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Been playing a lot of 1k games of late and have noticed some armies work better at that points level than others - obvious in a way I know.
Which armies do you guys think work better at 750/1k points and then at 2k or 2.5+ and why (taking 1500 and 17-1850 as "normal" ranges)?

At low levels is it due to number of models available, ability to synergise more easily at those points, cheap special characters/heavies, a better FoC at those points, ability to have redundancy or anything else?

At higher levels what are the important considerations? Unlocking abilities/FoCs with more expensive characters, ability to take better heavies, ability to take more expensive allies that one may need etc?

Whats the general consensus?

Orks crush at low points because they can field loads of troops and still sneek a dakka jet in

They've all seemed to be requiring large point values now with new codexes, but IG can do reasonably well at low point values, and I've heard that Tyranids do terrible there, but it's contrary to what I've seen.

I've seen Dark Eldar do well with low points (under 1K) as well

I can imagine that Deathwing would be a holy terror to play at lower than 1,000 points, because it would exaggerate their hideously low numbers compared to what others could field.

On the other hand, I am very eager to field my Eldar army in very low games as I paint them up in 500pt chunks. Even a bare 500pt force is surprising in what you can put on the table.

I'm assuming flyers get stupid at low points games. I can imagine when playing friendly games, I personally would agree with my opponent to not use them at all.

Local meta around where I'm from 1k points Nid-zilla list is just scary. Fielding 5-6 MC is something horrible to face with most armies. I run C:SM bikes and they can be quite hit and miss at lower point games as you have toughness 5 tac marines at the cost of half the size of a normal army.

I played in a 600 pt mini tourney last week, one guy brought a doom scythe and cleaned up his first two games. I didn't expect to see fliers, so I (foolishly) didn't bring anti air and was tabled on turn five with my little BA infantry force. His other units were a D lord with triarch praetorians and a five man warrior squad. Pretty killy in my opinion.

Dakka-heavy Eldar lists can be a pain at the 750 points mark, too.

I'd say IG win at both extremes.

IG rule in small games because everything is so cheap. The army scales up well because they can get so many units into a single Force Org slot.

A single IG Troop Choice starts out at 130 points for a PCS and 2 Infantry squads, and maxes out at a PCS and 5 infantry squads (with 6 Chimeras), 5*3 heavy weapon teams, 2 special weapon squads, and a screaming horde of conscripts. The Fast Attack and Heavy Support slots are similarly loaded with the ability to cram a lot of power into a single slot with squadrons and batteries.

talljosh85 wrote:
I played in a 600 pt mini tourney last week, one guy brought a doom scythe and cleaned up his first two games. I didn't expect to see fliers, so I (foolishly) didn't bring anti air and was tabled on turn five with my little BA infantry force. His other units were a D lord with triarch praetorians and a five man warrior squad. Pretty killy in my opinion.

Ive gotta say, I think a flier in a 600pt Tourney is a little douche-esque.

Necrons can be pretty effective at low point levels. Annihilation Barges being so cheap and can make mince meat out of Ork and Nid blobs.

 HerbaciousT wrote:

talljosh85 wrote:
I played in a 600 pt mini tourney last week, one guy brought a doom scythe and cleaned up his first two games. I didn't expect to see fliers, so I (foolishly) didn't bring anti air and was tabled on turn five with my little BA infantry force. His other units were a D lord with triarch praetorians and a five man warrior squad. Pretty killy in my opinion.

Ive gotta say, I think a flier in a 600pt Tourney is a little douche-esque.

i bring a Vendetta and a Valk with MRP at 500 ..only 260 points ....

He was very effective, and a nice guy, so I can't hate him for bringing an effective list. Not sure who won, as I left after my second game. If I play my guard or Orks at a low point level I'll consider a flyer, but for BA the Stormraven is a bit spendy.

Guard would win hands down at 2k plus.

Single FOC: They can make use of platoons or squadrons to field mass of stuff when other armies are maxing out their slots even at 1850.

Double FOC: 6 single vendettas and not even half your points gone, nuff said.

