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Hello all,

Looking at getting back into 40k with 8th. The main reason I moved away from the game was I didn't like the skirmish aspect when moving 30 odd model units. I would like to play something with a smaller model count, particularly the troops as I want to be battleforged (correct term?).

The army I've been looking at so far is tyranids with a couple of units of warriors as troops.

Am I completely gimping myself in the current edition by looking to build a list based on these prerequisites or is number of bodies not a big requirement. And if not are there any other armies out there that I can do similar with using smaller units (5 models max) to make up my army??

Cheers

Can only speak for Imperium armies...
An all Primaris army has small and few units, as do Deathwatch and Grey Knights.

I'm sure with the variety of detachments you can play whatever you want in small numbers. Play a Space Marine tank army with Techmarines for repairing or a First Company.

I'm a little confused - you didn't like the skirmish aspect of small games, but you're looking to start a small/elite army?

That aside, if you -are- looking to do a low model-count army there are plenty of decent ways to do it. I'm not sure how competitive you're worried about being; that's not really my thing.

Tyranids lend themselves well to high model counts; that's how I prefer to play them, at least. That said, I imagine sticking with mid/large models as with your Warrior idea would work just fine.

There are definitely ways you could go for even smaller armies, though. If any flavour of marines are your thing, they tend to be particularly good at it.
For example, I've got some lists for Thousand Sons and Grey Knights that are around ~25 models and ~1000 points apiece. The new Primaris marines are pretty pricey/tough and could do that sort of thing well, too.

 Kawauso wrote:
I'm a little confused - you didn't like the skirmish aspect of small games, but you're looking to start a small/elite army?

That aside, if you -are- looking to do a low model-count army there are plenty of decent ways to do it. I'm not sure how competitive you're worried about being; that's not really my thing.

Tyranids lend themselves well to high model counts; that's how I prefer to play them, at least. That said, I imagine sticking with mid/large models as with your Warrior idea would work just fine.

There are definitely ways you could go for even smaller armies, though. If any flavour of marines are your thing, they tend to be particularly good at it.
For example, I've got some lists for Thousand Sons and Grey Knights that are around ~25 models and ~1000 points apiece. The new Primaris marines are pretty pricey/tough and could do that sort of thing well, too.

Poorly worded on my phone, the problem I have is when I have to move 30 models and that's just one unit (e.g hormagaunts) and not too fussed about power level as long as I can have a decent game.

5 Model max, you're looking at all Monsterous Creatures armies, or... Knights.

Knights are the most obvious, and lowest of model count armies, the average knight costing 400-500 points a piece.

Armoured Guard can get you low-model count(relatively) with a bunch of tanks.
Imperial Guard can also have a 'lower model count' by using the Tempestus Scions (Stormtroopers) as your Troop choices.

Space Marines, and maybe going for a more elite army. Or, armored Space Marines. Or Dreadnought heavy Space Marines.

Daemons can do the Monster-heavy rather well, but I'm unsure how it'd go for Detatchments.

Eldar Craftworld of Iyanden makes extensive use of Wraith Constructs. You'd need to pay a tax of their human-sized infantry if you want to take a patrol batallion brigade, and not one of the special detatchments. But Wraiths are low model count, and fairly elite forces. Wraithguards, shooty or melee versions being that armies 'normal' units, while Wraithlords and Wraithknights are the bigger stompier things. Add in Wave Serpents for transport, some Spiritseers (typically what leads Wraith constructs around) and Farseers for HQ choices, and it could be a decent army that's rather tanky and hits hard.

Tau can run battle-suits (not as well in this edition, I've heard) as well as their bigger mechs. Unsure how Hover Tank Tau fares.

While they aren't fully fleshed out yet (and surely made better by their codex and full model range coming in a couple of months), Death Guard are a highly elite army. You'll have access to tanks, Terminators, small units of elite troops and Dreadnaughts/bloat-drones. All of that is small model count, all about toughness.

I hear mid-large model Tyranid armies can be quite good. Their main strength currently is mass of bodies, but I hear they can be pretty awesome with more bigger beasties.

This edition sort of allows you to go with anything. The cheese lists people take to tournaments will always be nuts, but so far it seems that most lists people chuck together can work perfectly fine and make for fun games, so, at the end of the day, take what you like and it'll probably do alright no matter what

I play an Aeldari list that might fit the bill. Wraithseers, Wraithlords, Talos and support characters. The biggest units are a 5 man Wraithguard unit and a 5 man Grotesque unit. The list is solid and works fine. There are lots of builds like this that are good.

I would point out you don't need any troops at all to be battleforged. You could take all HQs if you want (10 Wraithseers is 2k).

