Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Hello there.

As I've said in my introduction forum post, I'm a complete noob when it comes to Warhammer 40k, so I have a few questions regarding choosing my faction. A while back I got the Dark Vengeance starter set, but that one's a bit outdated. So I'm not sure if I should get the Dark Imperium starter set or stick with the old one I have. For factions, I'm leaning towards either the Imperial Guard or the Space Marines. (All the Xenos factions look cool to me, but at least two of them (Orks & Tyranids) are already taken by two friends of mine. Doesn't mean that I'm not allowed to use whatever faction I like the best, but I'm thinking in terms of variety for my group of friends.) A couple of factors that I'm looking for in starting a 40k army is...

1. Which army would allow me to field a much more massive amount of troops than usual for an army.

2. Which ones are the most newbie friendly in terms of rules and such.

3. If I were to choose the Space Marines, would it be possible to field a combined force of Dark Angels, White Scars, Space Wolves, Imperial Fists, Blood Angels, Iron Hands, Ultramarines, Salamanders and the Raven Guard?

4. If I were to choose the Imperial Guard, would it be possible to field a combined force of Armageddon Ork Hunters, Armageddon Steel Legionnaires, Attilan Rough Riders, Brontian Longknives, Cadian Shock Troops, Catachan Jungle Fighters, Death Korps of Krieg, Drookian Fen Guards, Elysian Drop Troops, Harakoni Warhawks, Kanak Skull Takers, Last Chancers, Maccabian Janissaries, Mordian Iron Guards, Phantine Air Corps, Phantine Skybornes, Praetorian Guards, Savlar Chem Dogs, Scintillan Fusiliers, Tallarn Desert Raiders, Tanith First (And Only), Terrax Guards, Valhallan Ice Warriors and Vostroyan Firstborns?

5. Is it possible to play as a combined force of Space Marines AND Imperial Guardsmen at the same time?

If I have to choose one and only one Space Marine chapter or Imperial Guard regiment, then the one I like the most is the Legion of the Damned. But I'm not sure if they still make models for them anymore. Or pretty much half the the chapters and regiments I've listed for that matter. But if they still have LotD models, you bet that chapter would be my first choice for Space Marines after whatever starter set I use. I also wouldn't mind playing a Sisters of Battle army as well, since I heard that they're finally getting re-released around 2019 or something along those lines. I also heard that GW might release new factions in the 8th edition, so I was wondering if that was true or not. Either way, I'm of the opinion that they should definitely do that sometime in the future, especially if they're Xenos. The more the merrier is a creed I live by to this very day. I wouldn't mind a Squat/Demiurg reboot of some kind if it meant finally getting a proper Space Dwarves faction to complement the preexisting Space Elves faction.

So yeah, feel free to give me whatever advice you may have for me in regards to starting out on this hobby.

Imperial Guard, Orks, and Tyranids are the big horde armies.

Of these 3 I'd say Orks or Guard would be the most simple. Orks probably more simple if you just want Green Tide. Hope you like painting... Orks will also be getting a codex soon with some cool new models too!

I wouldn't recommend doing a combined force of that many different Marine chapters. If you want a lot of different Astartes working together, go Deathwatch. Getting codices for all SW, BA, DA, and Vanilla would be expensive and if you're like me you'll gravitate towards playing just one or two making the others kind of a waste

Damn dude what is up with you and wanting everything and playing them at the same time.

SM are pretty easy to paint, but they're not very good right now. Go to any thread talking about them and you're sure to find people reminding everyone how bad they are. CA may change this, but who knows.

Yes you can bring Imperial Guard with SM. Just need separate detachments. You can read more about those in the big rulebook. Funny enough, Guard are very helpful in every Imperial army so you're on the right track already.

Good luck and welcome to 40k.

I like Kelligula's suggestion of Deathwatch as a means to satiate your desire to play a bunch of different factions of the same army while still coming out with something relatively viable. Deathwatch are fairly elite though so you wouldn't get the bodies you seem to want; it'd be entirely valid to run Imperial Guard alongside the Deathwatch marines, so that's a possibility you should consider.

When choosing an army either go with the one you like the most models of or the one you think you'll like complaining about the most. If you're planning on being a forum creature then complaining is the best course.

