Selecting an appropriate army.

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**Goat**

I don't know why you're so hung up on special characters. If your making an army on pure fluff, you can always use the rules of a special character to fit your armies needs just call him Balthezaar Bumsniffer. 90% chance no one will give a hoot as long as they are aware the rules being used for the model. I've seen Chaos Models being run "as Chaos khorne army" but used a blood angel codex because the rules there best fit what he was trying to acomplish with his fluff. I've also Seen GKs as the true Tzeentch army. Painted all cool and stuff with chaos everything. Just using the GK dex for rules. There is a huge well of creativity you can unlock if you think outside the box.

**Rustgob**

Goat wrote:
I don't know why you're so hung up on special characters. If your making an army on pure fluff, you can always use the rules of a special character to fit your armies needs just call him Balthezaar Bumsniffer. 90% chance no one will give a hoot as long as they are aware the rules being used for the model. I've seen Chaos Models being run "as Chaos khorne army" but used a blood angel codex because the rules there best fit what he was trying to acomplish with his fluff. I've also Seen GKs as the true Tzeentch army. Painted all cool and stuff with chaos everything. Just using the GK dex for rules. There is a huge well of creativity you can unlock if you think outside the box.

Personal compulsion is all. I hate taking a specific model or character and saying 'This is __something else__' I don't like 'counts as' in any shape or form, for my armies.

Also, I updated my previous post with how I'm ranking ideas so far.

**derpyhooves72**

Rustgob wrote:
First off, let me apologise for making a 'help me choose' thread, I'm sure you get them a lot. I expect plenty of 'We can't choose for you' replies but I'm ruddy indecisive so ANY opinions or discussion would be valuable!

Simply put, I'd like to start an army- I've been a long time 'sort of player' buying a mini here and there, mostly books. I do,however want to get a 500 point army together this year and would like some help deciding on a suitable army for my needs.

Criteria from most to least important.

Must not rely on special characters as I like to 'tell my own story' with fluff.
Models must not look like hair-metal rejects (No 'Jain Zars!')
Army list must be full of options and flexible enough that I can make 'specialised armies'. (eg a list that would let me play shooty or melee depending upon equipment.)
Tanks are cool.
Low model count preferred as I am poor, but not required.

As I said, I like discussion so please, ask me further questions if you like, It might help me make my own decision!

Sorry if this has already been mentioned but I think the vanilla Space Marines book is for you.

1) Its the only Marine book that isn't focused on a single chapter, so you can literally invent your own chapter. Further, that means using vanilla Chapter Masters / Captains / etc.

2) They are standard Marines... if you like the look then you'll be fine no matter how you paint them.

3) Marines in general are the ultimate "shoot the assaulty, assault the shooty" army. Especially vanilla Marines due to their USRs.They are as tactically flexible as they come.

4) Marines depend on tanks for ranged fire support (Predators).

5) Imperial Guard would probably be better than vanilla Marines if it weren't for item 5. Item 5 makes vanilla marines a much better choice as it has a much lower infantry / tank count at any points level.

**BTNeophyte**

Rustgob wrote:
First off, let me apologise for making a 'help me choose' thread, I'm sure you get them a lot. I expect plenty of 'We can't choose for you' replies but I'm ruddy indecisive so ANY opinions or discussion would be valuable!

Simply put, I'd like to start an army- I've been a long time 'sort of player' buying a mini here and there, mostly books. I do,however want to get a 500 point army together this year and would like some help deciding on a suitable army for my needs.

Criteria from most to least important.

Must not rely on special characters as I like to 'tell my own story' with fluff.
Models must not look like hair-metal rejects (No 'Jain Zars!')
Army list must be full of options and flexible enough that I can make 'specialised armies'. (eg a list that would let me play shooty or melee depending upon equipment.)
Tanks are cool.
Low model count preferred as I am poor, but not required.

As I said, I like discussion so please, ask me further questions if you like, It might help me make my own decision!

