How do you choose your army?

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**Puscifer**

Do you go for fluff, what they look like or rules and how effective they are in game?

I'm just having lots of trouble finding something I like playing.

**Furyou Miko**

All of the above, but also cinematic potential.

Picking a main army once you know the game is a difficult decision. Ultimately, you have to find something that plays for you.

I only start new armies when I have a very snapshot image of the army in my head. For example, when I started my Solstice Lunar list, it was because I had the image of elite ladies with trenching tools and demo charges rapid-roping out of valkyries still red from re-entry into the middle of a night battle, and it was awesome. Of course, things have evolved from there - the army doesn't just contain Demo-Vets and Valks - but that image is what inspired the army and what gets me painting.

Now I just have to reconcile that image with the fact I can't take Demo Charges any more, and Valkyries can't deep strike. ><

**Scott-S6**

Generally it starts with a single model.

Then I try and work that into an army list concept.

Finally, the list needs to be refined into something that only contains models that I like, doesn't require parts that will be really hard to get, will be fun to paint, fun to play with & against and will also be effective.

It generally takes me about 6 months to go through that process.

Then I start adding stuff just because.

**Wolfnid420**

Really it came down to my playstyle! Ive always been a ranged guy, prefering a sniper rifle above all in FPS games and so when i first heard about 40k (12-13ish years ago) i decided eldar were cool because of Rangers and elves are always shooty! Then Tau came out and i looked it over and realized they are a hard hitting ranged specialist army. Never looked back!

**sudojoe**

I decided that I didn't want to have to pick so now I play every single army except for nids and D.eldar lol

Just nothing earthshattering in any build and a bit of everything. (basically 1500 or so of everything)

**Hedgehog**

I'd say decide what are the most important aspects of 40k for you, and base your decision on that. Generally speaking they can be split down into three areas - gaming, painting and modelling, and background. Choose your force based on how important you find each aspect of the hobby, and how well a particular army ticks those boxes.

**PrinceRaven**

I like pretty much every aspect of Tyranids, so they were a natural pick for me.

**wuestenfux**

All of the above, but also cinematic potential.

Indeed, last time, I talked to a newb red shirt and obviously all he knew was the word ''cinematic''. That's what they learn at the GW Academy of Technology.

First of all, I like the new Necrons since they are so versatile that they can deal with any kind of threat.
Eldar was always my favorite army. But the new rule set and the new codex are not really what I wanted to see and so they are still shelved.

**Puscifer**

Ok, so if we go with the three tenets...

Background: Ultramarines and Minotaurs.
I love their background and the fact they hate each other. I like the strict codex following background of the XIII legion and the fact they saved the IoM after the Heresy.
The Minotaurs are the ultimate Bad Ass Marine Chapter. They are the epitome of Anti Hero in 40k and they just don't get on with others. Their background is just the coolest.

Painting.
I have a great way to paint Ultramarines in metallics. Looks amazing and is really easy to do. Same with Minotaurs.

Gaming.
I find Marines quite boring to play. This is my only issue with them. They just seem... ordinary.

**Haight**

It's a multi part process for me. Looks are huge, i won't paint something i don't like the look of.

Rules are important too - i don't like hordes, and i gravitate toward elite or elite-ish armies, and an army has to perform. Doesn't have to be FOTM broken, but there has to be something i can get mileage out of.

Fluff is also important, a good storyline / theme will keep me engaged.

With new games looks first draw me in, but rules can override looks, and fluff could be a good tie-breaker.

**Puscifer**

I just had a thought about one army, that I never even gave a look in before... Space Wolves. Their units are varied enough to not bore me and they have a great, if not slightly OP Codex.

Would it be kosher to Chaos them up and use them as a counts as Legion of Khorne Army?

I have a sudden urge to take Berserkers on Juggernauts.

**Instinctual**

I first started playing the game back in my military days, and from the get go I've been a big fan of vanilla marines.

I love the models, the spectrum of parts for kit bashing and customization, and all the fluff revolving both around their advanced biological engineering and their warrior monk mentality.

In addition, they are flexible and forgiving. I play for fun, and often go years between games for a variety of reasons. I've found that no matter how much the game changes over the years and editions, I can always count on my vanilla boys to be enjoyable to both paint and play.

I've tried my hands with other armies and flavors of Power armor (notably wolves in 3rd ed), but always come back to different shades of vanilla.

**Furyou Miko**

Kosher doesn't really matter unless you plan to eat them, but... I imagine if your modelling skills are up to it? But you'll get people asking why you don't just play Chaos then.

**Inky**

I usually see something in real life, then think "Imagine that with a big gun"
On a serious note, cinematic potential. If I can't imagine it swooping in guns blazing or making a defiant last stand it doesn't tickle my buttons. I'm looking at you Eldar

**Troike**

It was fluff and models, for me. But luckily my choice has a playstyle that I quite like too.

Puscifer wrote:
Gaming.
I find Marines quite boring to play. This is my only issue with them. They just seem... ordinary.

They're actually very versatile, from what I hear. You can play them lots of different ways. They're not as boring as they first appear.

**Puscifer**

Furyou Miko wrote:
Kosher doesn't really matter unless you plan to eat them, but... I imagine if your modelling skills are up to it? But you'll get people asking why you don't just play Chaos then.

Well, I tried Chaos and I didn't like them, but I love the models and fluff.

I like the SW fluff and the models aren't bad, but I think Zerkers riding Juggernauts would look amazing.

I can convert stuff quite well, that's not an issue at all.

**Hedgehog**

Puscifer wrote:
Ok, so if we go with the three tenets...

Background: Ultramarines and Minotaurs.
I love their background and the fact they hate each other. I like the strict codex following background of the XIII legion and the fact they saved the IoM after the Heresy.
The Minotaurs are the ultimate Bad Ass Marine Chapter. They are the epitome of Anti Hero in 40k and they just don't get on with others. Their background is just the coolest.

Painting.
I have a great way to paint Ultramarines in metallics. Looks amazing and is really easy to do. Same with Minotaurs.

Gaming.
I find Marines quite boring to play. This is my only issue with them. They just seem... ordinary.

OK, so Marines tick two of your three boxes, with the tactical one lacking. However, note that while 'standard' marines are the most commong, that's not the only way to play them - you could have loads of terminators, a bike army, drop-podding hell, an armoured wedge, scouts everywhere, and so on. So do any 'alternative' Space Marines forces appeal?

As an example, my White Scars use the vanilla codex, but they're nothing like a normal space marine force - check out my signature for battle report details.

**Puscifer**

Yeah, that's it. Vanilla doesn't cut it.

Space Wolves are kool.
Bike army appeals, but are Ravenwing better?
White Scars sound awesome.

I've got a Deathwing army and find them really boring to play.

Hmmmmm... looks like Marines ho. Just need to decide on the type.

**Kain**

Between me and my wife I think we have them all, so now I just expand whenever I see something shiny I could use as long as it's in the budget she sets for me.

I just really buy on impulse these days.

My wife primarily runs Eldar as she finds it to be a nicely cerebral army, while I chose nids because I like that sort of primal fury.

**A Musketeer**

For me, I go fluff first. Now with 6th though, I can do fluffy and competitive. I mean, what's more fluffy than a massive IG gunline getting bailed by timely Drop Pods full of anger, fear, aggression?