Also pick an army you like painting and modeling the most. Pour creeps and cedes over time, so unless you have a lot of income to buy the latest hotness go with an army whose background, models and general play style you enjoy (IE I don't much care for horde armies so I generally play space marines though I do have small IG force and a bunch of other imperial armies I use from time to time).

 K9ofChaos wrote:
Hello there.

As I've said in my introduction forum post, I'm a complete noob when it comes to Warhammer 40k, so I have a few questions regarding choosing my faction. A while back I got the Dark Vengeance starter set, but that one's a bit outdated. So I'm not sure if I should get the Dark Imperium starter set or stick with the old one I have. For factions, I'm leaning towards either the Imperial Guard or the Space Marines. (All the Xenos factions look cool to me, but at least two of them (Orks & Tyranids) are already taken by two friends of mine. Doesn't mean that I'm not allowed to use whatever faction I like the best, but I'm thinking in terms of variety for my group of friends.) A couple of factors that I'm looking for in starting a 40k army is...

1. Which army would allow me to field a much more massive amount of troops than usual for an army.

2. Which ones are the most newbie friendly in terms of rules and such.

3. If I were to choose the Space Marines, would it be possible to field a combined force of Dark Angels, White Scars, Space Wolves, Imperial Fists, Blood Angels, Iron Hands, Ultramarines, Salamanders and the Raven Guard?

4. If I were to choose the Imperial Guard, would it be possible to field a combined force of Armageddon Ork Hunters, Armageddon Steel Legionnaires, Attilan Rough Riders, Brontian Longknives, Cadian Shock Troops, Catachan Jungle Fighters, Death Korps of Krieg, Drookian Fen Guards, Elysian Drop Troops, Harakoni Warhawks, Kanak Skull Takers, Last Chancers, Maccabian Janissaries, Mordian Iron Guards, Phantine Air Corps, Phantine Skybornes, Praetorian Guards, Savlar Chem Dogs, Scintillan Fusiliers, Tallarn Desert Raiders, Tanith First (And Only), Terrax Guards, Valhallan Ice Warriors and Vostroyan Firstborns?

5. Is it possible to play as a combined force of Space Marines AND Imperial Guardsmen at the same time?

If I have to choose one and only one Space Marine chapter or Imperial Guard regiment, then the one I like the most is the Legion of the Damned. But I'm not sure if they still make models for them anymore. Or pretty much half the the chapters and regiments I've listed for that matter. But if they still have LotD models, you bet that chapter would be my first choice for Space Marines after whatever starter set I use. I also wouldn't mind playing a Sisters of Battle army as well, since I heard that they're finally getting re-released around 2019 or something along those lines. I also heard that GW might release new factions in the 8th edition, so I was wondering if that was true or not. Either way, I'm of the opinion that they should definitely do that sometime in the future, especially if they're Xenos. The more the merrier is a creed I live by to this very day. I wouldn't mind a Squat/Demiurg reboot of some kind if it meant finally getting a proper Space Dwarves faction to complement the preexisting Space Elves faction.

So yeah, feel free to give me whatever advice you may have for me in regards to starting out on this hobby.

1. Armies with very high numbers of troops are:
- Tyranids (swarm of bugs)
- Astra Militarum (horde of infantrymen)
- Genestealer Cults (same horde of infantrymen)
- Chaos Space Marines (horde of human cultists)
- Death Guard (horde of poxwalker zombies)
- Orks (tons of Ork Boyz)

2. Generally 'newbie friendly' armies have low numbers of guys because it's easier to get started and manage all your dudes.

3. Yes, but it's not a particularly good idea. You get special rules if your army is one specific faction of guys, depending on that specific book.

4. Yes, but again, you get special rules if you have one type of Regiment/Chapter/Whatever in each Detachment. You can have 3 Detachments.

5. Yes. Space marines can be one detachment, and Imperial Guard can be another detachment.

6. They make models for Legion of the Damned.

Don't be a fool. Walk, no run away from anything games Workshop related as fast as you can. I did not heed this advice and now I am reduced to endless ranting to the void.

I wouldn't worry about the salt levels online too much unless you have high blood pressure.

That said, I'd recommend starting small. Like maybe Kill Team small. Start with a faction you think you might like and commit to doing a squad of them and see if you can stand painting dozens or hundreds (in the case of horde armies) of them. If you can't, then it might not be the best fit for you.