Don't have time to post much now, sorry, but I just want to say something. If you don't like using special characters to tell your own story (I like telling my own stories too, but unfortunately Grimaldus' model is to bad#$@!! for me not to use, and being able to pop the relic at any point IIRC is hilarious (1 wound left, about to roll save...sure I'll use the relic now)) but they make the list you want possible (one thing I really liked about the new chaos dex-lord w/the appropriate mark makes those guys troops), don't be afraid to either use a conversion for the SC (or if you like the model, use the SC model as a character with similar wargear). Remember, if you want those guys to have twin linked meltas/flamers, you can have captain jim bob of the x company of the x chapter, who just happens to use Vulkan's rules

**Rustgob**

derpyhooves72 wrote:
Rustgob wrote:
First off, let me apologise for making a 'help me choose' thread, I'm sure you get them a lot. I expect plenty of 'We can't choose for you' replies but I'm ruddy indecisive so ANY opinions or discussion would be valuable!

Simply put, I'd like to start an army- I've been a long time 'sort of player' buying a mini here and there, mostly books. I do,however want to get a 500 point army together this year and would like some help deciding on a suitable army for my needs.

Criteria from most to least important.

Must not rely on special characters as I like to 'tell my own story' with fluff.
Models must not look like hair-metal rejects (No 'Jain Zars!')
Army list must be full of options and flexible enough that I can make 'specialised armies'. (eg a list that would let me play shooty or melee depending upon equipment.)
Tanks are cool.
Low model count preferred as I am poor, but not required.

As I said, I like discussion so please, ask me further questions if you like, It might help me make my own decision!

Sorry if this has already been mentioned but I think the vanilla Space Marines book is for you.

1) Its the only Marine book that isn't focused on a single chapter, so you can literally invent your own chapter. Further, that means using vanilla Chapter Masters / Captains / etc.

2) They are standard Marines... if you like the look then you'll be fine no matter how you paint them.

3) Marines in general are the ultimate "shoot the assaulty, assault the shooty" army. Especially vanilla Marines due to their USRs.They are as tactically flexible as they come.

4) Marines depend on tanks for ranged fire support (Predators).

5) Imperial Guard would probably be better than vanilla Marines if it weren't for item 5. Item 5 makes vanilla marines a much better choice as it has a much lower infantry / tank count at any points level.

I'm really coming to the same conclusion, myself. Now I think maybe it's just a matter of me 'getting over' my reservations about playing 'Just another Marine Army'

**derpyhooves72**

Rustgob wrote:
derpyhooves72 wrote:
Rustgob wrote:
First off, let me apologise for making a 'help me choose' thread, I'm sure you get them a lot. I expect plenty of 'We can't choose for you' replies but I'm ruddy indecisive so ANY opinions or discussion would be valuable!

Simply put, I'd like to start an army- I've been a long time 'sort of player' buying a mini here and there, mostly books. I do,however want to get a 500 point army together this year and would like some help deciding on a suitable army for my needs.

Criteria from most to least important.

Must not rely on special characters as I like to 'tell my own story' with fluff.
Models must not look like hair-metal rejects (No 'Jain Zars!')
Army list must be full of options and flexible enough that I can make 'specialised armies'. (eg a list that would let me play shooty or melee depending upon equipment.)
Tanks are cool.
Low model count preferred as I am poor, but not required.

As I said, I like discussion so please, ask me further questions if you like, It might help me make my own decision!

Sorry if this has already been mentioned but I think the vanilla Space Marines book is for you.

1) Its the only Marine book that isn't focused on a single chapter, so you can literally invent your own chapter. Further, that means using vanilla Chapter Masters / Captains / etc.

2) They are standard Marines... if you like the look then you'll be fine no matter how you paint them.

3) Marines in general are the ultimate "shoot the assaulty, assault the shooty" army. Especially vanilla Marines due to their USRs.They are as tactically flexible as they come.

4) Marines depend on tanks for ranged fire support (Predators).

5) Imperial Guard would probably be better than vanilla Marines if it weren't for item 5. Item 5 makes vanilla marines a much better choice as it has a much lower infantry / tank count at any points level.

