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.

Hey guys!

I'm trying to decide on an army to collect. I really love the aesthetic of both armies. And the lore behind each of them, maybe slightly more so towards custodes in that area, but then I suppose it's easier to collect death guard as most of their units aren't from forgeworld?

Which army would you guys recommend as fun, enjoyable to play with and against?

Thank you!

Death Guard.
I'm not a fan of the greenish/rotten paint scheme or the whole rupturing gut & fly motif alot of the models sport. But there's more variety of units within the force than there are for Custodes.

I'm really looking forward to the new "sisters of Silence" army drops in 30k. I hope they transition over to 40k, then you could field an entire army with cheap sisters and Custodes back up.

Custodes require less buy in, which is a plus

EviscerationPlague wrote:
Custodes require less buy in, which is a plus

But that's not one of the criteria the op asked us to consider.

ccs wrote:

EviscerationPlague wrote:
Custodes require less buy in, which is a plus

But that's not one of the criteria the op asked us to consider.

being cheaper to collect, seems to be a thing mentioned. And with how popular custodes dreadnoughts have been in 9th, getting them for cheap is really easy. And being able to get an army faster for less money means you can have fun with it sooner. And with how list and faction validity works in w40k, getting an army fast is crucial to sometimes having any fun with it.

ccs wrote:

EviscerationPlague wrote:
Custodes require less buy in, which is a plus

But that's not one of the criteria the op asked us to consider.

The OP didn't GIVE any criteria, it's just a post boiling it down to two armies. Custodes being cheaper to collect and FW no longer being expensive makes them the better pick compared to the codex that gave us the Plague Marine datasheet.

Custodes are a GREAT first army because they are simply the easiest faction to learn, get good with, and do relatively well with. They are the Ryu of Street Fighter to 40k Factions. They require little investment of learning, they straight up ignore an entire phase, low model count means you don't need to worry about 50 different rules and strats/options. Just get in close, and punch em in the face. End of Strategy. If you are a rich person that doesn't have to work for a living, there are FW models that basically break the game. Then you have Sisters. Also stupidly easy to learn and use. Nothing about Custodes is difficult or challenging. Even the painting scheme is only 4 colors for a perfectly painted Custodian.

Green Marines on the other hand are one of the most challenging for new players to paint, and learn, and play. Also, hobbying them to actually have the best options takes black market bits bags, or a good skill with green stuff. Also, they have tons of sub obtions like Daemons you can use, of limited actual worth. Their chief unit is one of the best units in the game, and equally difficult to paint, assemble, transport, and keep in good shape.


Go Custodes fopr your first army, or Blood Angels. Who are likely to be the starting faction of 10th anyway.

Death Guard. You'll have more fun growing your force and they are more enjoyable to play against. In the end however, get whatever you love most.

I'd go with Death Guard as there is more flexibility in what you can do with the army. Custodes lock you in to some really specific units and most of the stuff beyond that is FW.