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Currently there is a store that I work for and I am working on setting up 4-5 demo armies at the 750, 1000, and 1250 point lists for the armies. I was looking for suggestions for what armies that I should make that help show the game off. I am trying to look armies that would be towards casual lists, so more for fun, not overly competitively or janky. Obviously one was going to be Space Marines, I was thinking of possibly Grey Knights, Orks, Tyranids, and Eldar as the other. I am open to suggestions, ideas and even lists, thank you all.

Welcome to Dakka!

I might suggest adding Dark Angels and Chaos Marines. They might not be the most competitive armies out there, but they are the ones included in the starter. From a sales prospective, they should probably be represented on the table. Bonus points for trying to include as many units from the DV box as you can.

I'd probably do some IG to show off some tanks, maybe take out GK since you're already going to have a Space Marine list. That way you have a wider range of specific styles of model. Also, as much as I love Tyranids and Orks, they both kinda play up to the mob swarm style. Could chuck in Tau for more a of a shooty specific type.

I'd love to say Necrons as well, but they don't offer as narrow a range of playstyle. I kinda feel like they can be played in a lot of ways.

I figure if you're showing off the base mechanics of different styles of play in the game, you'll probably end up narrowing your army units to specific styles like, Shooty, Assault, Tanky, Fast Attack/ Drop Pod, and maybe one that balances a little of everything?

I am not including the DV set, I already have a set in that working on them to as an option also but not necessarily as an army that I am keeping up just as much to keep it up to help show off the set.

I definatly agree with dark angels. I'd use them as your space Marine army.

I'd suggest also trying to build armies to allow for you to demo as much of the game as possiable, so I'd suggest making sure your armies all had some sort of psyker in them

I'd say Orks or fun 'Nids.

'Nids can be fun. Avoid swarm-y list though. Lots of options if you go a nidzilla, dakkanid, and/or deepstrike route

My local GW ignores the psychic phase for its demos. You have to limit exposure of rules to new players because bogging a potential player down with too many rules will confuse and discourage them. The psychic phase is one of the rules that didn't make the cut (it was a very selective cut) because you can get the gist of the game without using psykers (most abilities are either simple buffs/debuffs or shooting attacks anyway). The psychic phase is mentioned as a "this thing does exist by the way" sort of heads up but quickly moved past.

Tanks are also heavily limited and flyers completely ignored. You don't need them to get a handle on the game and that's a big rule set reduction when you limit them.


It'll be good to cover a variety of playing styles as was said above. You also want to show off cool models. So, I suggest:

- Vanilla Space Marines (self explanatory, covers 3+ armor save jack-of-all-trades style).
- Eldar (different aesthetic, weaker saves, fast, more specialized)
- IG (weak units, shooting focus, Tau have too many special rules)
- Khorne CSM (they're the "bad guys", Khorne gives you a melee focused army to use)
- Orks or Nids can show off horde style armies that also have melee focus - they also add depth to the universe in terms of bringing different species/models

But the problem with that is that the intro armies will have nothing to do with how the armies actualy are played. Someone may play an intro game with chaos or nids, think that they are cool and end up building or worse buying an army that will not work.

There for orcs would be better then nids for demons. Orc armies are swarms more offten then not. Nid armies are build around multiple dakka tyrants and very not user friendly.
Same with marines their armies are multi stacking bikers and ally and pods, which brings a ton of extra rules. While a tactical marine army is not something that works.

intreducing new players is, imo asking for trouble, anyone who does a math of serpents, will notice that they out shot almost everything a starter or non starter unit can bring the the table.

A good start would be 3 different marine armies. 1 pod list , 1 biker list and one psyker list. This way 3 players could get a feel of multiple factions, a lot of rules will over lap so it will be easier to understand, then a sudden 10min break to explain how to resolve mob rule self damge.

Makumba wrote:
But the problem with that is that the intro armies will have nothing to do with how the armies actualy are played. Someone may play an intro game with chaos or nids, think that they are cool and end up building or worse buying an army that will not work.

There for orcs would be better then nids for demons. Orc armies are swarms more offten then not. Nid armies are build around multiple dakka tyrants and very not user friendly.
Same with marines their armies are multi stacking bikers and ally and pods, which brings a ton of extra rules. While a tactical marine army is not something that works.

intreducing new players is, imo asking for trouble, anyone who does a math of serpents, will notice that they out shot almost everything a starter or non starter unit can bring the the table.