I'm really coming to the same conclusion, myself. Now I think maybe it's just a matter of me 'getting over' my reservations about playing 'Just another Marine Army'

Well I think the "just another Marine army" part is up to you. If you field an Ultramarines list with the latest internet power-gaming craze (not really much in the way of Vanilla marines these days) then it will be just another marine army. If you personalize it, flavor it to the sorts of things you like then it won't be. For instance... you like tanks, and lets say you want your Predators to be your main anti-tank... the internet will tell you that Predator Annihilators (2x lascannons, twin-linked lascannon) are overpriced... but they still do their job and could be a cornerstone of your army. A Dark Angels Predator Annihilator is 25 points cheaper than the Vanilla version... don't get hung up on that. Every point matters but not to the extent that its the difference between you being competitive and never winning a game ever.

Just make the army fit your personality and it'll be a unique army. Learn to play it well and it'll even be that much more impressive.

**Rustgob**

derpyhooves72 wrote:
Rustgob wrote:
derpyhooves72 wrote:
Rustgob wrote:
First off, let me apologise for making a 'help me choose' thread, I'm sure you get them a lot. I expect plenty of 'We can't choose for you' replies but I'm ruddy indecisive so ANY opinions or discussion would be valuable!

Simply put, I'd like to start an army- I've been a long time 'sort of player' buying a mini here and there, mostly books. I do,however want to get a 500 point army together this year and would like some help deciding on a suitable army for my needs.

Criteria from most to least important.

Must not rely on special characters as I like to 'tell my own story' with fluff.
Models must not look like hair-metal rejects (No 'Jain Zars!')
Army list must be full of options and flexible enough that I can make 'specialised armies'. (eg a list that would let me play shooty or melee depending upon equipment.)
Tanks are cool.
Low model count preferred as I am poor, but not required.

As I said, I like discussion so please, ask me further questions if you like, It might help me make my own decision!

Sorry if this has already been mentioned but I think the vanilla Space Marines book is for you.

1) Its the only Marine book that isn't focused on a single chapter, so you can literally invent your own chapter. Further, that means using vanilla Chapter Masters / Captains / etc.

2) They are standard Marines... if you like the look then you'll be fine no matter how you paint them.

3) Marines in general are the ultimate "shoot the assaulty, assault the shooty" army. Especially vanilla Marines due to their USRs.They are as tactically flexible as they come.

4) Marines depend on tanks for ranged fire support (Predators).

5) Imperial Guard would probably be better than vanilla Marines if it weren't for item 5. Item 5 makes vanilla marines a much better choice as it has a much lower infantry / tank count at any points level.

I'm really coming to the same conclusion, myself. Now I think maybe it's just a matter of me 'getting over' my reservations about playing 'Just another Marine Army'

Well I think the "just another Marine army" part is up to you. If you field an Ultramarines list with the latest internet power-gaming craze (not really much in the way of Vanilla marines these days) then it will be just another marine army. If you personalize it, flavor it to the sorts of things you like then it won't be. For instance... you like tanks, and lets say you want your Predators to be your main anti-tank... the internet will tell you that Predator Annihilators (2x lascannons, twin-linked lascannon) are overpriced... but they still do their job and could be a cornerstone of your army. A Dark Angels Predator Annihilator is 25 points cheaper than the Vanilla version... don't get hung up on that. Every point matters but not to the extent that its the difference between you being competitive and never winning a game ever.

Just make the army fit your personality and it'll be a unique army. Learn to play it well and it'll even be that much more impressive.

Indeed. I do agree with you completely. Fighting my compulsions, however, is another creature

The flexibility of marines, however, should give me everything I need.

**BlapBlapBlap**

I remember, back in the scary days of the previous DA codex, people just said 'Oh, he counts as Belial, BTW' and just got on with their games.

**Rustgob**

BlapBlapBlap wrote:
I remember, back in the scary days of the previous DA codex, people just said 'Oh, he counts as Belial, BTW' and just got on with their games.

But I know the truth, the dirty truth!