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I want to do marines. I don't have anything rules or codex. I was looking at the shield of baal is that a good investment?

Both starter boxes (Shield of Baal and Dark Vengeance) come with a selection of easy-to-assemble models and the rules, they're both very cost-effective but you'll need quite a few additional models to run any of the four armies (they get you to 700-ish points easily, but they don't get you a primary detachment and games are usually played at 1500-2000). Dark Vengeance gets you DA, which is a more gunfire-oriented subset of Space Marines that come with command tricks, Terminators, and Bikes that normal Space Marines can't pull off; Shield of Baal gets you BA, which are more melee-oriented and faster. Those two boxes are the easiest way to start, and you can use the Marines in both with the normal Space Marine book if you'd prefer.

Except Dark Vengeance gets you a Rulebook, dice, templates and a little cheat sheet of what models are in the game as well as easily put together models. Deathstorm is real models with all the options, rules for the models ONLY IF you build them in a less than good way, you do get the game rules but no templates, no codex for the armies. Deathstorm and the one before that, Stormclaw, are good 'step 2' boxes but they are not Starter boxes.

If you are just starting, Dark Vengeance is better but honestly both the Dark Angels and Chaos are not good army choices. You'll do better with the mindset of picking it up to learn and then making another choice later on how to actually make a better army you pick from scratch.

redcell wrote:
I want to do marines. I don't have anything rules or codex. I was looking at the shield of baal is that a good investment?

Any 40k starter box is a good way to start. They all include models and rules, and stats to get you started.

Take a really good look at the models on the box and just buy whichever looks better to you. The differences in play are relatively minor, but the difference in style cannot be as easily overcome.

But as per your title, the best way to get into 40K is get a full army and all the rules willed to you or as some bizarre gift so you don't have to spend a cent - GW doesn't deserve it.

Do you have a nearby game store with 40k players? For a brand new player, I think your best bet is to ask someone to play an introductory game. Many FLGS will have a "store army" specifically for new players to try out the game. If you play a few games this way, you'll have a much better feel for the game, and importantly a better idea of what sort of army you want to buy.

If you want to play Space Marines, then any of the recent boxed starter sets will have models to get you started with (you can re-purpose the models for other Space Marine factions). You'll also get a small Chaos, Ork or Tyranid army based on which set you get - if you like one of those factions, then I would get that particular starter set. For most players, the Dark Vengence starter box will be what you want - it has a decent number of models, and a fairly classic matchup (Dark Angels vs Chaos Space Marines). Shield of Baal is also pretty good, though it comes with some Blood Angels-specific units (Death Company and the Death Company Dreadnought). All the starter boxes come with the main 40k rulebook in softcover, and data sheets for the units inside.

You don't need an army codex immediately if you buy a starter box, but that should be your following purchase. Once you've read through that, you'll have a better idea of how to expand your army.

On the painting and modeling side: buy some superglue, snips, cheap brushes, a can of primer, and some GW paint pots. Look at Youtube and Dakka's painting subforum for introductory painting guides. Sit down and just paint your models - they'll initially look awful, but you'll get better as you paint more. Also look up some videos on how to magnetize (you'll thank yourself later for putting in the effort).

You will eventually need way of transporting and storing your models. Do a search on the Dakka for carrying cases - don't shoebox your guys forever!

Another thing to look into is trying out the Heralds of Ruin Kill Team rules. These are a modification of the rules to play skirmish games with very small armies - good for new players with not a lot of models. A starter box will give you more than enough models for this.

For SM, I'd go Shield and DV. Don't play with formations and don't go against Tau or Eldar or anything loaded with psychic powers. Play 1k-1.5k games.

For my guys, I let them borrow for as long as needed.

OMG. Start with 500 pts, 750 pts, 1000 pts.

Yeah I would aim at 500 pts with one of the starter kits what as above has been said all come with the core rule book. You will need the codex however. Even if players in your area play at 1500 points it wont be an issue for them to drop to 500 to play with you, its an investment for them also. Getting a new player in means more people to play with!

For my guys I do three units and at least doubles of each (keep in mind, I have 4 companies of painted marine models plus 5k, at least, CSM)

For example, 2 tactical squads, 2 assault squads, 2 devastator squads for game one. They face cultists, CSM, and spawn.

Next game I drop in 2 predators and add a defiler to the aggressor force.

Next game give everyone drop pods or rhinos and then maybe a beast mode HQ and a dreadnaught. For CSM they get rhinos and a DP (to introduce MC).

Usually by then they've got the game down well enough to play on own against others peoples armies.

