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Much as I enjoy my angry tide of Black Templars - or enjoyed them back when I actually had time to play, way, way before 6th hit - I'm considering starting up a second showpiece army that I can do crazy attention to detail with in terms of painting and modeling. I'm looking for infantry-heavy and as low a model count as possible.

I've heard Draigowing doesn't work so well anymore, which sort of seems like the ideal solution despite the fact that they're Grey Knights, who I loathe.

Astoroth and death company? Lots of death company? You would need to go for first blood and slay the warlord and then either contest or else table your opponent.

HAHA you could go heavy mech BA....

Mephy
2 assault squads
3 predators -> or Stormravens
3 Baal Predators
2 terminator squads
and if you want a REALLY fast way to chew up points JP DC..... (35pts each + wargear and up to 20 in a squad)
Or go a normal space marine chapter and replace baals with storm talons...

Well, I suppose I should've clarified that I'd also like whatever I end up choosing to be at least semi-viable.

Deathwing is always a good choice for a low model count army.

 Flinty wrote:
Deathwing is always a good choice for a low model count army.

I've not used it, or played it but the vibe I've got from dakka is that DW is a pretty poor army. Ravenwing on the other hand is pretty good from my experience playing it.

They're both low model count in the end, so it comes down to whether you like terminators or bikes (or whether you hate Heldrakes a lot).

What about Raven- or Deathwing? Both have a rather low bodycount, both are specialists and pure Ravenwing has a pretty good reputation.

Someone did a poll recently asking about DA army types. Almost all the comments were whinging about how uncompetitive the Deathwing were, but the vast majority of the poll responders had a deathwing army. As an ultra-elite army they can stand or fall on luck, because you're not rolling the volumes of dice required for statistical averages to kick in. However, dropping 3 or 4 terminator squads precisely into your opponents lines is remarkably fun It does help to have some ravenwing around to assist in this goal.

DA are definitely an option

Deathwing isn't so good, however Ravenwing has some good tricks up their sleeves. DW can be a lot of fun to play, as Flinty said dropping 3-4 Terminator Squads right on top of the enemy is a lot of fun, but expect to lose more often than not. I would go RW if I were you.

The downside to Ravenwing is the Heldrake, which will hit your bikes with an AP3 Template, removing your armor saves and disallowing your cover saves from Jink (or the bike equivalent).

If you have a lot of Chaos Players in your area, this will be a problem for you.

Orks can do it.

You could do Deffwing (Meganobz + Warbosses in Trukks/Battlewagons), which is like having a Deathwing army with twice as many wounds (Meganobz have 2 wounds).

You could also just do a Nob army (Nobz + Warbosses in Battlewagons/Trukks) which can be moreso customized wargear-wise.

You could do a Dreadbash army (Big Meks + Deff Dreads + More Deff Dreads/Killa Kanz). Effectively, an army made of cobbled together walkers. Looks awesome and can be dead killy!

I must have missed the announcement, but what's wrong with draigowing? Is it due to the assault changes, and challenges?

IG . You take some veterans, lots of vendettas and saber defense platforms and aegis . Model count lower then most meq armies out there.

Gk Paladins w Draigo and Twin AC Dreads.

 PraetorDave wrote:
I must have missed the announcement, but what's wrong with draigowing? Is it due to the assault changes, and challenges?

Challenges, Assault changes, the increase of things that easily kill Paladins, etc.

It just seems 6th edition and a lot of the meta changes/codex updates are designed to kill Draigowing/low model count PA armies

It is easier to say what armies do NOT do good with low model count:

Tyranids
IG

Every other army can make a very good low count army. But that is going by MY definition of low count. If you have a range of points and models (like max points you would play and max models you would want) - It would be a bit easier

Perhaps some xenos? I'm sure Tau Codex coming out might have some expensive but good stuff, most of it suits. Ally in some expensive terminators for cc support, maybe a librarian with gate and null zone and some assault terminators?