Nothing kills enthusiasm for a paint scheme or an army faster than finding out you hate painting them.

 ClockworkZion wrote:
I wouldn't worry about the salt levels online too much unless you have high blood pressure.

That said, I'd recommend starting small. Like maybe Kill Team small. Start with a faction you think you might like and commit to doing a squad of them and see if you can stand painting dozens or hundreds (in the case of horde armies) of them. If you can't, then it might not be the best fit for you.

Nothing kills enthusiasm for a paint scheme or an army faster than finding out you hate painting them.

I'll agree with this, play what you have fun making. the meta comes and goes but minis are forever

BrianDavion wrote:

 ClockworkZion wrote:
I wouldn't worry about the salt levels online too much unless you have high blood pressure.

That said, I'd recommend starting small. Like maybe Kill Team small. Start with a faction you think you might like and commit to doing a squad of them and see if you can stand painting dozens or hundreds (in the case of horde armies) of them. If you can't, then it might not be the best fit for you.

Nothing kills enthusiasm for a paint scheme or an army faster than finding out you hate painting them.

I'll agree with this, play what you have fun making. the meta comes and goes but minis are forever

To add to my previous suggestion: don't be afraid to be working on more than one project. Even the biggest labor of love can become tedious as you work on the same steps over and over again. I rather like working on my Imperial Fists Primaris but I can only paint so much yellow power armor before I need a break and switch those models out for my working on Genestealer Cult instead (who have lot of visual detail, robes and exposed skin).

Basically, switch it up as needed because it'll keep you going longer. Plus if you can work on two armies that play differently that only becomes a bonus later when you need to take a break from running your shooting or melee heavy army list (assuming you don't build a balanced list with a lot of both that is).

 ClockworkZion wrote:

BrianDavion wrote:

 ClockworkZion wrote:
I wouldn't worry about the salt levels online too much unless you have high blood pressure.

That said, I'd recommend starting small. Like maybe Kill Team small. Start with a faction you think you might like and commit to doing a squad of them and see if you can stand painting dozens or hundreds (in the case of horde armies) of them. If you can't, then it might not be the best fit for you.

Nothing kills enthusiasm for a paint scheme or an army faster than finding out you hate painting them.

I'll agree with this, play what you have fun making. the meta comes and goes but minis are forever

To add to my previous suggestion: don't be afraid to be working on more than one project. Even the biggest labor of love can become tedious as you work on the same steps over and over again. I rather like working on my Imperial Fists Primaris but I can only paint so much yellow power armor before I need a break and switch those models out for my working on Genestealer Cult instead (who have lot of visual detail, robes and exposed skin).

Basically, switch it up as needed because it'll keep you going longer. Plus if you can work on two armies that play differently that only becomes a bonus later when you need to take a break from running your shooting or melee heavy army list (assuming you don't build a balanced list with a lot of both that is).

yeah, the ally rules are a god send for this, you can do space marines. Imperial Guard, Skitarii etc, and not feel like you're wasting your time on a side project

Adeptus Mechanicus could be good alternative choice for IG. But if you want an artillery, take IG.

Choosing right army is hard, everyone have good models.But you can take different detachments for different factions. Maybe you should look IG with Legion of the Damned ally?

As a complete Noob, start Ultramarines. Their playstyle is pretty straightforward and Marine armies are forgiveable just in case you make a tactical error during the game.
Most of the other armies are too specialized to play in the first place.

I would recommend taking your time and reading up about each army and chapter before choosing. I suspect the game will see some pretty big changes come Chapter Approved, so there's no need to rush into it. Find which models you like and delve into the lore.

Kelligula wrote:Imperial Guard, Orks, and Tyranids are the big horde armies.

Of these 3 I'd say Orks or Guard would be the most simple. Orks probably more simple if you just want Green Tide. Hope you like painting... Orks will also be getting a codex soon with some cool new models too!

I wouldn't recommend doing a combined force of that many different Marine chapters. If you want a lot of different Astartes working together, go Deathwatch. Getting codices for all SW, BA, DA, and Vanilla would be expensive and if you're like me you'll gravitate towards playing just one or two making the others kind of a waste

Damn dude what is up with you and wanting everything and playing them at the same time.

