Infantry based shooty legion (Sorry, another new starter choosing an army!)

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**Punisher23**

Looking to get into 30K with a force with a playstyle different from the ones I use in 40K (armoured guard and Khorne/Nurgle chaos. From what I've read, the main choices for an infantry based legion that prefers ranged combat are Iron Warriors and Imperial Fists. Would one of those fit the style better than the other or should I also look at others? In particularAlpha legion seems to be the hardest one to gauge (appropriately!).

**Ashiraya**

Iron Warriors are quite defensive. Lots of infantry, but also lots of artillery. They do not take morale checks from shooting attacks, making them difficult to shift without close assaults.

Imperial Fists are also defensive, but slightly more flexible than the Iron Warriors. They specialise in bolter weapons, such as the standard Bolter, but they also have solid heavy support squads and elite melee squads.

Death Guard, too, are infantry-heavy, and enjoy toxin weapons (including toxic artillery), phosphex and so on, together with good morale.

Alpha Legion is the most flexible Legion in the game and can be absolutely anything, able to adapt to the needs of the battlefield.

Raven Guard naturally lean towards infantry due to their Legiones Astartes requiring more infantry units than vehicles. Unlike the Death Guard, Imperial Fists and Iron Warriors who footslog in their masses up the battlefield, Raven Guard infiltrate up close, combined with jump infantry, to fight in a more mobile manner, with plenty of stealth options.

Iron Hands do vehicles very well but they also have some of the toughest infantry in the game thanks to Inviolate Armour, so they are a good option if you do not want transports but are concerned that your infantry will take heavy fire. Keep in mind they are not very mobile. This is also true for Salamanders, who are similar but trade raw resilience (except against heat-based weapons) for improved morale and access to master-crafted items.

Word Bearers have some of the best overall morale in the game, which together with their favour for Chaplains and good morale characters are better than Iron Warriors if you are worried that you will be swept in melee.

Ultramarines do everything quite well, almost to the degree of the Alpha Legion, so they are definitely an option. They specialise in working together, their Legiones Astartes rewarding you for having several Ultramarine units combining their efforts against designated enemy targets.

Night Lords, Blood Angels, Dark Angels, Sons of Horus and World Eaters do well with infantry forces though their rules favour melee over ranged infantry.

With all this said, every Legion can do a ranged infantry army really, even World Eaters. Other Legions may do it better but no one does it badly.

**Col. Dash**

Both of your choices would work well. IW has the best shooty special units in the game and loves having its guys just walk up the field. I would bring two big blocks of tacticals and a unit of Tyrants as a base for any IW army and then worry about other odds and ends. Likely the easiest army in the game to paint and make look good.

I am not sure on what IF has but purely second hand, I think they would also do well in the role you want. I just wouldn't want to paint that much yellow.

AL would also make a great all infantry army. Give them infiltrate and the entire army can be in your opponents face rapid firing or Fury of the Legioning turn one. They also have the most difficult paint scheme in the game to make look good.

**Formosa**

Ashiraya wrote:
Iron Warriors are quite defensive. Lots of infantry, but also lots of artillery. They do not take morale checks from shooting attacks, making them difficult to shift without close assaults.

Imperial Fists are also defensive, but slightly more flexible than the Iron Warriors. They specialise in bolter weapons, such as the standard Bolter, but they also have solid heavy support squads and elite melee squads.

Death Guard, too, are infantry-heavy, and enjoy toxin weapons (including toxic artillery), phosphex and so on, together with good morale.

Alpha Legion is the most flexible Legion in the game and can be absolutely anything, able to adapt to the needs of the battlefield.

Raven Guard naturally lean towards infantry due to their Legiones Astartes requiring more infantry units than vehicles. Unlike the Death Guard, Imperial Fists and Iron Warriors who footslog in their masses up the battlefield, Raven Guard infiltrate up close, combined with jump infantry, to fight in a more mobile manner, with plenty of stealth options.

Iron Hands do vehicles very well but they also have some of the toughest infantry in the game thanks to Inviolate Armour, so they are a good option if you do not want transports but are concerned that your infantry will take heavy fire. Keep in mind they are not very mobile. This is also true for Salamanders, who are similar but trade raw resilience (except against heat-based weapons) for improved morale and access to master-crafted items.

Word Bearers have some of the best overall morale in the game, which together with their favour for Chaplains and good morale characters are better than Iron Warriors if you are worried that you will be swept in melee.

Ultramarines do everything quite well, almost to the degree of the Alpha Legion, so they are definitely an option. They specialise in working together, their Legiones Astartes rewarding you for having several Ultramarine units combining their efforts against designated enemy targets.

Night Lords, Blood Angels, Dark Angels, Sons of Horus and World Eaters do well with infantry forces though their rules favour melee over ranged infantry.

With all this said, every Legion can do a ranged infantry army really, even World Eaters. Other Legions may do it better but no one does it badly.

this is all true with a few exceptions

Dark angels favour Melee depdending on your rite of war, the ironwing rite for example is pure mech army, others are the same, so it depends entirely on the rite you take, if any, if your after a pure infantry army that is tough, iron hands are way up there, with the new world eaters characters and legion trait tweek, both are primarily infantry based (due to legion trait) and can deal a horrific amount of damage.

**Ashiraya**

DA have special melee weapons and a very good melee bonus taking up much of their Legiones Astartes, which is why I'd consider them a melee army more than ranged, though it's true that you can build them to be a tank army.

**locarno24**

Death Guard are definitely worth a look. The Rite Of War "The Reaping" lets you take Legion Heavy Support squads en masse, which is a scary thing to be shot at by.

**Formosa**

Ashiraya wrote:
DA have special melee weapons and a very good melee bonus taking up much of their Legiones Astartes, which is why I'd consider them a melee army more than ranged, though it's true that you can build them to be a tank army.

they also have a very good shooting weapon, the plasma repeater and the amazing heavy bolter, but the standard legion trait I agree seems to edge towards CC

**Punisher23**

Thanks all! Think i'm leaning towards Iron warriors, forgot about the painting part and much prefer the gunmetal to lurid yellow. Also helps that Perturabo is an awsome model for down the road. Really like the idea of infantry crossing the field under fire and not giving a damn as they also pummel the enemy into submission. Considered Death Guard but not a massive fan of the aesthetic despite having a fair bit of nurgle csm.

**Punisher23**

Quick question, do I just need "Extermination" black book for the time being to use them or do I also need the Legion book? I also see people talking about the updated red book, so would this have extra stuff in it that wouldn't be in the black book?

**Crazyterran**

Wait for the updated Red book if you just want rules. The black books are mostly for fluff.

**djones520**

Formosa wrote:
Ashiraya wrote:
DA have special melee weapons and a very good melee bonus taking up much of their Legiones Astartes, which is why I'd consider them a melee army more than ranged, though it's true that you can build them to be a tank army.

they also have a very good shooting weapon, the plasma repeater and the amazing heavy bolter, but the standard legion trait I agree seems to edge towards CC

Yeah, DA is a very good all around army. Great in CC, and great shooting. My only concern that I've had with them so far is none of their "tactics" are geared towards anti-armor. Meltabombs everywhere, is my solution right now.