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I'm not really sure which race to pick. Its down to Eldar/IG/Tyranids. Can anyone give me info on the way those races play? Anything at all helps, really.

Thanks a lot

I'm pretty new myself but i do have quite a few codecies (spelling?) I've picked up over the years. I don't know the eldar very well except to say I THINK they are mostly about using hit and run tactics and denying combat. As I stated before I think thats how they operate as it is one of the few books I don't have. Now the IG work best as either a blob list or a mech list. Their strength lies in numbers or alot of armor. some of the mech lists look pretty nasty. From what I've read the nids are kind of hard to put a competitive list together but it can be done. They are also more of a horde geared army. Once again I am a very recent player. Ive picked up a codex or two over the years and just studied and read about different lists and recently started trying to play so I could be DEAD wrong at some points. Bottom line is from what I understand its IG=massed volleys of fire OR Mech List. Eldar=Sweet psyker powers/ fast moving and Nids=lots of nids!

Thanks a lot for the response. Im thinking IG. Do most people still play SM?

Well I play alot of armies, but you picked two that I don't play. But I do play IG and as you can see from my sig it is my biggest army. Yes people do still play SM but I have seen less Ultrasmurfs recently. Even though I don't play I still know how they play...so let me describe them, and that ultimate decision is based on $$$ available and style of play.

Eldar: More of a finesse army that can work but needs a new codex. With them you try and split your opponent up and take out one isolated squad, and then move on. I really like some of their psyker abilities especially guide with the ability to shoot 3 times at the cost of not shooting next turn. They also have a gross vehicle upgrade that makes it all but invincible.

Nids: Can be balanced and has alot of big guys. Some can even make more little guys. Their troops choices are gross with warriors and genestealers. But you have to remember synapse or else your battle plan can fall apart quickly. Killing tanks without the "big boys" can be tough as well.

IG: I could write and essay here but I won't. Pretty much 2 types of play: Mech and blob. The blob is a huge infantry platoon all shoved together with a commisar and as many power weapons as you can fit. The Mech is probably harder to kill and focuses on Veternas with special weapons (melta/plasma) in chimeras. With Vendettas for long range takedowns. (My type of IG) The downside here is cost. Each tanks is $35/chimera $65/valk and then conversion for vendetta and $50/Manticore which you also need. I got a deal on someone leaving the game so woot.

In terms of cost it depends on play style but IG is probably the most expensive then Eldar (Mechdar) then Nids (Nidzilla) are the cheapest (still not cheap), but I may have those last to backwards seeing as how I don't buy alot of them.

Hope this helps and welcome to the game!!!

IG is doing well right now, play em while they are on top(ish).

I don't really see them coming down for a while. They are pretty much on top of things as people keep finding new ways to make them work.

Thanks a lot! I like certain models, but I feel like none would be good. I really like Striking Scorpions for the Eldar.

Ogryns/Mordian for the IG, Everything of the Tyranids.

Can someone list the easiest/best to the hardest/worst races to pick? I dont want somehting super hard to play but I dont want to just pick ultramarines and be bored. Anything helps

Bill v.2 wrote: but I dont want to just pick ultramarines and be bored.

Quote of the year award.

I dont know if youre being sarcastic or not, just used to all my friends playing them. They could be fun, I just think I want something different for now.

Not sarcastic, I liked it.

Tyranids are a lot of fun, Eldar are really cool but IIRC they are pretty hard to play, and I don't know much about IG.

What do you folks play and why? If it wasent so spendy id just byt a bunch but I want to be sure of what I want before I shell out. I have the free cash for whichever.

I play Tau, but my friend plays nids and I've played em a few times, a whole lotta fun

I play nilla marines,chaos marines and black templars, i have fought against all three armies and personally if you want an intresting adventure into the painting side of things you might want to pick up the eldar, if you wanna have a jillion models go with nids or make the nidzilla abomination (its fun to fight against) guard well the guard are cool cuase its just some dude with a lasgun no superjuice or anything like that so it adds a sense of humanity (i think thats what i want to say) to your army. i personally dont like eldar but by all means go with what you think feels right. thats the best piece of advice you can get.

Honestly just google lexicanum 40k. It's a GREAT warhammer wiki site. Read up on the fluff of the armies you are considering. You'll have much more fun with an army who's storyline you enjoy than an army that's more competitive atm. I have an IG 500pt army and I'm working on a 500-1000pt gk list. Also if you are just playing for fun and not worried about tournys than make a list YOU enjoy not one that you only built because its the best one to use. I'm rocking termies at 500 pts!

I play Eldar, Orks, IG, Chaos, and vanilla marine, so take this with a grain of salt.

Eldar is a hard army to play for a new player. It is really a finess army in any form due to the Codex being 4th Ed, and 6th Ed is coming out... next year-ish (depending on the rumors). Eldar might be near the top for a new codex, but it isn't the top, so maybe in two years there will be one. If you want to do Eldar, wait till then. I will say that the Codex is a very good codex though, giving a player several ways to build a eldar list and win with them. Eldar are also one of the best psyker armies in the game, still.

IG is really all about the shooting, oh God the shooting.... There are few armies out there that can match IG for shear firepower. IG is a modern codex (as all codexs made since (and including) the Nid codex are made with 6th Ed in mind) and thus it is very balanced. There is no one build, which is the sign of a good codex.

Nid Codex is really an Assault army. With that said, they can do a shooty army. But they have several units that have no ranged option what-so-ever. Since I don't own it, I will let the Nid players speak on it's behalf. But since it is also a modern codex, it is also very versital with several builds.

So yeah... finess, shooty, assault... which do you want to play to fit your play style? To give Vanilla Marines their due, they are an excellent starting army to get your feet wet into 40k. Blackreach is a good starter set for cheap... your effectivily getting something for a low cost, specially if you can get someone to go in on it for the Orks.

I'm thinking about getting AOBR. I really like Termintors and the Dreadnaught. The fact that its cheap helps as well. Thanks dudes