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I've taken a few quizzes online, and I typically get Dark Eldar or Eldar as my results (occasionally Sisters or Grey Knights). I want to be sure to pick the right faction before investing the time and money, so I was wondering if I could get some input from the dakka people.

In rpgs, I tend to play support/healer characters. I prefer fast and agile to slow and tanky. I love the idea of "a thousand tiny cuts" but I don't typically do well with "glass cannon" strategies. I really enjoy the painting/modeling side of the hobby, so I would like to have models that are fun to paint and aren't too complicated to play. In Warmachine/Hordes I play Cygnar and Legion, with my typical strategy being whittling down from a distance, then rushing in to jam as the enemy closes in.

I really love the idea of a foot army instead of lots of vehicles, but I understand the meta of the game tends to punish this approach. What do you guys think?

Pick an army whose fluff inspires you to paint and keep you invested in the army.

I've heard this is a good approach, since I tend to buy models that I would like to paint, then work out strategies from there. I've just heard that DE are unforgiving to new players, and I don't want to get too flustered from the jump. I love their fluff, but I think I prefer the Eldar models for painting.

Well certain armies cab run foot well. However, from your description, I'd say: Eldar wave serpents, with guardians dire avengers, supported by whatever else you like. The serpents stand back and weaken from range then rush up and have very excellent short range clean up power. They are very difficult to take out at range, so they aren't glass cannons. And you can expand out of that with wraith armies for a even more durable army. Or add tau as an ally for more shooting at mid to long range.

The other option is tyranids with lots of Tervigons: very durable makes lots of shooting, but a bit more boring with a type of implacable advance feel. But you can get a similar feel as legion with lots of flying monsters or big slow face munching dudes that never seen durable enough.

Have you thought about playing the far sight enclave for tau. You get the crises suits as troops and they do a lot of hit an run. You can have it that your entire army can shift in the assault phase. I find it a lot of fun to play.

First off you need to decide why you are playing WH40K. Do you like the fluff? Do you like the strategy? Do you like the pretty models and painting them?

Then once you answer those questions, you have to decide. Not online quizzes, not other people on DakkaDakka, but you. You're not going to be happy with your choice if other people help you...

Slightly dated now - but these might help a bit:

Imperial Edition - http://www.epicempires.com/backissues/The_ICs_Episode_42.mp3

Xenos Edition - http://www.epicempires.com/backissues/The_ICs_Episode_43.mp3

 changerofways wrote:
First off you need to decide why you are playing WH40K. Do you like the fluff? Do you like the strategy? Do you like the pretty models and painting them?

Then once you answer those questions, you have to decide. Not online quizzes, not other people on DakkaDakka, but you. You're not going to be happy with your choice if other people help you...

I appreciate this advice. I've been wanting to start the game for quite some time now, so this little poll here is to get some outside help. My LGS plays 40k mostly, so I want something I can have fun playing. I like most of the fluff that I've read on wikis, and painting is usually my number one motivation for what I choose to purchase. For the purposes of this post, I'd like to know more about the gameplay and tactics side of things.

For instance, I love the way the Harlequins look, but I don't know if they'd fit the way I want to play. The same goes for Wraithblades (omg, trapped spirits of heroes!?).

It does sound a lot like Eldar are the way you're going.

melkorthetonedeaf wrote:
I've taken a few quizzes online, and I typically get Dark Eldar or Eldar as my results (occasionally Sisters or Grey Knights). I want to be sure to pick the right faction before investing the time and money, so I was wondering if I could get some input from the dakka people.

In rpgs, I tend to play support/healer characters. I prefer fast and agile to slow and tanky. I love the idea of "a thousand tiny cuts" but I don't typically do well with "glass cannon" strategies. I really enjoy the painting/modeling side of the hobby, so I would like to have models that are fun to paint and aren't too complicated to play. In Warmachine/Hordes I play Cygnar and Legion, with my typical strategy being whittling down from a distance, then rushing in to jam as the enemy closes in.

I really love the idea of a foot army instead of lots of vehicles, but I understand the meta of the game tends to punish this approach. What do you guys think?