SM are pretty easy to paint, but they're not very good right now. Go to any thread talking about them and you're sure to find people reminding everyone how bad they are. CA may change this, but who knows.

Yes you can bring Imperial Guard with SM. Just need separate detachments. You can read more about those in the big rulebook. Funny enough, Guard are very helpful in every Imperial army so you're on the right track already.

Good luck and welcome to 40k.

On the subject of Space Marine Chapters, which ones ranging from, say, the 1st founding to the 26th founding for example, tend to get codexes of their own? Which ones aren't so lucky in that regard? Does each og loyalist Space Marine Legion get a codex themselves or is it only the most popular ones that get one?

ph34r wrote:

 K9ofChaos wrote:
Hello there.

As I've said in my introduction forum post, I'm a complete noob when it comes to Warhammer 40k, so I have a few questions regarding choosing my faction. A while back I got the Dark Vengeance starter set, but that one's a bit outdated. So I'm not sure if I should get the Dark Imperium starter set or stick with the old one I have. For factions, I'm leaning towards either the Imperial Guard or the Space Marines. (All the Xenos factions look cool to me, but at least two of them (Orks & Tyranids) are already taken by two friends of mine. Doesn't mean that I'm not allowed to use whatever faction I like the best, but I'm thinking in terms of variety for my group of friends.) A couple of factors that I'm looking for in starting a 40k army is...

1. Which army would allow me to field a much more massive amount of troops than usual for an army.

2. Which ones are the most newbie friendly in terms of rules and such.

3. If I were to choose the Space Marines, would it be possible to field a combined force of Dark Angels, White Scars, Space Wolves, Imperial Fists, Blood Angels, Iron Hands, Ultramarines, Salamanders and the Raven Guard?

4. If I were to choose the Imperial Guard, would it be possible to field a combined force of Armageddon Ork Hunters, Armageddon Steel Legionnaires, Attilan Rough Riders, Brontian Longknives, Cadian Shock Troops, Catachan Jungle Fighters, Death Korps of Krieg, Drookian Fen Guards, Elysian Drop Troops, Harakoni Warhawks, Kanak Skull Takers, Last Chancers, Maccabian Janissaries, Mordian Iron Guards, Phantine Air Corps, Phantine Skybornes, Praetorian Guards, Savlar Chem Dogs, Scintillan Fusiliers, Tallarn Desert Raiders, Tanith First (And Only), Terrax Guards, Valhallan Ice Warriors and Vostroyan Firstborns?

5. Is it possible to play as a combined force of Space Marines AND Imperial Guardsmen at the same time?

If I have to choose one and only one Space Marine chapter or Imperial Guard regiment, then the one I like the most is the Legion of the Damned. But I'm not sure if they still make models for them anymore. Or pretty much half the the chapters and regiments I've listed for that matter. But if they still have LotD models, you bet that chapter would be my first choice for Space Marines after whatever starter set I use. I also wouldn't mind playing a Sisters of Battle army as well, since I heard that they're finally getting re-released around 2019 or something along those lines. I also heard that GW might release new factions in the 8th edition, so I was wondering if that was true or not. Either way, I'm of the opinion that they should definitely do that sometime in the future, especially if they're Xenos. The more the merrier is a creed I live by to this very day. I wouldn't mind a Squat/Demiurg reboot of some kind if it meant finally getting a proper Space Dwarves faction to complement the preexisting Space Elves faction.

So yeah, feel free to give me whatever advice you may have for me in regards to starting out on this hobby.

1. Armies with very high numbers of troops are:
- Tyranids (swarm of bugs)
- Astra Militarum (horde of infantrymen)
- Genestealer Cults (same horde of infantrymen)
- Chaos Space Marines (horde of human cultists)
- Death Guard (horde of poxwalker zombies)
- Orks (tons of Ork Boyz)

2. Generally 'newbie friendly' armies have low numbers of guys because it's easier to get started and manage all your dudes.

3. Yes, but it's not a particularly good idea. You get special rules if your army is one specific faction of guys, depending on that specific book.

4. Yes, but again, you get special rules if you have one type of Regiment/Chapter/Whatever in each Detachment. You can have 3 Detachments.