A good start would be 3 different marine armies. 1 pod list , 1 biker list and one psyker list. This way 3 players could get a feel of multiple factions, a lot of rules will over lap so it will be easier to understand, then a sudden 10min break to explain how to resolve mob rule self damge.

Most new players aren't going to buy an army then go directly to playing against serpent spam in tournaments.

Displaying only Space Marines is also going to lose the interest of people who find their aesthetic and fluff boring. You're also throwing a lot of rules at them. Then again, you may be gearing your lists towards a customers fifth to tenth games, whereas I'm gearing mine towards their first through fifth.

It would help if OP said whether he was going to save the small lists for introductory games and use the 1000-1250 lists for expanding knowledge of the rule sets.

Dark Angels really do show off the best of all the functional Marines while still somehow being bad at them all. An expanded DV style would still be a good thing.

Company Master
-Combi Plasma and Power Sword
Veterans
-1x Plasma Gun, 2x Melta Bombs
- Razorback w/ Assault Cannon or whatever
Deathwing Squad
-DV Loadout
Tactical Squad
-DV Loadout + Rhino
Ravenwing Squad
6x, 2x Melta Guns, Attack Bike w/ Multi Melta

Came out to 1246 by my maths but I might be wrong.

Tyranids can be a nice middle field line. Not spammy, not gimped either.

Hive Tyrant
-Heavy Venom Cannon, Devourers, Toxin
2x Tyrant Guard
Flyrant
Warriors
-5x, 4 Deathspitters, 1x Venom Cannon
15 Termagants
15 Termagants
2x Zoanthropes
2x Dakkafex

Keeps the spam down and a healthy mix of MCs and gribblies. Should be 1250 on the nose.

Eldar are again about NOT spamming things.

Spiritseer
Wraithguard
-Wraithcannons
Dedicated Serpent
-Holofields, Scatter Laser, Shuriken Cannon
Guardians
-Bright Lance
Dedicated Serpent
-Bright Lance, Holofields, Ghostwalk Matrix, Shuriken Cannon
2x Jetbikes
6x, 2x Shuriken Cannon
Crimson Hunter Exarch
-Marksman's Eye
Fire Prism
-Spirit Stones, Ghostwalk, Holofield,

Comes out to 1234. Chuck some other upgrades in there and there ya go. Throw in some War Walkers if you don't want a Crimson Hunter. It keeps a wider range of Eldar there and can help players build more than just Serpent Spam.

I'd also say Orks and either Space Wolves or a Jump Pack Blood Angel list. I'd actually avoid Ultramarines because honestly, even I still forget their friggin Tactics. The specialty codecies are just a little bit simpler in terms of one place for the rules and always on.

These are demo games, folks. Some of you are constructing complex lists and theoryhammering what someone may have to contend with at their local meta. None of that matters.

I recommend playing intro games at about 500 points on a 4x4 table. Try to stick to starter set or battleforce type lists. Less rules is better. A couple squads of troops, a hero, and a vehicle/MC per army is sufficient. Flyers and psykers are out, IMO. If I had to pick four armies, I'd go with Space Marines (Ultramarines or Dark Angels), Chaos Space Marines, Orks, and Tyranids.

Space Marines are the penultimate tragic heroes and CSM are their hated foes; traitors to the last. Orks have a ramshackle, goofy feel while Tyranids can represent the mindless hordes. These armies all tap into familiar sci-fi archetypes, making it less about selling the grimdark background and complex rules and more about the type of story each player wants to tell with his/her army.

 Nevelon wrote:
Welcome to Dakka!

I might suggest adding Dark Angels and Chaos Marines. They might not be the most competitive armies out there, but they are the ones included in the starter. From a sales prospective, they should probably be represented on the table. Bonus points for trying to include as many units from the DV box as you can.

I'll echo this sentiment.
Honestly, I think it would be awesome for pushing DV boxes, and to add more points to the mix, you could add the expansions for both factions, granted you or whomever is in charge of stock has the money to spare.
Plus the figures in this particular set are pretty great.
I think it's a much more enticing set than Shield of Baal, but that's just my opinion.

Dark Angels DV Expansion- http://www.games-workshop.com/en-WW/Dark-Angels-DV

Crimson Slaughter DV Expansion- http://www.games-workshop.com/en-WW/Crimson-Slaughter-DV