Sounds like it's Eldar. They've got more resiliency than DE, and can field a good foot-based force without the tanks. The tanks are awesome though. Also some of the best psykers in the game, and some fantastic models that allow different painting - as opposed to marines, where the same scheme covers your entire force.

Tyranids

Who cares about fluff, big scary monsters!

melkorthetonedeaf 570657 6385647 wrote:

For instance, I love the way the Harlequins look, but I don't know if they'd fit the way I want to play. The same goes for Wraithblades (omg, trapped spirits of heroes!?).

Harlequins are really cool looking and their fluff is interesting but they are not that great of a choice for playing with, there are better options then them. One fun fact though is they are apart of both the eldar and dark eldar codex. Eldar is what's happening right now and they can be really powerful. They are easy now a days, they used to be a finesse army but with their most recent codex they streamlined them more and you can play them very simply. I know this because I have eldar and I don't have fun with them much after 5 months of playing with them because I normally play casual at my lgs and I don't build competitive lists and I usually table my opponents. I am now re doing my space marines and am going raven guard (not raven wing)

I know 2 people who picked dark eldar as their 1st army and they admit they have a hard time but that they like the challenge. It is also a better way to make you a great player strategy wise instead of an army who just has good units like eldar.

I personally don't seeing you liking Tau, maybe Tyranids especially since the hype about their new codex is supposed to contain awesomeness and I hear people like painting them since they have to paint a more synthetic style as opposed to gleaming armor.

In the end its up to you and I personally wouldn't believe those tests you took, who made the test and programmed it?


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PS dark eldar do lightning fast raids with a lot of power.

I had the same problem you did. Thats why i went chaos. Chaos allows you to change it up if you dont like the way things have been going for you.
You can go shooty...or you can go assault..even horde if you like.( I love typhus and his zombie hordes). Even a balanced mix of both.
Having the ability to take marks from gods can really be a game changer.

Sounds like eldar may be for you.

- They aren't extremely durable, but they have some neat tricks to keep their units in the action so that you aren't exactly a glass cannon (dark eldar are the definition of glass cannon).

- They fit the whole support/healer aspect with their psychic powers and strong synergy between units

- Thousands tiny cuts - eldar can choose between some very powerful weaponry or high rate of fire.

- They are very fun to paint as there are lots of colour schemes and vibrant aspects available

I'm intrigued about this idea of allies as well. Also, I have a friend with a GIANT Tyranid army and she said I could borrow it if I wanted to give it a go.

I think I'm going to pick up some Eldar for now, because I really like the way they look.

melkorthetonedeaf wrote:
I'm intrigued about this idea of allies as well. Also, I have a friend with a GIANT Tyranid army and she said I could borrow it if I wanted to give it a go.

I think I'm going to pick up some Eldar for now, because I really like the way they look.

Well, the one flaw in there is that there are rules about who can ally with whom, and no one can work with Tyranids.


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Or Tyranids can't work with anyone, depending on how you look at it.

On the quiz I did I got Dark Eldar, Chaos then Tyranids. I have 1 and 3 so the quiz isn't that wrong


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Eldar are a good choice, Dark Eldar and Tau make good allies. Arguably the best in the game infact.

Eldar and Tau work well together, too... Since they're Battle Brothers, ICs from each army can join units from the other army, and this can really bolster the (few) weaknesses of each army.

Where is this faction quest? I think that I would like to take it for giggles.

I'm curious, too.

Whatever you do be excited about it and do it cause you'll like it. I pretty much start a DW partially because I liked them but more so because I could get cheap DW models off ebay. You can guess that army didn't last too long. I moved onto IG because I like the idea of that much more. Just really get into your chosen army.

http://www.selectsmart.com/FREE/select.php?client=40k
http://www.selectsmart.com/FREE/select.php?client=alt40kquiz
http://www.selectsmart.com/FREE/select.php?client=wh40kselect
http://www.selectsmart.com/FREE/select.php?client=warhammer40k

I ended up getting Eldar or Dark Eldar for all four of these.