5. Yes. Space marines can be one detachment, and Imperial Guard can be another detachment.

6. They make models for Legion of the Damned.

Good to know that the LotD is still in production. Do they have a codex of their own? Also, could you at least field a small but dedicated army of LotD troops?

ClockworkZion wrote:I wouldn't worry about the salt levels online too much unless you have high blood pressure.

That said, I'd recommend starting small. Like maybe Kill Team small. Start with a faction you think you might like and commit to doing a squad of them and see if you can stand painting dozens or hundreds (in the case of horde armies) of them. If you can't, then it might not be the best fit for you.

Nothing kills enthusiasm for a paint scheme or an army faster than finding out you hate painting them.

ClockworkZion wrote:

BrianDavion wrote:

 ClockworkZion wrote:
I wouldn't worry about the salt levels online too much unless you have high blood pressure.

That said, I'd recommend starting small. Like maybe Kill Team small. Start with a faction you think you might like and commit to doing a squad of them and see if you can stand painting dozens or hundreds (in the case of horde armies) of them. If you can't, then it might not be the best fit for you.

Nothing kills enthusiasm for a paint scheme or an army faster than finding out you hate painting them.

I'll agree with this, play what you have fun making. the meta comes and goes but minis are forever

To add to my previous suggestion: don't be afraid to be working on more than one project. Even the biggest labor of love can become tedious as you work on the same steps over and over again. I rather like working on my Imperial Fists Primaris but I can only paint so much yellow power armor before I need a break and switch those models out for my working on Genestealer Cult instead (who have lot of visual detail, robes and exposed skin).

Basically, switch it up as needed because it'll keep you going longer. Plus if you can work on two armies that play differently that only becomes a bonus later when you need to take a break from running your shooting or melee heavy army list (assuming you don't build a balanced list with a lot of both that is).

I appreciate the advice in your second post. It could potentially be tedious to focus solely on completing the paint job of one army before working on anything else when I might be in the mood for painting something else. But then again, I don't really have the most steady hands, so I'm not sure if I'd trust myself enough to paint my minis without messing up somehow. That's precisely why I've been thinking about going through the commission route myself.

wuestenfux wrote:As a complete Noob, start Ultramarines. Their playstyle is pretty straightforward and Marine armies are forgiveable just in case you make a tactical error during the game.
Most of the other armies are too specialized to play in the first place.

I have been thinking about getting the Dark Imperium starter set so that I could get that sweet hardcover rule book. Though I've heard that the Ultrasmurfs have a bit of a bad reputation lore wise among the fandom.

The following Space Marine chapters have their own codex: Blood Angels, Dark Angels, Grey Knights, and Deathwatch. All others are folded into the main Space Marines codex, though they each have some special rules to differentiate themselves from each other.

Speaking as someone who can't freehand a straightline because my hands tremble no matter how well I brace them: I know you're pain. That said, washes, drybrushing and learning to edge highlight can give you a good table top standard without requiring you to win any Golden Daemons for painting just to play.

Instead of fluff, consider preferred gamestyle for a minute.

Do you want an army that pounds the enemy from afar while throwing in chaff units to tie them up?

Do you want a hyper-hand picked special ops kind of vibe?

Do you want the high risk/ high reward of close combat?

Do you enjoy building complex chains of combos that come close to breaking the game if they come off?

Do you want a tough and ready force that can deal well with different threats?

Do you want a super-fast hard to hit nightmare army that's hard to shut down?

Do you want a synergy list that fits together like a puzzle, with each unit vital for the survival of the others?

And how important are psyker powers for you?

I'm all for choosing your army based on fluff and aesthetics, but it's really a 2-part process imo - find the right fit in how they look and how they play and that's the army for you.

 grouchoben wrote:
Instead of fluff, consider preferred gamestyle for a minute.

Do you want an army that pounds the enemy from afar while throwing in chaff units to tie them up?

Do you want a hyper-hand picked special ops kind of vibe?

Do you want the high risk/ high reward of close combat?

Do you enjoy building complex chains of combos that come close to breaking the game if they come off?

Do you want a tough and ready force that can deal well with different threats?

Do you want a super-fast hard to hit nightmare army that's hard to shut down?

Do you want a synergy list that fits together like a puzzle, with each unit vital for the survival of the others?

And how important are psyker powers for you?

