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My two main armies are Blood Angels and Orks.

I know, right?

While it's possible the new codexes will alleviate some of our more pressing weaknesses, I'm thinking it might be time to take on a third army.

In the opinion of Dakka Dakka, are there any small, competitive forces to be had in the current game? I'm not opposed to any ideas, just losing on turn 3 or 4.

Good point below, Chiefbigredman: Small in unit size for the points, to facilitate easy painting and collecting. I play 1250-1850 regularly.

What point level do you play at?

Its hard to make a suggestion because the definition of a small army might mean small POINTS value or small MODEL count.

Obviously you will want an elite fore so you have a few options this is what I would choose depending on point level:
Necrons these are pretty competitive depending on the build and you can make a fairly low model count army but not sure how competitive in low model counts

Grey Knights sort of the obvious low model count army

Eldar maybe depending on what you like, Iyanden is low model count but not considered to competitive...but can still win

grey knights could fit the bill, some paladins, psyrifleman dreads, dreadknights, and inquisition stoof

What makes Iyanden not competitive? They still have wave serpents and prescience, right?

(I ask out of ignorance and not confrontation).

A Daemon FMC list can be pretty cheap to put together. Kit bashing your Daemon Princes can be really fun to make & if you have enough bits laying around or can get some off friends, its even cheaper.

At 1k25 you can fit in 3 FMC, 4 FMC at 1k5 & 5 FMC at 1k85 if you run them with most of the potential upgrades. I play Tzeencth Daemon Princes & I spend 355 points on each. Huge points sinks tbh but it gives you assess to 2 rolls on the Greater Gift Table (1-3 results are extremely good) a S8 Staff & 3 Psychic powers. With the right rolls, your DP can be all but invincible.

Of course you will be running minimum troops, so playing for the objectives can be difficult. In kill points games you are likely to win due to having very few units on the table.

Its an interesting army to play as it does rely on a fair bit of tactics not to get blown off the table.

Nakor is one of my favorite fantasy characters!

Plus, with a FMC army I could mix in some screamers and that new digital chaos superguy.

Tyranid MC spam, if you can afford it (used models are a good solution).

1850 list could include:

2 Tyrants
2 Tervigons
10 Termagants
10 Termagants
Tyrannofex
2 Carnifexes
2 Carnifexes

Load up with either wings and short ranged CC gear on everything, or big guns (stranglethorn cannons.)

It's a great list.

That might be a good one- we'll have to see how the codex looks.

The deceiving thing about that list is that it doesn't take into account the number of spare Termagants you're going to need

With 2 scoring tervigons, you likely won't need to spawn until late game. I use my tervigons as psychic powerhouses that score and hand out buffs... Not too shabby in cc either.

But yes, they have the potential to spawn a ton like in my last battle report, haha! That isn't normal though. (55 or so gants :0 )

 3orangewhips wrote:
What makes Iyanden not competitive? They still have wave serpents and prescience, right?

(I ask out of ignorance and not confrontation).

Ya they have wave serpents which are really good and Iyanden is basically ghost warriors i.e wraiths so you will be using wraithknights (they are awesome) wraithlords (also good) and a spiritseer (to make wraithguard troops.
The problem is wraithguard/wraithblades. They are good but not considered the best there are better units in the codex, they are expensive points wise a unit of 5 with d-sythes is 200-210 points plus your wave serpent so maybe 350ish points (thats off the top of my head from what I remember of the codex).
It is a low model count army for sure and you can for sure win games but just isn't the greatest thing ever.

Ghost warriors pack is a good start point for that army if you wanted to, you just have to add a spirit seer and 2-3 wave serpents and your done...but not the most competitive compared to other Eldar builds (jetbikes, dire avengers etc etc) but noone is stopping you from taking dire avengers, war walkers, bikes etc just more models.

Good advice. I'm torn. I really want to play an army that isn't super weak, but I feel like a sell-out for going Tau or Eldar- it's not like I have to compete in tournaments or anything.

Well both Tau and Eldar are great armies I have both as well as Space Marines.
I got them because I liked them, I was going to start with Eldar before the new Tau book came out but wasn't sure which one then I realized Tau was coming out so I got that because new book not because it was over powered.
Just started Eldar because I like the models and are good not because both armies can table people....as long as you don't play a super cheesy list you should be fine.

Tau would work if you use the Farsight Enclaves supplement because then you can use XV8s as troops.
If not then you need to bring firewarriors or kroot which is more models.

I think eldar have more cool models than tau and more of their units are usable in a lot of lists competitively. Some people may disagree but I find the ultra competitive Tau comes down to..XV8 commands, XV8 elites, lots of riptides, pathfinders, broadsides maybe a skyray/hammerhead.

Just get what you like even if other people think its a bunch of cheese hahaha

I wish assault was as good as shooting.

If your concerned about assault go with Eldar, better in combat than tau and have some more options for cc units. Striking scorpions are a cc unit not sure how effective they are but if you take wraithblades with ghost axes they are pretty deadly in combat... Pop them in a wave serpent and rush them to combat as soon as you can.
Tau COULD get into combat but chances are you'll get decimated depending what you get into combat with. Kroot with kroot hounds isn't awful in combat. Plus they can infiltrate and have sniper rounds which is awesome.

I sort of meant I wish assault was as viable as shooting in a metagame context.