1) good friends to drink beer and laugh while you learn and play
2) a good starter set(depending on the race you want to play)
3) a deep wallet

The best advice that someone said here would be to go to your local shop and if d people to play with and sit in on a game night and just ask someone to help start explaining what there doing and ask around if someone has another army they'd let you borrow for the next time they play. This is how I started, and when I asked I had my choice as to what race i wanted to try out, so not only did I get a feel of the game but the army I wanted to play too. I'm sure most local gaming groups are just as friendly as mine because everyone loves to see more people come and enjoy their hobby with them.

I don't know if it's the best way to learn the game, but I started off playing kill team. It's 200 points and teaches you the basics of the game, excluding unit coherency and a few other things. Plus you can play it with nothing but a box of tacticals (at a slight disadvantage to more custom built lists, of course).

At the club I go to, everytime something new gets played, we put it to a 400-point Combat Patrol game.
400 is enough for a couple of squads and a (small) boss. The rules like "no vehicles with AV totalling more than 33" and "no 2+ or 4++ saves or better" means there's nothing unkillable on the table.

I like that notion of small games of 200-500 pts to try out new stuff.

Thanks for the input.

 SharkoutofWata wrote:
Except Dark Vengeance gets you a Rulebook, dice, templates and a little cheat sheet of what models are in the game as well as easily put together models. Deathstorm is real models with all the options, rules for the models ONLY IF you build them in a less than good way, you do get the game rules but no templates, no codex for the armies. Deathstorm and the one before that, Stormclaw, are good 'step 2' boxes but they are not Starter boxes.

If you are just starting, Dark Vengeance is better but honestly both the Dark Angels and Chaos are not good army choices. You'll do better with the mindset of picking it up to learn and then making another choice later on how to actually make a better army you pick from scratch.

You're wrong.

Shield of Baal DeathStorm is definitely a starter set. It comes with the mini rulebook, and two armies. What really sets it apart from Dark Vengeance is that all of the miniatures are just as you would get in buying a regular box of minis (as opposed to the unique snap-fit minis in Dark Vengeance).

I am seriously amazed at the value you get in the DeathStorm starter box for 125 bucks.

You get a new captain, 5 terminators, 5 death company, 1 death company dread, 8 genestealers, 1 new broodloard, 3 tyranid warriors and a carnifex. That's a lot of models for 125 bucks.

I bought four of them and I have the makings of a couple of decent armies. I plan on buying two more if they are in stock when I get paid.

@LemanRuse - Cool... someone else who bought 4 of them!

I posted my thoughts on Deathstorm on the other thread about the subject with a breakdown of why it's an amazing deal. Even if all you want is the Dreadnought, DC, Karlaen and mini rulebook... you're almost there. Remember, you also get datasheets for some units not in the codex, like Cassor the Damned.

I would suggest a new BA player buy at least two, because between DC and Assault Squad, you'll want at least 10 models, and you will probably want to build at least 2 out of Furioso, Dreadnought Librarian, and Cassor/DC Dread.

Pretty much any Tyranid will buy the Carnifex off of you, and the rulebooks are good keepers or pass-them-on. Or, if you're enterprising, Ebay.

Dark Vengeance. The dice, templates, rules, and even the little mini play book helps add a lot. They even run down scenarios to get you up to speed.

 jreilly89 wrote:
Dark Vengeance. The dice, templates, rules, and even the little mini play book helps add a lot. They even run down scenarios to get you up to speed.

+1 to this, easily the cheapest way to get the rules. If you find someone who wants to do chaos, you can buy 2x and swap the opposing armies as well, just some food for thought.

 Robisagg wrote:

 jreilly89 wrote:
Dark Vengeance. The dice, templates, rules, and even the little mini play book helps add a lot. They even run down scenarios to get you up to speed.

+1 to this, easily the cheapest way to get the rules. If you find someone who wants to do chaos, you can buy 2x and swap the opposing armies as well, just some food for thought.

Yep, although the DA side is better than the Chaos UNLESS you buy the Helcult formation. Then its about on par I'd say

 JohnHwangDD wrote:

redcell wrote:
I want to do marines. I don't have anything rules or codex. I was looking at the shield of baal is that a good investment?

Any 40k starter box is a good way to start. They all include models and rules, and stats to get you started.

Take a really good look at the models on the box and just buy whichever looks better to you. The differences in play are relatively minor, but the difference in style cannot be as easily overcome.

I'd opt for vanilla Marines.
They have more variety than the other chapters like DA, BA or SW.
Get the codex and a starter set.