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I am working on a dual project right now a new tyranid army for 40k and a first 30k army.

I have read all of the books (novels) and liking basically all of the legions (other than word bearers that is the only i have no interest in playing). What i know about 30k is it is basically 7th edition 40k polished and based on mostly just imperium v chaos/traitors

That said I as a mostly ork player just envision a power armored horde army. does any 30k army make this possible and is it halfway decent. I don't need a tournament winning top tier army just something maybe middle of the pack where i can put the most possible effective bodies down preferably who want to get into combat but can have some powerarmor in the back opening up tanks for the melee builder (think lootas and big guns opening up transports for orks)

any suggestions on chapters and or list types to build to make that possible. I plan to get the rumored starter box and have 2 betrayal at calth and 2-3 burning of prospero boxes on the shelf having never built them. Also already have an Alpharius and gullimon (40k version and 3 of them its a long story) because i liked the models

note with the power armor part it is probably assumed but i would like to avoid dreds, tanks and even terminators if possible, just plain old power armor

The most common power-armour horde I see is late-Heresy World Eaters; it's a footslogging swarm waving chainaxes that gets extra utility out of its Apothecaries over other Legions' forces, highly resistant to morale, and extremely choppy. I wouldn't suggest trying to completely avoid vehicles, since there are a few things chainaxes and krak grenades can't really kill, and you may want a Red Butcher unit to crack deathstars, but you can certainly have a lot of power armour. If the new box does have a Spartan, as is rumoured, that's also a great way to let some Red Butchers keep up with the rest of the army (footslogging Cataphractii are quite slow).

Alpha Legion and Ultramarines are two of the harder Legions to use; AL are pretty mediocre in a straight fight, you need to use their deployment shenanigans to pick your fights efficiently to use them, and the Ultramarines' Chapter Tactics are set up to encourage you to build a flexible combined-arms force that looks more like a 40k army than the straightforward one-strategy horde Legions.

 AnomanderRake wrote:
The most common power-armour horde I see is late-Heresy World Eaters; it's a footslogging swarm waving chainaxes that gets extra utility out of its Apothecaries over other Legions' forces, highly resistant to morale, and extremely choppy. I wouldn't suggest trying to completely avoid vehicles, since there are a few things chainaxes and krak grenades can't really kill, and you may want a Red Butcher unit to crack deathstars, but you can certainly have a lot of power armour. If the new box does have a Spartan, as is rumoured, that's also a great way to let some Red Butchers keep up with the rest of the army (footslogging Cataphractii are quite slow).

Alpha Legion and Ultramarines are two of the harder Legions to use; AL are pretty mediocre in a straight fight, you need to use their deployment shenanigans to pick your fights efficiently to use them, and the Ultramarines' Chapter Tactics are set up to encourage you to build a flexible combined-arms force that looks more like a 40k army than the straightforward one-strategy horde Legions.

in the case of Alpha legion and ultra its just the primarchs i have. Alpharius might be my fav primarch model but not needing them to be the legion I use. might try and proxy a world eaters list with some chaos marines i have before building but will ask some friends who play 30k if they can come up with something. Open to loyal options too as I will probably end up building one loyalist and one traitor force. I like when fielding marines to do as much field of power armor as I can heck my 40k army currently is basically a captain in gravis and a mix of assault heavy and normal intersessors, a few bikes and zero vehicles.

Both World Eaters and Blood Angels would probably do "field full of bodies" fairly well. They're both also melee-centric armies who benefit from getting up close and personal.

Note that transports can very much help you out in this regard - a Spartan holds 25 marines, which would give you a full 20-man tactical squad plus Apothecary in one tank. Storm Eagles can carry 20 marines and also Deep Strike. And of course you can always go with jump pack marines which I believe can be up to 15 marines per squad.

I do recommend looking at some vehicles if you can - power armor can only take you so far, and at some point you'll need some way to crack heavier armor like the Spartans I mentioned. Whether that's in the form of a Sicaran Venator, a Spartan or two of your own, or what, is up to you.

Death Guard are doctrinally the infantryman's army, if you aren't tied to the choppy chop. Fill the table with apothecaries, missile launchers and terminators for some armour cracking goodness as well. Sprinkle with field artillery to taste.

thanks for the info open to more ideas but I am now planning to try some old basic marine models before buildign up and painting the actual 30k stuff and will run as world eaters, blood angels and deathguard. I do like jump pack troops so will mix those in and termies for the death guard mixed in.

Even if its a handicap I do want to avoid tanks if at all possible. I have several forgeworld and GW ones including a mastadon and 7 land raiders among others but want to at least try an all foot list for a bit

A Mastadon full of World Eaters is a terrifying thing to behold.

I would put in a mention for Iron Warriors as well. Fluff wise, Perturabo saw his marines as a resource to be applied as need be to accomplish the mission. They don't suffer morale from shooting casualties, the Iron Fire RoW makes marching infantry following a rolling barrage durable and fun. Two of their special units like to be on foot as well.

addig iron warriors to things to try, added bonus there super easy paint jobs

Another vote for Death Guard. Their doctrine didn't really favour armoured vehicles and most of them were manned by Terran crews who were largely wiped out at the start of the Heresy.