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.

Of all the Fantasy armies, which would you suggest to new players?

The ideal army would be something easy to paint, easy to learn, and of course fun to play

High elves. Mostly due to low cost of entry with iob.

Ogres. Fairly low model count. Large, easy to paint models. Straightforward tactics and very flexible with the new army book.

Ogre Battleforce is the best deal in fantasy as you can kit out the Ogres in many different ways.

....of course I'm biased.... :-D

Warriors of Chaos.
Great models
simple game style
Very forgiving in combat

High Elves, its so easy to use them. Its just a few easy steps.

1. Moves units forward.

2. Blast with magic.

3. Shoot with stuff if you have it.

4. Choppy, choppy.

Ogres- from what I'm hearing about the new book the army is fun, forgiving, and can always be a 'push it forward'.

There's not a lot to paint, low model count, and a new book that seems like it will weather well.

I don't know where the idea that Ogres are a low model count army comes from... I have over 200 gnoblars alone... ;P

I wouldn't recommend them though, I think they are a very poor way to learn the game (speaking from experience here), as you get used to big brutal models being taken in what are small units relative most other armies. If you make the transition you have to adjust to the idea of taking large bricks of units, etc.

WoC

Without a doubt the most forgiving army. Cut/Paste army list backed up by a Point-and-Click playstyle...

Sure High Elves have the island of blood to get your model count of to a goo start on a reasonably cheap budget, but in-game they are not as simple to use. Ogres may have a low model count, but in-game that can also be to their detriment. I can't think of a hard and fast detriment to WoC.

I'd have to say WoC.

As much as Ogres are a fun army, they do have their drawbacks to new players. Going from small model count armies to larger ones can be a bit daunting and with the new book, while it can be flexible, it can also be a bit overwhelming. I still haven't settled on a good 3k list because i can't decide between all the fun stuff.

With warriors you have options but for the most part, it's all very straight forward with them.

And as much as i like high elves (actually i hate them but that's another story), IoB just doesn't strike me as a great deal. I have never seen someone actually run a noble on a griffon or use seaguard. Actually, most starter sets don't. It's probably just me but i don't like the idea of paying for another army that i really have no intention of using. If your an avid painter like i was, then the starter sets are great, but from a gamin stand point, i just can't get on board. Maybe i'm just biased, only using battalions for my armies since they seemed like a better deal to me.

Skaven, because everything in the Skaven book is screaming cheese. And their easy to play... hence the cheese


Automatically Appended Next Post:
HA unintended pun- SKAVEN LIKE CHEESE CAUSE THEIR RATS and their cheesy because their OP... hurr hurr

I'd say WOC, Ogres or High Elves. You might be able to get away with Empire, but I doubt they're easy to paint.

Scarecrow456 wrote:

As much as Ogres are a fun army, they do have their drawbacks to new players. Going from small model count armies to larger ones can be a bit daunting and with the new book, while it can be flexible, it can also be a bit overwhelming. I still haven't settled on a good 3k list because i can't decide between all the fun stuff.

This is my issue too. I have 4 (old) battalions worth of ogres, and I'm still buying more stuff because there are so many different possibilities, but I will rarely use half my collection in any single game.

I'd actually suggest Dwarfs to be honest. From what I've seen they're pretty simple. No tricksy special rules etc

DeadlySquirrel wrote:I'd actually suggest Dwarfs to be honest. From what I've seen they're pretty simple. No tricksy special rules etc

The problem with playing as dwarfs is that you lose an entire phase and for someone whose starting out, skipping an entire phase probably isn't a great idea.

I'm no expert on painting or playing every army, but from the general consensus/impression:

Apostle Pat wrote:easy to paint

Tomb Kings
Beastmen
Ogres
Skaven
DoC
Lizardmen
VC

Apostle Pat wrote:easy to learn

Dwarfs
WoC
Ogres
HE

Apostle Pat wrote:and of course fun to play

all of them! (your own personal preference, really)

It seems Ogres are the only ones that fit every category... But I honestly would recommend about a half-dozen armies over them first, just b/c Ogres are so ugly!

Empire. It has access to range, combat and magic so you can learn all 3 phases in the game.

Lizardmen, good CC, good shooting albeit short range, good combat and dinosaurs, say it with me now:
DINOSAURS!

HoverBoy wrote:Lizardmen, good CC, good shooting albeit short range, good combat and dinosaurs, say it with me now:
DINOSAURS!

Open the door, get on the floor, everybody walk the dinosaur.

Go with models that you like.

I find that is the best you can do.

The army the newbi finds most intresting, it is the only thing that mather really. Nobody wants to play a dull army

Id go for Skaven. You cannot be bad at them. Cheap unit here, wonder weapon there, shoot some, see one of your units get killed by your own, cast dread 13 spell, win the battle.

If its your first time painting up an army then go with one with a low model model count. If you choose skaven, empire or orcs and goblins there's a good chance you'll lose the will to go on before you make your first battle. They are great armies but they are best attempted when you have learnt to paint at speed.

So WoC, lizards, elves or ogres.

This is my fourth time starting a new game in the past year or so. I've started Warhammer 40k, Warmachine, Hordes, and Warhammer Fantasy. I've got to say that I'm beginning to think that "the army you would suggest to new players" is not a very useful idea.

Look, if you get into this game you are probably going to blow probably more than $200 getting enough models to play with, and that's not counting the money you spend on rulebooks, dice, and other accouterments, not to mention the value of the time you're going to spend painting and assembling everything. Do you really think you can afford to spend that much on something you're just going to start with? Something you're choosing because of how easy it will be to play with it at first, rather than how much you will enjoy playing it indefinitely? If you can, go for it, but it seems like a waste to me.

Long story short, I think the best army for a new player is the army with the fluff s/he finds most interesting, with the models s/he likes the looks of, and the strengths and weaknesses s/he thinks would be fun to play with.