I'm all for choosing your army based on fluff and aesthetics, but it's really a 2-part process imo - find the right fit in how they look and how they play and that's the army for you.

That's a very good thing to consider as well. The closest I got to figuring out my tabletop play style is playing as an Orc Barbarian in D&D. So I guess I like charging in and being able to do massive amounts of damage.

In that case, have you considered the clarion call of Chaos? Both CSM and Daemons alike tend to have smashy characters and units that can be ruinous in the assault phase.

Orkz or Khorne are very much that Barbarian style of play, but Tyranids also like to throw themselves at opponents in a frenzy too

 SHUPPET wrote:
Orkz or Khorne are very much that Barbarian style of play, but Tyranids also like to throw themselves at opponents in a frenzy too

For orks though would recommend waiting for the codex though. Orks are expensive and takes lots of time and ATM also not that interesting to play as strategy goes basically "swarm to objective and hope you don't get wiped out before game ends". They literally can't fight and kill stuff so orks are ATM heavily encouraged to NOT go into combat...

With codex things could change but if not it could become quite boring. Do you enjoy trying to win just by sitting on objectives and quite literally being happy if you can kill 10 models? I have won games by killing just 1 model...Not because I did anything special but because opponent couldn't wipe me out fast enough(had like 20 models left in the end) and maelstrom cards were kind. And not that casualty even was all that critical...

It's not that long so if orks tempt wait that and then make decision.

Hey there everyone. Just thought I'd revisit this thread, so here goes nothing.

ClockworkZion wrote:I wouldn't worry about the salt levels online too much unless you have high blood pressure.

That said, I'd recommend starting small. Like maybe Kill Team small. Start with a faction you think you might like and commit to doing a squad of them and see if you can stand painting dozens or hundreds (in the case of horde armies) of them. If you can't, then it might not be the best fit for you.

Nothing kills enthusiasm for a paint scheme or an army faster than finding out you hate painting them.

One time while I was browsing my FLGS, I saw a Tau Kill Team set that actually caught my interest. I know that they've got a bad reputation among certain fans, but I shouldn't worry too much about that and just pick whatever I think looks good, right? Also, can Kill Team squads be used in larger games of 40k? Like in 2000 point armies for example?

wuestenfux wrote:As a complete Noob, start Ultramarines. Their playstyle is pretty straightforward and Marine armies are forgiveable just in case you make a tactical error during the game.
Most of the other armies are too specialized to play in the first place.

Honestly, if I had to choose one first founding chapter, I'd go for the Imperial Fists since I like their yellow color scheme the best. Another first founding chapter I like is the 7th Edition Dark Angels since they were the first Space Marines I ever got. Which hold a little bit of sentimental value to me despite never being built or painted.

tneva82 wrote:

 SHUPPET wrote:
Orkz or Khorne are very much that Barbarian style of play, but Tyranids also like to throw themselves at opponents in a frenzy too

For orks though would recommend waiting for the codex though. Orks are expensive and takes lots of time and ATM also not that interesting to play as strategy goes basically "swarm to objective and hope you don't get wiped out before game ends". They literally can't fight and kill stuff so orks are ATM heavily encouraged to NOT go into combat...

With codex things could change but if not it could become quite boring. Do you enjoy trying to win just by sitting on objectives and quite literally being happy if you can kill 10 models? I have won games by killing just 1 model...Not because I did anything special but because opponent couldn't wipe me out fast enough(had like 20 models left in the end) and maelstrom cards were kind. And not that casualty even was all that critical...

It's not that long so if orks tempt wait that and then make decision.

Well it's now June of 2019 as of this posting. What's the 8th Edition Orks Codex like?

The Ork codex is a bit iffy, grotz seem to rule to generate cp.

@OP:

Stage1
Lend a few minis from your friends and play with them a couple of battles. If you like the gameplay enough then buy a few minis. It would be foolish to invest in a game that you might not like.

Stage2
Get hold of free minis in your local GW and learn with them how to paint.

Stage3
Buy three IK and two of the little walker things. You should have no problems to paint five models and a fully painted army always looks cool.

 Strg Alt wrote:
@OP:

Stage1
Lend a few minis from your friends and play with them a couple of battles. If you like the gameplay enough then buy a few minis. It would be foolish to invest in a game that you might not like.

