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Dear dakka,

So I'm thinking about buying into 40k but everyone at the local game store and on the podcasts I found seem to think Dark Eldar are terrible. This is a little distressing since that was what I planned to buy into, but luckily I also like necrons and grey knights from the looks of the models. So here's the big questions... Are either of these armies beginner friendly? Also does anyone have any kind of idea what kind of buy in cost I might be looking at? Honestly I'm very newbish when it comes to the two ( I'm really not sure what either army really does, but they have my favorite models), although I've read a lot of the fiction for years, and played it back in 2nd edition.

Thanks for the help,
Chad

Dark Eldar is a army you need to play VERY tactically, leaving very little room for error, but from what I hear, playing them will make you a better player faster.

Necrons are also a bit tactical, but a lot more durable....making room for errors acceptable.

Grey Knights are a marine army, meaning you don't need to worry about making mistakes as much.

None of those armies are particularily easy to play at the start. I'd go into a few stores and play with the staff a bit to get a feel for the basic rules first. All three armies have lots of special rules...although, every army does, but I don't think any of the three are easy to learn.

Good luck mate!

All three have had new codex's fairly recently so they are great options for new players. Of all of them I'd say DE will take the most effort to master skillfully being the least durable.

At the end of the day pick an army you like for their fluff, when you're elbow deep in models that need painting its the theme of your army that will keep you going.

As for cost... I'm currently looking at about £200 for 1000points of Necrons, but that's using alot of bitz that arent strictly needed to do my conversions. Not sure what that is in $$$

Jihadnik wrote:None of those armies are particularily easy to play at the start. I'd go into a few stores and play with the staff a bit to get a feel for the basic rules first. All three armies have lots of special rules...although, every army does, but I don't think any of the three are easy to learn.

Good luck mate!

^This.

The guys at your local store would be helpful guides (especially the GW guys if there are any). GW has taken the steps to make every army powerful in it's own right, so you won't get an army that get's lolwtfpwned every game, nor will you have an army that steamrolls everyone.

Necrons will probably be friendliest as a newbie, since their resurrection protocols will give them some much needed durability, and they've got potential for numbers.

GK are a solid army, but the small size of your force might be a little unforgiving. DE are VERY good in the hands of a skilled player with a good list, but you'll probably be on the wrong end of a whooping for your first few games. They're fragile, but dangerous.

If you want to play an army, go for it. If you are having fun with them, you are going to get a grasp of the rules fast.

Just make sure you have fun playing them. Watch some games, maybe even borrow some models to play a small game. A friend of mine bought a complete 2000 point IG army, just to find out that he has no fun playing them at all. He now plays necrons and tyranids while his IG gathers dust.

Necrons and GKs aren't very hard to master, thanks to their durability.
I prefer to play DE myself, it took some time to master their tactics, but after watching some games in WD and GW Shops I learned how to use them.
If you want a challenge while playing I would go for DE, because if you learn to use them they are almost unstoppable. Since I know how to use them I win most of my games with ease.

Any army will take time to learn to use properly. Personally I think you should go with whatever you think looks cooler and/or has a better fluff. Find someone who plays that army at your FLGS at ask them about the army, Pros/Cons etc.

Chap; pick the army that most appeals to you. Simple advice.

Play what you want, to hell with everyone else's opinions.

I started with guard back in 4th edition, when it wasn't one of the best armies out there.... I was told the same, that it wasn't a good beginner army.

Well I still had a load of fun with it, because it was the army I wanted to play.

If you settle for something else, you may find you lose interest in it, because it wasn't your first choice. Go with what you want.

@ Jidmah: tell your friend that id be happy to talk business with him bout those guardsman....

@ OP: all i shall say is friends dont let friends start with MEQ's. I say start with dark eldar, since thatz your first choice....my tau arent all that great with everything i have, but i love playing with them....

OP if you really love the Dark Eldar look go ahead and play them. You'll probably get the most enjoyment out of playing them since you are gravitating towards them.

My friend who just got into 40k has de as his first army and hes loving the heck out of them. People always bring up competitve but in all fairness not many play in tons of tournaments so really not picking something you like because of that is silly. You can always move into that after playing awhile. There is no rules saying everyone has to play in tournaments right off the bat.

Yeah, DE may not be to fun at first, but when you become a master at how to use them you will have tons of fun sadisticly crushing your oppenents.

As for starting, If you're really big into painting i'd say collect them slower and maybe get the battle force. It's quite a few models to start with and you save like 30 bucks.

Do you find fun only in victory, or just playing the style(e.g. you may be a crappy sniper, but you still snipe all the time on call of duty). For me the funnest game I played was as Necrons(old necrons), however the people I played with got pissy that I beat them and told me that they would not play with me if I used them, so I got Deathwing. I kick myself in the ass still for not doing the army I liked, so now I will probably look like an AotM player and pick up some necrons for Xmas, but hell its the mobility I loved, not the butt kicking I ended up sending downrange.