 Seaward wrote:
I'm looking for infantry-heavy and as low a model count as possible.

Infantry heavy but low model count is a contradiction in terms for most armies.

As much as I like the Ravenwing I dont think it fits your bill as it has zero infantry and is really not all that competitive.

Space Wolf ThunderWolf Cavalry deathstar tooled to murder...

3 TWC Lords + Canis + Full TWC Squad.

Objectives? what Objectives!!! go table the enemy!

I would also put forth Deathwing. I have no idea how competitive they are with the new codex and accompanying special rules, as I am going to be playing them with earlier edition's rules(most likely the 3rd edition codex with 4th edition rules), if I ever get them done, that is. As far as i know 4th edition armies had so much fewer gimmicks and tricks that the ones in 6th, Deathwing stood out even more.

I would hazard a guess that you could have a lot of furn with a Deathwing/Ravenwing army if you are playing 6th edition. Ravenwing can close up some of the areas that Deathwing doesn't have, but without bringing the total army out of the "small, elite army" category.

Ravenwing is quite low Model-count, infantry heavy, and very competitive.

It's also a blast to play, and incorporates some beautiful models.

My vote would be GK or Tau, simply because they have some new models out that I want. Don't do Daemons and IMHO Orks or Nids.

I'm going to make an unusual suggestion - Dantewing. That is, all (or near all) Sanguinary Guard.
An army full of 2+ saves and FNP from Priests (so, only slightly worse off than Terminator survivability) that moves with jump-packs can be a scary prospect. Add in that you can still take some fluffy options like Stormravens for anti-air, or special-weapon armed Honour Guard for where close combat won't cut it, and you have the elements necessary for a TAC list.

Adding the Sanguinor too gets expensive, but crazy effective if you can concentrate your squads together on the assault.

In the same boat as OP, but I figured I'd go with an Eldar Wraithguard list.

Ork nob bikerz

2 x 10 wraihguard w/ warlocks w/ ss & ss
4 x 5 dire avenger squads, each exarch w/ 2 AV catapults
3 x war walkers w/ scatter lasers x 2
2 x wraithlords w/ blances and rocket launchers
1 x farseer loaded with stuff
1 x wraithseer or maugan ra

You're looking for infantry specifically, or just non-vehicle, low model count?

Draigowing is still good. Using Dreads and/or Dreadknights for support keeps the model count low.

Ravenwing is bikes rather than Infantry, but it's good (albeit vulnerable to Helldrakes). Deathwing aren't as hitty or mobile, but scoring terminators can certainly work.

Daemons can go fairly low model count with multiple FMCs, soul grinders, and a couple of infantry squads; maybe with a splash of CSM for a fire support squad of oblits or assaulty Maulerfiend, Abaddon or another nasty Lord, a cheap unit of cultists and either Spawn or Helldrake.

 Super Ready wrote:
I'm going to make an unusual suggestion - Dantewing. That is, all (or near all) Sanguinary Guard.
An army full of 2+ saves and FNP from Priests (so, only slightly worse off than Terminator survivability) that moves with jump-packs can be a scary prospect. Add in that you can still take some fluffy options like Stormravens for anti-air, or special-weapon armed Honour Guard for where close combat won't cut it, and you have the elements necessary for a TAC list.

Adding the Sanguinor too gets expensive, but crazy effective if you can concentrate your squads together on the assault.

You know, this is the idea I was actually toying with before 6th Ed. I was thinking of doing a counts-as very pissed off Raven Guard successor. Trouble is, I have no idea how non-mech BA - specifically, DoA BA - actually plays in 6th, and I couldn't quite get over the cheesiness hump on using the BA 'dex to represent an RG successor. And I outright hate the BA theme, so using them as they are is out.

Everyone else, thanks much for the advice and recommendations. I may have to give Deathwing a shot, 'cause who doesn't like terminators.