I disagree. Painting is it's own reward. There's so many different aspects of the hobby, whether you enjoy the lore, the modelling/painting, competiting, playing narrative, whatever, I think it's rare that someone will feel the draw to play 40k, get into it, and then just be like "feth this im out".

Well after you spend 700$ or more on something it is freaking hard to just flush it, and say your out. That is like trying to get out of a hooligan team or a gang. Possible only technicaly.

Kill Team sounds like a good suggesting, but I'd caution against trusting it to help you pick a faction. Some armies that feel strong at those extremely low point values stop working when the options open up.

 wuestenfux wrote:
As a complete Noob, start Ultramarines. Their playstyle is pretty straightforward and Marine armies are forgiveable just in case you make a tactical error during the game.
Most of the other armies are too specialized to play in the first place.

As a complete noob you should stay away from Marines altogether. Their playstyle requires you to really know what you're doing and they're waaay too fragile to tolerate any mistakes at all. If you like the Imperial fluff go with Guard instead.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Tokhuah wrote:
Don't be a fool. Walk, no run away from anything games Workshop related as fast as you can. I did not heed this advice and now I am reduced to endless ranting to the void.

You know something is wrong when people actively involved in a hobby will try to warn you away from getting involved in it.

Disclaimer: Debbie Downer post inbound!

First off, welcome. Second off...ignore 80% of what you're reading on the internet. Warhammer 40K, 8th edition is a hugely popular game...and with that comes a load of cliques and groups of players who will send you in a million directions and make your head spin. They'll call units garbage, or must-haves, and they'll try to steer you in the direction of how they play or what they play. All I have for you is blunt common-sense advice:

1) Start with the two week rule. Even when you think you've made a decision on an army...don't buy it. Wait two or three weeks and see if you're still interested.

2) Don't build a grey plastic army, particulalry if you're new. Loads, and I mean LOADS of new players quit 40K within six months of starting, having blown a wad of cash and then eBaying or throwing out their models never to touch them again. Tabletop wargaming as a whole is a time-intensive hobby and it isn't for everyone. Seeing armies on YouTube or at a local club is one thing....collecting, painting, and playing an army is another thing. See the following points:

3) Build, then paint. Don't buy $500 worth of stuff, and assemble it...only to realize you don't really like the army or the game. If you have friends who play, try playing with a loaner army or in some team games and see what armies you like - and indeed if you even like 40K. Sometimes the shiny syndrome wears off quickly and you realize you're not really stoked about the concept of building and painting minis etc. So if you start a collection, start small and build one unit at a time, painting it if you can. That way if you say "feth this" in a few months you've invested less money and you can make money back on stuff that's still in the box. Opened/assembled/painted minis go for far less money if you're trying to recover costs.

4) Do not consider strength and "game power" for your first army. 40K isn't terribly expensive (unless you're still in school sometimes), but it is time intensive. You're going to spend a 4:1 ratio (minimum) of time building/painting vs. actually playing. This is why it's paramount for you to actually really like what you're collecting/painting. I see people flit from army to army based on game performance or wanting something new...and then I make money selling off their half-completed armies on eBay for them. While the game is not expensive you can lose a gak ton of money by going in big...only to sell off something you no longer like in a few weeks.

5) Find someone suitable to play against. You have some people who will just mercilessly beat the gak out of you because they're competitive donkey-caves...and you'll quit the game in a week. Find someone who is either new, or a friendly gamer who's willing to teach you how to play. Contrary to a few loud-mouth donkey-caves, there's no point in beating a new player to death so they can learn from their mistakes. That won't encourage you to actually come back. I've seen players quit after losing 4-5 games in a row. Find someone who will match your challenge and take the time to teach you the fundamental concepts. When you get confident, then step up the quality of the lists and the competitive level.

6) Study the rules and watch good battle reports. It's more or less impossible to learn the game without playing it or watching it a ton. Even reading the rules thoroughly (which you should do) won't make you understand all of the intricacies of the game.

7) In short...invest small, and make sure you're into it before you blow a ton of money on something you'll ditch in three months. I'd heavily suggest finding a local group and asking to partake in some games before you even consider buying something. Most players will gladly let you hop in a team game, or will provide an army for you.

Elbows got it right.
That should be the way you go about the hobby.