I also play nids and am enjoying them alot. Carnifexes are very solid as are Exocrines and Malanthropes.

Example nid list:

Spearhead Detachment

HQ

Old One Eye

Heavy Support

3 Carnifexes, 2x Scything Talons, Adrenal Glands, Bioplasma
3 Carnifexes, 2x Scything Talons, Adrenal Glands, Bioplasma
3 Carnifexes, 2x Scything Talons, Adrenal Glands, Bioplasma
Exocrine
Exocrine

Outrider Detachment

HQ
Malanthrope

Fast Attack
Harpy
Harpy
3 Raveners with Rending Claws and Scything Talons

Exactly 2000 points. 5CP. 18 models, no unit over 3. Doesn't suck.

I, too, prefer more elite armies over hordes.

My Eldar spirithost has 22 models at 2000 points, and has been working out just fine.

Once I'm finished painting it all, I'll be moving on to an Ork kan wall, which will have even fewer models. ;p

I made a 2000pt list with only 3 WraithKnights:
Skathach WraithKnight w/ Death Shroud/Shield & 2 Scatter lasers
Skathach WraithKnight w/ Death Shroud/Shield & 2 Scatter lasers
Skathach WraithKnight w/ Inferno lances & 2 Star cannons
2000pts exactly with 6 total CPs (3 base + 3 for the Super Heavy detachment).

The plan is to go first (only 3 drops) and to jump all 3 into the Webway. My opponent has no targets turn 1 and I drop all three in on turn 2.
Will absolutely lose every objective based game, but it seems fun and should be frustrating for most opponents.

-

I'm playing in a tournament next week with the following Eldar Wraithhost list, practice games have went well.

Supreme command detachment =

Farseer skyrunner
Spiritseer
Warlock skyrunner
Wraithknight (sword/board)

Vanguard detachment =

Warlock
5 Wraithblades (swords)
5 Wraithblades (swords)
5 Wraithguard (cannons)
Hemlock Wraithfighter
Wave serpent w/ options
Wave serpent w/ options

23 models and I have won 4 of 4 games when practicing so far.

 Galef wrote:
I made a 2000pt list with only 3 WraithKnights:
Skathach WraithKnight w/ Death Shroud/Shield & 2 Scatter lasers
Skathach WraithKnight w/ Death Shroud/Shield & 2 Scatter lasers
Skathach WraithKnight w/ Inferno lances & 2 Star cannons
2000pts exactly with 6 total CPs (3 base + 3 for the Super Heavy detachment).

The plan is to go first (only 3 drops) and to jump all 3 into the Webway. My opponent has no targets turn 1 and I drop all three in on turn 2.
Will absolutely lose every objective based game, but it seems fun and should be frustrating for most opponents.

-

How do you sleep at night?

Some other options include:
-Custodes; one can easily get an army of less than 20 models, and there is also the added fun of trying to determine the best HQ to run.
-All-dreadnought armies: Either Space Wolves or Blood Angels, as both have HQ options and quite the plethora of models from which to choose. 10-15 models should be sufficient.

Thanks for all the replies guys. Definitely some ideas for me to work with.

Look into Deathwing.

Thousand sons, court of the red king - basically Magnus and a whole bunch of terminators, won't be a lot of models

Many armies can work as long as you focus on the the right units.

Personaly I would recomend terminator armies. Grey knihts (perhaps dark angels) has terminators as troop. They are higly customisable. They pack a punch. They are also fun to paint.

Grey Knights "we don't need no steenking models" list, 2k points:

Vanguard Detachment:
Draigo
Librarian (storm shield, staff)
Paladin Ancient
4 Paladins (halberds)
3 Paladins (halberds)
Venerable Dreadnought (Twin lascannon, twin autocannon)

Air Wing Detachment:
2 Stormravens (assault cannons, heavy bolters, hurricane bolters)
1 Stormraven (lascannons, multi-meltas, hurricane bolters)

14 models, knock yerself out.

A guy I play with has a mostly admech army that only has 14 models and is really good.

Cowl
4 Dunecrawlers
4 Super Shooty Robots
1 Robot Handler dude
3 smaller robots with wheels
and then one IG Baneblade, the Shadowsword I think.

Terminator armies.

You can get to 1k points with just 16 models or less.

Harlequin armies can be pretty small depending on point logistics, and this can go for most small factions like Thousand Sons, Knights, etc..

All in all, what you want is possible, you just have to look at point values.

 Melissia wrote:
Terminator armies.

You can get to 1k points with just 16 models or less.

and they're actually GOOD this edition