Templars feel the hurt between 750-1250ish IMO because the EC can no longer be the only HQ.

i would think Nid swarm armies could be good in low point battles, where you would flood the enemy in gaunts coupled with the fact that your opponent might not be even close in the number of models he/she could bring.

IG will rule the big points battles, FoCx2 which means MORE Vendettas and LRBT/Executionor spam. Allies are definately in consideration since in big points matches one has more le-way to divert points to fill gaps in their army. IG, Nids and 'Crons are kings in big point battles imho.

Grey knights are really good at lower ponies because at lower points they actually produce a similar model count to most armies and they can spam so many psycannons.

At 500 points, orks. Come on, 61 models. That is a lot. IG do well too. A LRBT exterminator or eradicator (maybe LRBT) and a couple vet squads and CCs for the win.

IG can kill at the high point games. Since IG don’t have any crazy IC’s to use points on we can just spend points on tank, and vendetta spam all day long.

Imperial Guard 750 points

CCS + Autocannon
Veteran Squads + 3 Meltaguns
Veteran Squads + 3 Meltaguns
Vendetta
Vendetta
Leman Russ Battle Tank

Two fliers, AV 14, and mobile melta troops at 750?

Dark Eldar can bring 5 Squads of Warriors with a Blaster (anti-tank)all in Venoms meaning they can drop 100 Poisoned shots from the vehicles in a turn

I played RW the other day at 700pts, done ok with them against Guard, he was running sential, chirema with vets think another 1 or 2 vet squads and a leman russ, I used sammy, 2 bike squads one with flamer one with melta and 3 black knights, first blood was the black knights popping the chierma, melta squad turbo boosted and survived a point blank Leman russ shot thanks to jinks and sammy and his went up the middle, turn 2 black knights took out the sential, meltas took out the leman russ and sammys squad flamered then was about to charge the vets when opponent called it.

The two that spring to mind at low (below 750 points) are:

IG - Bring three Leman Russes. Almost all other factions just can't cope with that much AV14 at that points level.

Tyranids - Tervigon spam at low points can cause major problems just by sheer model count.

Eldar still works at smaller pt levels but it doesn't scale up very well.

Anyone play 2.5k regularly and your views on who gels better?
I gather Guard still rock at those points but other armies can suffer?

BT suffers on the low end thanks to the mandatory EC, but really start to shine at 2000+. Thats the size you should take a Grimaldus Black Tide at, and it is quite terrifying. Soon with flyers!

 d3m01iti0n wrote:
BT suffers on the low end thanks to the mandatory EC, but really start to shine at 2000+. Thats the size you should take a Grimaldus Black Tide at, and it is quite terrifying. Soon with flyers!

You don't need an EC at low points value, only 750+.

Of course my idea of low points might be different from yours. To me, 750-1500 is about standard.

I've found that tyranids tend to get better at bigger point levels. Though to be honest, a tervigon at low point levels is pretty nasty as well

Darrett wrote:

 d3m01iti0n wrote:
BT suffers on the low end thanks to the mandatory EC, but really start to shine at 2000+. Thats the size you should take a Grimaldus Black Tide at, and it is quite terrifying. Soon with flyers!

You don't need an EC at low points value, only 750+.

Of course my idea of low points might be different from yours. To me, 750-1500 is about standard.

My standard games are 1250+. I wouldnt even bother with 750. Well, I would, but I would take my Orks instead

Pony_law wrote:
Grey knights are really good at lower ponies because at lower points they actually produce a similar model count to most armies and they can spam so many psycannons.

What?!?!?!?!? I had a 600pt game using my orks againist GKs.
He had 12 models
I tabled him turn 3

I see alot of talk here about flyers and spamming certain things with each army at low points. Much like in big games, how is that even fun? I think the point of the conversation is about which armies can still include quality cohesion in their builds.

Here's my question: which armies can still build a relatively good TAC list in games below 1,000 points?

I personally really liked the Combat Patrol rules that came out in the 4th edition book, which were essentially the rules from "40K in 40 minutes". They specifically forbade certain army selections that were too over-powered for such small games.