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Hey everyone. I play board games pretty heavily, and love miniatures (think imperial assault by FFG if you've heard of it). I've dabbled in 40k before, quite a few years ago. Long story short, I want to get back into either 40k or Age of Sigmar, and I can't decide which one! Any suggestions, recommendations, tips, or other things would be greatly appreciated. Thanks everyone!
*also posted in the Age of Sigmar forums*

Well, I'd definitely start with 40k and not with AoS.
AoS lacks balancing and a set of playable missions. The rule set is just four pages - too less for ''proper'' gaming.
40k has a rather large rule set but its playable. Its best playable in a closed group when all members commit to some restrictions.

I wish AOS was more popular. The starter set is packed with loads of really cool models, and it can be had for like 50 bucks on ebay. I bought it, I'm very pleased with it model-wise (I don't think 40k has a starter set that comes with as much) but be warned, I still haven't met a single person IRL who has switched from the last version of WHFB to AOS, and one of the armies in the AoS starter set is brand new army aftyer the AoS release, and therefore has no rules in the last edition of WHFB (here I am talking about the Stormcast Eternal army)

Just use the bloodbiund as chaos warriors or as khorne daemonkin, and convert the sigmarines into Sanguinary guard peeps. Nobody plays AoS over here, they just take the new models and use them as stand ins for 9th age. I personally love Bloodhound models, even with their insane costs outside of the starter kit, but despise how they play in aos

LucarioB wrote:
Hey everyone. I play board games pretty heavily, and love miniatures (think imperial assault by FFG if you've heard of it). I've dabbled in 40k before, quite a few years ago. Long story short, I want to get back into either 40k or Age of Sigmar, and I can't decide which one! Any suggestions, recommendations, tips, or other things would be greatly appreciated. Thanks everyone!
*also posted in the Age of Sigmar forums*

Very important question: Who will you be playing with?

 wuestenfux wrote:

AoS lacks balancing and a set of playable missions.

It has plenty of playable missions. I know because I've played some of them.

autumnlotus wrote:
Just use the bloodbiund as chaos warriors or as khorne daemonkin, and convert the sigmarines into Sanguinary guard peeps. Nobody plays AoS over here, they just take the new models and use them as stand ins for 9th age. I personally love Bloodhound models, even with their insane costs outside of the starter kit, but despise how they play in aos

I play a 30k Legion army, and was thinking about using the basic Stormcast dudes as the equivalent of Assault Terminators w/ SS and TH.

I've played around with the idea of using the Khorne models as troops for a Militia and Cults army, but the models are so damn big...certainly bigger than Space Marines.

I've never played AoS or WHFB, but I'm leaning towards just keeping them as-is as a pair of armies I have on hand in case any of my friends ever express interest in either game.

I would be playing with family and very close friends, the same people I play board games with now.

What are you looking for? What kind of game experience are you looking for?

Now that I know you want to play with family and very close friends, what do they know about gaming? An example is my wife knows I like my plastic toy soldiers, will play a game but will not make an army or really read all the rules, I will tell her as we go while we all roll dice.

So will you be setting up all the armies, building and painting as well or will your family be building their own armies?

LucarioB wrote:
I would be playing with family and very close friends, the same people I play board games with now.

Unless they've already gotten into 40k, don't. Spending that much to get into 40k only to have an absolutely tiny group to play with simply isn't worth it. Buy one of the 40k FFG board games- they're about the same price, but everybody doesn't need to buy an army as well.

LucarioB wrote:
I would be playing with family and very close friends, the same people I play board games with now.

The reason I ask is straightforward - the people you'll play with are just as important.

I don't play pick up games. AoS and 40k with my friends is a lot of fun. Are they interested in either or would you be providing both armies?

You mentioned boardgames and so I'd say that AoS is closer to that.

But how about something like Betrayal at Calth? It'd provide the foundation for two Space Marine armies and let your friends get a feel for the setting via an actual boardgame.

Tabletop gaming is a very expensive hobby but super rewarding. You just want to make sure you don't spend 200+ and then don't have people to play with.

Oh, and the new "Start Collecting!" sets with FLGS discount are great ways to start either. A friend has recently just started collecting GW because of that (AoS specifically).

 jasper76 wrote:

autumnlotus wrote:
Just use the bloodbiund as chaos warriors or as khorne daemonkin, and convert the sigmarines into Sanguinary guard peeps. Nobody plays AoS over here, they just take the new models and use them as stand ins for 9th age. I personally love Bloodhound models, even with their insane costs outside of the starter kit, but despise how they play in aos

I play a 30k Legion army, and was thinking about using the basic Stormcast dudes as the equivalent of Assault Terminators w/ SS and TH.

I've played around with the idea of using the Khorne models as troops for a Militia and Cults army, but the models are so damn big...certainly bigger than Space Marines.

I've never played AoS or WHFB, but I'm leaning towards just keeping them as-is as a pair of armies I have on hand in case any of my friends ever express interest in either game.

I converted all of it to 40k. Bloodreavers became Noise Marines, Sigmarines became Tzeench Terminators, Chaos HQ became Huron, BigKhorneDude became Giant Chaos SPawn (R&H) And the Bloodsomething (Khorne dudes in armor) became Plague Marines. All have been modded with appropriate wargear and barring the beginning "Hey, this is this, that is that" I haven't run into any problems yet.

To OP: If youre going marines, the Battle of Calth box isn't a bad buy and youll get a strong base to build on. If not going marines, those $85 ones have some good value.

I'd echo SirSweetrolls suggestion about Betrayal at Calth - it's still a miniatures based board game, although the rules are far simpler, and the play is more streamlined. If you're looking for a game with miniatures you can take off the shelf in the same vein as Monopoly or Cludeo, then that's my pick. Plus, if people DO want to try proper 40k, you can grab the mini-rulebook from eBay (or buy the hardcover one) and you'll have the start of two Space Marine armies already.