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.

I'm currently in the planning stages for my next army. I currently have Chaos Marines and Descent of Angels so I'm certainly looking to branch out of MEQ land. My latest thinking on the army-front, is that it would be cool to own several different armies with different playstyles and colour-schemes, but none of them too big. So, as with my DoA army, my next army will probably be 1500-2000 points only and it's gotta have a strong-theme. I'm also pretty keen on making a counts as army, as I'm up for the modelling challenge and I think it would be pretty visually impressive.

So, here are my requirements in a way:

Not MEQ

Competitive (I'm a keen tourny player so I'm not too interested in playing Tau, Necrons or Witch Hunters)

A good counts-as army

So I guess, narrowing it down, I've got a choice from Dark Eldar, Deamons, Eldar, Guard, Orks and Tyranids. Here are some of my ideas so far:

Chaos Kroot using the Dark Eldar codex: Using a combination of War Skiffs (skimmers), carnivores (warriors), vutures (hellions) and more I'd go for a lightly armoured, fast moving kroot raiding force. With the added twist of these kroot being influenced by Chaos, Khorne in fact. I figure this would make sense as Kroot are primal, savage creatures and i can imagine Khorne extending his blessings to them so they can go forth and spill blood in his name. I could have some witch-doctor /shaman elements to represent the more funky side of DE wargear. I think this could be very competitive, and it's certainly not MEQ, but do you think it'd be a confusing counts-as? E.g. too confusing to play at a tourney, because 80% of the army would be made form the plastic Kroot boxed set?

Skaven in 40k: Ok, so they've been done a lot before, but I still think it's an awesome idea. I'd go with the Guard codex and probably make my rat-men be a cursed guard regiment. That way I could keep the big, hulking IG tanks that I love, and seriously skaven it up. I'd say this is fine on all counts, it wouldn't be too far off guard for it to be a fine-counts as.

Lizardmen in 40k: So this has been done a lot too, but I think they'd make a good ork army (perhaps not fitting the Lizardmen fluff from Fantasy, where they're pretty clever) but going with a rather brutal look. skinks as grots, big tall, rumbling Meso-American-looking crawlers as battlewagons. What do you think?

Anyhow, aside from comments on my ideas, I'm also really interested to see what cool counts as armies you've seen or thought off. Inspiration all around please!

Thanks
Lunarman

I would try something as simple as Traitor Guardsmen, although I like your idea for Chaos Kroot

Do you think this should've gone in a different forum? I honestly thought count-as armies were quite a popular topic so I'd get more replies!

Boldly go where no man has gone before (presumably)
do dark krootdar

All three are goods ideas, what I think it comes down to is, which one of those ideas appeals the most to you. Which do you think would be the most fun to actually complete?

Other alternative ideas thrown around a lot are:

IG Ad Mech armies
Traitor guard armies (beastman most commonly)
Squats count as IG
Khorne counts as SW

Daemons...count as Fantasy based army also

Tyranid codex - Inquisition army of mutants.

S_P

I like the Skaven idea... though you could incorporate some of the bigger fantasy pieces... Doomwheel as a walker, Warp cannons on the tanks.... that kind of thing.

Try to come up with something that hasn't been done a million times before.

Empire as Orks?

helgrenze wrote:I like the Skaven idea... though you could incorporate some of the bigger fantasy pieces... Doomwheel as a walker, Warp cannons on the tanks.... that kind of thing.

I'd love to do that! It would be awesome to have warplightning cannons as the turrets for tanks!
How do you mean, Empire as Orks? You mean, a sort of renaissance abhuman army?

Skavenguard could be awesome. Warp-lightning Leman Russ.

Use the Empire modelling range to create an ork army, simple as that. Combine fantasy Empire kits with 40k Ork and Imperial guard.
Engineer as big Mek or Empire General as Warboss (maybe on scenic bases to make up the size difference).
Knightly Orders or Mounted Pistoliers with Shootas for Bikes
Greatswords, Free Company or State Troops for Boyz. (Maybe mix so Great Swords are Big Choppas)
Griffon mounted characters as Deffkoptas.
Handgunners/Crossbowmen with guns as Shoot Boyz
Cannon for 'Kannon'
Converted BW or Steamtank for BW
Hellblasters for Zapguns or Lootas

etc Take a lot of bitz and conversions, but good counts-as, always do that. Fluff would be a pre-imperial world.