.

I actually have more of a "plan" for DE than Orks. But the AOBR idea came to mind and so I wavered before making any further purchases. I've read your advice, Dash. It was what made me change my mind on a few different things in my original DE line up. I have a list for the things I need to buy for both. But one of the things I want to know is a couple of AOBR packs going to be viable? I don't mean tournament viable, either. I mean basement hammer fun viable. I had planned on buying about 2 packs, then slotting up on some boyz. Then buying a couple of wagons and then moving from there.

Thanks.

Orks are the most "fun" to play in my opinion. When was the last time you heard a DE player yell something like. "Er We Go Er We Go!" over the top of the entire rooms chatter.

Bang for the buck it's hard to beat the AoBR boxes and with a little modeling DIY you can convert AoBR boyz into a ton of different things.

My vote goes to the Orks too. If for nothing else, do it just to see your opponent's face when you plop down some 80+ models for a 1000 point game, and tell him that each one has four S4 attacks on the charge.

Yeah do orks just to get the painting up to snuff and start gaming. Get an AoBR Ork set for like $40, 20 AoBR boyz will run you about $20 so get these. Shoota gun bitz are nice for converting AoBR boyz to shootas, just cut off an arm, which are better in a green tide/foot slogging army, or just cut the tip of the barrel off some sluggas and add some plastic card round tube to extend and increase the size of the barrel to a shoota. 1 box of nobz and 1 box of boyz is nice for the Power Klaws, Boss Poles. You'll want about 3 PK/BP nobz to lead your boyz. Add buzzsaws to your deffkoptas for the big first turn tank busting. Get at least 2 boxes of lootas/burnas. Add a Big Mek with Kustom Force Field so you have about this:

1 PK/Cybork Warboss combi skorcha could be added here too and attack squig
1 KFF Big Mek burna could be added here
2-4 units of 20-30 Strong Shoota or Slugga Boyz led by Nobz with PK/BP, big shootas are nice, some people swear by rokkits
2-3 Deffkoptas TL Rokkit Launcha and Buzz Saws
2 units of 5 Lootas, you'll get 4 deffguns in each box and 5 total "ork models"

Basically the tactic to use is right from the start have the deffkoptas start as scouting 12inches away from the enemy take out Rhinos and Chimeras and the like. Lootas lay down fire popping transports and other easy targets like fast attacks. Boyz and Warboss march up the field make sure as many as possible are benefiting from the Big Mek's Kustom Force Field rule giving them a cover save. Not as effective as a kan wall or mechanized with battle wagons with deffrollas but it's fun and cheap and will do quite well due to the sheer numbers of boyz. With a codex will run you probably $200 for a 1,500 pt army, you can save a little more hitting up game store bazaars, craigslist and the trade forums here. $200 is far cheaper then a DE army would run you, after looking at Dash's post you are going to spend almost $150 pm the mandatory 3 triple lance Ravagers.

From here maybe add some battlewagons, kans, kommandos with Snikrot to make the enemy fear the table edge and be closer to your green tide. There is a rule to orks though: Boyz before Toyz, and when considering building an army you can't go wrong with more boyz, more lootas and more KFF.

The galaxy could always use a new Waaaagggghhhh!

The DE do look great and when played right are amazing on the tabletop.
With orks you simply run or drive across the table, apply fist to face whilst shooting in a wild and inaccurate fashion. Makes for great fun!

For me it comes down to this:

Do you have a sense of humour? Do you mind lousy shooting and unreliable tech, but dirt cheap

If yes- Play orks

If no- Play Dark Eldar

If maybe play both, but start with orks

Dark Eldar stuff is very fast, very fragile, very accurate and a bit pricy in points.

Ork stuff is often very fast, very fragile, inaccurate as hell (but hilarious) and cheap in points.

Both armies are a bit of a pain to paint well.

Play some games against opponents and learn what army you would like to end up collecting and playing. You may even enjoy the Orks enough to expand on them, they are one of the few armies that can utilize several tactics and builds while still being competitive. Also a great army to have on hand to help introduce friends and family into the hobby as their tactics are straight forward, see viney's post above. And it will hook them especially for an intro game you're looking at 500-1k because with the number of boyz that you can field at those levels vs any other army they tend to dominate.

Orks are great fun, and a fairly forgiving army.

Orks Orks Orks Orks!

Orkz
Enjoy your Waaagh!

Alright,
Ork Codex acquired for $15. Even split an AOBR box with a pal ($34). I just need to get hold of some paints and I was thinking of using gesso as a primer. Not too sure on that. Spray cans scare me, though.

I do like the idea of a bunch of Orks waving their arms wildly in random directions firing before crashing into close combat.

I swear by the ColorPlace Walmart brand primer for a buck. Only tried the black so far though. Basecoat the skin with a gnarloc green foundation so green paints will actually stick as it has a very hard time going on straight black. Keep it simple though since you will be doing a lot of model, basecoat, wash, highlight, done. Have you decided on a clan or are you going to create your own? If Goff just highlight their clothes with a gray after the black primer, cathlan brown the leather and wash, highlight if you want with like snakebite. Spend a little more time on your nobz and HQ, just don't spend all your time on boyz unless you really enjoy the painting part of the hobby.